The Ruins of Gorlan

 Book one in the Ranger's Apprentice series by John Flanagan. 

Will is an orphan and Ward in Castle Redmont. He has dreams of becoming a knight, like he believes his father was--though who and what his father was is only in his dreams too. But when he is called up to become an apprentice, he is denied from battle school because of his stature. When Halt the Ranger gives the Baron a note and doesn't divulge what it says, Will has to find out and sneaks into the Baron's office to sneak a peek at it, only Halt and the Baron catch him as if they knew he was going to do it. With Halt's commendation, Will becomes the Ranger's Apprentice where he learns to be more sneaky and archery and tactics of being a ranger. His other Ward mates become apprentices to cooks, diplomates, scholars, and Horace goes to battle school. Horace struggles with battle school bullies. Bullies aren't going to be the only problems. Morgarath, an enemy to the crown who's been hold out on in the mountains, has sent beasts to kill leaders. It will be Halt and Will's job to stop them. 

This series is a long series of 16 books. Previously I've read the first four, so this will be an adventure reading the other ones. This has the same kind of feeling as Revenge of the Witch but with far less hibi-jibi's and more friends, which I find I like better. 

It's a very basic story, which can be nice. There is plenty of world building in a basic "medieval" world which makes it different. Different peoples and cultures, though they share some similarities with history-ish. There were some times when it was a little long, going through the plains was maybe a bit unneeded. 

My son really liked that the bullies got beat up. I was glad that it gave us an opportunity to talk about bullies and that it's important to let adults know what is going on, that "hazing" isn't okay either. 

We can kinda tell that it is a debut novel. There is a handful of repetitive words that were weird or alliteration that was off that probably should have been caught by an editor, but somehow didn't. 

The Poppy War

 

This one, I didn't finish.

The basic plot of this book is a young girl, Rin, who grew up with her "auntie" and "uncle" in the country of a China-esque country. In order to not be sold off into marriage she studies her heart out to take the governments exams to try to get into an academy. While she aces the exam and escapes a life of forced marriage and hiding the drugs her "relatives" are dealing, she finds herself way out of her league. She's studied for two years, but the rest of the students at this war academy have had their whole lives to train in marital arts, the classics, and other areas that she has no training in whatsoever. With pompous arrogance on ever side of the students and teachers who hate the country trash, she must prove herself not only to them, but to herself as well. And then she discovers she has shaman magic.  

With a difference in country and cultures, this book reminds me very much of Tamora Pierce's Song of the Lioness series and her Protector of the Small series. Only girl in a group of boys at school and she must show that she can stick with the boys and beat them or get "kicked out of school." There is even the "I'm starting my period" moment toward the beginning reminding her that she is very much a girl amongst the arrogance of men. For those coming into a new generation, sure enjoy it (for as far as I read anyway). 

It is highly based on the politics and wars of 20th Century China which there isn't much of on bookshelves. Her country goes from Imperial "China" and fighting wars to defend their borders, to stopping a civil war and joining rebels to build a republic, and fighting enemies with more modern technologies. Being a history buff, I enjoy the other culture interpretations of history (in a fantasy sense too) and so I was really excited about it. Though I just read a brief article with the title of "What if Mao was a teenage girl?" And that was kind of off putting. He is not a world leader I like in any which way, so comparing Rin to Mao... makes me a bit wary. 

But I had to put it down because there was too much swearing. Not as much as others (comparatively, it could be considered "light") but there to many F-bombs dropped for me. Some of the other swear words I can deal with, but when it comes to the heavier language... I prefer to not. There are too many other books I'd like to get to. 

It was well written from 15% I got through. For those who don't mind/care, go for it. If you enjoy diving into cultures and enjoyed the Song of the Lioness or Protector of the Small, I think you'd enjoy this one too. History buffs, have fun. 

Thornhill

Thornhill is a well written, well drawn book that was a bit strange.

The written words are part of the diary of a girl named Mary from 1982 who is being bullied by the girls in orphan home. She has been bullied so bad that she stopped talking and her journal become her a solace, next to her handmade dolls, and the garden on the orphanage grounds. The artwork is the story of Ella, a girl who just moved in with her dad into a house that bordered the old Thornhill building in 2017. She goes exploring one day and follows a mysterious figure into a garden and finding dolls around the dilapidated building.

It was an interesting book, but a strange one. We feel really sorry for Mary and her trials. No one helps her and she feels like she can't confide in any of the adults around her. Then there is Ella where we don't get much from her. It's summertime and she doesn't do much but fix the dolls she finds around Thornhall. She doesn't do much else besides explore the grounds. We don't see her with friends or even with her father (who always is off at work and has no time for her).

I do find it interesting though that Mary only talks once in the whole book where there are quotations around what she says and Ella never says anything either (mainly because her side of things are all in pictures). The only time we see Ella "say" anything is when she writes a note. The similarities between the two girls are prominent but not screaming from the pages, obviously they are quiet.

It's a very sad book. Not one to read when you are sad. Especially the ending when it was supposed to be a happily ever after for the girls, but it wasn't in my opinion. A tragic ending to me, though it was supposed to be something happy-ish for the girls. I think it could have ended differently.

It was okay. Not a favorite but okay.

Page

The second book in the Protector of the Small series by Tamora Pierce was okay.

Keladry has become a Page and is no longer on probation. This is the story of the next three years and the trials of being a page. Still dealing with bullies, going on the summer camping trips that result in adventures, get a new animal to follow her, and training to become a knight of the realm. The big thing that are different is that Kel hires a maid to work for her, Lalasa. Lalasa is a girl who has been abused by men all her life and is scared of most everything. Kel takes her under her wing and starts teaching her to defend herself against unwanted attentions. Along side her regular training, as the older boys become squires and new boys come in to be pages, Kel starts gaining feelings for a boy (though I won't tell you which).

It has very much the same feeling as In the Hands of the Goddess from the Lioness Rampant series. The fighting of bandits or wars against another country, kidnappings, training, and the "joys" of developing into a woman. There isn't even the joy of George being there, though. Cleon is okay with his flowery words to Kel and Neal is sarcastic, but I haven't grown any feelings for either of them. Not that they are bad characters, but they seem to be lacking something that is supposed to make me like them.

Out of the series, this book seems to be the one that is too similar to other books for me. It's alright, and it needs to be there for the progression of the story; it's just not one that I would pick to read on its own.

When I was younger and read this, I didn't know what was going to happen throughout the story. I wasn't well enough versed in storytelling to catch onto the very heavy foreshadowing that is laid out throughout the story. For an older audience you could definitely tell what was going to happen and how she is "protecting the small" in this segment of Kel's story. It was good, but for an older audience it would give no surprise as to what would happen.

The ending of the book on Balor's Needle was well done enough and I was glad she accomplished what she did. It gives that sense of fulfillment in the climax of the story.

For a younger audience it would be a good story. It is a young adult novel with a good purpose behind it. It would be one that I'd suggest for a young to mid-teen.

P.S. I really like her mother. I wish there was more about her mom then there is. Fix that Tamora. Fix it.

Speak

"Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson is by far my favorite Young Adult novel I've read. I enjoy rereading this book and remember why I like it.

There are many reasons why I enjoy this book is due to many things. The writing style, the characters, the plot. Laurie Halse Anderson creates a setting that, I believe, realistic to the circumstances. This is also a book that I think every teenager, or even pre-teen, needs to read and it would make them better--better at dealing with friends who have gone through a traumatic event, hopefully better prepared at parties, better at speaking up for themselves or coming to terms with hardships.

Without giving too much away and using spoilers, Melinda Sordino calls the cops at a party before her Freshman year of high school. None of the party goers know why, but many of them got arrested and harsh feeling abound.

Melinda ends up walking home friendless and silent.

The story starts with her first day of school and her dealing with the her reasons for beings silent and the ridicule of the other students. Her old friends, as in most transitions from middle to high schools, find their own groups and cliches. Her "ex-best friend" doesn't speak to her at all, though her other two good friends aren't nearly as hostile. She finds solace in her art class where she can express herself via the assignments she's been given by her art teacher, Mr. Freeman. Melinda also finds a single friend, Heather-from-Ohio, who is a busy body and tries to get Melinda to get into the many clubs and groups that are around the school. There are very few others, in Melinda's eyes, that are even remotely kind to her. Her relationship with her parents is dysfunctional, like most YA literature out there.

Over the course of the school year she finds a way to speak up for herself as she starts to deal with what has happened to her.

The novel is written in first person giving us the impression of Melinda's thoughts. Melinda, in any other circumstance, would have been a talkative, sarcastic teenager and that comes through the narrative. There are conversations written on the bathroom stall wall between the girls, some of the teachers aren't given names, such as "Hairwoman"--her English teacher--for obvious reasons. Much of Melinda's character development happens through the unspoken narrative of the novel which is comical at times and rather thought provoking at others.

I find the characters to be very realistic. The conversations and feels of high school are very real and are portrayed well. Melinda, though practically mute throughout the story, has a lot to say.

There is also a lot of symbolism that can be drawn out of the art that she draws and the trees around her house. The metamorphosis that Melinda feels comes through her art in strange yet awesome ways. I particularly love the way Mr. Freeman is portrayed throughout the story and how he helps her find her voice and come to terms with what happened to her.

They have made a film adaptation that is worth the watch as well. I highly recommend it! It stays fairly close to the book. The actors and actresses that star in it work incredibly well together and in the characters they portray.

Again, I'll say it: I loved this book. It was published in 1999, and for the last decade and a half it has been taught and read by probably close to millions of readers. This is a beautiful piece.  I hope you enjoy it and much as I have.