Review: Walk the Wild Road

Details:
Title: Walk the Wild Road
Author: Nigel Hinton
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Pub Date: January 2011
Genre: Historical Fiction

Leo took one step forward and then stopped. This was it-the road away from everything he knew. He could turn back. But then who would save his family from starvation? No, Leo was their last hope. He must go on...

The journey is not easy-he'll have to sleep on the streets, steal food, and even fight off greedy soldiers. Along the way, Leo discovers the kindness of strangers and the loyalty of friends. But he also learns there are some people you just can't trust, especially when you're on the wild road to America. -- Goodreads

My Thoughts:
Like I've said in several of my other recent historical fiction reviews, I don't know why I never just go out and pick up historical fiction. Someone always has to recommend the book to me or I have to read a bunch of good reviews before I read historical fiction. That really needs to change; Walk the Wild Road was a wonderful historical adventure story and I'd highly recommend it to middle reader/teen boys.

A historical adventure story sounds like it would be geared towards a younger boy audience, but Hinton doesn't shy away from the difficulties of life in the 1870s. The realities of war, political unrest, poverty, illness, and violence are presented in such a way that they feel true to the time period, but not inappropriate for younger readers. This isn't a fluffy boy adventure story -- it's a more adult adventure story. I feel that sometimes historical fiction writers gloss over some the realities of earlier time periods because they don't think teens will "get it" or that it's too violent or difficult for teens to handle. Teens need to really understand what people really went through and how difficult it was for many immigrants to make their way to America. Hinton had done a really wonderful job of showing life in the 1870s in Europe.

Beyond historical significance, I really liked Leo and almost all the major players in the novel. He was strong and determined to get to America and to help his family, but he isn't an unrealistic super-hero type character. Things doesn't always go well for Leo and he doesn't save the day. He gets through hardships because he has to. It was really refreshing to read a realism "boy" adventure book.

I think this book would be a great one for teachers to use when teaching European history. It really paints a picture of everyday life during the turmoil of the 1870s, while being entertaining and action filled.

Rating:

Review: Between Shades of Gray

Details:
Title: Between Shades of Gray
Author: Ruta Sepetys
Publisher: Philomel Books
Pub Date: March 2011
Genre: Historical Fiction

Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.

Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously—and at great risk—documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart.
-- Goodreads

My Thoughts:
I was incredibly excited to read Between Shades of Gray, and it was so much better than I hoped it would be. The subject matter is so difficult and depressing, but the book was so much more. I'm not even sure how to describe how much I liked the book and what a wonderful writer Ruta Sepetys is.

The main character Lina really made the story for me. Seeing everything through her eyes; through her struggles made the horrible things that happened to her and family more real and heartbreaking. She continues to find strength in her fellow Lithuanians and in her artwork. Although she is forced into a horrible life and struggles to remain hopeful, she doesn't lose what makes her her. Lina is strong, but she does lose hope briefly and struggles to remain who she is, which makes her so real. You can't help but relate to her and feel her anger, fear, sadness, and her strength.

The writing is wonderful and mixes Lina's current struggles with flashbacks to her previous life before the Soviet occupation. This mixture helps create a richer story of what was happening in Lithuanian in the 40s, but also keeps the story from being too much.

Everyone needs to read this story, not only because knowing this terrible history will help us insure that it doesn't happen again, but because it is a beautifully written story about hope.

Rating:

Review: Darling Rebels

Details:
Title: Darling Rebels
Author: Siobhan Nichols
Publisher: Diversion Press
Pub Date: May, 2009
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating:

When Charlotte returns to her hometown of Asebrook from boarding school, she knows what she can expect from her days--lessons from tutors, criticism from her mother, and listening to the same gossip from the same people. But there seems to be something different in store for Charlotte when she meets Adam and Jack, the two boys who will change her forever. However, when Jack and Charlotte fall in love, they realize the fight that they are going to have to put up if they want to be together. During a time when money, society, and how one is viewed as everything, Charlotte stops at nothing to be with the boy that she knows she loves. Even so, Jack seems unwilling to sacrifice her future and happiness since he knows he has nothing to offer. The Darling Rebels tells the story of bravery and resilience in the face of insurmountable odds and how far one girl will go for love, even if it means leaving her seemingly perfect life behind. -- Goodreads

My Thoughts:

I must say I had a really hard time getting into this one. I think I would have liked it a lot more if it was set in the present day. Too much what was going on and the characters' dialog and actions just didn't feel "nineteen hundreds" to me. I liked the characters and the basic plot, just didn't feel like the time period choice fit. I like historical fiction, but it really has to feel historical to me, right down to the slang. I know not everyone feels that way, but it's one of my reading pet peeves.

That said, once I got into the novel I did like the characters and found it to be a fun read. I haven't read many romances recently (been on a dystopia kick lately), so it was really refreshing to read something with a love triangle that didn't also involve the world ending or society collapsing. And the love triangle in Darling Rebels was interesting not too over-the-top. It actually felt realistic, like three teenagers could find themselves in this sort of situation. 

Check back later today for an interview with Siobhan

Review: Wanderland

Details:
Title: Wanderland
Author: Robert Bresloff
Publisher: Diversion Press
Pub Date: July, 2009
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating:

When the army of the new emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Di had invaded neighboring Annam, Chen, a thirteen year old boy was saved by a mysterious old man as the invading Chinese destroyed his village and killed his family. The old man turned out to be, Master Waan, a Ship's Wizard in the service of the great Chinese admiral Zheng He. Master Waan was on his way to meet the admiral's fleet that was to set sail upon his arrival. Though Chen thought the old man odd, he knew that his only chance for survival-to accompany Master Waan to China. As the wizard's apprentice, Chen sailed with the fleet, a gigantic armada made up of great Chinese Treasure Ships in search of what Chen believed to be magical place referred to only as Wanderland. He soon learned that it was no coincidence Master Waan had appeared at the village just in time to save his life. It was Chen's destiny to find Wanderland. -- Goodreads

My Thoughts:
I don't know why I don't read more historical fiction; I always end up loving every historical YA I read. And Wanderland was no exception.

This is the perfect young boy adventure story. There are pirates, wizards, battles on the high seas, and treasure hunts. The novel was fast-paced, action-packed, and fun. Chen's adventures are exciting, but not so far-fetched that they are unbelievable. My pirate-loving nephew would totally be in to this story. Robert created the right mix of self-discovery and adventure for young boys. Chen is an excellent role model as well. He isn't perfect and struggles to find his place, but in the end he figures out who he is and is able to save the day.

Robert did an excellent job of making you feel like you were sailing the seas with a crew from the Ming Dynasty. Not only did it feel historically accurate, but also cultural accurate -- which is so very important in historical fiction. Nothing felt out of place; the dialog even felt historically correct (although I have no idea how a boy from the Ming Dynasty would speak).

Overall it was a fun read that I think would be a perfect book for young reluctant reader boys.

Check back later today for an interview with Robert Bresloff.

Bright Young Things

Details:
Title: Bright Young Things
Author: Anna Godbersen
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pub Date: October, 2010
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: Get this book immediately and begin reading

The year is 1929. New York is ruled by the Bright Young Things: flappers and socialites seeking thrills and chasing dreams in the anything-goes era of the Roaring Twenties.

Letty Larkspur and Cordelia Grey escaped their small Midwestern town for New York's glittering metropolis. All Letty wants is to see her name in lights, but she quickly discovers Manhattan is filled with pretty girls who will do anything to be a star…

Cordelia is searching for the father she's never known, a man as infamous for his wild parties as he is for his shadowy schemes. Overnight, she enters a world more thrilling and glamorous than she ever could have imagined—and more dangerous. It's a life anyone would kill for . . . and someone will.

The only person Cordelia can trust is Astrid Donal, a flapper who seems to have it all: money, looks, and the love of Cordelia's brother, Charlie. But Astrid's perfect veneer hides a score of family secrets.

Across the vast lawns of Long Island, in the illicit speakeasies of Manhattan, and on the blindingly lit stages of Broadway, the three girls' fortunes will rise and fall—together and apart.-- From Goodreads

My Thoughts:
When I was a teen I loved historical fiction, but sometime after high school ended I stopped reading it. So when I heard that Anna Godbersen was coming out with a new series set in the 1920s I got really excited and remembered how much I enjoyed historical fiction.

I enjoyed The Luxe (I haven't finished the series yet), but Bright Young Things was amazing. The setting, the characters, the plot -- everything is interesting, well written, and works together perfectly. I especially loved the three main female characters. Letty, Cordelia, and Astrid are all so different making their stories interesting, but they're similar enough that the book isn't disjointed.

Beyond characters and plot, the writing style is what really makes the book feel so 20s. Anna really sucks you in to the 1920s and the way the world was and how the privileged lived, as well as the struggling new comers.

I've already talked about the amazing cover in depth here. And the next book's cover is equally amazing.

I will be eagerly awaiting the next book in the series Beautiful Days.

Black Bottle Man

Black Bottle Man
Craig Russell
Great Plains Publications, April 2010

Realistic/Historical Fiction/Fantastical Elements

If you read my IMM (2), you know that Craig Russell contacted me about his book, Black Bottle Man. The concept is like nothing else I've read. There are a lot teen books out now featuring fallen angels and other religious elements, but none quite like this one. So I was quite intrigued by this new and unique voice.

Forced to move every twelve days, what would happen to your life?

It’s 1927. Rembrandt is the only child in the tiny community of Three Farms and his two aunts grow desperate for babies of their own. Hope and Hell arrive in a mysterious black bottle, and on a moonless night a dark spell is cast. Soon after, a man wearing black top-coat, and a ‘glad-ta-meet-ya’ smile comes to visit. The devil seeks payment, and a dangerous wager is made. Until they can defeat him, Rembrandt, Pa, and Uncle Thompson must embark on the journey of their lives, for if they stay in one place for more than twelve days terrible things happen. But where and when will they find a champion capable of defeating the Black Bottle Man?
Time ticks.
Lives change.
Every twelve days. From Great Plains Publications' website

The story is told mainly through Rembrandt's eyes, but we do get a few chapters from other characters' points of view. The shifting viewpoints could get confusing, but the characters' voices are so different that it isn't an issue and everything comes together in the end in a way that simply wouldn't be possible without the varying viewpoints.

Besides varying viewpoints, the novel is not told in linear time. It jumps from present day (2007) back to the 1920s and 30s. This is structure is what really got me into the novel. We see Rembrandt as an old man from the beginning and we slowly learn how he ended up as this person. The changes in time and in turn plot, help move the story along rapidly. I must say the beginning was a bit slow for me, but it picked up and I read the last 70-80 pages in one sitting.

The story itself is strange and unique: two brothers and a boy set out to find someone who can fight the devil to save their souls and the boy's two aunts. It isn't all strange other worldly demons and whatnot, like you might expect, it's very realistic. The men travel from place to place during the Great Depression and learn "hobo signs" which give them magical powers. But the signs are the only totally other worldly element -- the story and its characters are firmly rooted in reality, which so unexpected for a story like this.

My only issue with the whole thing is that I'm not sure if it's really a "teen" book, but then again what really makes a "teen" book a "teen" book. I think the book would appeal to older teens, not just because part of the story is told from the point of view of an older man, but because the action's a bit slow in the beginning and there's a lot to take in story wise.


Add to your to-read pile

Revolution

Revolution
Jennifer Donnelly
Delacorte for Young Readers, October 2010
Realistic/Historical Fiction

If you watched my IMM post two weeks ago you saw that I received my very first ARC! I was so very excited when I opened the package, not only because I got an ARC, but because I was really intrigued by the summary I read of Revolution.

BROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break.

PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn’t escape.

Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present.  From Goodreads site

Jennifer Donnelly's writing is super smart, witty, and interesting. I absolutely love her style; it's just amazing.  Everything flows so well together; although there are two plot lines running throughout the novel, everything remains connected. Each plot line enhances the other. Andi in the present day struggles with her brother's death and what she could have done to prevent it, while Alex in the past struggles to understand her changing world and what she could have done to help the young prince. Their struggles are similar, but not so similar that you feel as though you're reading the same story twice just in different time periods.

Donnelly slips in historical, musical, cultural references throughout the book that are just wonderful. Each one works perfectly and grounds Andi's world in the present day. I often worry that these sort of references don't really work and will only make the novel less accessible to teens in ten or fifteen years, but here that is definitely not the case. They are well chosen and work to really bring out Andi's voice and character. And her voice is what really grabbed me from the very beginning and keep me enthralled in the novel until the very last pages.

Andi's voice is so realistic; Donnelly doesn't shy away from difficult and violent issues. Andi struggles with depression and contemplates suicide, while Alex's world is filled with the violence of the revolution. None of these elements is glossed over or depicted in an over-the-top way. The violence is discussed realistically--terrible things happened during the French Revolution and Donnelly doesn't shy away from them just because she's writing YA. Finding this balance is extremely important and what really makes the book amazing.

I loved this one so much that I went out and bought A Northern Light (one of her earlier books) and am really looking forward to reading that as well. Revolution is a really beautifully done book about so much more than the French Revolution.

Get this book immediately and begin reading (well as soon as it's available October 12)