Airhead by Meg Cabot

I had no clue what was going on for the first 65% of this book. And then it all started coming together in a rush of "wow thisseemsreallyimpossiblebutisstilltotallyawesomeofanide." I was prepared for some pretty intense character development awesome that always comes from the marvelous Meg Cabot. And (surprisesurprise) it happened.

Emerson Watts is a girl with a boy's name who doesn't know what to do with herself. She can't (or won't) live up to her sister's shallow expectations. She has completely fallen for her best friend, Christopher, and doesn't have the confidence to tell him. And her opposition to big-name and big-business isn't supported by anyone close to her. So when her younger sister Frida wants to go the grand opening of the Stark Mega-Store in their SoHo neighborhood, their is no escape for a reluctant Emerson. And when Frida goes off in pursuit of the store's top model for an autograph, her sister is forced to pursue.

A plasma screen television detachs from the ceiling and begins to fall. Emerson lunges to save her sister, a solitary few feet from the shoes of Nikki Howard, the Stark model. Next thing she knows she is waking up in a hospital bed, being abducted by people who seem to have mistaken her for Nikki, and coming to the realization that maybe- just maybe- Emerson Watts is no more.

I was suitably confused for most of this, but was still pretty devoted to finding out what was going on. The mystery of the connection between Emerson and Nikki was completely engrossing. And through the constant discoveries you see more of Emerson coming through. She isn't just your average we-have-read-this-all-before, politically active, who-cares-what-they-think teen girl. She struggles with the things that most people do, which makes her much more easy to relate to. Plus, Meg Cabot has a very particular talent for writing emotions.

The main plot twist was very...err...twisty. At least, I didn't see it coming at all. People of greater intelligence and discernment probably will figure it out before I did, but its still a HA! moment. It also opens up space to a whole new level of character interaction that is really hard to find in "realistic-fiction", even though I'm not sure if this really qualifies for that particular genre title.

I am actually extremely eager for the second book (I won't reveal the name here because it practically tells all) and I can say with confidence that this is my favorite Meg Cabot book so far. Once again, she shows herself flexible and extremely capable of branching into the unexplored nooks and crannies of female-targeted realistic fiction (Has anyone read Jinx?).

I give Airhead 6 out of 7 lightnings. And am pleased that it has opened the door to reading science-fiction once again. Oops. Have I said too much?

Hoping that I Haven't,

Aella

Dingo by Charles de Lint

Charles de Lint paved the road for contemporary/urban fantasy. And his most recent novel, Dingo, received the World Fantasy Award. My only question is...why?

Dingoes are wolf-dogs that are native to Australia. But that is the last piece of trivia on Miguel's mind when the beautiful and sun-swept Lainey walks into his dad's music shop. All Miguel can think about is "why in the world would a girl like this be flirting with a guy like me." His shock is enough to carry him through a whirlwind three days of she likes me-she likes me not mind games. And when his infatuation turns into loyalty he must test the boundaries of his belief to the supernatural world and back. Because Lainey has a sister named Em. And Em is a dog (technically, a dingo). Surprise surprise. Lainey is TOO! *collective gasp from crowd* On the run from a creepy ancient sacrifice requiring their blood, they can only be saved by betrothal. And Miguel is Lainey's lucky man.

Dingo was very short, the sort of book you might overlook as a juvenile read. But it most certainly is not. Random acts of swearing pop up here and there, as well as some crude comments (mostly about women) from a bully protagonist. But those weren't really my major complaints with the story. Miguel and Lainey fell for each other too fast, the action was too quick, and all the history and details seemed to be crushed together to allow for time. To synopsize: Sprintaroundindizzylove... stop/fight ancient creature.... sprintaroundsomemoreindizzylove...The end. I honestly feel that this book could have been much more enjoyable if prolonged and am somewhat disappointed in Mr. de Lint's latest creation.

4.5 out of 7 Lightnings for this light, afternoon read.

Perusing the local pound,

The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean

Another intense novel. Wow. Two huge impact books with Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings sandwiched in with my reading time between. I am obviously humor starved.

Me: Whatever shall I do?

Inner Aella: Why, write a review and get that cloying tensity outoutout.
Me: AH! Of course!

Sym has an imaginary friend. So what if she's 14 years old? Titus is the only steady thing in her life. She can depend on him and his past to stay the same. For once, Titus, better known as Captain Scott of the Shackleton Expedition, almost made it to the southerly most point of the world. Unfortunately, the endeavor failed and he died, only to return as the comforting (and 125 year old) figment in a broken girl's mind.

So when Sym's genius of an uncle (Victor) proposes a trip to Paris, who is she to turn him down? And when her mother's passport mysteriously disappears, who is Sym to question how it occurred? But there is more than meets the eyes to Victor's day ride into France. Oh no. Soon Sym finds herself on a trip to Antarctica with celebrities, scientists, and a very attractive Viking-boy. There, her bond with Titus grows and is sorely tested when everything goes awry (or maybe they were meant to go awry *eyebrow raise*). Dead captain or no, she must keep her wits about her in the barren land that has come to be known as the Ice. And even when surrounded by the mirages of ice and sun that blur the edges of her focus, the choice is clear. Fight for her life above all else. Or die.

The White Darkness received the Printz award this year and was completely engrossing on a psychological level. Sym's character is complex, bearing enough originality to maintain my attentions through the entire first-person work. And yet, at the same time, I was struggling to believe her sanity. Why does she not notice her Uncle is a nutter from the very beginning? At times, I was worried that perhaps I wouldn't be able to enjoy her character because she wasn't giving the appearance of being especially bright. But at the conclusion of the novel, I was happy I had stuck with it. I realized her ignorance is the product of mental blocks she has developed to preserve herself.

Ms. McCaughrean's novel is excellently researched and at times, chilling (no pun intended). Her descriptions of the poles are dark and beautiful and the experiences of the explorers as they succumb to the blinding white of the snow and the killing cold are written realistically. It seems almost as if the author herself had experienced such things in an earlier time.

But if you're looking for a swashbuckling adventure story, this isn't it. An afternoon of quiet time will be needed to absorb every element. And, like what lies beneath the ice of Antarctica, there is much more to the story than meets the eye. Some key elements are easily missed if the reader so much as skips a page. But I don't think that will be a problem. You'll want to read every piece of the incredible description and startling twists.

I bestow upon this novel a 6 out of 7 lightnings (and a prize for longest review)! Expect more reviews than ever from the Maelstrom in the months to come.

In Pursuit of Odyssey,


P.S. Has anyone read any exceptionally humorous books lately? As I said before, my mindset is in a constant shade of gray from the sort of reading material I have been consuming of late. Comment Away!

The Red Thread by Roderick Townley

Dana has terrible nightmares. Dark dreams of tombs, betrayal, and a sneering man. Her only release from a constant terror of sleep is photographing everything in sight, even if her artistic talent isn't registered on every elitist's scale (*cough* cruel school girl *cough*). And the night is only one of her problems. She also has to deal with a paralyzed brother, a confusing relationship, and a psychotherapist who might need professional help of his own. But then sleep begins to leak into day and visions pursue her from the streets of Portsmouth, New Hampshire to the cobbles of London. People she once knew. Happenings she once was present for. And a murder she might have committed.

I am very sad for this book. The plot and characters had so much potential, but fell short of my expectations. But suspenseful moments peppering the storyline were enough to keep me from putting this novel down. Also there were nagging questions, some of which continued unsolved even after the last page turned. But the protagonist is difficult to like and important plot points are skimmed over with juvenile writing style and inconsistencies. Chase and Dana appear to be friends in the beginning and suddenly they are kissing. Crippled Ben goes from mature and intelligent to not understanding anything in the least. Another great flaw was found in the detail of place. The cities of Portsmouth and London are described by streets and landmarks that make no sense to the casual reader who has not visited the places or seen a map of them (myself included).

Ultimately, I would not recommend this novel unless there was truly nothing of value to read in the general vicinity. 3 out of 7 lightnings for the book that tried and failed on most levels.

Reading Up on Calvinism,
Aella Siofra