Airframe, by Michael Crichton

It's been a really long time since I've read this. But, since we're working on text sets I thought it would be a good idea to add this to my blog. The story deconstructs an "event" in an airplane. The insurance auditor and air safety people try to track down just what happened. Overall I think it's useful to describe how math and science are really a part of real life work. As always, Crichton's plots and characterization carry the reader through some fairly technical details.

Vampire Academy, by Richelle Mead

I can blame one of my teacher friends for this! (Yes Pam, that's you!) She recommended this series as one worth reading in the genre. I had been expressing some hesitation about Dawn of the Dreadfuls and Pam said this series was good.

Mead had be from the beginning. There is a new sub-culture of vampires explored in this book--the living vampire--essentially good guys. There still exist the "bad vampires" that kill people and they are set as the antagonists in the series. Added to the mix are the guardians--human/vampire hybrids who serve to protect the good vampires from the bad.

What engages me more in this series is the portrayal of teen cliques and social pressures. The main character, Rose, is a guardian in training and has a mystical bond with her vampire, princess, bff, Vasilisa (Lissa). I don't want to say much more about the plot--no spoiler here. However, the ebb and flow of teen culture and the way teens have to figure out the adult world rang pretty true with my experiences.

This is a three stars book for me. I bought the "boxed set" of the first three, so I'll let you know if the next two are able to uphold the general quality of the characterizations and plot. I' recommend this for about 8-10 graders. It's probably more of a girls' book, but some boys might enjoy it.

Dawn of the Dreadfuls, by Steve Hockensmith

This is a prequel to Seth Grahame-Smith's pastiche, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I've reading in a streak again--vampires and horror. Must be approaching Halloween. I enjoyed the beginning of this book more than the end. I got just a little tired of the slashing off of limbs and rotting corpses. The idea of framing all this with the Bennett girls and Victorian England is interesting, but I did not find myself completely engaged. It could be that I need to go back and reread Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre. I might enjoy the irony and off-play a bit more if those two were fresh in my mind.

Overall I am beginning to wonder what is causing the upswing in vampire, zombie, and horror genre. It is definitely a strong current in youth culture. It could be that they are just following a trend, beginning with Harry Potter and moving on through Twilight series. But, I expect it must be something a little more deep than just that. I put the horror genre in parallel with the mythology (Rick Riordan & Michael Scott) and think that perhaps it has a larger cultural significance. In the last great depression we saw lots of romantic comedies. I wonder if this is somehow a new for of escapism or a desire to play out the possibilities of overcoming supernatural forces (like the economy) with friendship, loyalty, and bravery.

Hockensmith has also written several novels based on Sherlock Holmes. I think those might be a good choice for my next read. On the other hand, it may be time for a real adult book. My friends are recommending The Help and I am also considering reading Freedom by John Franzen. However, after working through The Passage, by Justin Cronin I am cautious of popular reviews.

So many books--so little time!

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

Good book. I have been working on meditation and being in the present for about 3 years now. Gilbert's saga of her year of self-discovery rang pretty true. (I wish I could find a publisher who would underwrite me for a year to do this sort of work. Their investment has clearly paid off!)

I might recommend this book to young adults, probably high school students. I'm not certain that many kids of this age are ready to contemplate these topics. But, it might be helpful if they already have such interests. In my area of the world I would need to be cautious about such recommendations. I expect that a number of religious organizations (that are all pretty influential around here) would object to influencing school-aged kids this way.

I am going to give my copy to my 23 year old daughter. I believe we'll start with the movie though.

I do have a question about Julia Roberts playing Elizabeth Gilbert--I'll add to this after I see it.

City of Bones, by Cassandra Clare

Vampires, werewolves, demons, magicians--again. But, I was drawn into the story. It has a somewhat predictable plot line. Our heroine, Clary Fray discovers that she has supernatural powers, a mother with a hidden past, and something odd about her dead father. It's okay. For younger readers (I'd suggest 7th-9th grades for this) the predictable plot line helps with comprehension and fluency. What I appreciate about this book is the ambiguity and subtly shaded characterizations.

I enjoyed the reader comments on the Barnes & Noble website. It tells me my instincts about this book's attraction for kids was right. They find it a good read and will continue with the series.

I listened to this as a CD checkout from the public library. I wasn't bothered by the narration the way that Publisher's Weekly seemed to be. But, I listen to these books while walking the dog, gardening, cooking & cleaning house. It might be that if I was using it as something to read while driving that I would be annoyed.

I have the next in the series on reserve from the library. I don't think I'll buy the books--I'm running out of shelf space and want to save the available inches for books I would use for instruction. This probably isn't one I would use (I'd use the Rick Riodan Red Pyramid or Michael Scott The Alchemyst instead). But, it is one I will keep as a recommendation for kids who like the genre. A good next read for Twilight or Percy Jackson fans.

A Reliable Wife, by Robert Goolrick

This was a heavily promoted novel. It was a featured selection on the Barnes and Noble website. NPR had a segment about it. I was less than impressed. I pretty much predicted the plot line very early on in the book. I grew up in Iowa and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I found the whole premise of people going nuts from cold, snow, and isolation in Northern Wisconsin unbelievable. (But maybe it was just hurt pride on my part.)

I was relieved to read the reader reviews on the Barnes and Noble site. Most readers agreed with me.

I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. Certainly not to school-aged (even high school) kids. If you want Gothic go to the originals-- Dracula etc.