#gryffindorkk

Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth

“Sometimes I feel like I am collecting the lessons each faction has to teach me, and storing them in my mind like a guidebook for moving through the world. There is always something to learn, always something that is important to understand.”

It has been established; Veronica Roth can write a good novel. With shortly just a year after its publication date, Divergent, Roth’s debut novel, has singlehandedly eased its way through the doubtful minds and incredulous hearts both of readers and critics from all across the globe. It’s among the dystopian bestsellers and a soon-to-be movie franchise as well. But the challenge doesn’t stop from there, because now comes the most crucial and challenging part: Writing the book’s sequel. If anything, I think writing the second book is far more difficult than writing the first one. There are now expectations to be met, and thousands of fans to be considered. Veronica Roth, however, didn’t let the pressure of it all get to her. Because just one year after Divergent’s success, she has emerged with her a sequel, that, for my opinion, has surpassed her first.

I won’t do an overview of the plot in avoidance to spoilers. But here’s one thing: Veronica Roth took a really big risk by skipping a lot of recapping. You know that device used in sequels where the narrator deliberately walks you through bits and pieces of pivotal events that happened in the first book? There weren’t a lot of those in Insurgent. I read it in Roth’s blog that she felt it would bog down Tris’s narrative and would sound unnatural in her voice. I have to say, I kind of agree. So although it took me quite some time to settle into Tris’s world and grasp every bit of new detail, eventually it all came smoothly. I guess it helped that I did my part and do a quick recap of book 1. Ha!

I think it’s also very interesting to point out that Veronica Roth didn’t force a love-triangle in her books. THANK GOODNESS! A refreshing break from almost every Young-adult novel out there that splits its readers into ridiculous teams. *cough*The Hunger Games*cough*Twilight*cough* I was super skeptical at first that Veronica might throw in another boy or something. As if Tris’s inner turmoil about her Divergence, the death of Will and her parents as well as the looming war aren’t enough as her burden! Oh sorry, I got carried a little away. I am just really glad that Veronica Roth evidently understands her characters enough to decide what fits and what doesn’t for them. (Oh screw it, I just ship Four and Tris so bad.)

Speaking of Miss Roth’s clear discernment towards her characters, I am really glad that the second book gave so much for their development. I’ve said it before that this is truly where she lays her strength, and I have no doubt with that. In Insurgent, we saw yet another side of every character; from a crumbling Tris, a resilient Caleb, a sensitive Lynn and even a surprisingly new facet of Peter (I love you, bb). I think it just spoke so much volume about what the Divergent series is all about. At times, the lack of background from recurring characters and the constant popping of new ones can be a bit disconcerting, but those are just my minor issues, really.

I knew her world building wasn’t flawed! Since Divergent, I just knew it! From the littlest of detail like the surrounding gate locking the rest of the characters in, as well as the obvious neglect of the entirety of the United States, I know there has to be an explanation. The first book was so cleverly written for such major detail to be ignored. Thankfully, Insurgent cemented my theory and cast away any of my doubts, because Veronica Roth proved to me how she can really manipulate which information can bring her to her best advantage. Constructed like a true Erudite. What a shrewd move.

Behemoth (Leviathan trilogy #2) by Scott Westerfeld

Quick recap: After briefly escaping the German zeppelins in the Swiss mountains, the Leviathan finally heads to Constantinople to deliver Dr. Nora Barlow’s cargo to the sultan. The British are now becoming even more apprehensive of the city’s possible participation on the ongoing war, ever since the controversy between Winston Churchill and the Ottoman Empire. So when the lady boffin’s plans go on a different course, Deryn Sharp, a girl still disguised as a Midshipman for the British Service, finds herself on a perilous mission that could possibly bring triumph to the Darwinists. Aleksander Ferdinand on the other hand, still on the run from the Germans who tried to kill him, must find a way to escape the Leviathan ship after discovering Austria-Hungary, his home country is now at war with Great Britain. After a series of adventure and misfortune, Deryn and Alek team up and join heads with Istanbul’s Committee of Union and Progress who plans to overthrow the sultan, and possibly bring this brewing war to a close.

One thing that truly amazed me about Scott Westerfeld was his effortless ability to transcend serious themes of war, diplomacy and history into the young adult scene. Everything was seamless and put-together that it never came off as confusing and complicated. Kind of quite the opposite of how children and teenagers perceive history and world war, right? At times his prose can be quite technical, especially on combat scenes, but overall his amazing world building skills simply aided him in conjuring a palpable universe where steam-driven machines and fabricated beasts co-exist. His vivid prose also made Istanbul so captivating. As a reader, I was immediately drawn into the place’s melting pot of culture; from its different languages, colorful costumes, diverse population, down to the streets’ delectable spices.

Another thing that I absolutely loved, not just with this book in particular, but with the entire Leviathan trilogy is how little romance it contained. Okay, just hear me out. I’m not being cynical and anti-intimacy here. It’s just that with so much novels nowadays being marketed for teens, almost 99.9 percent of the time, it’s tainted, if not all about romance. And while there is totally nothing wrong with that, it’s very refreshing to see that this series almost seldom fixated on Alek and Deryn’s building relationship. Despite both characters, at some point in the book, became inseparable, Scott Westefeld played with their thoughts and emotions with caution making it less apparent and very much more sublime.

The second book also introduced a myriad of new characters, a wide array of fearsome machines, as well as creatures, both formidable and cute. With the help of Keith Thompson’s awe-inspiring artworks, the story’s most iconic parts just became even more alive before my very eyes. Who wouldn’t be captivated by Thompson’s Victorian meets Anime Manga style of drawing? I am just floored with how every pivotal event in the book contributed to an epic cinematic feel which in turn, created a magnificent steampunk harmony with Scott Westerfeld’s great story-telling. Sure enough, the grand and intricate detail of every battleship, every character, and every scenario will sure nestle and linger inside my head for a very long time.

Going Boving by Libba Bray

“These are hard times. The world hurts. We live in fear and forget to walk with hope. But hope has not forgotten you. So ask it to dinner. It’s probably hungry and would appreciate the invitation.”

Roadtrips are my weakness. Take any book, horribly written or intricately plotted, and put the element of a car with nothing but the endless asphalt ahead and I am bound to love it. I guess since I was a kid, I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of hitting the road off to an uncharted, unknown destination, with nothing but a few friends beside me and enough money to spare. This probably is the reason why American Gods by Neil Gaiman and John Green’s Paper Towns hold a special place in my bookworm heart. So it wouldn’t come to no surprise that despite my initial qualms about Going Bovine’s central character, I admittedly found myself eating my own words at how amazing this book has turned out. Perhaps I should always remind myself that the first few chapters do not define a book’s entirety.

The story begins with Cameron Smith, your quintessential quote, unquote modern day Holden Caulfield and his pursuit to get through life with zero attachments, whether from the people around him or from his own emotions. Sounds like a good plan, right? That is until he gets diagnosed with a complicatedly named illness called Creutzfeldt-Jakob, or more commonly known as Mad Cow disease. And just when Cameron thinks his life is going downhill, a pink haired angel clad in plaid and combat boots shows up to tell him that there is a cure, if he’s willing to find it. And thus begins, the craziest roadtrip ever conceived.

This book’s rather a stretch, I’m telling you. But a stylistic one in my opinion, because while some complained at how Cameron’s adventure seems tad too long, I feel cutting the story short will eliminate a huge element present in the story. Every pit stop that Cameron ends up to has contributed into something substantial for his overall character. From being annoying, apathetic and nonchalant toward everything, Cameron grew into a better person that cares and enjoys life. Every tiny event became missing puzzle pieces for an imperfect and incomplete individual, that along the process, I became more and more absorbed by his story. So from hating him, I started rooting for Cameron to prevail to hopefully find his cure.

I also loved how Libba Bray’s palpable narrative transformed every unusual character of the story (from an angel, a dwarf, and even a Norse god) into accessible fictional beings. Despite being in an almost crazy and surreal version of America, the secondary characters feel real and three dimensional. Bray’s ability to shift gears when it comes to being philosophical to being downright hilarious is also something I absolutely commend. Only very few authors can pull that off without it looking forced and she did quite an effortless job doing it.

Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson

“First thought: It was a dream Second thought: No it wasn’t Third thought: Crap”

The only lesson I learned out of reading this book is that one should not set high expectations from an author despite loving one of their previous works. I guess, I had so much high hope for Twisted to be at par with Speak, my first Laurie Halse Anderson novel. Yet no matter how hard I find reasons to like the story, the more I begin to doubt myself.

Ostentatious car references, really? Star Wars? Premature erections on all the wrong places? It’s pretty obvious that writing a male lead is not Laurie Halse Anderson’s strongest suit. Twisted had a lot of promise, mind you. It has that signature taut writing that I love and it’s very easy to read. But somehow everything went downhill after a hundred pages. One minute it’s like you’re in a light episode of One Tree Hill, the next it’s like everything went grim. 

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (no spoilers!)

“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.”

Fact: I am not a very emotional person. I rarely cry over fictional characters, books especially. So to be quite honest, even I was utterly surprised on how I responded when I finished reading John Green’s latest literary masterpiece. (Read: Buckets of tears) I mean, I was moved by his other works – Looking for Alaska and Paper Towns to be specific, but The Fault in Our Stars left me in a complete emotional wreck I was almost out of words after reading. Combining equal parts humor, nostalgia, sophistication and wisdom, the book has exceeded any of my expectations (and reservations) when reading fiction.  I guess, Markus Zusak has articulated it perfectly–without any shadow of a doubt–this is John Green at his best.

Ever since I became a fan of John, I’ve always known what his strongest suit is; he simply gets it. He completely utterly understands how to tap into your emotions and write prose in its absolute perfection. He doesn’t just string beautiful words together, he conjures thought-provoking philosophical reflections that illuminate uncharted territories teenagers are sometimes too afraid to explore. With ideas about the human consciousness, existentialism, oblivion and life after death, John effortlessly blends these oftentimes disparate ideas into one cohesive story. Simultaneously, John never forgets who his audience is, for he always writes in his signature mix of educated humor and unadulterated nerdiness. The Fault in Our Stars is no exception to that golden John Green quality.

Aside from a heartbreaking and beautifully told story, the real heart of the book lies in two of the main characters – another John Green trademark. He knows how to create this world filled with interesting people all with different personalities screaming in their own unique voices. Once again, I found myself immersed into Hazel and Augustus’s own little world, sharing their fascination of The Imperial Affliction and their relentless search for answers about life. In the absence of dystopian societies, vampires and wizards, it can be quite a challenge to draw young readers into realistic fiction. John however takes this opportunity to give focus more on the raw emotions rather than the plot itself. 

Never mistake that just because at the some point the book evoked this certain whim of loss and suffering that the book as a whole is ALL about loss and suffering. In fact, The Fault in Our Stars is quite the opposite. If you try to look closely, it is an uplifting book that celebrates the importance of life, being in love, friendship and living your life to the fullest. Perhaps what made the book even more close to my heart is the fact that I was part, with the rest of the Nerdfighters, of seeing the book grow: from being an unnamed new John Green book, to countless months of waiting for the official title, seeing John read chapters one and two on livestream, down to the release of the official cover. Heck, I even felt like I was also there when John signed all the preorders!

The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin

“That’s what she was, Joanna felt suddenly. That’s what they all were, all the Stepford wives: actresses in commercials, pleased with detergents and floor wax, with cleansers, shampoos, and deodorants. Pretty actresses, big in the bosom but small in the talent, playing housewives unconvincingly, too nicey-nice to be real.”

To cook up something that is both horrifying and intellectual takes only a man of high caliber of experience. So it wouldn’t come to no surprise that Ira Levin, the man behind Rose Mary’s Baby came up with something equally haunting and beautifully crafted. At once a satire and a savage social commentary on a patriarchal media-driven society that suppresses woman empowerment and liberation, The Stepford Wives takes its readers on a horrifying look on suburban life. The book created so much cultural impact, that the title itself left an indelible mark in our consciousness. After all, there is a reason why popular culture used the term “Stepford Wife” as a reference to a submissive and docile housewife. 

We begin when Joanna and Walter Eberhart moved from the busy lights of the city to a sleepy little suburban town of Stepford, Connecticut. Everything about the town seems to be an ideal paradise for couples - perhaps too ideal. For behind the Stepford’s cheery and idyllic façade lies a dark terrible secret – a secret so shattering that no one who encounters it will ever be the same. In a race against time, Joanna must outwit the people behind this horrible plot, or she will end up just like the housewives she feared and despised – “mere actresses on commercials, pleased with detergents and floor wax, with cleansers, shampoos, and deodorants.” 

I specifically liked Levin’s straightforward narration. It was fast paced and very easy to read. He didn’t give too much flowery details as the focus wasn’t on the prose but on the actions taking place. The precision of this form of writing, I feel is very important, as it can be oftentimes mistaken to as haphazard writing. A wicked deadpan humor apparent in the story is also something I quite enjoy. Readers will often find Joanna, the story’s heroine, in witty conversations inside her head. Her interactions with Bobbie, a Stepford neighbor and friend, were also something I found entertaining. With all of these, I became more and more sympathetic for Joanna’s character. After a hundred pages, you’ll find yourself rooting for her to escape. A literary tactic of Levin which I feel, brought a more horrific close to the story (oops, spoiler). 

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

“And the moral of the story is that you don’t remember what happened. What you remember becomes what happened.” - Colin Singleton

Ask a Nerdfighter what their favorite John Green book is and they will tell you either one of these two options: Paper Towns or Looking for Alaska. I never really understood why only a few people liked An Abundance of Katherines, pre-reading, to be quite honest. It’s a Printz Honor book, I always remind myself. So when I was about to start what I call as the “unloved middle child” of the John Green books, I decided setting my expectations on a safe level would be smart. And what an ingenuous move it was indeed, because I ended up loving the story more than I expected.

An Abundance of Katherines tells us the story of a recent Dumpee and a former child prodigy named Colin Singleton. In a pursuit of mattering after being dumped nineteen times by nineteen different Katherines, Colin sets out on a roadtrip across America. With an overweight Judge-Judy obsessed best friend riding shotgun and ten thousand dollars in his pocket, Colin is determined to predict the future of all relationships, save himself from his own swimming pool of pity, reinstate his prodigy status, and possibly win him a girl.

What is not to love about this book? Why is it not getting that much love from Nerdfighteria? I completely have no idea. I personally adore John’s writing with this one – kind of surprising since I was so used into seeing him write in first person. The narrative was funny and very dorky, with all of its footnotes, which I surprisingly enjoyed. I also liked Colin and Hassan’s interactions. All their inside jokes, crazy antics and code words made the story more hilarious.

Not only did John singlehandedly achieve the perfect balance of teenage angst and humor, he had also successfully made his readers think. A John Green signature, I suppose. Thematically, Abundance of Katherines is filled with questions of mattering, self-perception, the deviousness of our memories and the importance of stories. As a regular John Green reader, this subtle approach on breaching serious topics really what makes him a force to be reckoned with.

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

“He stared up at the stars: and it seemed to him then that they were dancers, stately and graceful, perfomrming a dance almost infinite in its complexity. He imagined he could see the very faces of the stars; pale, they were, and smiling gently, as if they had spent so much time above the world, watching the scrambling and the joy and the pain of the people below them, that they could not help being amused every time another little human believed itself the center of its world, as each of us does.” 

I guess I would’ve liked the book a lot more if I have read it before I saw the movie adaptation. I know this is unfair of me since we’re talking of two completely different mediums, but I just can’t help but compare the two! I just fell head over heels over the movie that I was half-expecting for the book to be quite the same. Sadly, the book became rather blunt compared to the grand details of its movie counterpart – kind of ironic really, since I thought giving details were a book’s strongest suit. 

Nonetheless, I like the book plotwise, as well as the execution of the narrative. The writing feels genuine and very believable. I just wish for more character development though, as I felt some parts feel a wee bit rushed. I was also disappointed that there is no Captain Shakespeare in the book. Needless to say, but those parts with the flying ship were my most favorite, and if not the most pivotal part of the story. That was the reason why I felt Tristran and Yvaine’s feelings toward each other in the end seemed artificial. To me, it just lacked an emotional build-up. Another thing was the absence of the final epic battle, which was something that I was not expecting.