Review: Kill Switch by Chris Lynch

Daniel’s grandpa suffers from short term memory loss and awkward moments of lucidity and insanity. The old man begins sharing violent stories from his “work” as old co workers begin popping up to “check on” him. Daniel realizes there is more to gramps’ unsettling stories than he’d like to believe and more to the thinly veiled threats from the creepy co workers.

Kill Switch is a short book I hoped would be an entertaining reprieve for my teen book discussion. The plot was promising, the concept interesting. And the first half delivered a satisfying combination of mystery and humor (the car scene! The car scene!).

Then along came the “kill switch,” when Daniel abruptly and illogically becomes violent as he guards his grandfather. The moments of violence made no sense to me and my teen readers were like, “Huh? What was that violent act for?” The ending was untirely unsatisfying and rather unbelievable. We spent most of discussion poking holes in the plot.

So, not the best read. Not my favorite. Not terrible either and it was fast. You can’t love every book but at least we had fun laughing about the ridiculous plot discrepancies during discussion!

Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 2012    Pages: 176

Rating: 2 stars     Source: Public Library

Review: Superman Versus the Ku Klux Klan by Rick Bowers

Rick Bowers weaves two seemingly disconnected histories, the creation and immense popularity of Superman with the long and disturbing history of the Ku Klux Klan, to produce a surprising story of how the entertainment industry promoted social justice. The two narratives are brought together when the the Adventures of Superman radio show uses its national popularity to combat the pervasive influence of the KKK in its 1946 “Clan of the Fiery Cross” episodes. 

Bowers provides a brief but insightful history of the KKK, its beginning after the Civil War, and cycle of influence in the U.S. Alternating chapters discuss the modest beginnings of Superman and his rise from comic book to radio show to T.V. and the silver screen. Though not a deep exploration of either subject I learned a lot about both. And so did the teens who read this book in my discussion group.

My book group teens were surprised by the long history and real power the KKK exercised. They also enjoyed the chapters about Superman and how a couple of teenagers were responsible for his creation. In book discussion, we listened to the first episode of the “Clan of the Fiery Cross” (below) and laughed at the Kellogg’s cereal commercials as well as the out-of-date insults used by the teens. They found it hard to believe that millions of kids tuned into this show just because it sounds so cheesy to us today.

Many reviews I’ve read recommend this book for late elementary and middle school readers. Both my teens and I strongly disagreed. This is a great book for high school students and I recommend it for a history class. Bowers shows the significance of using primary sources when doing research as he debunks myths about the broadcast’s use of KKK code words (which Wikipedia still says is true!). The text is dry. I wanted to learn about the subject but it was often simply boring. The original photographs opening each chapter offered little relief. When I asked my teens who would enjoy this book they said: Anyone really interested in Superman or general U.S. history. When asked what age it was for they said: high school students and adults. They were shocked anyone would recommend this to younger students or to reluctant readers. I would add that this is a good choice for a teen who doesn’t care for fiction.

Overall, this is a thumbs up. I learned a lot. My book group teens did, too. We had a great discussion about primary versus secondary sources. We also made a pro con list of who was the better superhero: Superman or Batman. It was an enthusiastic debate.

Publisher: National Geographic Society, 2012     Pages: 160

Rating: 3.5 Stars     Source: Public Library

Full Title: Superman Versus The Ku Klux Klan: The True Story of How the Iconic Superhero Battled the Men of Hate

The Midwest: God's Gift to Planet Earth by Mike Draper

The Midwest, the heartland, fly-over country: this is my home.

“Like most foreign countries, outsiders have heard of it, but the details of what goes on inside are pretty hazy” (19). So says Mike Draper, narrator of The Midwest: God’s Gift to Planet Earth!

The Midwest gets overlooked. People really don’t seem to know what we do here and so assume that we don’t do much of anything but grow corn. Well, there’s quite a bit that goes on here, let me tell ya!

With the zippy wit and humor a t-shirt shop owner (yes, he really does run a t-shirt shop in Des Moines), Draper enlightens readers of the glory of the Midwest. It really is a surprising place. Sure, there’s stuff to complain about but every region of the U.S. has its baggage. Draper focuses on the positive, though, he does poke fun at Midwestern stereotypes. From famous people and inventions to geography and the weather, this book gives a brief and biased overview of the 12-state region.

Midwesterners will get a kick out of reading this book. But for those who’ve never spent time in the Midwest, if you are guilty of overlooking the heartland (gasp!), and are looking for a fun read, then I recommend this “Illustrated Guide to the History and Culture of the Galaxy’s Most Important Region.” 

Publisher: RAYGUN, 2012     Pages: 239

Rating: 4 Stars     Source: Public Library

Review: Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey

Imagine you are peacefully reading in your bed on a hot summer night when someone shouts your name through the open window next to you. Charlie is greeted by Jasper Jones, a fellow classmate and known troublemaker, in such a manner. Jasper pleads with Charlie for his help with a terrible situation, an experience which plunges Charlie from childhood to adulthood.

It took me awhile to realize the novel was not set in present times. I used the novel for a book discussion with teens and none of them quite realized that Jasper Jones is set during the Vietnam War. The war is mostly in the background but it ignites the already smoldering racism in Charlie's town.

Silvey vividly describes of the Australian bush as Charlie and Jasper romp around looking for answers. Everything in the novel felt intense. The opening scene (whoa!), the summer heat, the abundant growth -- Silvey writes with an intensity that reflects what being a teenager is like as they experience their “first” this and that.

The allusions to classic literature were fun but totally lost on my teen readers. Being a fan of both the movie and book versions of Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s, I enjoyed Eliza’s character who mimics Holly Golightly by frequently quoting her. There are great references to To  Kill a Mockingbird and other texts which might be considered “southern gothic” which is the feel of Jasper Jones.

Silvey’s writing is definitely literary, taking its time to develop the characters, and the plot moved at what felt like a snails pace. The novel was a hundred pages too long and many of my teens just couldn’t finish it even though they liked the story. This is definitely a thumbs up and a good read but be prepared for less of a suspenseful thriller (as the opening scene suggests) and more of a contemplation of growing up and becoming an adult.

Publisher: Ember, 2012    Pages: 320
Rating: 3 Stars        Source: purchased copy

Review: No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy

I enjoy stories with villians. A good villain is a fully developed character and not just a background entity, not just an obscure presence prompting the “good” characters onward. While Chigurh is obviously the bad character, it is less clear if Llewelyn Moss is the good character. The voice of peacekeeper, Sheriff Ed Tom Bell, is conflicted as well.

Llewelyn finds the remains of a drug deal gone wrong. He grabs the cash and makes a dash. Chigurh pursues relentlessly with the passion of a zealot who believes in what he’s doing. Others give chase including the law and the lawless. In the end, it is not money that drives the characters. It is principle and will.  

McCarthy has a way of exploring good and evil that is only possible by exploring violence -- minds that are violent by nature and violent acts that lie dormant in any average person and erupt given the right circumstances.

Chigurh is unusual because he is morally demented as opposed to morally corrupt. He does not necessarily take pleasure in violence but he is committed to violence nonetheless. He is not altogether illogical either which is the scary part. His mind is functioning properly. He is not “insane” in the sense that he lacks the ability to reason. He has reasoned and found himself at odds with traditional views of morality and the sacredness of life.

The novel is sparse in language and, while I found it easier to read than All the Pretty Horses or The Road, No Country for Old Men is less linguistically beautiful. It is also significantly less violent than The Road (which won the Pulitzer) and moves much faster than All the Pretty Horses.  It’s a good middle-of-the-road McCarthy read so if you’re new to his novels I would say start with No Country for Old Men and see if you can handle forays into dark psyches and violent behaviors.


Publisher: Vintage, 2005.     Pages 309
Rating: 3 Stars     Source: used bookstore

Review: Nation by Terry Pratchett

The beginning of Nation gripped me. I loved the alternate-reality Victorian setting that’s introduced. The narrative quickly shifts to an alternate-reality Pacific island. Mau is on a quest to prove his manhood when the tsunami strikes and obliterates his village and the prim and proper Daphne is stranded on his island. I enjoyed Daphne’s sea voyage and the entire crash scene.

Together, Mau and Daphne rebuild the Nation as they overcome their fears of one another, take in refugees and learn to work with each other. The novel became increasingly introspective as Mau reconsiders all the old ways and worship of the old gods. As the new leader, he must decide how to direct his people and as truths are uncovered he learns that letting go of the past is not the same as disrespecting it.

My interest waned significantly in the middle. I just wasn’t interested in the story anymore and the underlying ideological message of questioning “the way things have always been done” and “the things we’ve always believed” was so transparent that I just got bored. However, the serious minded teen may enjoy this thought-provoking YA novel. This book counts towards the POC Reading Challenge!

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2009    Pages: 384
Rating: 3 Stars     Source: Public Library

Owly: The Way Home and the Bittersweet Return by Andy Runton

Owly is a popular graphic novel at my library. I had to place a hold on it and I took that as a good sign, that kids must really like this book. I was not disappointed.

An unlikely friendship forms between an owl and a worm. Together, they search for Wormy's home and parents. In the second adventure, they befriend a pair of hummingbirds. Both stories focus on friendship as they help each other out of tough situations. Owly is particularly sensitive to his friends' needs. It's impossible not to love him.

Owly is nearly wordless but I was impressed with how Runton conveyed conversations and emotions. I "heard" their conversations in my head even though there weren't any words on the page. Instead of text, the speech bubbles hold pictures and other symbols. The artwork is skillful in conveying meaning. The simplest strokes, like the arch of an eyebrow, tell readers if Owly is thinking, scared, happy, etc. So, while there isn't much traditional text, I found I was scrutinizing the pictures and reading everything -- expressions, gestures, background and the "speech" bubbles. I'm not used to paying so much attention to the pictures but I really enjoyed doing so with Owly.

Owly is a great book to read with a young child to ask him/her "What's going on in this picture?" or "What are they saying now?" to help encourage a child's narration skills and to draw on their vocabulary to describe what's happening on the page. 

The artwork is as cute as the story. Runton's cartoon-like style and the brief use of text will appeal to reluctant readers and graphic novel readers. An innocent tale of friendship, I thoroughly enjoyed Owly.

Publisher: Top Shelf Productions, 2004.     Pages: 160
Rating: 4 Stars     Source: Public Library

Review: Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote

I love the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's and I enjoyed the movie Capote with Philip Seymour Hoffman. So, I figured I needed to read Capote's novella that inspired Breakfast at Tiffany's. And I loved it. If you need a plot summary click here.

Fantastic prose. First person narration doesn't really describe it. It's chock full of conversation which is not what I tend to associate with "literature." But this is the good stuff. The conversations are interesting because they reveal the way Holly's world works -- the way she works, the way 1950s New York society works and how people perceive other people. Also, they're funny conversations -- unusual and witty.

How people perceive other people... I think this is why I enjoyed "Fred's" narration so much. He's not really telling us a story about himself like most first person narrators do. He doesn't droll on about his own feelings (interesting though they are). He's telling us Holly's story -- she's the main character and "Fred" is just the one to tell us about her. The fact that we never know "Fred's" real name drives home this point for me. "Fred's" perspective is limited to his direct and indirect encounters with Holly and information passed through the grape vine. As a result, Holly is something more than a character in a book. She's that person we all knew once or maybe catch glimpses of in ourselves. "Fred's" narration makes me wonder: Am I who I think I am or, am I who others think am I? Which is the truer perspective? The narration works well in establishing both "Fred" and Holly's characters and their relationship and is a technique I haven't really encountered before (or noticed if I have).

On the surface, Breakfast at Tiffany's is about a quirky girl who obeys her own ambiguous set of rules. But I found this book is really about getting to know someone -- encountering a person who is special, unusual and magnetizing but also evanescent, elusive and fragile. That's Holly Golightly. The reader goes through this social experience with "Fred," getting to know Holly with him.

I'll leave you with one of my favorite passages with O.J. and "Fred" talking, O.J. speaking first...

"So," he said, "what do you think: is she or ain't she?"
"Ain't she what?"
"A phony."
"I wouldn't have thought so."
"You're wrong. She is a phony. But on the other hand you're right. She isn't a phony because she's a real phony. She believes all this crap she believes" (28-29).


Publisher: Modern Library, 1994 (originally, 1958)     Pages: 3-105 (of 161)
Full Title: Breakfast at Tiffany's: A Short Novel and Three Stories
Rating: 5 Stars     Source: Public Library

Review: Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris

I discovered the Sookie Stackhouse series (Southern Vampire Mysteries) last fall and whizzed through 11 of the novels. They were pure fun to read and not my usual fare. I recall I was in "the curve" of the semester, where the newness had worn off, and I needed a mental snack break. The Sookie Stackhouse series was just the pick-me-up I needed.

Heretofore, the mystery in each story has held my attention. But in Deadlocked the mystery lagged a bit. The who-done-it was obvious and the suspense of watching the culprit outed wasn't as suspenseful as I'd liked. Sookie's relationship status didn't help much either. She's waiting for him to commit. He's waiting for her to commit. Lots of distrust. The novel is aptly named -- Deadlocked. Everyone is waiting for someone else to make the first move.

Several story lines fizzle out in this novel which makes for a downer read. Many of my favorite characters do put in appearances so that was nice. And Harris' writing style is fluid and makes for an easy, fun reading experience. There were answers in this novel but few conclusions...I guess that's why it's a series!

If you like Southern Vampire stories I recommend the series. Neither romance nor mystery are my usual reading choices but I have enjoyed Harris' characters and sense of humor and have picked up a few books  from her other mystery series (non-vampire related) to read.

Publisher: Ace, 2012     Pages: 336
Rating: 3 Stars     Source: public library