The Song of Achilles

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller   378 pages

Miller manages to mix the greatest events of the Iliad, including various interpretations of events, and imagine the blanks to create a believable and captivating story. Miller has a way with words and imagery and figurative language in a classic (yet modern) style. Yes, modern. This is not some stodgy read favored by readers steeped in the ancient classics. In fact, its narrative reads like a modern novel, even if the trappings are all ancient. In that sense, believe the hype: Miller breathes new life into old classic!  

Miller’s writing, if often prosey, stays compelling and flows smoothly, capturing these great characters in an honest light. Truth be told, most of the story is dull, but this is not a story of great battles and honors, this is a story of the men behind them; stripped of the sparkling lights of fame, they remain flawed people whose lives were as ordinary and mundane as the rest of ours.

Starting during his childhood, the book revolves around Patroclus as he befriends Achilles, who is fated to be the greatest fighter of all time. Telling the story from the secondary character's perspective was a brilliant choice. Not only was the protagonist relatable, but as Patroclus slowly learns more about Achilles, so do we. The ending was a beautiful gut punch, all the more so since it happened quickly after the meandering story that it had been up to that point. I wish the climax had a few more pages so I had time to process what was happening before it was over.

Students of the classics, of the Trojan War,  of convention, risk disappointment with this retelling because it is, above all else, a love story.

Posted by: Regina C.  

Sex Changes

Sex Changes: A Memoir of Marriage, Gender, and Moving On by Christine Benvenuto, 294 pages

One night, shortly after making love, Christine Benvenuto's husband of over twenty years, the father of her three children, confessed to her that he wasn't the man she thought he was.  In fact, he wasn't a man at all.  He was, and always had been, a woman trapped in a man's body, and he was done pretending.  Over the course of the next few years, she watched helplessly as he sacrificed his relationships with her and their children on the altar of a jealous god called Who I Really Am.

Sex Changes is, above all, an opportunity for Benvenuto to tell her side of the story, what her husband's choices cost her and their children, a side of the story which it is not socially acceptable to tell - or, for that matter, to hear.

Full Disclosure

Full Disclosure by Camryn Garrett, 290 pages

“Simone Garcia-Hampton is starting over at a new school, and this time things will be different. She's making real friends, making a name for herself as student director of Rent, and making a play for Miles, the guy who makes her melt every time he walks into a room. The last thing she wants is for word to get out that she's HIV-positive, because last time . . . well, last time things got ugly.  Keeping her viral load under control is easy, but keeping her diagnosis under wraps is not so simple. As Simone and Miles start going out for real--shy kisses escalating into much more--she feels an uneasiness that goes beyond butterflies. She knows she has to tell him that she's positive, especially if sex is a possibility, but she's terrified of how he'll react! And then she finds an anonymous note in her locker: ‘I know you have HIV. You have until Thanksgiving to stop hanging out with Miles. Or everyone else will know too.’  Simone's first instinct is to protect her secret at all costs, but as she gains a deeper understanding of the prejudice and fear in her community, she begins to wonder if the only way to rise above is to face the haters head-on. . . .” I really enjoyed this book.  It brought out a lot of issues that teens have to deal with and one that most teens probably don’t, but also an issue that isn’t discussed much.  This is an excellent read for teens who like realistic stories.

Leah On The Offbeat

Leah On The Offbeat by Becky Albertalli, 343 pages

“In this sequel to the acclaimed Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda--now a major motion picture, Love, Simon--we follow Simon's BFF Leah as she grapples with changing friendships, first love, and senior year angst. When it comes to drumming, Leah Burke is usually on beat--but real life isn't always so rhythmic. She's an anomaly in her friend group: the only child of a young, single mom, and her life is decidedly less privileged. She loves to draw but is too self-conscious to show it. And even though her mom knows she's bisexual, she hasn't mustered the courage to tell her friends--not even her openly gay BFF, Simon. So Leah really doesn't know what to do when her rock-solid friend group starts to fracture in unexpected ways. With prom and college on the horizon, tensions are running high. It's hard for Leah to strike the right note while the people she loves are fighting--especially when she realizes she might love one of them more than she ever intended.” I haven’t read the first book yet but it wasn’t necessary.  If I had realized before I’d started that it was a sequel I might have gone back and read it first, but I loved this story anyway.  Leah was a great character, easy to like even when she doesn’t like herself much.  This is a great read for teens who like realistic fiction or are questioning their identity.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The Perks of Being a Wallflower  by Stephen Chbosky                   Audio Book:  6 hrs., 3 0 mins       Hardback Book: 224 pages         

What a great story.   I love the way it is told in the first person by a young man coming of age, who has dealt with a lot of emotional baggage of his own that has damaged him slightly but he is so brilliant that a group of older radical outliers themselves bring him into their fold and treat him as a peer whereas kids his age think he is weird and hassle him.    He has such a joie de vivre ( joy in living)   whether it be learning how to kiss, finding his own happy ending (read between the lines) he has such an innocence and yet a sage wisdom too.   What a likeable character.   And    all of the older set have their own Breakfast Club vibe only on a far more cerebral scale.    Thee are lots of clandestine activities and conversations and this story is just a delight.    The film is good too, but, I am so glad to read the book, it goes so much deeper into the main characters’ psyche.    Excellent story.   I recommend this one to young and old there are so many aspects of life and family personas that everyone will find a touchstone here.     I liken the main character to Ponyboy in the Outsiders.    Well written book so much more behind everything here.     

 - Shirley J

Gideon the Ninth

Gideon the Ninth  (The Ninth House #1) by Tamsyn Muir 448 pages  I read a galley - book is due out September 2019

"The Emperor needs necromancers.  The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman. Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead bullshit.

Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won't set her free without a service.

Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire, has been summoned into action. The Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. If Harrowhark succeeds she will be become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection, but no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier. Without Gideon's sword, Harrow will fail, and the Ninth House will die.


Of course, some things are better left dead."  (Summary per Goodreads)

I used the summary from Goodreads because I couldn't think of a better way to summarize this story. I found this was not a quick read, even though I was enjoying the book, simply because there's a lot of detail to keep track of. You aren't given much backstory on either the characters or the world they live in, and while that's ok, I found I was sometimes going back and double-checking the list of characters at the front of the book just to keep track of who was who.  I did like that this is a kind of adventure/mystery/swords and sorcery-necromancy story. I liked that Gideon is a character who doesn't try to be something she isn't; she enjoys her sarcasm and plainly states how she feels about things. I also liked the queer elements in this story, as well as the way that the author plainly puts how characters feel about each other.  I also liked that the necromancy here has yucky elements, which is what you'd completely expect but somehow can get scrubbed out of stories.  I loved the bone necromancy of Harrowhark and the other characters, as well as the other elements of necromancy.  This is a gothic fantasy/science fiction story that not be for every reader, but was something I enjoyed. And I'm already looking forward to the second book, which is annoying considering this book isn't even published yet.

Hurricane Child

Hurricane Child by Kheryn Callender, 214 pages

“Born on Water Island in the Virgin Islands during a hurricane, which is considered bad luck, twelve-year-old Caroline falls in love with another girl--and together they set out in a hurricane to find Caroline's missing mother.” This book was hard to read for me.  The topic was a little tough, first of all, and the characters just didn’t hold my interest as much as I want. I really disliked some of them too.  I liked the story and it was executed fairly well, but it moved a little slowly in parts.  Overall, I’m not sure that I would seek out other books by the author or recommend this to kids, but I can’t say that I’m sorry that I read it.

The Steep And Thorny Way

The Steep And Thorny Way by Cat Winters, 335 pages

“A thrilling reimagining of Shakespeare's Hamlet, The Steep and Thorny Way tells the story of a murder most foul and the mighty power of love and acceptance in a state gone terribly rotten. 1920s Oregon is not a welcoming place for Hanalee Denney, the daughter of a white woman and an African-American man. She has almost no rights by law, and the Ku Klux Klan breeds fear and hatred in even Hanalee's oldest friendships. Plus, her father, Hank Denney, died a year ago, hit by a drunk-driving teenager. Now her father's killer is out of jail and back in town, and he claims that Hanalee's father wasn't killed by the accident at all but, instead, was poisoned by the doctor who looked after him--who happens to be Hanalee's new stepfather.The only way for Hanalee to get the answers she needs is to ask Hank himself, a "haint" wandering the roads at night.” This book was a little hard to read because of the subject matter but it was very well done.  Teens who like historical fiction need to read this book.

Princeless: Raven, the Pirate Princess vol III

Princeless: Raven, the Pirate Princess vol III, Jeremy Whitley, 128 pages

A member of Raven’s crew has been gravely injured in the struggle against her brothers, and the crew flees to find a healer. Crewmembers tell stories of romance to keep each other company, and Raven attempts to persuade the healer to help a pirate.

What a great series. Romance begins to develop, and more awesome women join the cast. I really liked the part where Raven stops beating up a guard to help her with an asthma attack. A worthy follow-up to the earlier books.

Princeless: Raven, the Pirate Princess vol II

Princeless: Raven, thePirate Princess vol II, Jeremy Whitley, 128 pages

Bent on justice, Raven finally has a crew for her ship, but now she needs a heading! They set sail for the Island of Free Women in hopes of finding where her evil brothers have hidden themselves, but there’s trouble brewing no one could expect. And worst of all, the crew has to deal with each other!

This is a great continuation of the first volume. There’s action, adventure, hints of romance, and plenty of nasty men getting gloriously beaten up. Definitely a solid read.

The Seafarer's Kiss

The Seafarer’s Kiss, Julia Ember, 214 pages

Ersel has long wanted to explore, to see what lies beyond the ice shelf in which she and her fellow mermaids live. However, her childhood best friend, who she’d planned to run away with, has joined the king’s guard and increasingly buys in to the patriarchal mores of their society. When Ersel finds Ragna, a shipwrecked human woman, she is again presented with a choice: to flee and start a new life, or to stand up against the king’s tyranny. Either way, she’ll need to deal with Loki, the god of mischief, and Loki’s deals can never be trusted.

I went into this book with high expectations, which were pretty much immediately dashed, but then by the end of the book I was enjoying myself again. So this has been kind of a roller coaster. The writing is clumsy at times – Ember seems to forget that mermaids live underwater and structures parts of their society inconsistently with that (for instance, their dining hall). And although I expected a retelling of The Little Mermaid, I did not expect the references to the Disney version, which took me out of the fiction and reminded me strongly of the TV show Once Upon a Time. That being said, I think the book gets better as it goes, and I really liked the ending.

Sound

Sound, Alexandra Duncan, 489 pages

Miyole has finally achieved her dream of taking to the stars, working as a research assistant on a deep space mission, and even if things aren’t perfect, how can she complain? But when her ship intervenes in a pirate attack on a rover ship, rescuing most of the beleaguered crew, her world is thrown upside down. A rover girl, Cassia, convinces Miyole to help her on a dangerous rescue mission. Will Miyole throw her lifelong dream away for this girl she’s only just met? What dangers await them in the vast emptiness of space?

This is a very good young adult sci-fi book. Miyole is dealing with some repressed trauma, which informs many of her major decisions. She felt real and complicated, although some of the supporting characters, Cassia in particular, were less fleshed out. That being said, Miyole is a solid enough protagonist that the book doesn’t suffer for it. This is the companion novel to Salvage, which I have not read, but I heard they could stand independently, and I never felt I was missing out on some crucial piece of information.

Princeless: Raven, the Pirate Princess vol I

Princeless: Raven, thePirate Princess vol I, Jeremy Whitley, 96 pages

This is a spinoff series from Princeless, in which Raven (the Pirate Princess) embarks upon a quest to revenge herself against her father and brothers for locking her in a tower and stealing her throne. But first, she needs a crew!

I liked this book quite a bit. Her crew is diverse and dynamic, with their own personalities and motives for joining. The art is good, though at first I found the coloring style a bit flat (I quickly got used to it and stopped feeling that way). I’m always nervous with these serially-published graphic novels that the art style will change suddenly, so I hope the next volume has the same artists.

The Tiger's Watch

The Tiger’s Watch, Julia Ember, 180 pages

Tashi, though meek and mild-mannered, is bonded with a rare golden tiger – odd, since animals usually choose Inhabitors who match their personalities. However, with the Myeiki army invading, having a tiger could come in handy. Tashi and their friend (and longtime crush) flee to a hidden monastery and shelter there, but a battalion of the Myeiki army is close behind, led by the brutal, yet conflicted (and staggeringly handsome) Captain Xian. Tashi must go against their nature to spy on Xian and learn why he’s really at the monastery, while fighting their growing attraction for him.

Honestly, I’m not sure how I felt about this book. I thought Tashi was a very compelling main character, even when making bad decisions, and the nonbinary representation was very good. But the love triangle was unnecessary at best and disturbing at worst – Xian is objectively horrible, and his internal conflicts don’t redeem him (the best that can be said is that he’s not as awful as he could be). Also, The Tiger’s Watch is very short, and the worldbuilding and plot feel rushed as a result. I can’t justifiably call it badly writing – Ember’s writing style comes off smooth and polished in the small scale – but overall it feels like it needs more development and expansion.

The Black Tides of Heaven

The Black Tides ofHeaven, JY Yang, 237 pages

Twin siblings Mokoya and Akeha, children of the Protector, have grown up away from her tyrannical influence, in the Grand Monastery. Mokoya has developed the ability to prophecy the future, and Akeha has always blended into the background, keeping an eye on everything and everyone. But as they grow, they grow apart, and the Rebellion against their mother’s rule grows as well. Is Mokoya merely a pawn under the Protector’s influence? Should Akeha join the Rebellion, or will that put the two twins in opposition?

I feel like this novella suffered from the same affliction as Everfair, trying to span too great a length of time with too low a page count. Thankfully, it’s less glaring in this book, being shorter and only have two major characters. I thought the worldbuilding was good, especially the magic system and how it complemented technological advances – it reminded me of The Legend of Korra in a way. As much as I love traditional swords-and-sorcery fantasy, it’s nice to mix it up with some actual technological development (isn’t it incredible how weaponry hasn’t changed in well over six thousand years in The Lord of the Rings). Generally I liked The Black Tides of Heaven, I just found it slightly unsatisfying.

An Accident of Stars

An Accident of Stars, Foz Meadows, 496 pages

Sixteen-year-old Saffron is just a normal high school student, dealing with creepy boys and an uncaring faculty. But when she accidentally follows middle-aged Gwen through a rip in the world behind her school, she stumbles into a strange, overwhelming new world, and is immediately thrust into the middle of a civil war. As a new worldwalker, Saffron must deal with the pain of leaving her family and everything she knew behind, as well as the unexpected, awful trauma dealt by Gwen’s opponent.

It’s hard for me to get more into the plot, because there’s a lot going on – lots of POV characters, lots of backstory and history, a rich and only-lightly-explored magic system. The civil war plot is, by any stretch of the means, Gwen’s story, not Saffron’s. Her error put a tyrant on the throne, and she must bring him down. But Saffron as our protagonist and audience surrogate allows us to enter the action in media res, learning what is important as it comes up and never being given too much information at one time.

I feel like this is an unsatisfactory review, but again, there’s so much in this book that I don’t know what to focus on. Regardless, I really enjoyed it – I thought the worldbuilding was complex and fascinating, the plot was engrossing, and above all, Meadows’s handling of the immense stress and trauma placed upon the characters (and Saffron in particular) was masterful and above all kind. There are some lovely, gentle sentiments expressed in elegant, simple language, and I appreciate the care that went into it. I would definitely recommend this book.

Three Sides of a Heart

Three Sides of a Heart, Natalie C. Parker, 448 pages

This is a collection of short stories, all having to do with love triangles of various kinds – taken very loosely, which is a fun twist. Many of the stories are queer, some are abstract, and some are fairly run-of-the-mill. Most of them I enjoyed, although there was one in particular I found completely confusing – it shifted POV-character constantly and presented the same three characters in different settings, with little indication of a shift. Maybe I would’ve enjoyed it more upon a second, more careful read, but by the time I finished that story I was so relieved to be done with it I didn’t think of going back.

This is a pretty good collection. The diverse and many-faceted interpretations of what exactly a love triangle could be bring unexpected pleasure to the read, and if one particular story doesn’t catch your interest, they’re all pretty short and the next one might.

Everfair

Everfair, Nisi Shawl, 383 pages

It is the late 1800s. The American Civil War is over, but racial injustice still runs rampant, and King Leopold is blazing a swath of destruction through the Congo. African-American missionaries combine forces with the Fabian Society, made up of utopians and socialists from Great Britain, to set up a refuge for escapees from the Congo, as well as people of African descent from all over the globe. Using steampunk technology and spiritual guidance, they struggle to hold their own against the depredations of Belgian mercenaries and build Everfair, a land where all can live in harmony.

I picked up this book hoping for a decolonialist narrative with an emphasis on environmental harmony (for, of course, much of the history of colonization in Africa is about stripping the land of its natural resources). This expectation was certainly influenced by the recent film Black Panther. Unfortunately, that is not really what I got. Most of the founders of Everfair are white, only one POV character is native African, and the new colonists are nearly as bad as the old ones – it’s seen as a big step forward when they invent the internal combustion engine. Additionally, Shawl opts to tell a twenty-five-year history of the country, concentrating neither on a character-driven story nor a plot-driven one, but on an overly broad picture communicated in too-short vignettes, reminiscent of the worst aspects of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Silmarillion. I honestly think I would’ve liked Everfair much more if it had been a ten-book series, where each book could really do these characters justice. As it is, the pacing feels simultaneously rushed and drawn out.

The Abyss Surrounds Us

The Abyss Surrounds Us, Emily Skrutskie, 273 pages

Cas Leung was raised as a Reckoner trainer – responsible for the care of a massive, genetically engineered monster bred solely for defending against pirate attacks in the NeoPacific. But on her first solo mission, something goes terribly wrong. Her Reckoner sickens and dies, and she’s captured by Santa Elena, an ambitious pirate captain, to raise a pirate Reckoner. As her Reckoner grows, now named Bao after the steamed buns, Cas becomes closer to one of Santa Elena’s protégés, a young woman named Swift. Will Cas lose her head – or her heart – to the pirates, or will she remember her duty to her parents and her country?

I loved this book. The romance is masterfully handled, issues of moral ambiguity are tackled head-on, the worldbuilding is detailed without being long-winded. The Abyss Surrounds Us is a book that knew exactly what it wanted to say and how to say it, and then went out and said it. I wish the side characters were slightly more fleshed out, but apart from that, I honestly can’t remember the last book I felt this unreservedly positive about. Mostly I wish it had been longer! I can’t wait to read the sequel.

Shadow Scale

Shadow Scale, Rachel Hartman, 596 pages

War between dragons has erupted. The Old Guard have seized power, and Ardmager Comonot leads the Loyalists from the human kingdom of Goredd. At the bidding of her friends, the newly-crowned Queen Glisselda and her fiancé Kiggs, Seraphina must travel across the Three Kingdoms and up to isolated Porphyry, gathering her fellow ityasaari, or half-dragons, in hopes of rediscovering the secret of St. Abaster’s Trap, a weapon that could change the balance of the war. But Seraphina’s past comes back to bite her in the form of Jannoula, who once tried to seize her mind and possess her and now begins to weave a terrible net around Seraphina and her new friends.

This is a worthy follow-up to Seraphina. Hartman broadens her scope and shows us more of the world outside Goredd, taking us on a tour to the other kingdoms and even into Tanamoot, the embattled dragon homeland (where we see how sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic). The secrets of the ancient Saints are revealed, and Seraphina learns the extent and the limits of her own ityasaari powers. Jannoula is a terrifying adversary – able to steal into other ityasaari minds and twist them to her own purposes, and the fear and helplessness Seraphina feels come across very strongly. I’m very much looking forward to reading the upcoming Tess of the Road.