Score: 95/100 (9.5 out of 10)
We were not expecting this book to be THIS wacky and entertaining! The Dragon in the Closet: Book One is an immensely wild, wacky, fun, and entertaining children's book by Carolyn Watson-Dubisch, who designed creatures for Star Wars and TV shows. Those monster-making skills really come in handy in this book! This book is a CREATURE FEATURE! It is PACKED FULL of cryptids and mythical creatures from dragons to giant worms (akin to Tremors) and even a monstrous bipedal fish. There are nearly 100 full pages of full-color graphics and illustrations in this book! It is beyond impressive. No, the art isn't Picasso, but you can definitely tell that a lot of time, thought, and energy went into crafting each and every illustration! You can see the lines and the strokes in the colors. The effort alone is noteworthy. There's good attention to detail too. For example, did you notice that the box in the attic says “Jack's Stuff?” It is revealed that the family is descended from Jack from “Jack & the Beanstalk.” Something else that really comes through in the illustrations are the emotions the characters are feeling! You can tell when they're scared, happy, angry, tired, or worried. The writing is also decent to good. For one, it is very easy to follow what the characters are doing and saying, even when crazy, wild things are happening on the pages. The dialogue is very brief and concise, which we loved (for a children's book). The other thing that REALLY comes through in this book is the humor. This book is incredibly funny, and the humor is incredibly dry at times. For example, when Orin asks his Nana, “Nana, are you a witch?” She gives the eye-rolling response, “Do you really have to ask?” Immediately after violently frying two giant worms to death, Nana then asks Orin if he wouldn't mind tacos for dinner. In the context of this book, it's very funny considering that his Nana very clearly has magical powers. The entire first-quarter of this book is a running gag about Nana constantly saving Orin from monsters. It's hilarious because of how overdone and over-the-top it all is. Something else that's arguably funny (although it'll depend on your taste) is how much cartoonish death occurs in the book. Things are constantly dying in this book. They get burned, squashed, eaten, etc. The dragon, for example, is a carnivore. It's constantly killing and eating things including a random bird and a random rabbit. This might be a bit dark for kids to see, but it is a little humorous in a Tom & Jerry sort of way. Another thing about this book that we loved was the relationship between Orin and his best friend, Lucy. Together, they are candidates for “Best Couple”/”Best Duo.” However, we were a little disappointed that Orin couldn't have a more heroic moment when Lucy was in danger. It instead had to be Nana to the rescue again. We wanted to emphasize that this book is a bit more dark and mature than most children's book, despite its humor. We'd almost categorize it as Dark Humor. As we said, there's A LOT of death in this book. Creatures die in various ways. As we mentioned, a bird and a rabbit get flash-fried and eaten like Porgs in The Last Jedi. At least a couple of humans die of their injuries during a particular conflict. It's surprisingly violent, albeit in a cartoonish way (think Looney Tunes). All in all, though, it's all in good fun and actually quite silly. We LOVED this book and actually care about the cliff-hanger ending and sequel! Check it out on Amazon!
0 Comments
Score: 95/100 (9.5 out of 10)
Sadie Goes to School is one of the funnest and most charming children's books we've ever read! C. James Sweeney really pulled all the stops to make this book a cute, funny, and engaging as possible. It's impossible not to be caught up in Sadie's adventures (and misadventures) on her first day of school. Oh, yeah, did we mention that Sadie is a Sasquatch!? They DO exist! So, being a Sasquatch (i.e. Yeti, Big Foot), Sadie is uncultured, uncivilized, and just doesn't seem to fit in. It's both hilarious and a bit sad. We can definitely empathize with a character who is in a new environment and is like a fish out of water. However, this book still excels in encourages learning and adapting to changing scenarios. For instance, it might be fine to pick your nose and fart in the privacy of your home (as Sadie does), but it isn't appropriate to act that way in a setting which you share with other people. In a sense, this book teaches consideration and respecting the rights and feelings of other people in your surrounding. So, blasting music that you enjoy may not be the most appropriate thing when people are trying to study in a library. Firing rockets into the air may not be the most appropriate thing when it's 2 AM at night and people are trying to sleep. The truth of the matter is: there are rules and norms that should be followed and adhered to, at least to a certain degree. It's ok to be yourself, but you also need to be respectful and considerate of others. When Sadie farts in the middle of class, it's distracting and disrupting. It is also a bit rude as it doesn't consider that other people have to smell the putrid smell who don't want to. It's comparable to when people smoke in close proximity to others. Similarly, when Sadie uses a paint brush to pick her nose, it doesn't consider that other people might have to use the same paint brush and may not like Sadie's boogers being on it. At the same time, this book isn't a big, huge Debbie Downer about a failure to fit in. It's actually very cheerful and uplifting the majority of the time. Sadie is just a very positive, self-affirming character. Even when she's told “no” or not to do something, she still takes it in stride and doesn't let it ruin her day. Instead, she goes with the flow and cherishes every new experience. Another thing we loved about this book is that the illustrations are excellent, especially for the genre! Sadie herself is adorable, a feminine little fuzzball with huge green eyes and a pink bow. Also, text and information are presented very well. It's easy to follow and read, unlike some other children's books that bombard you with text or use fonts that are difficult to read. That's not an issue with this book. You're also getting value. This book might look like a 30 page book, but it's actually about twice that length! Each page is basically two or more panels, often filled with colorful, amazing illustrations! Check it out on Amazon! Score: 92/100 (9.2 out of 10)
Veronica Lane is dead. Charlie Calvin Clements, the man believed to be responsible for her murder, sits on the verge of death row. Veteran lawyer Duncan Pheiffer, the one and only man who the defendant believes can save him from the electric chair, is found strangled and burned to death in his own vehicle, killed by an unknown assailant. It falls to the other attorneys of the city of Town to find the evidence to try to acquit Clements and solve the mysterious murders of both Veronica Lane and Duncan Pheiffer. Leading this valiant and seemingly hopeless effort is Duncan's long-time friend and colleague, Barclay Griffith, the assistant district attorney. It is a long, arduous, twisty-turny quest for truth and justice in the face of increasingly worsening odds. Along the way Barclay and company confront many painful truth and shocking discoveries. They fight to live by the mantra that Duncan lived by—his “Hero Rule” to “do the right thing for the right reasons” even when it seems easier just to solve the case based on the apparently-clear evidence and take the big paycheck. This book does a very good job exploring many of the dark (and gray) sides of the legal system. How often do defense attorneys encounter and represent people they know are guilty, yet they still represent them out of obligation (or for a paycheck)? How often do prosecutors know that the person they're prosecuting is innocent, yet they still do everything in their power to prove that they're guilty? How much do things like bias, racism, and prejudice play into courtroom decisions? How often are court cases decided by who can afford the better lawyer? How often do we see travesties of justice? How often do we see court decisions be based on what seems to be the simplest and most straight-forward conclusion (i.e. Occam's Razor)? How often do courts, for the sake of brevity or shear laziness, avoid digging deeper for the truth? It made us think about the attorneys of these mass-shooters or serial killers who have a truly unenviable job of representing and trying to defend these absolutely terrible people, some of whom you wouldn't even want to be alone in a room with. It also made us wonder about things like reasonable doubt and probable cause. This book is really phenomenal as a sort of murder-mystery and courtroom thriller. Check it out on Amazon! Score: 94/100 (9.4 out of 10)
Now, this is how you start a novel! Throw your characters right into the fire, right into the heat of the action, and allow the audience to see the curtains progressively fold back, revealing more and more context. Magic, Mystery, and the Multiverse kicks off with one of the tensest and great opening chapters that we've read since Justifiable Deceit. We're introduced to Ana, an actress-turned-adventurer, as she finds herself in quite a predicament: caught in a time and place where she is considered a “witch” and sentenced to be burned at the stake, all the while harassed by giant spiders in her cell. So, the discomfort level is up to 11. We gathered a lot of vibes from this book. It definitely has shades of Peter Pan and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In fact, Aunt Wendy may be a direct reference to Wendy from Peter Pan, and the naming convention of this novel matches the style of C.S. Lewis. There's even a wardrobe that acts as a portal at one point. Like these aforementioned works, the novel blends and contrasts the real world—our universe—with an alternate, fantastical world(s): parallel universes, different timelines, alternate realities. This is all made possible by the Marvelous Multiverse app. That's right, an app that sucks you down a rabbit hole and pulls you into a TARDIS (both literally and figuratively). Also, this book pretty much has Weeping Angels in it (from Doctor Who). There might be some social commentary there as apps and A.I. have become almost scary in their usefulness—replacing utilities and people in various regards. They've become a huge part of just about everyone's life in the 21st Century. Furthermore, this book kinda plays with the idea that virtual reality and video games have become so realistic, they might even overlap with our reality in the future. Think about how you “become” Solid Snake in Metal Gear Solid or “become” Joel in The Last of Us. You experience some of what they experience—the frustration, the pain, the fear, the sadness, etc. What if you truly BECAME the person in those games and had to experience everything in their universe. That would be both cool and very scary! Ana (often humorous called by her nickname, “Ana Banana”) is a really fun character to follow. She really leaps out of the pages and excites the reader with her youthful pep and spunk. She distinctly has violet eyes, perhaps a homage to actress Elizabeth Taylor. Ana is often accompanied by her little brother, Zachary, who gives Ana someone to fight for and look after. She is constantly trying to feed him and make sure he's safe and healthy while still keeping him involved in her adventures. Ana kinda reminded us of Wendy Darling while Zachary reminded us of Wendy's eldest brother, John Darling. Zachary is not just a little inept twerp on an escort mission. He's actually quite capable in his own right, and actually tries to talk some sense into Ana when she's being irrational or impulsive. He's also rather heroic and has at least one major moment of self sacrifice. He deeply cares about his sister and her safety just as much as she cares about him. He also has the misfortune of battling cancer, something which quite cleverly comes into play. The bond between the siblings might be the most powerful, beautiful thing about this book. It's a great book about siblings cooperating and working together for a common purpose. The world-building is also quite notable. Opus Dei, an enigmatic king, is viewed as the “god” of this particular universe. His main enforcers, Sensors, ensure that his word is law and that any deviation is punishable by death and/or corporal punishment. There are some references to 1984 in here with the Sensors working with the “Thought Police” and the oppression of this government (a sort of theocracy in this case) being ever-present. They even persecute “Word Crimes.” Among the leaders of the Sensors is the very hot and very sexy Crimson Sensor, who is basically your ex-wife if she were given a personal army and inquisition equipment. She might be a candidate for “Hottest Character” anyway based on how she's physically described. Also in this world is an equally-enigmatic wizard named Snapdragon, a legendary magic-user who is said to possess the ability to heal people. Snapdragon is sort of like the Gandalf of this book. This book is legitimately inspired, and actually gave us “the feels” a few times. Check it out on Amazon! Score 91/100 (9.1 out of 10)
Stumble & Fall is a thought-provoking, spirited psychological thriller by Amy Rivers. It tackles the heavy and sadly still-relevant topic of human trafficking as well as corruption, sexual abuse, and grooming. With some strong female leads, some vile villains, and a compelling plot, this novel is certainly a fine read. One thing that we didn't realize until it was perhaps too late is that this is the second in a series of novels that follow these particular characters, mainly Kate, her husband, Roman, and her sister, Tilly. So, there was a little bit of a feeling like we were missing some context, but definitely not enough to ruin the experience. It was helpful that the author still referred to what had happened in the previous book. From what we gathered, Roman was an honorable and faithful police officer who tried to execute his duties to the best of his abilities. We are sadly informed, however, that Roman's police department, particularly its chief, was corrupt. The chief had aided, abetted, and even profited from the human trafficking rings that Roman and Kate had been investigating. In an attempt to hide this corruption, the police chief fired Roman. And, with that, Kate lost her inside scoop as an investigative journalist and was forced to find another job. So, our story begins with Roman and Kate in turmoil and pondering what to do with their lives now that their careers are effectively finished. Drawing upon a background in psychiatry, Kate begins seeing clients who are in need of her expertise, many of them victims, particularly of sexual abuse. During a meeting with a client named Vickie, it becomes very clear that the human trafficking ring is still going strong, accumulating a growing list of victims including Vickie and Kate's loved ones who happen to be caught in crossfire. In addition, Kate is personally affected by the suffering of these victims as the survivor of abuse and rape herself. Flashbacks of these terrible events as well as thoughts about other victims keep Kate awake at night, so much so that sedatives fail to work. Kate knows that there's nothing else to do but to fight the good fight: to seek information on the leaders of the human trafficking ring and step up for the victims, something which (at times) puts client confidentiality at risk. Kate walks a fine gray line for what she perceives to be the greater good. However, in the process, she puts herself, her sister, and her husband at risk as they become targets of these criminals who fight to conceal their activities. This book features at least two solid villains, one of whom just makes your skin tingle and your forehead sweat when he's around. The other is a huge surprise we just can't spoil. We definitely wanted to see these terrible people stopped and the victims saved. There were a few things that bothered us about this book. For one, this was clearly Kate's story, and all the other characters seemed to tag along like companions. Usually, it just seemed like they were superfluous and got in the way of her narrative. There were also a lot of down times. It's not so bad because this book still managed to be under 300 pages, but there were more than a few times when the characters just sat around a table talking and eating. Ironically, this was a problem we had with the other crime-detective stories this season. Why does everyone feel the need to sit around and stuff their faces while discussing a case? Wouldn't it be helpful to have your hands and your mind free? It also didn't quite break into full-gear. It seemed stuck in 2nd or 3rd gear. That's not necessarily the worst thing, but the excitement never seemed to reach the fever pitch that we hoped from a thriller. You could make the argument, perhaps, that several major characters are attached and involved in altercations, but these seem so sudden, sporadic, and fleeting that they don't hit the way they should. Imagine if there'd been build to an incident happening—a character feeling they're being watched, or finding blood on the floor, or finding a gun in the safe missing. Instead, a lot of these huge incidents are the equivalent of a spontaneous mugging on a street corner in their suspense. It happens, then it's done. One of the victims is able to face her attacker with near absolute confidence just pages after the attack happened. They do this in a private office with no one else around. Yes, you'd think that'd be tense (and it is), but it kinda ruins the weight of what had happened to her earlier in the book. It's almost like she shrugged it off. Anyway, this book is definitely a worthwhile read for fans of crime mysteries and thrillers. It shines a light on one of the saddest issues that still exists in our day. Check it out on Amazon! Score 92/100 (9.2 out of 10)
If you're up for some political intrigue and scandalous scandals, then A Compromising Position is the novel for you! The book follows Catherine Lawrence, a lifetime workaholic, as she lives her [supposed] dream of getting into politics and being a person of significance. She is hired as the campaign manager for Russell Tillman, the Republican candidate for the office of Governor of Florida. This is a move which deeply upsets others involved in the campaign, particularly Patricia Grant, Catherine's arch-rival for the position and one of the lead antagonists of the story. Scratch that, she is literally called “Catherine's arch nemesis and the very bane of her existence.” It seems like Patricia has two goals in life: 1. To be the future governor's top girl, 2. To make Catherine's life a living hell. Patricia Grant, surprisingly, is actually somewhat of a sympathetic character. We actually thought she'd be even more prominent in the story, perhaps even the deuteragonist (secondary protagonist) of the story. Unfortunately, that's not the way things turned out. That honor was arguably given to Jake, Catherine's love interest. Jake is a renegade and a runaway. He's everything that Catherine is not. The romance between Jake and Catherine is one of the pillars of the book. If you love odd-couple romances, then this is definitely one of them! As you'd expect, Jake brings out things in Catherine that she has long repressed or has never experienced, things like intimacy or even...freedom. Catherine is chained to her work—a slave of it. Even her leisure time is dominated by “work.” She apparently runs 25 miles a day on a treadmill and follows the same monotonous endurance routine. She never takes time to hang out with friends, go on vacation, or so much as get a cup of coffee, especially if these things aren't related to her job. The more we learn about Catherine (particularly her parents), the more we understand why she is the way that she is: an overachiever to a fault. Similarly, Catherine opens Jake's eyes to things such as an appreciation of the parents he fled from and left in the dark. It is somewhat of a mutually beneficial relationship. However, it is very clear that Catherine's career is constantly in the way. As she constantly declares, “My work comes first.” It stabs like knives when she says that sometimes. Still, little by little you see them working their magic on each other. Catherine starts to breath more. She starts to take more time for herself including a sick day. Jake starts to wonder about his father's health. There's also a scandal akin to the plot of Ides of March that threatens to derail Russell's public image, marriage, and his hopes for the governorship. This gives the book its name. However, unlike Ides of March, this book doesn't try to paint the candidate as a wolf in sheep's clothing or a monster. Yes, Russell is immoral and severely flawed, but he isn't evil. He is human, and it's really surprising to read about such a powerful, influential public figure being so weak, vulnerable, and anxious about things like what his wife will think. There are also several interwoven subplots such as those who are specifically out to “get” Catherine and pick up dirt on her. One last thing: the writing of this book can actually be quite humorous. For instance, when a character almost chokes on shrimp, this is worded as: “A pesky shrimp swimming in the wrong direction.” When Jake describes surviving a shark attack, a socially-awkward Catherine simply replies: “I'm glad that the shark didn't eat you.” All in all, this is a pretty entertaining novel with the political intrigue of something like Ides of March or House of Cards. Check it out on Amazon! Score: 92/100 (9.2 out of 10)
There was a meme that circulated a while back, perhaps around the time of one of the John Wick movies. It featured a sign that read something like: “If the dog dies, I'm not watching the movie.” Although this is humorous (as memes often are), it highlights several human sensitivities: that pets sometimes become as close as family, and that death and loss remain universal anxieties, anxieties that lead to frustration, confusion, sadness, and even anger. In Finding Joy, a children's book featuring the brief yet meaningful life of Joy, a pet golden retriever, author Raven Howell explores many of the emotions that children and adults go through when coping with the loss of a pet (or, really, any loved one). It's actually very powerful and quite beautiful. It might just bring a tear to your eye, especially if you've experienced a loss like this before. Death and loss are such touchy subjects that are often difficult to present to children in a way that's both tactful and meaningful. Yet, this book does it perfectly. A death of a loved one can be very sudden and unexpected. It can be very difficult to comprehend or even believe. It can be surprising and even shocking. It can be very difficult, if not impossible, to put into words. Children will inevitably experience something like this. If it's not a pet, then it may be a grandparent or someone in the neighborhood who suddenly isn't around anymore. The truth of the matter is: there's no avoiding death. Death is a natural part of life. It's a natural part of being human. Everyone lives and everyone dies. In a strange sort of way, it's both scary and comforting. It's scary to know that someday you and your loved ones won't be alive anymore. It could be tomorrow, a year from now, decades from now, but it's bound to happen. However, it's comforting to know that you're not alone. Everyone goes through it. Everyone is touched by it. The way that this book presents the life and death of Joy is very tactful while still accomplishing the book's ultimate purpose. The way that the family copes with this loss is especially well done. The truth is, our loved ones live on in our memories. So, the family learns to remember and honor Joy in continuing to live their lives with... well, Joy in their hearts. Some of the kids doodle and draw pictures of Joy. They continue to sing the songs that used to make Joy smile. They walk the same trails that they walked when she was alive. They eat Joy's favorite food (peas). It's not a story about a failure to let go, it's a lesson about carrying forward after tragedy. The writing in this book is quite good, and the illustrations by the talented Pamela C. Rice are perfectly adequate, fitting the style of the book. The illustrations aren't hyper-real or even very detailed. They're almost... cloud-like. Almost like a dream. What's incredible is that this sorta fits the feel of the story—like a memory or series of memories wrapped like a precious present in the mind of the narrator. Further augmenting this book are sections in the end that provide useful advice for children and families dealing with loss. This is a really touching story about a family coping with the loss of a pet. Check it out on Amazon! Score: 90/100 (9.0 out of 10)
Peacock Lane is a spirited collection of poetry (and some prose) passionately written by Emily Evans and lovingly compiled by her daughter, Victoria Winifred. The poem “Nobody” was inspired by the works of legendary poet Emily Dickinson. It rhymes the words “divine and “sublime” as well as “moon” and “noon.” It is a very rhythmic poem. It seems to explore the transformative power of divine or spiritual experiences. “Arrows of the divine” seems to play upon the idea of being struck in the heart with conviction, perhaps having an epiphany. The poem “Peacock Lane” seems to reflect on the excitement and traffic on the street that the poet lived on, something which would otherwise seem mundane. The poet employs impressive visual imagery, creating a sensory experience with descriptions such as “loops of wet heavy snow” and “black rubber wrapped electric lines.” Those two lines in particular create a sort of paradox in which the natural, rural setting is contrasted with some of its synthetic, urban elements. Speaking of nature, there are a lot of natural observations such as Forsynthia blooming, cardinals, doves, and squirrels. It's reads almost like a fairy-tale—like Snow White in a sense. There's also an aura of speculation and uncertainty in the poem, pondering what the weather and changing seasons will bring. “The Final Cut” reflects on the death and destruction of a tree, and the descriptions are quite severe (no pun intended) and brutal. This might be some social commentary on the human tendency to prioritize short-term pleasures over long-term ones like the beauty of the natural world. It's like the meme about the person who—at Halloween—destroys a spider web only to put up decorative spider webs. It is full of ironies. “The Pool” is a pretty complex and strange one. See, when we first read it, we thought it was about a little boy being stripped, pimped out, and trafficked for some reason! It reads like the story of a kid being kidnapped and abused. However, it seems that it's actually about the traumas of a boy visiting a pool for the first time, being self-conscious about changing (and taking off his clothes) in a public locker room and being grabbed and forced into water by an apparent swim instructor. This is ironic because one of us is a swim instructor and deals with these traumatic first, second, third, etc. experiences in the pool. Something else we loved about this book is the art! The cover is really nice. The drawings, while not museum-worthy, are very appealing, almost like the black-and-white sketches in Pilgrim's Progress. We especially liked the art of the birds, particularly the mother hen and her chicks. Carrying on a loved one's legacy through publishing their older works is a really special thing. There are times when some of these works don't exactly read as finished or refined, almost as if the writer may have stopped in the middle of them. The content is also relatively sparse. Despite being just over 100 pages, you can read this in less than 30 minutes. In fact, we probably read it about six times! If you love poems, definitely check this out on Amazon! Score: 90/100 (9.0 out of 10)
This short little book is pure fun and entertainment! All Grandpas Fish is a book that concerns a series of tall tales by Grandpa Tom who relates these stories to his young granddaughter, Mary, on a fishing trip. Grandpa Tom is quite a yarn weaver and a masterful storyteller! The grand majority of Grandpa Tom's tall tales are about his supposed huge catches while fishing, all the way from a huge catfish to Dorothy's silver slippers from The Wizard of Oz. There's even a close encounter in here with a tornado/water spout in the midst of a fishing trip. It's not overly scary for children to hear this as a it is presented in a rather comical way. This book really borders on being a children's book, albeit a somewhat unconventional one. It could even be read to a child at bedtime or circle time. There's a whimsical, fanciful bend to it that's infinitely charming and endearing. It reminded us a lot of Big Fish, the Tim Burton movie. Similar to Big Fish it begins with a family gathering that culminates in one of grandpa's wacky, wild tall tales: the catching of the titular “big fish.” Our favorite thing about this book was actually how it incorporated aspects of American legends and folklore into a modern story. This book contains some familiar figures like Paul Bunyan and Babe the Big Blue Ox. However, it also contained some figures who were new to us. For example, we didn't know about Alfred Bulltop Stormalong, a legendary figure who is said to have cried so much (from missing the sea) that he created the Great Salt Lake. We didn't know about Slue-foot Sue who supposedly traveled by catfish. We didn't know about Casey Jones—a real person—who saved a lot of passengers lives on a train, sacrificing his life for them in the process. Jean Sot and Bourdreaux were also new to us, and it fascinating to think there are two goofy, silly, slap-stick characters who are well known in another part of the country (Louisiana). The story of Pecos Bill is also featured in this book, the story of a man who lassoed a twister (tornado)! This is a fun little collection of short stories you can share with your children. Check it out on Amazon! Score: 92/100 (9.2 out of 10)
The Last Shadow is an exciting, classic monster-hunting adventure by Michael Hardy! The book follows monster hunter Kris Hellion, a vampire with a century's worth of experience but the appearance of a 10-year-old girl, and Nadia Jelia, an orphaned, homeless being known as a shadowin--a girl without a shadow yet having shadow powers. Although Kris largely serves as the active protagonist—the William Wallace—of the novel, Nadia serves as the one who experiences the most growth, making her the Robert the Bruce of the novel. Nadia is really the central character and the main focus as she wrestles through her personal issues and comes in tune with what makes her different and special. Nadia has lived a life of abandonment, feeling unwanted and unloved. As far as she knows, she was abandoned like trash by her birth parents and later rejected by the one person she considered a friend, Sister Annabelle. Sister Annabelle discovered and helped raise Nadia when she was an infant, finding only a letter from one of Nadia's birth parents to look after her. She was able to look past Nadia's lack of a shadow, saying that “Lord works in mysterious ways” and even gave the shadowin her precious cross necklace as a sign of their friendship and the love of God. However, an incident involving an unleashing of Nadia's shadow powers led to Annabelle declaring Nadia a “DEVIL CHILD” and led to her leaving the institution under duress. Nadia's arc is summarized in the lines: “Please, please don't let me be alone anymore” and “What am I?” She arrives in her home town to find that it has been all but abandoned too, only the local circus seems to be functioning, and it is run by an unscrupulous man who calls himself “the Ringmaster”--Alfredo. It immediately becomes clear that the Ringmaster is both a figurative and literal MONSTER, enticing, preying on, and exploiting rare, mythical beings and cryptids like Nadia. Alfredo is a true monstrosity complete with a shark-like head complete with rows upon rows of razor-sharp teeth and a taste for eating other creatures alive. Worsening the state of things, the town appears to be overrun by malicious creatures called infestants that devour men, women, and children. The infestants also seem to behave like mind-altering parasites, able to inhabit and possess the minds of people like Alfredo, who seems to serve as their de facto queen in this hive-mind analogy. Thankfully, Nadia is joined by the bad@$$ Kris, a monster hunter akin to Blade, Buffy, or Alice from Resident Evil. Not only is Nadia adept with weapons, kicks, and flips, she also comes armed with the coolest creature/character in the book: Maker, the turtle! Maker isn't any ordinary turtle, he is a little creature with the potential to become a Gamera/Bowser-like turtle monster. He kinda reminded us of Kiwi from Shining Force II. Now, meeting Alfredo, Kris, and Maker is pretty much the turning point of Nadia's entire life. In fact, her personality seems to change dramatically. She goes from being a relatively serious character to almost becoming like a girlie, childish, chibi anime character. You can almost hear the squeakiness in the voices of Nadia and Kris from the very moment they meet each other. They become chibis. This book starts to become really quite hilarious and comical. This especially becomes apparent when Nadia starts nurturing and baby-talking the turtle. She even threatens the baddies (yes, we're calling them that now) with: “Stay away! I've got a turtle and I'm not afraid to use it!” She later says things like, “I mean how many names start with 'V', right?” and frequently responds to every instance of gore with, “Ewwww!” She reacts to surprises with an “eep” or a “whoa!” So, you start to get the feeling that Nadia is really childlike. Kris isn't past that either, and she has her own brand of childlike humor. She responds to the death of an infestant by saying, “Alas, poor infestant, I knew you well.” So, again, the entire serious tone of this book becomes entirely unserious. This really becomes a source of lighthearted, fun entertainment, probably appropriate for YA and teen audiences. However, there is a brief description of a human corpse being eaten to the bone by infestants. Beside that, the rest of this is pretty tame and fun. Kris and Nadia make a great team, and they have great chemistry. Kris is able to educate Nadia of what she is and who she is, linking her to her mother and father. Kris and Nadia share a familial relationship as well. There's a lot to love about this book. It's cute, it's fun, and it's comedic. Check it out on Amazon! |
Archives
April 2024
Categories |