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Review: Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon

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bone-sparrowBone Sparrow
Zana Fraillon
Disney-Hyperion
Available November 1, 2016

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Every night, Subhi slips out of the compound in the refugee camp and finds the treasures he believes the magical Night Sea brings him from his far away father. Every morning he shows the gifts to his mother, now barely responsive. Subhi has only known life within the fences of the permanent detention center. Up the hill from the center lives a girl named Jimmie who bears her own grief. She comforts herself with her mother’s necklace pendant, a sparrow carved from bone. She meets Subhi, and begs him to read her mother’s journal to her. Subhi shares the pages, filled with stories and songs as magical as the ones his mother once told. As conditions worsen for both Jimmie and Subhi, each must find courage, as the characters from the songs and stories of their mothers did.

Bone Sparrow is one of those stories that will haunt you. From the first page, the beautiful narrative sucked me in. I immediately loved both Jimmie and Subhi and the colorful cast of characters in and out of the detention center. It reminded me very much of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, and left me reeling much the same way that story did.

The latter part of the tale shows some pretty intense violence. Up until that point it felt like a solid, literary middle grade read, but the heaviness of that violence made me reconsider whether that’s really where the book belongs. Bone Sparrow definitely deserves a place on the shelf with John Boyne’s acclaimed novel and others that shine a light on world issues, like Blue Gold by Elizabeth Stewart and Over a Thousand Hills I Walk With You by Hanna Jansen.

What really left me speechless was the fact that the conditions Subhi and his family endure in the detention center are in fact based on real situations and reports. The way the Rohingya people have been treated in these camps is unbelievable. I’ve continued to read more about the people and their refugee status. I know that’s a very polarizing idea right now, but I encourage you to look up more information. I’ll post links below the content section of this review.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
Jimmie and her family are Australian. Subhi is part of a group of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, once Burma.

Note: The Rohingya people have been denied rights to citizenship by the Myanmar government and driven out or killed. Many live in refugee camps like the one described in this book.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
When a sparrow lands on Subhi’s bed, his sister warns him that this warns of death. At night Subhi believes a magical Night Sea brings him gifts from his father, who lives far away.

Brief mention of Gods in the stories written by Jimmie’s mother. The bone sparrow necklace plays a role in the stories, guiding a man to his lost love and offering protection.

Violent Content
Horrible conditions plague the refugees in the camp. Some begin a hunger strike, sewing their mouths closed. Refugees barricade themselves in one quarter. A fire starts. Soldiers and refugees fight. Subhi witnesses a soldier beat a boy to death.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Links for More Information about the Rohingya

From the Council on Foreign Relations – The Rohingya Migrant Crisis

From Amnesty International: Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh

From CNN- How Asia’s worst refugee crisis isn’t over yet

From the Chicago Tribune- some Rohingya refugees find home in Chicago

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Review: Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne

Book Review and Content, Clean Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

Midnight Thief
Livia Blackburne
Disney Hyperion

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Kyra’s survival on the streets of Forge stands on a knife’s edge. She’s constantly scraping for the coin to make ends meet. A talented thief-for-hire, she often works for dangerous clients. When one such client offers her a job too good to be true, Kyra’s tempted by his ability to protect her and by the pull of attraction she feels for him. But James quickly proves to be more than he claims, and Kyra finds herself drawn deeper and deeper into the web of the Assassins Guild, and there may not be a way out alive.

Tristam serves as a Palace knight, defending against fearsome Demon Riders, warriors with giant cats who terrorize the people. When important documents begin inexplicably disappearing from the Palace, Tristam uncovers the identity of a thief who may be the best chance at bringing down the Assassins Guild. If he can convince her to betray them.

I’ve been curious about this book since before it came out. I started trying to read it once before, and just didn’t get hooked enough to continue. I must have been really tired or something, because this time when I started reading, I didn’t want to stop. Kyra’s character captured me from the first page. She’s too smart for her own good, with a soft heart and a deep loyalty to her friends. Loved her. I loved her best friend, Flick. I really wanted him or James to be the big romantic interest, but it was clear (because he has his own point-of-view) that Tristam was going to be the hero. He grew on me. At first he was too clean and neat and predictable.

The plot moved really quickly and I kept turning pages to see what would happen next. There were several revelations that I didn’t see coming. The resolution was satisfying but also left me eager to pick up the sequel. I liked that there were moments that turned my perceptions of characters and situation on their heads. I feel like that’s a pretty true-to-life experience (things not being what they initially seem), so I’m always interested when I find that in literature.

Would I pick up the second book in the series? Yes. I’m curious what happens next to Kyra, Tristam and their friends, but I’m not so desperate that I have to read it right now. I think it was a good book definitely worth reading. I think especially fans of Robin McKinley will enjoy this story.

Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
There are a few hints that some women live as mistresses to knights or powerful men, and that perhaps that life comes with high costs. Tristam’s superior asks if he intends to take a mistress, but he says he will not.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
Kyra joins a guild of assassins whose assignment grow steadily more brutal. She doesn’t want to kill anyone, but an accident wakens a hunger for violence in her that plagues her nightmares. She dreams about killing, choosing to kill. The scenes are brief but a bit disturbing. The barbarians who invade her city are fierce warriors who kill mercilessly. Giant cats kill and devour villagers or soldiers in a couple of brief scenes. There are some gory or intense descriptions.

Drug Content
Kyra learns about the use of poisons from her time in the Assassins Guild.

A Thousand Nights by E K Johnston

Book Review and Content, Clean Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

A Thousand Nights
E K Johnston
Disney Hyperion

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When Lo-Melkhiin comes to her village looking for his next wife, she knows he will choose her beautiful sister. She knows, too, that her sister would then be next in the long line of girls who meet death soon after becoming his bride. She vows to take her sister’s place.

In the palace, Lo-Melkhiin comes to her every night. She spins stories for him, grand tales about her home. Each morning she wakes. Each night he comes again. Strange things begin to happen. Power flows through her hands at weaving. Rumors surface of the good, kind man Lo-Melkhiin once was. She vows to weave power strong enough to free him from whatever curse has made him cruel. But she must do it before he destroys the kingdom and her.

Because the story is told through a lilting first-person narrative, I was so captured by the tale I didn’t realize the main character isn’t named. Normally that would really bother me, but as I said, I was sucked right into the plight of this brave girl who expected every night to be murdered by her husband.

As the story went on, I had more of a love-hate experience regarding her relationship with Lo-Melkhiin. I wanted there to be flashes of his former self behind his eyes or something, and it really wasn’t that kind of story. She believes wholly on faith that a good man exists, imprisoned inside him. I think that worked, I just had to adjust my expectations a bit.

I also kept having to resist the urge to compare this story to a recent favorite, Book of a Thousand Days. The narrative flow is a little similar, in that it has this poetic feel. It’s not really the same, and I think the two can’t really be compared. Book of a Thousand Days felt denser (in a good way) to me. This story felt simpler, not necessarily in a bad way.

That said, I’m generally a huge fan of fairytale retellings, and this, based on the stories of Scheherazade, did not leave me feeling disappointed.

The one note I’ll add about content is that I grew up in a church which condemned watching or playing Pokemon because it bore too close a parallel to trying to control spiritual creatures (too much like demons), and from that perspective, I’m not sure I would have been allowed to read this book as a younger teen. Certainly my parents and spiritual leaders would have been concerned with the demon-possession aspect and with her own power coming from worship and prayer given to her by the people.

At this point for me personally, it’s not always easy to decide where to draw the line on spiritual matters emerging in books, movies, and video games. My daughter’s father and I don’t always share the same values on these issues. In fact, we don’t always even land on the same (conservative vs liberal) side of the scale depending on the issue. So co-parenting across those lines can also be challenging. Because it is important to both of us to foster respect for our decisions in our daughter, I think we tend to try to err on choosing the more conservative side of the spectrum. It’s often about waiting rather than forbidding. At ten, the answer is no, but at fourteen, it might be yes. I suspect this book might fall into that category in my own judgment.

Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
She understands that she’ll be expected to have sex with her husband, and worries about it. No details given.

Spiritual Content
The people pray to smallgods. Each family has a shrine set up, often to a family member who who has died. Everyone prays to the person and leaves relics and offerings at the shrine. These give the smallgods power. When she leaves her family to become Lo-Melkhiin’s wife, her family sets up a shrine to her and her sister prays and keeps it. Over time, others pray to her as well, and her power grows.

Lo-Melkhiin returned from a hunting trip possessed by a demon. It controls him, keeps him caged within a small part of his brain. It also uses his power as king to control the people. It kills his wives to strengthen itself. It’s a pretty dark concept.

The demon’s power is pitted against her growing power as a smallgod. Each tries to destroy the other: she wants to free Lo-Melkhiin. He wants to kill her and take her power for his own.

Some spiritual power and authority also goes to the Skeptics, learned men who study the universe and its often unanswerable questions.

Violence
References to wives being murdered. He sort of draws out their life force and leaves them withered and dead husks. It’s briefly described.

Drug Content
None.

Review: Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Historical, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein
Disney Hyperion

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Eighteen year old Rose Justice volunteers as a civilian pilot in England during World War II. She works alongside Maddie and other young female pilots transporting planes and personnel to assist military forces. When an enemy aircraft draws Rose off course during one of her transport flights, Rose finds herself captured in enemy territory. Her troubles have only begun. Soon after German forces arrest her, she is sent to Ravensbruck, a German concentration camp. Rose faces brutal treatment at the hands of her captors. Her love for poetry and bonds with other prisoners challenge her to survive.

Readers of Wein’s novel Code Name Verity will recognize Maddie and Jamie. Their story continues in Rose Under Fire, though neither are main characters. The use of poetry and song quoted throughout the story add even more beauty to what is already a poignant, rich tale. The poetry Rose shares as a prisoner of Ravensbruck offers an intense contrast: the beauty of the words and the stark horror of the concentration camp.

Wein’s cast of characters evoke both wonder and grief. Yet again readers will find themselves wrapped up in a moving tale that educates about a lesser known group of people during World War II. This time Wein introduces characters representing young Polish girls whom the Nazis used for medical experiments. Through this story, we are again reminded of the value and beauty of each human life. I loved that Rose wasn’t perfect, and neither were the other prisoners. Each character bore deep complexities.

I kept hoping for more connection between Code Name Verity and Rose Under Fire, particularly through some other minor characters appearing in both stories. It’s been so long since I read Code Name Verity that there really could be more overlap than I noticed. I’d be interested to know if other readers have made additional connections between the two stories. Over all, I really enjoyed this story. I’d like to learn more about the Polish girls imprisoned at Ravensbruck, and I look forward to more fiction from Elizabeth Wein.

Language Content
The first half-ish of the book is pretty clean, profanity-wise. Then Rose meets a saucy young Polish girl who has quite a foul mouth. Extreme profanity with mild frequency through the second half of the story.

Sexual Content
Brief reference to Maddie’s wedding night. Not at all explicit.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
Rose is captured by German soldiers and transferred to Ravensbruck where she and other prisoners are brutally mistreated. Brief descriptions of violent treatment and humiliation appear throughout this portion of the story.

Drug Content
None.

Review: All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Sci-Fi, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill
Disney Hyperion

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The walls of her tiny prison cell and the soothing voice of the boy in the cell next to hers make up Em’s world. She waits, dreading the moment the doctor will come again, because she knows he’ll use whatever means necessary to force her to reveal the location of coveted documents. When Em finds a message hidden in the cell’s drain, she knows following the instructions are the only way she can be free. She must find a way to kill the doctor and prevent the creation of the time machine that will destroy the world as she knows it.

As Marina prepares to attend a prestigious political dinner with her best friend James, all she can think about is finding a moment alone with him to reveal her feelings for him. Before she has a chance, an assassin’s attack throws the evening into chaos and threatens the life of the person James holds most dear. Determined to protect James, Marina and James’s best friend Finn launch their own investigation into the identity of the assassin. What she uncovers forces her to reevaluate everything she knows about the one she loves most. Marina’s investigation and Em’s mission collide in a desperate struggle that could destroy everything.

Because it’s a story about time travel, many characters appear more than once as different versions of themselves. Terrill handles this really well, allowing the readers to experience through these different character versions the effects of disillusionment, torture and desperation on once innocent, ordinary teens. Finn is probably my favorite character. I loved the banter between him and Marina, and the way that his relationships with other characters unfolded.

In this story, Time is sentient and can take action to keep the universe from totally unraveling as a result of changes made during various trips back and forth through time. While I loved this concept of Time being almost a character in its own right, I wanted more. I kind of wanted Time itself to play a role in the resolution of the story, so I was a little disappointed when the concept wasn’t developed to play a more important role. Still, this was one plot that kept me guessing. I kept making predictions about what the characters were going to do to restore some kind of order to their future lives, and often I was wrong about how that was going to come about.

The ending was a little bit jarring – there’s kind of a disconnect at one point where things sort of jolt forward or reset and I felt like it was a little bit of a weak transition. I think we’re meant to assume that Time has taken action to protect itself, but that seemed like a bit of a stretch to me in this instance. I’d have liked to see that transition more smoothly and would have liked some of the gaps to have better explanations. Overall, though, I still really enjoyed the story and totally fell in love with the characters.

At one time this book was intended to have a sequel. Since then the author has issued a statement saying that All Our Yesterdays will remain a stand-alone novel. While I am curious what happened next for the characters, I think that was probably a smart move. All Our Yesterdays is a stronger story on its own. Fans will be pleased to know that Terrill has released a short story taking place several months after the end of the story on her web site.

Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Sexual Content
During some pretty intense kissing, Marina removes her shirt. Things break up and go no further. Em and Finn have a romantic relationship and share kisses and sleep together. No details.

Spiritual Content
In this story, Time is sentient and capable of self-preservation.

Violence
Em and Finn are tortured for information regarding missing papers. An assassin tries to kill James and his brother. Torture scenes are brief but intense. The assassin uses a gun.

Drug Content
None.

Poetry and Friendship: Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,

Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone
Disney-Hyperion

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

She might look just like another one of the popular girls, but Samantha has a secret not even her best friends can know: she suffers from OCD. She needs weekly visits to a psychiatrist and prescription meds to keep her anxieties at bay.

As her friendships with the top girls becomes more and more toxic, Samantha desperately wants an outlet. Her search leads her to Caroline, a carefree, fashion-less girl whose frankness and kindness may be just the right rescue. She introduces Sam to Poet’s Corner, a place where students gather to share poems about anything from chicken nuggets to the loss of a parent.

Through the healing experience of writing and sharing her own work, Samantha discovers a whole different side of friendship and love. But just when she feels she’s finally making real progress in leaving her OCD behind, new symptoms emerge that could destroy the new connections she’s made. She has to face the devastating possibility that she could be getting worse, not better.

While I loved that her love interest had his own baggage and even had that past connection with her and her friends, I wasn’t totally sold on the relationship. (Moral soap boxes aside…) The scene in which they have sex was sweet in that it’s obvious he cares so much for her, but it felt like, “and here’s the obligatory scene in which the teen couple has sex because that’s what teen couples do.” It didn’t feel necessary. It kind of struck a nerve with me that really doesn’t have anything to do with the story itself.

I think my favorite thing about this book is Samantha’s journey trying to “fix” herself and her OCD. She wants so badly to leave her anxiety behind and be a carefree, “normal” girl. There’s no quick-fix for her in this story. Poetry doesn’t magically cure her. What it does do, though, is allow her opportunities to better understand herself and the world around her. It provides an opportunity for her to see her current friendships in a different light, and to see friendship itself in a different light. She has a chance to evaluate what kinds of relationships she’d like to have and what qualities make a real friend. Those are such powerful moments in the story. She’s also challenged by the openness and acceptance in the Poet’s Corner group. She’s been hiding her own struggles, and they become a barrier to having real friendships.

The poetry was a great addition to the story, too. Some were funny and clever while others were deeply moving. They added balance and depth to a lot of the more minor characters as well as allowing a larger window into Sam, too.

I felt like all those relationship issues were so relevant and well-described. It was impossible not to root for Sam and to want her to ditch the nasty girls and have those friends who valued her the way she deserved. I wish the boyfriend stuff had been handled differently, but I really enjoyed the other elements of the story.

Language Content
Extreme profanity used with moderate frequency.

Sexual Content
Sam briefly relates that she’s still a virgin. Her friends have had experience with boys, but no real details are given. She engages in a long, steamy kissing session in a swimming pool alone with a boy. Later, she has sex with her boyfriend. It’s a fairly long scene that focuses more on the togetherness and kissing than the actual sex. Though it’s not described in a graphic way, we know what’s going on, so it’s pretty intense.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
None.

Drug Content
References to teen drinking. Samantha takes medication for anxiety and OCD. She stops taking her sleep aid and has to have words with her therapist about it. I like that her meds or the fact that she’s taking them isn’t really villainized here. It’s not like she discovers a passion for poetry and that somehow cures her, and she has to find balance and face that there’s no easy fix for her. It reads like reality to me.