The Mad Wolf's Daughter by Diane Magras

This Scottish medieval setting with castles, knights, and bandits is a bullseye for my tastes. A slow-paced story, even if it is good, can be like walking in deep sand for me. My natural pace is to clip along like a sail boat over white-capped water. Fantasy is my go-to, not realistic fiction. A strong female character who is impulsive, determined, and athletic as Drest is in this story grabs my attention. There are some fantastical parts, but most of "The Mad Wolf's Daughter" stays grounded as a knight tale with a monarchy under threat. The plot builds tension that rewards the reader with some twists that had me turning around and rereading the book. At 260 pages this was easy. 

Twelve-year-old Drest is a strong "lass" and not your typical "maiden." Her five brothers and dad, legendary warriors, taught her to wield a sword and live by an honorable code. They also taught her to intimidate with name-calling such as "maggot-headed squid" or "grub-spotted barnacle". Name-calling doesn't work most of the time but does spice the story with humor. The men in Drest's family have a war-band and are captured by the Knights of Faintree in a battle that only she escapes. A wounded knight, Emerick, is left behind becoming her bargaining chip to free her family from a public hanging in five days. Drest sets off to save them and has adventures along the way discovering who she is and what she wants to be in life. She's tough. She's naïve. She's determined. 

Drest's strengths and shortcomings show a girl that is afraid and impulsive but overcomes it with courage, loyalty, and a strong moral compass. Emerick counters her impulsivity with negotiation making her think about her actions. He stresses that words are a great weapon, if not greater than a sword. Initially, Drest uses her sword to do the talking almost killing another boy and rushing at a man who could have wounded her with a hidden dagger. In both cases she was defending someone who was being treated unjustly and while her strong sense of justice when someone is being wronged is admirable, Emerick tries to drop a pebble in her constantly moving body that she doesn't need to plunge blade-first into every melee she stumbles across. Words have power too, he stresses. She uses words with her enemies later and grows to understand that while her brothers and fathers are "bloodthirsty warriors" she cannot kill another person. As her friend Tig claims, she is a warrior with a "good heart." Drest's shortcomings create a sympathetic versus judgmental character that makes her more authentic for me.

Minor characters are well-crafted not drifting from the overall story arc. The brothers are developed with Drest talking to them in her imagination. She envisions what they would say in different situations that comforts and helps her make decisions while maintaining a swift pacing. Jupp is not a one-dimensional villain. Emerick turns from enemy to friend. Tig is a funny sidekick that worships Drest for her kindness as well as her fighting skills. He has a pet raven, a symbol of Celtic goddesses and witches in myths. He says he's a witch although no special powers appear. Both Drest and Tig are trying to find their identity as they move from adolescence into adulthood.

The witch, Merewin, says that Drest saving her is "extraordinary"; however, we never find out why. Merewin is mysterious, magical, and unpredictable like a goddess from a Celtic myth. The yellow dust she has as a trap in her hut is not explained but it hurts Drest. Does the dust show Merewin as a witch with magical powers? Does it allow her to follow Drest? GPS dust? Just kidding. Then a stag shows up which is a Celtic symbol representing freedom or the pursuit of wisdom, etc. Stags were hunted and a common motif in medieval Scotland. The stag appearance foreshadows Merewin who is currently being hunted and marginalized by society or in this case used as a scapegoat for a death in the village since she is a healer. The name Merewin is close to King Arthur's advisor, Merlin. I kept trying to connect it with King Arthur but it seemed to be presenting an opposite advisor than in that story. Is she Drest's relative? My guess is she knows something about Drest's mother who is absent and no explanation given as to what happened to her. Perhaps a sequel will address? Merewin tries to give Drest advice but realizes Drest doesn't need it. She does look after her basic needs on her quest and gives warnings (that Drest ignores).

Merewin is connected more with the history of witchcraft in cultures and how women healers were unfairly blamed for village deaths. This feminist focus gives the story its own shape keeping it from drifting into myths and focused on the oral tradition of legends. Drest's adventures expose her to what defines her family's legend throughout the region. Some is good, bad, and exaggerated. Drest is creating her own legend with the reader as well as the community. She inspires with her sense of justice and teaches what it means to be brave and kind in bad situations. Even in the worst of circumstances she doesn't give up or succumb to fears. 

The overall story arc is well done. William Kenower writes in his book "Fearless Writing" about three narrative arcs: physical arc, emotional arc, and intentional arc. The physical arc can be a story that follows a formula of some sort. This story is the hero's journey: a girl embarks on a quest, has adventures and trials, is betrayed, fights for her life, and is changed by the journey. The emotional arc looks at characters motivations. Drest is motivated to rescue her family and then others as the journey proceeds. She thinks that she is a great warrior like her brothers but discovers she isn't "bloodthirsty". She realizes that she  doesn't have to embrace her family's legend but can make her own. The intentional arc is the reason behind telling the story. This probably has many answers but the one that stuck with me was Drest as a representation that girls can be strong and true to themselves as they find their own way in the world.

The repetition and emphasis on storytelling as a way of orally preserving history presses throughout Drest's tale. Tig tells stories about Drest the warrior maiden who rescues people. He repeats certain phrases and the author attempts to mimic some oral traditions. Tig is creating his own story on his quest and develops in confidence on the journey. Drest's dad and brothers tell stories of their battles around the camp fire but leave out the negative parts of the story. When Drest hears alternative tales of her quest it makes her question her brother and father's choices. She questions their choices and forces them to think about some of their actions. Drest asks Jupp his story. At the end, her Dad says they trained her better than he thought. She says, "Maybe you did, or maybe it was just me." She's writing her own story.

By continually pointing out this rich tradition of storytelling the author implies that she is carrying on the craft by sharing a story from her own imagination. She also acknowledges through the characters that legends don't always reflect the truth. They might try to represent history but oftentimes are partial truths. A listener or reader needs to think critically of legends. The best part of storytelling for me is the sharing of a story where I can enter into a character and see some truth about my life or better understand the world while having fun in an imaginary setting. I can chew on that kind of story.

5 Smileys

Aru Shah and the End of Time (Pandava Quartet #1) by Roshani Chokshi

Saving the world and fighting a demon sounds easier than dealing with school and friends for Aru Shah. Her constant push to try and fit in has meant exaggerations and lies to classmates. When a trio of 7th graders show up at the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture where she lives with her mother to see if she is in Paris for the holidays, she has to do some quick lying again; however, her classmates ain't buying it. The bullies are convinced that Aru doesn't belong at their elite prep school where fancy cars and exotic trips are the norm. Her world involves taking care of herself while mom is off on trips and giving museum tours for fun.

When the classmates dare Aru to light a cursed antiquity lamp she ends up awakening the Sleeper... oops. She thinks of her mom's warning to not light the lamp, like those “generic warnings parents gave to kids, like 'Don’t go outside without sunscreen or you’ll burn!' Or, as the woman who ran the local Hindu temple’s summer day camp liked to remind Aru: 'Don’t go outside without sunscreen or you’ll get darker and won’t find a husband!' Until it happened, who cared? Aru had never gotten sunburned, and she really didn’t need to find a husband at age twelve." She didn't really believe her mom and had no clue she'd have to battle a demon. Great dialogue, fast pacing, funny gods and hysterical characters make this a winner for fans of Rick Riordan's books. Roshani Chokshi's uses familiar fantasy tropes and much of the humor is a parody of hero narratives while following the monomyth. A laugh-aloud middle-grade adventure using Indian mythology.

After lighting the lamp everyone freezes and a guardian who helps Aru on her quest comes in the form of a snarky pigeon. The author is poking fun at several fantasy tropes. Here the guardian is in a frail body and frustrated that he has to mentor a young girl. Aru is the reincarnated soul of one of the Pandava brothers from the Indian epic poem, Mahabharata; however, she lacks the wisdom and athleticism found in the poem's male heroes. Aru thinks of the pigeon as a “rat with wings” and is not impressed by him either. Meanwhile, the pigeon knocks her for being a kid hero and sees the world ending versus her saving it. When she looks at her frozen mom and classmates asking if they would be stuck that way, the pigeon answers: “It’s temporary,” said the bird. “Provided you aren’t riddled with ineptitude.” “In-ep-tee-tood? Is that French?” The bird knocked its head against the wooden banister. “The universe has a cruel sense of humor,” it moaned. Aru may be green when it comes to quests but she proves her bravery as the plot moves forward.

When Aru links up with another reincarnated soul it comes in the form of Mini, a slightly neurotic girl obsessed with germs, Oreo cookies, and death. When Mini shoves an Oreo cookie into Boo's mouth he says, “What ambrosia is this?” He smacked his beak. “Gimme more.”Mini quotes dictionaries and medical books and can't believe she was chosen for the quest instead of her brother. She diagnoses Aru when she talks back to Time explaining that Aru has “Type One Insufferable-ness.” Her character arc progresses from a kid who shrinks at danger to one accepting the inevitable task of saving the world. When Mini first meets Aru, she asks, “I hope you don’t have a bee allergy. I only have one EpiPen. But I guess we could share? I’ll stab you, you stab me?” The pigeon getting a double-dose of inept heroines does a face-plant asking "whyGodwhyme." The heroes embrace the poster-boy or girl image of a superhero from Aru yelling Batman sayings, wearingSpider-man pajamas, asking Boo for capes, to elbow-bumping instead of fist-bumping with Mini. Germs on the fist, Mini points out, and Aru thinks capes are like blankies that bring comfort to superheroes.

Spoiler alert - okay... I might be telling too much of the story at this point. You could maybe read the next paragraph.

On their quest, they search for "celestial" weapons to help them save the world. They dream of magnificent, heroic swords to wield and instead get a bouncy ball and compact. Mini bangs her compact on the ground hoping it will start working during one scene where they are facing the enemy. When the weapons do activate the heroines have no control over them. They also remind characters throughout that they are heroines, not heroes. They are told that heroines are demanding and brave while the heroes let their magical sidekicks do all the work. Part of Aru's character arc is realizing that being overlooked and not considered worthy opponents could be used to her advantage. Their physical weaknesses are a strength. Plus, she's funny as she thinks stuff such as “And it stood to reason that if you were even a little bit divine, you should not have a unibrow.” She also learns that heroes doubt themselves. At the climax, she discovers that the definition of heroism was fighting for the people she cared about in the world.

Spoiler... I think. The next paragraph might be okay too.  Can you tell I don't quite recognize if I'm spoiling it for the reader?

While the author uses Indian culture and mythology, I kept thinking of Western folktales as well. There was an east-west blend for me. Parts reminded me of the Phantom Tollbooth ...perhaps because they end up in a tollbooth. Actually, the puns, word plays, and wit are what reminded me of it. From Polly Esther to the "-allys" it is pretty funny. Or the scene where the dead speak sentences backward because they can no longer go forward. Their third test is to get the celestial keys and one of the trials is to take a bite out of adulthood which Aru does literally when she finds a book titled, “Adulthood”. I like the imagery of a young protagonist that is coming-of-age taking a bite out of adulthood literally and figuratively. Great chapter headings such as “#1 on Mini’s Top Ten Ways I Don't Want to Die List: Death by Halitosis" add to the humor along with pop culture references such as Johnny Cash. Aru wants to nickname the bird "Sue", short for Sabula, but he says he is male. She asks if he's heard Johnny Cash's song, "A Boy Named Sue" which is about a boy named, Sue, who goes to kill his dad for naming him a girl's name only to find out that the dad said he named him that to make him tough. She settles on "Boo" for a nickname.

Okay, stop! Now I am definitely spoiling the story. If you have a great memory you might not want to read on.

The legend of Shukra is the author using her own creative powers that mixes folktales. Aru and Mini must cross the Bridge of Forgetting that is guarded by Shukra, a man cursed for killing his wife out of vanity. He is surrounded by mirrors as protection against memory-stealing snowflakes and anyone that wants to cross must give him all their memories or fall into the "fires of hell and be forced into the next life". He is a metaphor for the choices people make in life. He does not want to break the mirrors because bad karma will follow him into the next life. As he begins to steal Mini and Aru's memories, Aru goes after him but is cursed in the process. He reminded me of Marley in "A Christmas Carol" who forged long chains through greed. Shakru's "chains" are his mirrors and vanity led to him murdering his wife. He discusses being robbed of the past, present, and future. He's talking about karma but I kept thinking of the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future. It's the same idea. The mirrors also reminded me of the Snow Queen and shards of glass that cursed the children in the story. Here, Shakru curses Aru as he moves on to reincarnation.

Aru's character arc involves coming to terms with her lies that are good and bad. She tells Mini the truth for the first time when she is exposed for not telling Mini she lit the lamp in the first place. Aru realizes that she lies to imagine “the world as it could be and not as it was.” She pulls out Adulthood coin upon this realization showing her growing up and coming-of-age. When Mini rejects her in anger at lighting the lamp, Aru reacts with courage and anger. She doesn’t roll over. She thinks about stories and how they are told: "The truth of  a story depends on who is telling it." She can write her own narrative. 

In another trial at the Palace of Illusions, Aru must escape her fears of being abandoned by her mother and being alone. She thinks, “People are a lot like magical pockets. They’re far bigger on the inside than they appear to be on the outside.” The Palace is alive and creates an illusion where Aru thinks she will die. She has to look at herself to escape the illusion, a metaphor for having to realize that her illusions and lies stem from fears. I think. The idea isn't really hashed out enough. I do find the Palace represents childhood and what is left behind when becoming an adult. It cries and tries to keep Mini and Aru kids by giving them everything they wish for and playing with them such as riding bikes and eating ice cream. A child's imagination dims over time and that is worth crying over. The Palace gives the two girls a tile to remind them of it and "home". The tile can be a metaphor for adults who hold on to their imaginations and memories of childhood can be storytellers in society. The Palace says “It is better, perhaps, to be thought of as a fiction than to be discarded from memory completely.” Again, the ideas are not completely fleshed out and it is up the reader to put their own interpretation on the plot. I felt teased by many of the metaphors but thought some of the thoughts came up short. A fun and funny book.

4 Smileys

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

This interesting graphic novel takes three seemingly different stories and weaves them together in a story that shows the struggles of what it is like growing up in a country as a teenage immigrant and trying to fit in. The first story is a 500-year-old Chinese myth about the Monkey King. This arrogant monkey thinks that he is a god and learns humility and caring for others after getting knocked down. The second story is about a young Asian boy in love with a white girl, but afraid to ask her out. And the last is about a white boy that has to tolerate his cousin portrayed deliberately as a negative Asian immigrant stereotype. The three stories come together in an unlikely way that uses visual and print images to convey messages about immigrants, stereotypes, identity, bullies, and love. The author packs a lot into this book that only took me an hour to read.

Yang takes the Monkey King fable and presents a cocky monkey that tries to become immortal only to have the creator bury him under a mountain of rock. The god-like creator of human beings, Tze-Yo-Tzuh, is a mix of East and West religions, similar to the Christian God and the Taoist, Lao-Tsu. The Monkey King does not free himself until he learns to accept his identity and humble himself.

The second story is about an Asian boy that desperately wants to fit in with other students at school. He perms his hair and avoids the other Asian students until a new boy shows up from China. The Asian boy betrays their friendship and has to make amends. The third story is about a white boy with an Asian cousin who embarrasses him with his immigrant accent, looks, and behavior.

In comics and films, negative Asian stereotyped characters were often presented as wearing a type of sedge hat, having buck teeth, slanty eyes, and a ponytail. The "coolie", a derogatory term for a manual laborer, was usually the sidekick to the white hero. Yang's character is reminiscent of characters such as Chop-Chop, Yellow Peril, and Fu Manchu. Or maybe the immigrant Siamese Twins in Chip-n-Dale's Rescue Ranger with their bad accents are closer to the mark. Either way, I had no idea where Yang was going with the plot on this third story. The first two are about identity and trying to fit in but the third was offensive in its caricature. Yang creatively works this into the plot with a terrific ending - don't worry, I won't give it away. Another winner by the talented artist.

5 Smileys

The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien (BBC radio dramatization)

Three strikes in three decades is my score for trying to read, "The Lord of the Rings." The pacing at the start puts me to sleep. I struggled with "Slaughterhouse Five" as a college student, but later listened to the audio book  and was able to finish it. Ditto Shakespeare. This audio book on "The Fellowship of the Ring," was a winner and the dramatization included music and sound effects that slammed the door on my problems with pacing or focusing issues. I listened each night on the elliptical machine and found it hard to turn off. A study in high fantasy with a classic hero in Aragorn and a common hero in Frodo.

Frodo Baggins, a Hobbit, lives a comfortable life in the Shire and has inherited the Ring of Power from Bilbo Baggins, the hero from "The Hobbit." When the wizard, Gandalf, comes to his house and reveals that the evil wizard, Sauron, is after the ring to control all the earth, Frodo sets out to destroy the ring. He is an unlikely and simple hero aided by friends, including the most heroic of the men, Aragorn. The task of the ring falls on the weakest of them, a hobbit who would prefer not to sacrifice himself, but he rises to the occasion and is the only creature able to resist the ring because he is not drawn by desires to seek power and worldliness. His naivety and simpleness make him the best candidate for success at destroying the ring as Gandalf and Aragorn both know when Frodo offers the ring to them and they realize the the power would be too tempting for them. Frodo's lack of desire for power makes him the best candidate for the quest.

I read a terrific book, "A Hobbit, A Wardrobe, and a Great War: How J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis Rediscovered Faith, Friendship, and Heroism in the Cataclysm of 1914-18" by Joseph Loconte that shows how the Lord of the Rings trilogy is an allegory for World War I with the Hobbits similar to common soldiers and Aragorn and Gandalf similar to military and political leaders making decisions regarding the war. It is a fascinating look at history and analysis of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis's novels. It was one the main reasons I decided to try and read the book again. The hobbits are like the common soldier and don't really know what danger they are approaching, but they have each others backs no matter what and are willing to die for one another. Gandalf and Aragorn are like the world leaders involved in the war.

I still think the start is slow before launching into the quest and picking up in excitement. But this time the audio book helped me be patient. I think Tolkien's in-depth background development of the Shire is to show the domestic contentedness of the hobbits and their lack of desire to be heroes. They are drawn into a battle that they have no desire to be a part of. Because they like simple pleasures and are not tempted by power as most of the other characters in the book, they show the common person as being the hero and this allows the reader to empathize with them.  Aragorn proves his king-like qualities not by physical strength but his handling of the hobbits when he first meets them by playing on their fears and then using wit to ingratiate himself before revealing his letter from Gandalf.

It's the hobbit show, not Aragorn's victories in battle, that save and endear the reader. Frodo incorporates the high qualities of Aragorn's world and the hobbits because he is the wisest and bravest in that he is humble and admits his fears but still strikes forth on the quest to destroy the ring. This is why he is chosen for the task. Only he can resist the corrupting power of the ring to at least get it to the edge of the fire until powers beyond his control destroy it.  Even Frodo cannot resist the temptation of the ring. Tolkien's world building, character development, linguistic genius is astonishing in its brilliance, as most of you know. If you are having problems getting through a book, try an audio book. It felt like a home run this time round. 

Samurai Rising: The Epic Life of Minamoto Yoshitsune by Pamela S. Turner

I made the mistake of reading this book thinking it was fiction, but it is historical nonfiction. Because it takes place in the 12th century there is not much dialogue. Sixty pages of footnotes including the dialogue the author show the difficulty of mixing fact with legend, but Turner handles it well. She adds her own humor making this adventure story hard to put down. I'll be surprised if she doesn't win some nonfiction award.

I got lost in the story once I stopped looking for a fiction narrative. The story begins during the time of Japanese history when the samurai took control of the government from the Emperor, making the royal family more of a figurehead than the controls. Two samurai clans, the Taira and Minamoto, fought for control with the Taira taking the emperor hostage and brutally chopping down rivals. They let the baby Yoshitsune survive who lived with the monks before running away as a teenager to become a samurai warrior. His legendary, reckless military tactics helped his brother overthrow the government in a civil war that lasted five years. Yoshitsune was a brilliant strategist and won some critical battles defeating the Taira clan, but he was arrogant, headstrong, and politically ignorant alienating top commanders. His brother,Yoritomo, felt threatened by his popularity and other commanders fed his suspicions.

The legend plays out like a tragedy with the brother, Yoritomo, gaining complete power and sending assassins to kill Yoshitsune who ironically was the reason he had so much power. Yoritomo's suspicious nature and fear of losing power led to him killing off almost all of his loyal followers throughout the years leaving his family and relatives unprotected after his death and easily killed by rivals. This reminds me of Stalin who killed off those closest to him and any who questioned his policies. Yoritomo was an excellent politician who gave into his fears once he became all-powerful.

Yoshitsune was critical to winning several battles as a hit-and-run commander. He'd lead small bands and cause chaos among the enemy. He was a skillful horsemen and had good fortune on the sea driven by confidence. However, his lack of naval experience later in life caused him to make a critical mistake at sea that cost him the chance to rise up against Yoritomo. Throughout his life, Yoshitsune's impulsive, arrogant attitude made him fearless in war but showed he did not have the political experience or foresight to determine possible moves by his enemies. He didn't seem take notice of who he angered or slighted as his superiors and in the end this cost him his life.

History shows different definitions of heroes in cultures. The Vikings hero was a loyal, courageous, aggressive, and scornful of death. They dominated in military strategy on the seas. The samurai were courageous, not afraid to die, and excellent swordsmen. However, the Taira clan was best at sea and the Minamoto clan was best on land with horses. Yoshitsune used this to his advantage in warfare. Samurai were not loyal and would switch sides easily. The society had stratified classes with the commoners at the mercy of those in authority over them. They did not have rights and the samurai, wealthy, and elite had no problem killing commoners in their way in their quests for power. Students will like this book with its focus on martial arts, warfare, heroes, and conquest.

5 Smileys

The Copper Gauntlet (Magisterium #2) by Holly Black, Cassandra Clare

The first time I was on a jet ski I squeezed the levers slowly making sure I could maneuver it through the choppy water. It bucked as I learned the right amount of pressure, but I like speed and it didn't take long before I was bouncing over waves with a thud and wondering if the fly that bounced off my cheek would leave a red mark. I read this story like I drive a jet ski. Slow at first before hitting the gas and skimming along. It was an action thrill-ride that reminded me a lot of Harry Potter's plot. And while it was fun, I won't remember most of it a month from now.

Thirteen-year-old Call is with his dad for the summer but their relationship is strained. His dad suspects Call is evil and when Call finds a nasty trap made by his dad he runs away to the Magisterium. Only there, the Alkahest, a copper gauntlet that can remove chaos magic from magicians, has been stolen. Call with the help of Tamara, Aaron, and an unlikely third person goe after the person Call suspects stole it. Some interesting twists occur at the end and Call has to learn to trust his team.

This is your familiar fantasy/school story with kids on a quest fighting good and evil. Call is a reluctant hero and there is less world-building in this book than the first one. The magic has been established and only the gauntlet adds a new mix in their world of magic. Alex and Kimiya's relationship didn't advance the plot and I wasn't sure why it was in there. I thought it might hint at some sequel at the end or maybe Alex was the mole in the Magisterium, but their story is not resolved or it is just tacked in as filler.

Call is jealous of Aaron and the attention he is getting as a Makar or chaos-making magician, but even that changes by the end. This will remove a lot of the tension from the plot which may be why Jasper's character has come more to center stage. He might be filling in for Aaron in creating future tension. Call and Jasper always have great tension in their dialogue. I wasn't sure Tamara was acting in character racing off to tattle on Call. That seemed a bit off but I have not read "The Iron Trial," in a year. I suggest reading book one before this as it gives more world building. The lizard keeps telling Call that "the end is closer than you think" but I couldn't help but think it wasn't close enough for me. Not bad. Not great. Just entertaining.

3 Smileys

The Sword of Summer (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard #1) by Rick Riordan

If you liked Percy Jackson, you will enjoy this first book in a series that follows a similar pattern with a snarky protagonist, humor that balances violence, great monsters, a demigod, mythology-based fantasy plot, mnemonics to learn foreign words, a cross-over with a character (Annabeth Chase appears), and a first person narration. Why mess with a good thing? Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series has sold in the millions. Magnus Chase will satisfy loyal fans. Yah... sure.

Magnus Chase is sixteen and homeless. His mom died protecting him when two monsters burst into his apartment. When Magnus discovers two people looking for him he breaks into the home of his uncle setting in motion a hunt for an ancient and powerful sword. He learns that his dad is a god which gives him the ability to retrieve the sword. And don't cha know, good and evil beings want this sword and once he calls it to him he sets in motion events that signal not only the end of the world, but life as he knows it. That's right. He's killed. This isn't a spoiler. He tells the reader in the first paragraph using the oh-so-familiar Rick Riordan hook. I bit. As Magnus learns what it is like to be a ghost warrior in Valhalla, he tries to save the world with the aide of a Valkarie of Arab descent and two disguised homeless men. The action snowballs to an exciting climax.

In Norse mythology, the gods know that their destiny is inescapable and doomed to a bloody epic battle called, "Ragnarok," that will leave them and humanity dead. From the ashes will rise two people that signify the regeneration of life. The myths show life as cyclical with gods and human beings not in despair over their fate, but attempting to hold it off. Loki points this out when he tells Magnus: “Well what you do is change the details. That’s how you rebel. That’s how you change the narrative. I know how I’m going to die, but between now and then I’m going to make my own game.” You betcha.

Magnus reminds me of the Germanic heroic code found in medieval literature such as Beowulf and the Icelandic sagas where death is heroic and not tragic and destruction is final not life-giving. The heroic code means that Magnus places honor above death and dies saving the lives of strangers. He decides at the last minute to make his death count by taking out a fire demon. Magnus displays courage in the face of overwhelming or impossible odds and remains strong in the face of death. This hero understands that Fate will take everything - power, family, wealth - gained in the world, but it can't take the hero's character. Out of this mentality comes the literary trope where the Germanic hero dies with a quip taking light of the situation. Magnus does not have wealth, fame, or power and he puts his own spin on the heroic code calling the fire demon, "Fire Dude,"and acting like a rebellious teen taunting him and giving him the finger, but he does reflect elements of this type of hero.

Don't worry. All my Minnesota speak that comes from German and Scandinavian immigrants is not in Rick Riordan's book. He does have a deaf person in it that uses sign language to communicate with others. That character is unique and worked into the plot in interesting ways. He does have several characters use Old English that enhances voice and setting, but don't expect to find kennings and alliteration found in Beowulf and the Icelandic sagas. That's probably a good thing for the younger reading audience. Kennings are confusing. Although I do like how Riordan makes it easier to memorize the names of gods using mnemonics. If he could come up with a way to wade through the murky waters of kennings that would be amazing.

The character of the Valkarie that is Muslim-American is a nod to 10th century writer, Ibn Fadlan, an Arab traveler who was part of a delegation sent by the Caliph in Baghdad to help establish Islam for the king of the Volga Bulghars in Russia. Fadlan wrote about the "Rus" or Vikings that had settled there for trade and goes into detail the funeral rites involving a ship burial and human sacrifice. Riordan has the Valkarie character descending from this family. Ironically, Fadlan was a theologian and thought the Rus Vikings were vulgar and primitive. I doubt Fadlan would appreciate his descendant being loyal to the Norse gods; however, no religion is revered by these characters, especially Magnus.

Fadlan's account about Viking funeral practices have been somewhat generalized and it might not be how a funeral was conducted in Scandinavia during the Viking reign. Fadlan met a band of select warriors who became merchants and that adapted to a new culture in Russia. I'm not an archeologist, but I don't think there is an account of Viking funeral rites in Scandinavia. Don't quote me on that. Sorry. This has nothing to do with the book. I'm digressing into my fascination with Viking history. Maybe that is my clue that I've written enough book reviews on Rick Riordan's series. Time to move on.

3 Smileys

The Shadow Hero (The Shadow Hero) by Gene Luen Yang, Sonny Liew (Illustrations), Chu Hing

The Avengers can add an Asian superhero to their team, Hank Chu, a.k.a. Green Turtle. Gene Luen Yang and Sonny Liew pay homage to the first ever Asian comic superhero that came out in the 1940s, the golden age of comics that produced Batman, Captain America, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern, and so on. Chu Hing created a character in 1944 called, The Green Turtle, that was a superhero from WWII. Hing only had 5 issues published and was told his character could not be Asian. An appendix explains in more detail how Hing worked around this issue and the history of the first Green Turtle superhero. While Yang and Liew remake elements of the original, their story is their own concoction of action, humor, and Eastern culture. Gobble up this graphic novel with a boazi and enjoy.

Hank Chu, is a carbon-copy of his father who runs a grocery store during the 1930s in San Francisco, CA. His mother, Hua Chu, wants more in life. One day while tooling around town on errands in a big sedan chauffeuring her employer, Mrs. Olson, a carjacker steals the car at gunpoint making her drive him to an unknown destination. Hua is saved by the Anchor of Justice, a superhero that flies the car up over a body of water and shakes the occupants out catching Hua mid-air and letting the villain crash in the water below. With goo-goo eyes, Hua is inspired and admires her rescuer. She becomes obsessed with Hank becoming a superhero by making him a costume, setting him up for fighting lessons with uncle, and putting him through experiments so he'll gain superpowers. She is a hilarious caricature of a Tiger Mom and her illustrations are some of my favorite ones in the whole novel.

Gangs run the streets and when Hank's father doesn't pay the street Lord, things start to fall apart. When a relative is killed, Hank seeks revenge. He discovers another gang and falls for the Ten Grand's daughter. She's a strong female that rescues Hank on his first disastrous outing as a superhero. Ironically, Hank was trying to save the daughter from thugs but she is perfectly capable of protecting herself. Later, she deliberately doesn't kill Hank when her father asks her to.

I live in Asia. I recognize the goofy kung fu fighting uncle, the dedicated son that obeys his parents, and the ambitious pushy mother. And while these stock characters are going to be familiar to Asians, I'm not sure Americans will recognize them which makes this novel a good way to introduce others to an unfamiliar culture.

The snappy dialogue is fun. The mother's character, Hua, is one of the main forces that drives the plot and she embodies so much of Eastern culture making her an important person to the story as a whole, but her verbal criticism of how Western women dressed and looked from being drab to fat made me wonder if she was going to be a stereotyped unhappy, gossipy, older woman who has lost her looks and criticizes those around her. Fortunately, she doesn't take that one-dimensional route and shows that she really wants what is best for her son even if she is misguided.

The authors capture Eastern culture and humor loaded in action-packed illustrations and text. Hua is sitting in the car eating a pork bun or boazi. In Taiwan, they sell these buns everywhere. The students want them as a snack after playing sports or for meals. The old men are playing Mahjong, a fun board game that people play in the multiple parks around the city of Taipei. When Hua makes Hank his first costume it is with the Chinese character for gold. The money god or god of prosperity is worshiped or invoked during Chinese New Year. Common Chinese traditions and beliefs are what make this novel special for the reader is absorbed in the culture; it isn't explained. Eastern culture has roots in Confuscius teachings who championed strong family loyalty, respect for elders by children and husbands by their wives. This book gives the reader a bite of a different culture and it is delicious.

Derogatory words are used in the story. When I first came across them it was jarring, but then it became apparent that they were intentional and are an effort to make the characters authentic. By drawing attention to racial slurs, the authors are showing how they were used at that time in history. Slurs are still used today and people are victims of prejudice all over the world.

The character arcs show Hua changing from wanting her son to be a superhero at all costs, to worrying that she went too far and he will kill himself. At the end, he shows he's capable and no longer a child in need of a parent's protection. She's proud of him. Hank embraces his new powers, suffers many setbacks, but learns to believe in himself. He gains respect from the community while championing the common Asian person. Ultimately, the superhero is successful at avenging his relative's death and bringing peace to the neighborhood.

I plan on using this for book club and get my students opinions. Most grew up in Taiwan and their take on the story would be enlightening and rich. This graphic novel is corny, fun, and introduces a culture I have fallen in love with. Check it out. Better yet, check out Taiwan.

5 Smileys

Oliver and the Seawigs by Philip Reeve, Sarah McIntyre (Illustrator)

It's a bird... It's a plane... It's a seawig! A newfangled superhero you don't want to miss. Ten-year-old Oliver Crisp's parents ironically go missing the day they stop exploring and move into the old family home. Oliver is unpacking the car when his parents spy a bunch of islands in the bay. Jumping into a dinghy, they disappear along with the islands by the time Oliver sets out to rescue them. He sails out to a lone island and meets an albatross named, "Culpeper," who explains that the islands move. Oliver snags a ride and meets a far-sighted mermaid, Iris, who is different from the average mer-person. She's smart, can't see a lick, can't sing, could care less about looks, and is kind. She explains that the only time she "caterwauled" like other mermaids she lured a walrus instead of a handsome fisherman because she thought it a man. She bumps into everything and the reader never knows what silly mishap she's going to have. She meets Oliver because she was on her way to the optician but got lost. Har, har. The gags are nonstop with adult and kid humor. When the island turns into a talking rock-giant... I was hooked... line and sinker. Plenty of action, humor, and odd characters for all.

The rock-giant character reminds me of trolls. We used to look for troll heads on the rocky bluffs by the Mississippi River as kids. My grandma said trolls slept as rocks. We told troll stories to scare each other. Trolls lived under bridges and could be ferocious or dumb. I even had a creepy troll doll with pink hair. A seawig is like a troll and can be kind or mean. A seawig is a floating island with the grassy top being its hair and its nose and eyes on the rocks underwater. Seawigs talk, but not often. When Oliver hears his parents are headed for the Hallowed Shallows where a wig competition called, "The Night of the Seawigs," is held every seven years, he's determined to get there. He must talk the seawig that they are on into entering the competition. Oliver gives the seawig a name, Cliff, and concocts a plan with Iris to get Cliff the best wig for the contest.

The characters are distinct and memorable. Mr. Culpeper is an overbearing curmudgeonly albatross that can be a pain in the neck, but also a friend to count on. He blames Oliver when things go wrong, verbally opposes risk-taking adventures, is a know-it-all, but he supports their rescue and helps navigate through threatening fog. The sea monkeys are mischievous, not-so-bright creatures that are fast, "Sea monkeys spilled down Thurlstone's face like a river of snot." Nothing like a splattering of snot humor to draw in the young readers. Seawig Thurlstone is a villain that turned wicked when human sacrifices were made on the temple at its top and the blood trickled down inside him.

Stacey de Lacey is Thurlstone's partner and the two will cheat, lie, and steal to win the contest. The two villains have captured Oliver's parents and are going to sacrifice them for the contest. All you readers traumatized by having a tease-me-till-I-scream name will nod in understanding or shake your head at Stacey de Lacey's inferiority complex as he explains turning to evil after kids teased him about his girlie name. When he frees the sea monkeys from their pods therefore getting their zealous loyalty, the narrator says, "If Stacey de Lacey had been a different sort of boy, he might have thought, 'I've found a friend!' But Stacey had never really wanted friends. He thought, 'I've found a servant!'"Swirl into the current some Sarcastic Seaweed and you'll be snort-laughing snot down your own face. Dive right in. 

The winner of the contest gets to be Chief Island and tell the other Rambling Isles, as they are nicknamed, where to travel. They can take the best flotsam to add to their wig too. When a seawig stops meandering, he or she settles in a certain place. This is more like dying. Oliver describes settled islands as "lifeless." When Cliff decides to "settle" because Thurlstone stole his wig, Oliver and Iris are desperate to get him to change his mind and not give up. Sometimes I feel like my life overseas is like being a seawig or Rambling Isle. I'm like Oliver's parents who are addicted to exploring. Some day, we too, will have to settle and stop traveling. Ummm... that doesn't mean I want to "settle" and die. Just so we are clear.

The author cleverly adds child-appealing touches such as having a resolution that involves tickling or a villain turned bad from name-calling. Add in shipwrecks, seawigs that look like grass-covered Easter Island statues, hyperactive monkeys, crotchety seaweed, and a mermaid that can shatter glass with her singing and you have a great rumpus. Sarah McIntyre's black, white, and blue illustrations add so much humor to the story. The big eyes on the children make them look curious, while on the parents overexcited or scared. The seawigs are my favorite. Cliff looks like a baby Pacman and Thurlstone looks like a petrified globmonster.

Add in themes of friendship and perseverance and you've got some depth to the plot. When Cliff decides to rescue Oliver, he does so out of friendship and doing the right thing. He chooses to not be a victim, but try and make a change whether it works or not. When Cliff's being threatened, Oliver in turn saves him. That's what friends are for. Friends are also good to go swimming with in the ocean. Grab your flippers and goggles and flip into the pages of this book with its unusual superhero. Glub, glub, glub.

4 Smileys

The Princess in Black (The Princess in Black #1) by Shannon Hale

After reading the Legends of King Arthur where the females are presented as dorks and the guys get all the fun being heroes, I have a new appreciation for stories that have girl heroes. What's unusual about this book is that it reaches that oh-so-hard-to-find group of readers that are transitioning from picture to chapter books. This fairy tale princess has a secret and when the kingdom's biggest busybody, Duchess Wigtower, comes to visit, the princess is called to don her mask and save the kingdom incognito without alerting the Duchess. Young readers will like the adventure as Princess Magnolia corrals a blue monster that looks a bit like the "Sulley" from Monster's Inc.

Princess Magnolia is stuck having tea with the gray-haired Duchess whose hair is piled on her head like a two-foot tall mini-tornado, when her secret ring goes off warning her that the kingdom is in danger. Not wanting to raise her suspicions, Princess Magnolia comes up with a lame excuse to go change into her black super hero costume and see what is up. In the meantime, a blue monster that lives underground with other monsters is trying to remember why he shouldn't leave his den but he is so hungry that he crawls out anyway. He finds some goats with a shepherd and immediately goes after one. The shepherd named, Duff, thinks the Princess in Black looks familiar and decides to come up with his own superhero costume, Goat Avenger. It would appear that many more adventures are in the making for the Princess in Black and that a sidekick might play a part as book one of a future series ends.

There are quite a few illustrations than one usually finds in this length of book. Or maybe that is because I just finished "Leroy Ninker Saddles Up" and it had noticeably fewer pictures than this one. The color pages add to the fun and gross humor. When blue monster eats a plate of toe-nail clippings I cringed and laughed at the same time. The two-page spread of Princess Magnolia's ninja moves on the blue monster adds to the action and excitement. Duchess Wigtower reminds me a bit of the Disney stepmother in "Cinderella" except her mountainous hair adds humor.  A great addition to Mercy Watson series in your library.

4 Smileys 

Beyonders: A World Without Heroes

Don't lean too far into a cage enclosure at a zoo or you might end up like thirteen-year-old Jason who fell into the hippo tank and got sucked down its mouth into an alternate world called, Lyrian. Jason finds himself in a series of adventures beginning with attempting to rescue a group of musicians plunging over some falls on a raft. He later ends up at a remote library where he reads a forbidden book that is made of human skin and forces him on a quest to find the syllables of a word that will dethrone the ruling tyrant, Maldor.

All Jason wants is to go back home to Colorado and he thinks the quest will help him. The librarian sends him to the Blind King who knows a place Jason can start looking for the rest of the syllables. It is with the Blind King that Jason meets Rachel, a Beyonder like himself, and together they attempt the dangerous quest in the hope that they can somehow go home again.

The book is entertaining and there is plenty of action and violence but the character development is not particularly well-rounded. Jason seems too old for his age and he doesn't change much from the beginning to the end. He does contemplate what makes a hero and that he can be too stubborn which leads Rachel to not trust him at first. Some readers might get annoyed that Rachel gets left out of most of the action because she's a girl. There's no witty rapport between them. Ironically, the only part I really laughed the most was when Jason was being tortured and under the influence of a drug that made his responses to the person torturing him funny.

 The violence begins on page one with a prince  being tortured. Next a group of musicians are willingly navigating a raft over some falls. I found the violence more disturbing in the beginning and not as much as later on as characters emerge who can remove their limbs and put them back on or a magician who can take away sight and give it back. Other violent acts are: a character is torn to bits by dogs, a dog is split in two by a giant crab's claw, men and women eat so much food they die, men are blown apart (although one has a seed in his head and can be replanted and reborn), and the main character is tortured although I thought the author made it funny. I felt more removed from the violence when it involved characters that weren't human. The main characters are very brave and earnest as they work together to try to save a world from evil. This is the first book in a series.

Reading Level 7.4

:-) :-) :-) 3 Smileys