Monday, May 28, 2012

Review: Numbers

Numbers by Rachel Ward
Sci fi / romance
Four stars


Ward initially wrote the first chapter of this book as a short story when she was younger. It depicts the life of Jem, a teen girl with a special ability. When she looks at someone she sees a number - the date of their death. This, along with past experiences, has caused her to separate herself, unwilling and unable to maintain a relationship with the terrible knowledge she has. But Spider, a boy from school, manages to get around her walls. While together on a trip to London, Jem notices something's up - the people around her are all marked to die that day. After fleeing the scene they are noticed by the authorities, leading to a thrilling chase of questions and discovery.

It sounds a little dark, but it really is a good read. Ward incorporates romance and humour and action and depth in a beautiful manner. The novel explores questions about death and fate and love and loss. It is raw at times and light in others, the perfect combination. I also love British writers. They just have this certain style of prose and language that is so different and charming. This comes out in the characters' dialogue as well, which creates a strong sense of personality. Jem is portrayed as very rugged and defensive. She is overwhelmed with her power, but as her relationship with Spider progresses you begin to see her grow and open up. You see her fear, her uncertainty, her vulnerability. And like the characters, the story itself is well-developed and paced. It is haunting and dynamic and has a lovely simplicity.

"And we lost ourselves in each other, gently exploring the faces and features we'd thought we knew so well, standing in the rain in the dark, in a totally different dimension."

Finish the series: The Chaos and Infinity by Rachel Ward

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Some Things I Have Learned

I have grown a lot in my writing over the last few years, thanks to much encouragement and inspiration from others. Writing is about sharing experiences, connecting with people, creating something meaningful, and it is so important to be involved with other writers. This is how we learn from each other. This is how we grow. 

So here are some things I have learned about writing: 

1. You don't have to have everything planned out. I have always been a bit of a control freak with my stories, figuring out exactly what would happen and how it would end before I started writing. This is not good. It limits your creativity and your freedom. As strange as it sounds, let your characters guide you. Let the story write itself - don't force it. Obviously you have to have a general direction in mind, but sometimes you will be surprised. Sometimes you don't figure something out until you've written it. And when this happens, when your story unfolds itself before you, it's pure magic. 

2. Calm down on the adverbs and adjectives. 

3. First drafts are going to be disgusting. I still struggle with this as I find myself constantly editing over what little I've written instead of pushing ahead. The first draft is your words spilling out, your ideas leaking onto the page. Write what comes to you and worry about the details later. 

4. Know your characters. Whenever I'm having a bit of a block I ask what does this character want? What are they working toward? What drives them? Your characters are the center of the plot, so you need to understand them. You need to see the world as they do. But again, be careful not to limit them. 

5. Writing is hard. It is beautiful and emotional and rewarding but it is hard. There will be dry stretches, periods of frustration, moments of disappointment. Times when you want to give it all up and just work as a princess at Disneyland. But there are also times of absolute wonder and truth, of celebration and pride. Of pure creation. These are the moments that make everything worth it. These are the moments that you live for. These are the moments that remind you why you love to write. 

A small note for writers: On Writing by Stephen King is an excellent book about his journey as a writer with some wonderful tips and encouragement 

Friday, May 18, 2012

A Little Poem

I am the breath of the wind
the rage of the ocean
the free-tumbling sand. 
I have escaped my prison
broken the hourglass 
removed your mark.

I belong to no one.

I have thrown away my ties
set loose my soul
and never looked back.
I have forgone all hope
turned away happiness
tossed my anchor
but it has not caught
and I keep drifting

through these 
untamed waves. 

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Review: Uglies

Uglies  by Scott Westerfeld
Dystopian fiction
Four stars


Uglies presents a world in the future where, after you turn 16, everyone undergoes an operation to become beautiful. They grind down and restructure your bones and put on new skin to create a community of "Pretties" where life is full of fun, partying, and something else. All Tally wants is to get the operation, but in the weeks before she befriends a girl named Shay who shows her an alternative life. Tally must make a decision with the authorities watching her every move - betray her friend or never become pretty.

I've read a few other books by Westerfeld, including his Midnighters series which was pretty good, but this is my favourite of his. The premise is a little strange, but it's pulled off well. I love reading futuristic books, but I often find them too outlandish or not well explained. The society presented in Uglies is not perfect, but also not entirely off-base; it's quite believable in its focus on outer beauty and societal order. I also enjoyed the new technology that is introduced, hoverboards and bungee jackets among them. Some of the language was harder to adjust to - with adjectives like "bubbly" and "bogus" - but it does act as a reminder of the time difference. As for Westerfeld's writing, it is not particularly poetic or abstract, but more action-oriented and fast paced which reflects the character of the book. It's an easier read but still well written. Another positive note is the main character, Tally. She is strong and vivacious and determined, but she also makes mistakes. She is put into difficult situations and makes some tough decisions, and the reader is not always supportive. I like it when authors do this, because it makes the book that much more real. You engage with the characters, you are frustrated with them in their imperfections and failures. You relate to them. It's beautiful.

"You've only seen pretty faces your whole life. Your parents, your teachers, everyone over sixteen. But you weren't born expecting that kind of beauty in everyone, all the time. You just got programmed into thinking anyone else is ugly."

Finish the series: Pretties and Specials, the rest of the trilogy by Scott Westerfeld, and the companion novel Extras

Monday, May 14, 2012

Review: The Book Thief

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak 
Historical fiction
Five stars 

So this is one of my favourite books. It's quite popular, and although I originally read it for an English paper, which usually makes me dislike a book, it made me fall more in love. The story is set during World War II and follows the life of young Liesel, who is sent to stay with a foster family. She develops a love of reading, and soon begins stealing books to satisfy her hunger for words. The family eventually takes in a Jewish man, bringing the threat of the war to a new level. 

I am in love with Zusak's poetic writing style, with the descriptions and the dialogue and the movement of the words. There's just something so pure, so beautiful about them; I never want to stop reading. Hitler's influence is so powerfully experienced, and the relationships so incredibly depicted, the novel just sucks you in. But the most interesting and unique aspect of the novel is the narrator: it is written from the perspective of Death. (Zusak explains this literary choice in his interview.) I thought it would be strange, but he pulls it off beautifully. The character of Death is so deep and original and thought-provoking and a little sarcastic, you almost feel attached to him by the end. This is what I love most about the book, that the characters are so well developed. You feel such a connection to them, you empathize with them, understand them - that is what great writing creates. 

This is definitely one to reread. 

"How does it feel, anyway?"
"How does what feel?"
"When you take one of those books?"
At that moment, she chose to keep still. If he wants an answer, he'd have to come back, and he did. "Well?" he asked, but again, it was the boy who replied, before Liesel could even open her mouth. 
"It feels good, doesn't it? To steal something back." 

Also recommended: I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak. It's a completely different story, but it's hilarious

Monday, May 7, 2012

A Little Introduction

I want to write. I have discovered this about myself over the past few years. I want to create language and life and meaning. I want to explore people and behaviour and beauty and transform them into words. I think there is nothing more wonderful than when writing generates emotion. That's when you know the author has captured something real and raw - when you connect with the characters, the story. When you feel their fear, when you laugh out loud, when you cry with them, when you hold your breath until the end of a paragraph. I want to evoke those responses, to create a relationship with the reader. I want to write.

Almost all of my favourite books have made me cry. This is something important about me - I love sad endings. I love death and betrayal and loss. This may seem rather dark, but I think death brings out people's true thoughts, their purest emotions. I am fascinated with how people react to death, how they grieve and respond to it. Happy endings always leave me with a sense of falsity, of cliché. They so rarely occur in reality that it feels too construed, too artificial. But I also have to admit that I do enjoy a bit of cheese fiction here and there. Or everywhere. I can't seem to stay away from those awful teen romance novels with poorly written prose, horribly predictable plots, and cheese of the worst kind. Maybe this balances out the death thing. I don't know what it is, I just love the awkward characters and dialogue, I love laughing at the plot holes and twists. It makes me feel better about my own writing, I guess. But recently, I have decided to limit myself to these wonderful creations and read more actual literature, in case the cheese rubs off on me. I will try to contain myself on the reviews. 

Now allow me to clarify: I have complete respect for any author, and I will do my best to reflect this in my reviews. It takes a lot of work and dedication to write an entire novel, and a great risk. When I write something, I put a tiny piece of myself into it. I am revealing something about my experience, my thoughts, my life, into the work. To put your writing out there for others to read is incredibly rewarding, but also puts you at risk for criticism. And if other writers have the same intimacy with their work as I have, you are, in a sense, putting yourself, your character, at risk for criticism. You are allowing yourself to be vulnerable, and I think that is a brave and honourable act. Of course some authors are better than others, and everyone has their own taste and style. I welcome critique and comments on my work, as hopefully I will post some short stories of my own. I just ask that you as readers extend the same courtesy and respect to me.

I shall begin the book reviews soon, mostly in the YA (young adult) genre. There's a lot of crap out there, and I will attempt to highlight the good stuff. It does exist. 

A small note to add: I highly recommend the site Goodreads for any reader, I keep track of all my books through it. It's wonderful.

"The whole difference between construction and creation is exactly this: that a thing constructed can only be loved after it is constructed; but a thing created is loved before it exists." -Charles Dickens