A Few Books (And a Few Questions)
I don't know where to start with Melissa Marr's Ink Exchange, and I don't know how to express how much I loved it without giving away spoilers, so I'm not going to say much. I know there are a lot of mixed reactions to the book out there, and I understand that. But my experience of reading it was very emotional, and my take is that it's an important, delicate, beautiful book about survival -- about choosing to live after trauma, even though that means choosing to feel the pain you'd rather numb yourself to.
I believe in this book. I found it to be full of heart, feeling, and disturbing truth. Did you read it? What did you think?
Next up, I just finished Donna Jo Napoli's The Smile, which takes place in Florence at the turn of the sixteenth century. I don't think it's much of a spoiler for me to tell you that the smile referred to is the Mona Lisa's smile; the novel is Mona Lisa's story, as Napoli imagined it. (Napoli explains in a postscript that no one is certain who da Vinci's model was for the painting; this is definitely a work of fiction and imagination; but the political history is real and fascinating, and the imagined story is beautiful). I confess that I didn't give this book the attention it deserved, because I've been running around like a headless chicken lately. But even my scattered attention could tell that it was a wonderful book. I'm going to read it again. And here's a question -- can anyone recommend more Napoli books, particularly taking place in Italy? I think I've found a writer whose books touch my soul. I want to read more.
Finally, I forgot to mention the other day, when I blogged the Andre Norton finalists, how much I liked The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson. The link, btw, will take you to the Readergirlz blogspot, which is featuring Pearson's book this month and which describes the book better than I could -- and which has a lovely playlist going ^_^. Read it! It's great. And hello, beautiful cover!
The main reason I'm a headless chicken these days is that I leave for Italy on Thursday. I'm going to the Bologna Children's Book Fair, and right after that, to the Penguin sales conference back in the states. I'll be gone almost two weeks, and it's tax season and copyediting season and so many seasons that have me running around like crazy trying to prepare for my disappearance! So forgive me if I seem a little all over the place.
What are you reading and loving these days?
Comments
But I'm waiting for City of Glass by Cassandra Clare and Stargazer by Claudia Gray to come out the 24th.
Ink Exchange was a really good book. Melissa Marr is an excellent writer.
Lauren
Panna
Having 2 tattoo artists in my immediate family, I am partial to ink!! I saw this book a while back and googled Melissa. After reading her bio I instantly liked her and knew that I'd read her books just based on that.
I've never heard of Napoli :( but will definitly check her out now!
My comment is entirely unhelpful.
I am reading the Tir Alainn series by Anne Bishop right now. It is pretty good, but I am not DYING for more like I have been w/other books I've read lately. After that, I have a box of about 15-20 books, that are loaners from my mom, that I have to get thru before I get back to my TBR list. I also have a few series' that have new books coming out soon that I will be reading...
In Italy:
Daughter of Venice
For the Love of Venice (which I haven't read yet)
Elsewhere:
Zel
Song of the Magdalene
The Magic Circle
Spinners
I still have Wicked Lovely (which I bought for the great title) on my TBR pile. The 3 books looks great though.
I was going through a phase of Italian/renaissance history,(and still am, if I find good books on it) but if you're like me and enjoy books from that period, I have another recommendation.
Primavera by Mary Jane Beaufrand takes place slightly before The Smile. It's an interesting twist and view to the history. Without giving away spoilers to The Smile, it mentions Il Magnifico's brother Giuliano being assassinated and Primavera goes through that.
I also loved The Magic Circle and The Great God Pan.
For the record, I wasn't as big a fan of Sirena or Prince of the Pond. I'd start with the others first.
Otherwise... I loved Chalice (the newest Robin McKinley book), and always always always anything Shannon Hale or Brandon Sanderson.
I'm taking a break from YA lit at the moment and reading some Dorthy Sayers. I'm finding her lovely but a little dry for my taste. I have Bones of Faerie waiting for me at home. I'm looking forward to that one too.
I have read the Melissa Marr books and have enjoyed them immensely. If you liked them perhaps half as much I did I would The City of Masks by Mary Hoffman to you, if you haven't already read it. It takes place in modern day London and then in a parallel reality/world in Belizzia, a city that bears a strong resemblance to Venice. I read this book around two years ago and I still remember every main point and trivial detail, it was SUCH a good book.
I strongly recommend it, along with The Water Mirror by Kai Meyer, which also takes place in Venice. I love Venice, I've never been but it's among my "I Hope To Live There Someday But Probably Never Will" list of various and remote places I've seen in magazines and gotten romantic notions about.
Thanks for your time if you've read this- I'm sorry I meant it to be a short comment.
Now I'm starting the second volume of The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing by M.T. Anderson. Talk about an involved read. But I'm loving it so far.
I've been reading lots of Shakespeare since January because of my Intro to Shakespeare class. I finished Hamlet an hour ago, and I will move onto Othello tomorrow. Although it is not on the course syllabus, The Winter's Tale is at the top of my personal reading list.
I recently finished The Midnight Twins by Jacquelyn Mitchard. She tried writing a mystery, but it was not suspenseful. The prose read like it she thoughts she needed to dumb things down for young adults.
Looking Glass Wars, Frank Beddor. I only just read all of Alice in Wonderland which was a bit of a chore seeing as how I'm not... on anything. But I love the looking Glass Wars.
I was watching the Black Cauldron today when I discovered that it was based off a series of books. So I'll hopefully be digging those up soon.
I just finished the Sevenwaters Quartet by Juliet Marllier. It took me over a month and was totally worth it.
Aria
I just finished reading The Hunt For Dark Infinity (bk. 2 of The 13th Reality Series), and I'm about to start Genghis: Birth of an Empire.
I'll definitely be looking into the books you mentioned. They all look neat and may end up on my Amazon "To Buy" list.
Rose
also, read the book thief. just finished it and loved it. death is my new favorite charecter of all time.
sorry kristin, kasta got booted.
and yay, the new max ride book came out yesterday!!! go kids with wings!!!!
A special hi to new posters! :o)
I pronounce Lienid LEE-nid, but you can pronounce it however you like. :o) Which reminds me that I hope to get my FAQ page up soon.
Itdependsontheday -- I'm happy for Katsa to get booted by Death! (Meaning Death, the character in The Book Thief, in case I'm confusing or worrying anyone.....) Death is an awesome character... and death is leading my poll from the other day... :o)
Regarding Napoli, I find that reading her work is like studying a classic oil painting. She's painting a beautiful portrait that you watch come to life, stroke by stroke, until you finally see her full vision at the end.
It's not set in Italy, but Hush is a compelling story that is much more about the journey of the character than the destination she will ultimately reach.
I envy your trip to Bologna! I have a friend who lives there who I haven't seen in about a year. What I wouldn't give to be having some truly authentic Italian pasta with her family right now. Ah, well...
~Pianogirl
I was disappointed in Jenna Fox. It reminded me so much of Peter Dickinson's Eva that I was able to anticipate most of the plot developments. Melissa Marr sounds like an author I would enjoy while I wait for your new one, however.
nathan branford's post today...http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NathanBransford/~3/TrQEZY6hQEs/you-tell-me-what-do-authors-owe-their.html
is interesting about author websites and as he wonders what authors owe fans...(corollary is not discussed...what fans owe authors)
Also although I love your writing to death I'm ready to eat you alive! Because of graceling I have to rewrite like 5 chapters of my novel because I liked your time frame better:(
-Jenn
I also have enjoyed Melissa Marr's work, and I just finished Jenna Fox. for Melissa Marr fans, I suggest that you also try Holly Black's Valiant series - more dark faeries.
I also just went through all of Nancy Werlin's and Sarah Dessen's more contemporary works, and they are really great and thought-provoking.
Also, a book I think you would like(if you haven't already read it) is Eragon, Eldest, and Brisngr! They are amazing!!!
What I found distracting, is that throughout both books, Marr mostly wrote in a beautiful prose that utilized a high level of language ability. It was complicated, intelligent language that she then marred (no pun intended) by hitting the reader over the head over and over again by writing things like "It was wonderful" or "It was fabulous." I'm guessing it's a writer's "quirk," as we all have them, but it just drove me crazy and stopped me from fully engaging in the world she had created.
However, I'm looking forward to Fragile Eternity, and kudos to Melissa Marr for taking on some pretty tough topics with grace.
As for recommendations, I'm adding myself to the list of people who recommended Daughter of Venice and City of Masks. I'm currently on a Diana Wynne Jones kick, as usual, but am thinking of re-reading some Le Guin or L'Engle.