Several days ago I completed Madapple and my mind is still reeling a little bit.

First, the subject matter. I knew it was coming. There was this ominous feeling deep in my belly,  churning and bubbling as I read. But when the moment arrived I still reeled. It’s one thing to know it’s coming and quite another when it actually arrives.

Second, I’m not sure how I feel about the end. It felt too…easy, for lack of a better word. It was like reading a very twisted episode of Jerry Springer that wraps up with an “and they all lived happily ever after” when you know damn well that isn’t true.

Would I still recommend reading the book? Was is still very well written? Was it still a page turner? Yes on all counts (the first with the caveat that if you can’t handle child abuse/incest stories, skip it). And I do love how the story itself unfolded, switching between the two time periods and points-of-view.

Please allow me to scoop my mind up off the floor before I write a proper review. All I really know at this point is that the next book I read needs to be light and fluffy because this one was (almost) as heavy as it gets…at least where young adult fare is concerned.

OK. So I’m at roughly page 250, and I think my mind’s about to explode.

I keep reading and I’m still enthralled by how the story is unfolding (i.e. from Auslag’s point of view and from the court transcripts) and how it all seems like a game of cat and mouse with just so much information given.

And now things are getting stranger and slightly more ominous. After Auslag’s mother dies she stumbles onto some family she never knew she had (and aunt and two cousins) who take her in. (That situation just stretch the belief muscles a little bit, but it worked out, and it’s getting explained as the book goes along.)

But as she discovers more information about her family—learns about her mother, her possible father, her grandfather, her mother and aunt’s life in Denmark, her aunt’s evangelical ways—and as she starts to question the meaning of life, spirit, and so many other things, the story has taken on an ominous feel.

We know that a fire happened. We know there are some unusual circumstances surrounding that fire. We know that Auslag had something to do with it, we’re just not sure what. (And I’m really not liking that whole what she’s feeling about her male cousin because, really, he’s the closest she’d ever come to a real live boy and he also happens to be somewhat attractive. Also, I’m getting nervous about who her father might be because as it stands, it could mean her ex-uncle-in-law was a pedophile or she could be the next coming of the world’s saviour borne of a virgin, or it could just be something entirely worse.)

Oh yeah, this book is becoming a mind-warp. But in a good way. I’m eager to keep reading, find out what happens next. I’m also learning quite a bit about botany as that seems to be a significant thread (along with religion/belief) throughout the story.

CONTINUE: Part 2

I’d started reading the book once before, but put it down once I’d gotten to page five or six. It just didn’t grab my interest at the time. Maybe I just wasn’t in the right place (mentally) for it, and now maybe I am. So far, it alternates between the past and present: the past is from Auslag’s point of view of the events unfolding before her, and the (relative) present is the transcript from an ongoing court case in which Auslag is charged with murder and attempted murder.

To back up a bit, the first chapter of the book is entirely cryptic and taken out of context, isn’t really a good indicator of what’s in store for the rest of the book (so far). In fact, don’t really like the first chapter, but I’m certain it plays a pivotal role in the unfolding events.

As far as character development goes, it’s fascinating. I’ll admit I’m not entirely sold on the relationship/interaction between Auslag and her mother, there are definitely so moving moments and the characters are so delightfully broken and raw that I can’t help viewing them as real people most of the time. There were a few moments where I had to stop and scratch my head and say, “um, that doesn’t quite fit” but for the most part, the story is flowing and I’m itching to find out what happens next.

For those who aren’t already familiar with this book, I’ll sum it up so far: Auslag is a bastard child (true definition, not the one used when we’re pissed off). Auslag doesn’t know who her father is and has absolutely no sense of self because—get this—her mother kept her sheltered away from the real world. They survive by foraging and very rarely do they venture into the city…and when they do, Auslag is kept under lock and key by her mother. Then everything takes a heinous turn when Auslag wakes up and discovers her mother’s dead body.

The writing style takes a bit of getting used to, but other than that, smooth reading. This looks like it’s going to be one of those books I’ll recommend—that is, if the middle and end are just as engrossing as the beginning has been.

CONTINUE: Part 2, Part 3

Short Synopsis

After moving into an old house on Hudson street, Henry, the youngest, makes a new friend named Bonnie. His parents believe Bonnie is imaginary, but Henry’s older sister suspects otherwise…and she’s right.

My Thoughts on The Imaginary Friend

There was an air of familiarity to the story—family moving into an old house with a restless spirit seeking something it once lost—but it didn’t feel stale.

Although I could easily predict that Henry’s imaginary friend wasn’t imaginary and that bad things would happen, I still held my breath at certain sections and even gasped at a certain revelation about Bonnie. That’s how this story garnered my respect, because it’s not easy to write a truly creepy story while still respecting your audience’s sensibilities.

Rather than rely on blood and guts for scares, Cropper uses vivid language that gets under your skin and for truly young (or sensitive) readers it could cause nightmares.

Final rating: B+

Short Synopsis

A grieving Genevieve is searching for her recently deceased grandmother’s very special handbag. As she does so, she explains who her grandmother was, where she came from, and what makes the handbag so special.

My Thoughts on The Faery Handbag

Like ‘The Wizards of Perfil‘ I’m left unsure of what I feel.

As with Link’s other stories this one was readable. It flowed well and before I knew it I slammed into the end. And I do mean slammed. The end was so abrupt that it felt unsettling, but similar to ‘The Wrong Grave‘ it left you with plenty to ponder. Unfortunately, though, I didn’t like it, the abruptness (I like the plenty to ponder part).

One aspect of the story that I found skillfully mastered was the unreliable narrator. Enough doubt is cast about Genevieve’s story to keep you guessing about whether she’s telling the truth, whether she’s outright lying, or whether she’s just a girl trying to cope with the loss of her beloved grandmother and missing (boy)friend Jake. It even cast enough doubt to question the existence of her grandmother and Jake. This story certainly isn’t what it seems.

Despite loving Link’s writing style and her dexterity with voice, I wasn’t in love with this story and that’s mainly because of the denouement…there wasn’t one.

Final rating: C+

Short Synopsis

A mad king has declared war on everyone leaving families broken and fear in his wake. An orphan named Onion, in the care of his aunt, is nearly sold into slavery, but at the last moment, the stranger from Perfil decides to take Onion’s ill-tempered cousin Halsa. Onion and Halsa are both special, they share the same gift, so while Halsa rides off to serve the Wizards of Perfil, it’s as though Onion is right there with her. In time, Halsa, after much hard labor, and Onion learn that the Wizards are nothing like they’d expected.

My Thoughts on The Wizards of Perfil

I’m not sure what I feel right now. I’m a bit unsettled.

The prose was smooth and I glided through pages with ease. The story unfolded like a half-remembered-dream where nothing could quite be nailed down (like ages or dates or locations) which worked in its favor and the story was unique and the characters were memorable, but I can’t shake this feeling that this would have been a better story had it been longer or, at least, more fleshed out. And the end, which I sort of saw coming, fizzled when I expected an explosion (or maybe a firecracker).

The reason for my ambivalence, though, is because I enjoyed reading it. Link is certainly a skilled wordsmith and she has a way of crafting genuine characters. (One small quirk was Halsa’s abrupt and quite jarring personality shift and Onion’s willingness to accept it at face value, but that was minor.) Plus, I like the thoughtful elements of the story; it was almost like a parable causing you to question the costs of war and faith.

But, the fact remains that I’m squarely on the fence and in my mind this story fell just short of excellence.

Final rating: C+

Short Synopsis

A boy regretting his decision to bury some of his poetry with his deceased girlfriend decides to dig her up and get them back, but receives a shocking surprise when he does.

My Thoughts on The Wrong Grave

I didn’t know what to expect from Kelly Link’s writing, but having read this story I can say it was a pleasant experience. This story was so many things—comical, dark, and poignant—and her writing style and subject matter aligned well with my own morbidity. (Dealing with Death has a way of skewing one’s personality; what one, who has not dealt with Death, might find disturbingly dark another may find amusingly dark.)

Each of the characters’ personalities were delineated, naturally flawed, and none of them seemed stock. I even found myself wanting to know more about the story’s anonymous narrator who had me chuckling every few pages.

As far as a plot or point to the story, there really wasn’t one that I could discern, but that was OK. It was just a charming sliver of another, longer story that I won’t ever know—unless, of course, Link ever decided to write it, at which time I would eagerly read it. Instead, I’m left to wonder and speculate and dwell on what happened to Miles and that girl he dug up.

Final rating: B+

Back Cover of Trapped

The day the blizzard started, no one knew that it was going to keep snowing for a week. That for those in its path, it would become not just a matter of keeping warm, but of staying alive.

Scotty and his friends Pete and Jason are among the last seven kids at their high school waiting to get picked up that day, and they soon realize that no one is coming for them. Still, it doesn’t seem so bad to spend the night at school, especially when distractingly hot Krista and Julie are sleeping just down the hall. But the power goes out, and the heat. The pipes freeze, and the roof shudders. As the day adds up, the snow piles higher, and the empty halls grow colder and darker, the mounting pressure forces a devastating decision…

Three Quick Points About Trapped

• Point 1: A smooth read. There was nothing difficult in the reading. One word flowed into the next, one sentence into the next, and one paragraph into the next.
• Point 2: Underwhelming characters. Each character seemed like a slightly varied stock template, from the bully who wasn’t so bad after all to the hormonally challenged teenage boy to the super hot blond.
• Point 3: A pressure cooker with too little pressure. The students’ situation was dire, no doubt about it, but there wasn’t enough character variation to spark true conflict.

Short Synopsis of Trapped

Seven different students are trapped in a high school when a freak snowstorm (a nor’easter) blows into town and they must fend for themselves for nearly a week and when it becomes too difficult to bear, find a means of escape.

My Thoughts on Trapped

I’ve always been a fan of the pressure cooker. That’s what I call stories where a group of diverse people are thrown into an unamenable situation together and the pressure increases until something finally goes snap. (Think Lord of the Flies or Alive.)

So, when I read the synopsis of Trapped my mind reeled from all the possibilities. I forsook all the other books on my TBR pile to read this one. And despite the commendable writing (very smooth, sometimes funny, and easy to digest prose), halfway through I began thinking that I probably shouldn’t have read it directly after watching Exam, a great low-budget example of a pressure cooker story.

Trapped started well enough with Scotty, the narrator, worried about the snow canceling his basketball game and deftly segued into the students being trapped in the school and how they came to be there. It began faltering, however, as time went on and not much happened by way of character development or action.

The cast included Scotty, the not your typical jock, Jason, the kid who seemed the most likely to have a sniper rifle in his locker, Pete, the typical teenage boy, Les, the big badass bully, Elijah, the not your typical goth, Krista, the super hot blond girl, and Julie, the super hot blond girl’s friend. Unfortunately, these characters weren’t fully developed and tried so hard not to be clichés that they became clichés.

I could have forgiven the bland characters had something of consequence happened in the story, beyond the kids being cold and annoyed by having to pee in a literal can, but very little did happen. There was a fist fight and a death (not as a result of said fist fight, sorry). That’s pretty much it. It was like The Breakfast Club, but with less depth.

Despite the flat characters and lack of pressure, this was an enjoyable read. The writing had such forward momentum that it was almost impossible not to finish, plus it was a fast read. So, if you’re looking for something quick and mildly thrilling to pass a stormy afternoon, this would do the trick.

Rating: Get It Used [C+] (?)

Title: Stolen
Author: Lucy Christopher
ISBN: 978-0-5451-7093-2
Story Length: 304 pages
Genre: Young Adult Drama

Three Quick Points About Stolen

• Point 1: Slow. No, that’s not right. In fact, a new word needs to be coined because “slow” (and all its various synonyms) is inadequate.
• Point 2: The camel won. It was the only character that felt genuine. Ty came close, but meh. Let’s not start on Gemma.
• Point 3: A twisted love story. Still, it was an interesting take on the evolution of Stockholm syndrome.

Short Synopsis of Stolen

Sixteen year old Gemma Toombs is stolen from the Bangkok airport and brought to Middle of Nowhere, Australia by a man named Ty. During her captivity, Ty explains how they’ll have a perfect life together away from the evils of the city. Gemma protests, and then after a late-night epiphany, she decides that Ty is only marginally insane and falls in love. Unfortunately, theirs is a complicated love and it comes with its own set of problems.

My Thoughts on Stolen

Let me say up front: This is a hard review for me to write. I wanted so much to love Stolen. So much. But, oh sweet Mother of All Things Good, the writing was bad. (Typing that broke my heart a little, but it needed to come out.)

For me, how a story is told is just as important as the story itself—sometimes more so. Stolen is told in the 2^nd person POV as a letter from Gemma to Ty, which can be an amazing style if done right. In this book, however, the narrative was more arid than the desert landscape it depicted; it meandered and drifted between various shades of lavender to purple. And at the end a justification was offered for the narrative choice, but it didn’t redeem the book, not one iota.

Of all the characters, I only cared about the camel. It was the only one who felt genuine. When she was left behind, I almost cried…almost. And if you force me to pick a human character to like, it would be Ty (yes, the mentally unstable kidnapper) because the only emotion Gemma ignited in me was apathy. I wanted to feel for her, and right when I thought I would, the writing got in the way

Ultimately Stolen is a powerful story drowned by stodgy writing and though it may seem like it, I didn’t hate this book; I just wish it were written differently.

Rating: Save Your Money [D+] (?)

Title: Broken
Author: Karin Fossum
ISBN: 978-0-1510-1366-1
Story Length: 272 pages
Genre: Adult Literary Fiction

Back Cover of Broken

A woman wakes up in the middle of the night. A strange man is in her bedroom. She lies there in silence, paralyzed with fear.The woman is an author and the man one of her characters, one in a long line that waits in her driveway for the time when she’ll tell their stories. He is so desperate that he has resorted to breaking into her house and demanding that she begin.

He, the author decides, is named Alvar Eide, forty-two years old, single,works in a gallery. He lives a quiet, orderly life and likes it that way—no demands, no unpleasantness. Until one icy winter day when a young drug addict, skinny and fragile, walks into the gallery. Alvar gives her a cup of coffee to warm her up. And then one day she appears on his doorstep.

Three Quick Points About Broken

• Point 1: Where’s the mystery? A quarter of the way through, I realized this wasn’t a traditional whodunit mystery—it wasn’t a traditional mystery in any sense.
• Point 2: It’s about characters under a microscope. Flawed but hauntingly natural characters crafted with aplomb.
• Point 3: Smooth prose and pacing, for a translation. Lost in translation isn’t a cliché for nothing, but if anything was lost in this translation, I didn’t miss it.

Short Synopsis of Broken

A writer agonizing over the line of people waiting to have their stories told is surprised when one evening one of those characters invades her bedroom. After a bit of back and forth, they decide on a name for him—Alvar Eide—and she agrees to start his story. She carved out his life: living alone, working in an art gallery, and shunning basic human interactions until a drug-addicted girl wanders into the gallery, and his life. From time to time, Alvar would stop in on the author to discuss the story, particularly when things weren’t going as he expected.

My Thoughts on Broken

First, I was confused. Then, I was intrigued. Finally, I reflected.

On the cover it says that it’s “a mystery”, and from that I expected something along the lines of a detective in a room with a bunch of people when at some point he would declare that Professor Plum did it in the parlour with a candlestick. But that’s not what I got.

The walls around me dissolved as I drifted into the world the author created. With morbid curiosity (and some sympathy) I watched as Alvar’s world spiraled out of control, all because of one crucial choice he made to help the drug-addicted girl instead of shooing her from the store. When he felt the consequences of that choice—what he thought was an act of kindness backfired—he went to the author and practically asked, “Why hast thou forsaken me?”

Surprising is the author’s answer: she can only write what she observes as she drifts down the river; she does not have as much control over what happens as Alvar thinks. But Alvar believes, since she is the author, she can write it any way she pleases and begs her to write something more suitable to his nature.

This novel is a mind warp. The true mystery is not whodunit, but whatmadewhodoit: whether our actions are the product of fate or free will. Subtle clues were sprinkled throughout to support each theory and to, no doubt, spark discussions.

Although it wasn’t what I expected, I enjoyed it. Broken is a quiet, languid philosophical book for people who enjoy pondering the mysteries of the human condition. What made this novel even more disturbing was how real each character felt, despite having exaggerated personalities. At the end, you may be left wondering whether we are creations of divine inspiration or the puppets of a frustrated novelist.

Rating: Worth Every Penny [TPB][B+] (?)