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Reviews of books submitted by teenagers.

New Reviews (posted 3/11/08)

Uglies by Scott Westerfield's

Scott Westerfield's Uglies is a book you have to fight to put down. It is based in a materialistic society in which people get an operation to become pretty at the age of sixteen. Before that, they live in dorms, preparing to become beautiful.

Tally can't wait the four months until her sixteenth birthday. She has been alone since her best friend, Peris, became a ‘pretty' himself. The only things on the agendas of the pretties, who live in a high tech society, separated from Uglyville, are parties and looking good. Bored and friendless in Uglyville, Tally ventures into the city to visit Peris, who, she is shocked to find, isn't thrilled to see her. Tally wants nothing more than to be turn sixteen and get the operation so that she can join Peris in the fantasy life of pretties, until she makes a new friend, Shay. Shay talked about running away all the time, but Tally never imagined that she would go through with it. However, Shay likes herself the way she is, despite her flaws, and tries to convince Tally to run away with her to a place where no one gets made pretty. When Shay actually runs away, Tally is faced with the decision of turning in her friend or staying ugly forever. However, she needs to find Shay either way.

To find Shay, Tally must follow a list of riddles that only she, having known Shay, could possibly solve. Along the way, Tally encounters a variety of challenges and realizes how sheltered she had been. Tally also learns of a disturbing part of becoming pretty, which could possibly change her mind and her life. Unfortunately, the troubles mounted even after she had made her decision. What happens, though, is something you must read the book to find out.

Uglies is a science-fiction novel that is great for young adult readers. Scott Westerfield's style of writing is impeccable, causing the gripping story to be enthralling! The futuristic references to our time are perfect for making this fiction novel seem possible. Finally, due to the open-endedness of the story, the sequel, Pretties, is one you will find you must read in order to satisfy your curiosity as to what else could happen to Tally and Shay.

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Dracula has long possessed the prestigious label of being the greatest vampire story ever written. This is entirely true, supernally true. Few books can compare to it in any sense.

The story is gripping, yet unexpected. In all likelihood everyone who has heard of this book thinks they know at least the basic outline of the story. In all likelihood anyone who hasn't read it is dead wrong and missing out big time. None of the movies, none of the wretched knock-off books that followed it is satisfactorily similar. The only problems with it are that if you read it in a hurry the plethora of comparable characters may be confusing and that all the occasions in which VanHelsing's posse fights Dracula are quite underwhelming.

A good story with irritating characters is a dreadful thing; fortunately that description doesn't fit this book. The characters react in ways that make sense, they are neither absurdly willing to nor stupidly persistent not to believe in vampires. When presented with Lucy's corpse walking around at night even her betrothed, Arthur Holmwood, is forced to confront the truth. He doesn't make up absurd explanations; he gets on with the plan the other members of the vampire slaying posse have concocted. This is quite a blessed relief from the perpetual annoyance encountered in other books where characters don't believe anything until it's too late.

This story has something for everyone. It could be defined as horror, yet it really isn't altogether frightening, it deals remarkably with themes of emotional loss and recovery, the whole thing is something of a true love story as well, and to top it off it is exciting and fast paced adventure from the second page on.

Yet another interesting facet is that the book is timeless. It was written more than 100 years ago, but it doesn't feel strange or outdated. Aside from no mention of aircraft the whole thing could be transplanted to today if need be. That is really the best part. The world makes sense. This is the way things would have happened if there were vampires in our world. The whole thing is actually believable.

One thing that must not be forgotten is this: Stoker did not invent the vampire, he did not reclaim it from folklore and obscurity, he made up a completely different fiend with the same name that was infinitely more interesting than the original. That means that Dracula is not the definition by which all other vampire stories should be compared. If you don't read Carmilla, Varney the Vampire, the Historian, or I Am Legend then don't think you know much about the genre just because you read this book. That said, Dracula is an astounding work by an excellent author. Whether you read it for fun or for some course in which teachers will read amazing nonsense that isn't there into every passage Bram Stoker will delight and amaze you from cover to cover.

Do They Hear You When You Cry? by Fauziya Kassindja and Layli Miller Bashir.

The book is about Fauziya Kassindja, a 17 year old, who lived a good life in Togo , had loving parents who educated their daughters; two brothers and four older sisters, and belonged in what is considered upper class in Togo . But when Fauziya's father dies her world dramatically changes for the worst. Fauziya's uncle took over the family's assets according to tribal law. He sold the family home and business, exiled Fauziya's mother, and took Fauziya out of school. Fauziya's aunt then arranged a marriage for Fauziya. Fauziya would have to marry a 45 year-old man and become his fourth wife. This man insisted that all his wives go through kakia, which is female genital mutilation (FGM), before marriage. This practice is life threatening to the women who undergo it as it consists of cutting off different parts of female genitals by a village woman who uses unsanitary knives, razor blades, broken glass, and no anesthesia.

Fauziya's older sister, Aisha, fearing for her little sister's life arranges for Fauziya to illegally leave the country and travel to Germany . This is necessary because if Fauziya was caught leaving the country with her real identification or escaping to any nearby country her aunt and uncle would easily track her down. So Fauziya had to flee to a native land faraway where there are rules to protect those from this practice. In Germany , she met a kind woman who let her stay with her. As Fauziya became used to living in Germany she was encouraged by another African to go to America where the American INS would be able to help her and grant her asylum. Alas when she came to America she was treated as a criminal, denied every right a human being has, and was shut off in a prison where no one knew of her or the injustice that was done to her.

But through the help of Layli Miller Bashir, a lawyer, and other lawyer and human rights' organizations Fauziya was able to fight for her freedom. Through the hard work and perseverance of her team Fauziya's story and plea was heard and her grant for asylum was accepted. Kassindja and her legal team won a landmark case that would set the standard for all seeking asylum in the US on the grounds of gender-based persecution. Fauziya's struggle did not only save her life but the lives of women everywhere and revealed the injustice and cruelty towards people that is seen abroad and in our country today.

“CULTURE WARRIOR” BY BILL O'REILLY

In his newest book, “Culture Warrior” journalist and talk show host Bill O'Reilly, tackles the complacency that has been the downfall many nations and now threatens to be America's.
Through an adeptly pointed style and sporadic sarcasm, he hones in on the key players in the “secular-progressive” movement, that is slowly but surely dismantling American culture of key traditions (aka “Traditionalists”).
Mr. O'Reilly keenly manges to avoid the majority of name calling and liberal/conservative labels that usually plague the political realm. His unabashed and often demanding voice can be traced to an unwavering conviction and a strong Irish heritage which has served this reformist well.
“Culture Warrior” is a fair and targeted book, appropriate for any open minded audience.

Princess in Training (6) by Meg Cabot

Princess in Training is the 6 th book in The Princess Diaries series. Just like the other five books in the series, it continues on about her life as a high school student and being the Princess of Genovia. This time she faces challenges such as running for student body president, Geometry class, insults from the most popular girl in the school, and problems with her boyfriend now that he's in college. The book is enjoyable and funny. I would really recommend it to those who like books written by Meg Cabot. It is a great summer read.

The Mediator- Twilight (6) by Meg Cabot

Twilight is the 6 th book in the Mediator series. Being a mediator, Suze has the ability to communicate with the dead and ends up liking a ghost herself. However, things get quite complicated when Paul Slater tries to go back in time to save the life of Jesse, a ghost, so that he would have never been able to meet Suze. I would recommend you to read the 5 th one before the 6 th so that it will make more sense. I have not read the first four but the 5 th and 6 th were easy to understand without reading the previous one. Twilight was really good but I think Haunted, the previous one, was better .

Angels & Demons by Dan Brown

Angels & Demons contains an exciting adventure where the famous symbologist, Robert Langdon, and as Italian scientist, Vittoria Vetra, goes on a search for a missing time bomb and somehow involves an ancient secret brotherhood, the Illuminati. The book is wonderfully written filled with intense action on every page. Dan Brown does a wonderful job creating such a fascinating mysteries filled with details. It is absolutely impossible to put down once I have started reading it. I strongly recommend this book. It is a work of genius and possibly my most favorite mystery book.

Pandora  by Anne Rice

The novel tells the story of a two thousand year old vampire since Imperial Rome to present day in Paris . It tells the story of her childhood, how she fell in love with Marius who later became a vampire, and how she turned into a vampire herself. Anne Rice portrays vampires in a different fashion unlike the ones you see in movies. Pandora is quite interesting but has a tremendous amount of details that get somewhat confusing. Overall, it is fairly good and unique. I would recommend it to those who are interested in vampires and like books by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes.

Shopaholic & Sister by Sophie Kinsella

After a ten month honeymoon, Becky Bloomwood returns home with a amazing tan, an enormous amount of souveniors, and ofcourse an Angel handbag. When she returns home, things aren't how she expected to be. Her parents tell her she has a half-sister who ends up hating shopping. GASP! On top of that, her best friend found another best friend while she was gone and she still has huge bills to pay. The story is cute and hilarious. Although Becky's shopping habits get quite annoying during the first half of the book, the story comes to a great conclusion. I really liked it. It is the perfect book to read over the summer especially at the beach.

Troy by Adele Geras
The story Troy is quite different from the movie. It is written in several different perspectives. However, unlike other books about Troy, this gives the thoughts of the commoners of Troy. With a riveting plot that won't allow you to put the book down, Troy is a must read!!!

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
Gemma Doyle has lived most of her life in India. After her mother is killed, she moves to England with her father to be closer to her brother and grandmother. Gemma is sent to a prestigious finishing school for young ladies. While there, she discovers a terrible secret about herself and about her mother.

All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren
I figured that if I was going to do a book review it might as well help other people too. That's why I'm reviewing a book on the summer reading list for Princeton High School sophomores going into Accelerated English their junior year. First a warning: This book is long. That may not be a problem for some of you but, five hundred and thirty one pages can seem daunting. Chapter lengths range in the 60s so be prepared for a long haul. Now if you like this book, like I did, it isn't so bad (unless the book is due back soon, in which case I could tell you stories...). But for those of you who don't like the book I imagine it would be hard.
The book, as the jacket states centers around Jack Burden, a reporter who follows around extremely enigmatic governor Willie Stark. Not all is as it seems though, as Burden, the narrator, weaves the tale of Stark's humble beginnings and present decidedly questionable policies.
This is not the whole story however, as a great deal also focuses on Burden's own life. From his only two friends, who he has known since childhood, to his unusual mother, who goes through husbands like they come from a Kleenex box.
I found the book to be entertaining, mostly because I happen to like politics of this nature where all isn't as it seems and absolute power corrupts absolutely. The only thing I didn't like was that, mid-way through, the reader is treated to a chapter-long story of Burden's ancestors. The entire section, as far as I could tell, is completely irrelevant to the main story but, as Burden puts it, "All stories are just chapters in a much bigger story."
I would give this book an 8 out of 10. Very good but the length and unusual history chapter take off two points.

The Sandman by Neil Gaiman
Jane Venanzi says "This is a series of ten amazing graphic novels that redefine the meaning of the word awesome. It is a strange mixture of history, fantasy, and all sorts of mythologies; it has everything from Hell to the Norse Pantheon to the Justice League of America to gargoyles.  The main story centers around Dream and his fellow Endless- Destiny, Despair, Desire, Destruction, Delirium, and Death. The Endless are greater than gods and exist in planes of existence, greatly influencing everyone's lives. The series opens as Dream escapes from a long imprisonment and has to regain his kingdom. It is a powerful and enthralling fantasy series, however it does have some violence, death, references to sex, and gore. And when I say "some" what I mean to imply is "a lot". For this reason, it's more of a book for teens in high school as opposed to seventh graders. But if you don't mind all that, you should definitely read it because the Sandman is AWESOME and rocks my world and all that."

Kare Kano (Volume 1) by Masami Tsuda
    In this right-to-left style manga, the reader is introduced to Yukino Miyazawa. At first chance, this high school student seems perfect in every way. All this changes, however, when competition shows up in the form of Soichiro Arima. It is then that the reader sees that Miyazawa is actually a fake whose outward perfection exists only to please her own ego. As Miyazawa struggles to outdo Arima, she realizes that she has fallen in love with him.
    Content: mild cursing, no violence or nudity. Rated T for teen (ages 13 and up) but high school students would probably identify best with this book.

Kare Kano (Volume 2) by Masami Tsuda
    In Volume 1, the readers were introduced to Yukino Miyazawa and Soichiro Arima, two high school students battling each other for the top. During the course of this battle, though, they exposed each other as fakes and began to fall in love. In Volume 2, their relationship becomes more sincere as they struggle to accept each other, themselves, and their relationship.
    Content: mild cursing, no violence or nudity. Rated T for teen (ages 13 and up) but high school students would probably identify best with this book.

Chobits (series of 8) by CLAMP
    This series has something for everyone. It is set in the future, where all computers are shaped and programmed like real people. They walk, talk, and even become the object of some peoples’ affections. The story is based around Hideki, a cram school student who finds an abandoned computer named Chi. Her origins are mysterious and her memory has been lost. Hideki knows nothing about computers, but learns from a friend that, due to her utter lack of software, Chi should not even be able to move. Despite this, Chi has been doing much more than moving; she is learning information at a fantastic rate and quickly becomes a part of Hideki’s household. As the mystery of her origins deepens, the question also comes up as to whether or not she is a computer with Artificial Intelligence. Also, an element of romance comes in as Hideki and Chi’s relationship becomes more complex. Finally, this series brings up many fascinating philosophical questions, such as “What is love?” and “Can machines fall in love?” Overall, a very good read!
    Content: strong language, nudity, suggestive dialogue and drawings (no actual sex), relationships between machines and humans, no violence. Rated OT for older teen (ages 16 and up). An open, questioning mind is suggested.
 

Leave It To Chance (series) by James Robinson and Paul Smith with Jeromy Cox
    Chance, the heroine of the story, starts as an adventure-starved girl whose father, Lucas Falconer, is the hero of their town, Devil’s Echo. Despite her father’s warnings, chance can’t wait to help him in his job as official town demon-slayer, and finds her own ways to get the town out of (and herself into) trouble. With her loyal dragon George, Chance becomes entangled in one mystery after another. Definitely a great read!
    Content: Appropriate for all ages, although younger children might want to read it with a parent. It, like many other popular American comic books, is not geared toward any one age group but will be enjoyed by everyone.

Boneyard (series) by Richard Moore
    Michael Paris has no idea what’s in store for him when he inherits a plot of land from a relative. Little does he know, it’s actually a cemetery that provides a home for dozens of creatures usually seen in horror films. The townspeople can’t wait to get Paris to sign the papers allowing them to destroy the cemetery, but all this changes when Paris overcomes their differences and strikes up a friendship with some of the monsters. In particular, he becomes very close to a vampire named Abbey. These books provide an interesting reversal of roles, as the townspeople are portrayed with more of a mob mentality than anything else. There’s a lot of humor in these books, mixed in among the struggle to overcome stereotypes. Overall, a very good and entertaining read.
    Content: Several almost-nude scenes, many suggestive dialogues and drawings but no actual sex. Some mild language and mild violence (such as a boxing match). Best for teen or older teen readers.