This Is Goodbye

Well, here we are.  I had every intention of coming back to blogging during my recovery.  Little did I know.  I didn't count on how exhausting healing would be.  I didn't count on the changes that would occur over that time.  I also didn't realize just how much more of me my family needed.  Spending my time recovering really opened my eyes to just how much of my time was dedicated to blogging.  I have a 5 year old who really needs her mother right now.  How can I deny her that?

As sad as I am to go, I won't deny that there's also a sense of relief.  You see, I'm guilty of putting way too much pressure on myself, no matter what I resolve to do.  For me, pressure = stress, which makes for a not-very-fun mama.  That has to stop, for my sake, for my daughter's sake, and for my husband's sake.

You will still be able to find me on Goodreads.  Any remaining review books I have will be read and reviewed, make no mistake about it.  It will just be there, instead.  Feel free to say hello over there.  I certainly won't be quitting reading any time soon, so you'll always find me there.

This blog will remain live for a few months, then it will be closed.  I'm sorry to see StNC go.  It has been mine for 4 years now, but the time has come.  You have all been the best group of readers I could ask for.  Thank you so much for sticking with me all this time.  It's been real.

 

 

Owl's Eye View with Caragh M. O'Brien

Welcome to the final installment of Owl's Eye View.  Today I am very happy to present an interview with the author of one of my favorite series, Caragh M. O'Brien.  I had the chance to talk with Caragh about The Vault of Dreamers, writing, and, of course, books.  I hope you enjoy reading this interview as much as I did giving it.

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Marla: Hi, Caragh!  Welcome to Starting the Next Chapter.  Readers may know you for your Birthmarked series, but they may or may not know that you have a new book coming soon.  How would you describe The Vault of Dreamers in 140 characters or less?  

Caragh: First, Marla, let me thank you for having me by! As for The Vault of Dreamers in brief, here goes: At her new arts school, film student Rosie spends 12 hours daily on a reality show and 12 hours sleeping, until she skips her sleeping pill.   

Marla: How did the experience of writing The Vault of Dreamers differ from that of writing the Birthmarked trilogy?  

Caragh: Writing The Vault of Dreamers involved working in 1st person rather than 3rd, and because the novel has layers of what can and cannot be seen at different times, it was tricky to balance what Rosie, the main character, could discover.  It’s fair to say that writing The Vault of Dreamers was more complicated for me to write, but I hope it reads effortlessly.   

Marla: This one is for all of the writers out there.  Where is your favorite place to write and what do you like to have surrounding you?  

Caragh: I write most often on a comfy couch in my library, with my feet up on a coffee table and my laptop against my knees.   

Marla: How would you describe yourself in 3 words?

Caragh: I tell stories.   

Marla: How did the idea for The Vault of Dreamers come to you?  

Caragh: It wasn’t one idea in particular or one event that sparked the novel.  Instead, I was playing with a mix of ideas about teaching, creative students, the arts, security cameras, reality TV, and dreams, and I came up with Rosie.  The story really evolved around her.   

Marla: What are you reading and how would you describe it in a sentence?  

Caragh: I’ve just finished Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch, which was fascinating and thought-provoking.  It’s about how a teenage tragedy can shape a boy’s life, and how he can be wildly self-destructive and still grasp at joy.   

Marla: I'm always looking for new bookish places to visit.  What is your favorite bookish place?  

Caragh: I like the UConn Coop Bookstore in Storrs, CT and Books of Wonder in NYC, but then, who doesn’t?   

Marla: We'll soon be meeting your new main character, Rosie.  What's your favorite thing about her?  

Caragh: I like the way she sees things, real and imagined.  As a film student, she has an exquisite relationship with cameras, and it affects how she sees the world, even when she isn’t filming.   

Marla: Last question: If your life were to be televised, what show would you rather appear on?  

Caragh: One of my favorite shows is Nashville, so I’d appear on that as a back-up singer wearing really cute boots.  I love to imagine the confidence that would take, and what fun it would be to sing harmony.  Thanks again, Marla, for having me by!  All best to you and Starting the Next Chapter!

Thank you, Caragh!  To find out more about Caragh's books, just click this link: Goodreads


About the Author

Caragh M. O'Brien is the author of the BIRTHMARKED trilogy and THE VAULT OF DREAMERS, both from Macmillan/Roaring Brook Press. Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Ms. O'Brien was educated at Williams College and earned her MA from Johns Hopkins University. She recently resigned from teaching high school English in order to write young adult novels. For more information, visit http://www.caraghobrien.com.

Follow Caragh on Twitter

Update on Life

Hello, readers.  I'm still alive, I promise.  I've been more absent than I would have liked, but I've been pretty sick.  I even had to leave the family camping trip early, so things haven't exactly been going as I would have liked.  It's kind of like my body is fighting against me, much like this:

I am having surgery tomorrow, to be followed by 6 weeks of recovery.  After the first few days, I'll probably be back in full force.  I'll need something to occupy my time while I rest, after all.  I'm still reading, but other than that I'm taking things easy for now.  I will be back before you know it.  I even have a little somethin' somethin' special for you when I return.

I hope to "see" you all again very soon.  I will be back.  You can count on it.

Owl's Eye View with Kersten Hamilton

Welcome to the return of Owl's Eye View at Starting the Next Chapter!  Today I have for you an interview with the author of one of my favorite book series, Kersten Hamilton.  Kersten is the author of The Goblin Wars, a truly magical series of books that swept me along from the first.  I hope you enjoy this interview with Kersten as much as I did.

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Marla: Hi, Kersten! I'm so thrilled to have you on Starting the Next Chapter today.  The paperback edition of When the Stars Threw Down Their Spears will be out very soon. For those among my readers who haven't read your books yet, how would you describe them in 140 characters or less?

Kersten: It is good to be here, Marla! I am not good at the 140 character thing. How about this: The books are my heart, poured out on paper.  That won’t coax or inspire anyone to read the books, of course. But it does explain why they were so hard to write.

Marla: We all have our quirks and little surprises.  What would your readers be most surprised to learn about you?

Kersten: After a long day of listening to my own ‘voice’ while I write, I chillax with a good Korean drama. I don’t understand Korean (I watch with subtitles) but the language works like music on my tired brain. I really enjoy the stories as well, because I am not as familiar with the Eastern mythology. I can pretty much predict what will happen in stories from my own culture. One of my favorite characters in Arang and the Magistrate (Spoiler Alert!) was reincarnated as a beloved Heavenly goat. I did NOT see that coming!

Marla: Who or what was your biggest inspiration while writing The Goblin Wars series?

Kersten: A writer named George MacDonald, who’s books have ‘baptized the imaginations’ of much greater writers than I will ever be.

Philip Pullman deserves a mention as well. I was reading Pullman’s Dark Materials series when I realized that I disagree with his worldview so deeply and completely that I just had to write a fantasy trilogy of my own.

Marla: You have some truly amazing characters throughout your series.  What are your favorite aspects of Teagan and Finn?

Kersten: Thank you for saying so, Marla! My characters are like family to me.  One of my favorite aspects of Finn is how he embodies love. Teagan is more of a thinker; but what I love best about her is that Teagan never gives up. Ever.

Marla: What is your most recent read and how would you describe it in a sentence?

Kersten: Faith, Hope and Poetry by Malcolm Guite. I don’t need a whole sentence. A phrase will do: Literary awesomesauce!

Marla: What are your top 3 favorite books?

Kersten: Gah. How could I choose? As I type this, there are about 1,200 books on the shelves around me looking over my shoulder. Probably a third of them have been my favorite at one time or another; I have felt at least a sincere attachment to the others. A couple hundred of my favorite favorites are waiting quietly upstairs in my office.

Since I don’t want to offend my printed friends, I’ll just talk about the ones I am reading right now.

My morning book is: A Preface to Paradise Lost, by C.S. Lewis (brilliant!); my afternoon book is: Blake, by Peter Ackroyd (sobering and sad, for sure), and my bedtime book,: The Mind of the Maker by Dorothy Sayers.

These are the kinds of books I read when I need courage and inspiration.  Last night, they seems to have inspired and all–night–long dream fight with the Dynamation cyclops from the seventh voyage of Sinbad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a77pycC78Q0

The cyclops did not win. I take courage from this.

Marla: Which of your characters do you most identify with?

Kersten: There are actually two characters that I identify greatly with in The Goblin Wars: Finn, and Mamieo Ida. They both have large chunks of my soul in them. I do loan little bits of soul to my good guys. I steal the souls of wicked dogcatchers to animate my bad guys, though. I’m not lending anything to a bad guy.

Marla: Any advice for aspiring authors out there?

Kersten: Read old books. I mean really old books, the more the better.  Read books from other cultures, the more the better.

Also, if you write fantasy, read some Tolkien. Specifically, read The Return of the Shadow https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15351 which is about the writing of The Lord of the Rings. It shows just how difficult the making of great books is – even for a brilliant writer.

Marla: One last questions, just for fun: You suddenly look up to find yourself in Mag Mell.  Who or where would you most like to visit there, and who or what do you most want to avoid?

Kersten: I sincerely believe that we all look up at one point or another and find ourselves in Mag Mell, or something very similar to it: a world much bigger than the one we think we are living in; the real world. I like the way George MacDonald describes it in his novel Phantastes: A Faerie Romance for Men and Women, which is about a young man named Anodos who stumbles into the world I am talking about. This is from the final pages of MacDonald’s book:

“I had lain down under the shadow of a great, ancient beech-tree, that stood on the edge of the field. As I lay, with my eyes closed, I began to listen to the sound of the leaves overhead. At first, they made sweet inarticulate music alone; but, by-and-by, the sound seemed to begin to take shape, and to be gradually moulding itself into words; till, at last, I seemed able to distinguish these, half-dissolved in a little ocean of circumfluent tones: "A great good is coming—is coming—is coming to thee, Anodos;" and so over and over again. I fancied that the sound reminded me of the voice of the ancient woman, in the cottage that was four-square. I opened my eyes, and, for a moment, almost believed that I saw her face, with its many wrinkles and its young eyes, looking at me from between two hoary branches of the beech overhead. But when I looked more keenly, I saw only twigs and leaves, and the infinite sky, in tiny spots, gazing through between. Yet I know that good is coming to me—that good is always coming; though few have at all times the simplicity and the courage to believe it….”

Thank you for having me on Starting the Next Chapter today, Marla!

Thank you, Kersten!  If you are unfamiliar with these wonderful books, check out this link to see the list.

About the Author

Kersten Hamilton is the author of several picture books and many novels, including the middle grade Gadgets and Gears series and the critically acclaimed YA paranormal trilogy The Goblin Wars. When she's not writing, she hunts dinosaurs in the deserts and badlands near Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she lives. For more about Kersten, please visit www.kerstenhamilton.com.

See all of Kersten's books HERE.
Follow her on TWITTER.

Sometimes Life Gets in the Way

You may have noticed an unexpected absence from me over the past week.  It was just as unexpected for me, as I had a lot of plans.  Then, life happened.  You see, I will be having surgery in just 3 weeks.  Around this time 2 years ago, I had a surgical procedure to fix a problem I was having.  Needless to say, it didn't work, so this time I will be going in for a more serious procedure.  In the interest of having some privacy, I won't say what it is, but needless to say it's major surgery and I will be in the hospital for two days.

In the meantime, my concentration is shot.  I haven't been able to read a single book since last Monday, aside from those I read to my daughter.  It's difficult to have books to review when you can't concentrate on reading them, you know?  So, in the interest of keeping myself as healthy as possible, I won't be posting as much for the next month.  I do have some interviews for you all, so those will be going up soon.  As for reviews, however, don't be surprised if it takes a while for me to post one.  I'm still here, just a bit preoccupied, and for good reason.

Stacking the Shelves #5 - May 3, 2014

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews and is a meme dedicated to sharing your book hauls and swag.  Please visit this link to find out more.

This week came as a total surprise, as I wasn't expecting anything.  Then, I got two mysterious UPS My Choice notifications.  Then, Edelweiss had a flood of Harper Collins titles.  THEN, I found out that we're going camping this month, so naturally I had to check out a guide to brush up on things. It turned out to be an excellent week when all is said and done.

The Books

For Review

Curses and Smoke: A Novel of Pompeii by Vicky Alvear Schecter (finished copy courtesy of Scholastic)

Firebug by Lish McBride (ARC courtesy of Macmillan)

Exquisite Captive by Heather Demetrios (Edelweiss via Balzer+Bray)

Forbidden by Kimberley Griffiths Little (Edelweiss via HarperCollins) 

Snow Like Ashes by Sarah Raasch (Edelweiss via Balzer+Bray)

Stray by Elissa Sussman (Edelweiss via Greenwillow Books)

Blackbird by Anna Carey (Edelweiss via HarperTeen)
MARY: The Summoning by Hillary Monahan (Netgalley via Disney-Hyperion)

Borrowed

The Pocket Guide to Camping by Linda White & Katherine L. White (digital library loan)

What I Read

Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff

What I Reviewed

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

What I'm Reading

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

The Outside by Laura Bickle

Rage Within by Jeyn Roberts

Other Posts

Spring Into Horror Read-a-Thon 2014

Marla's Wish List - What I Love & Would Like to See More Of

Marla's Wish List - What I Love & Would Like to See More of

Sometimes you're going along in your reading life, minding your own business, when suddenly you're taken by a yearning for something different.  It could be that you just need to change things up.  Sometimes, however, that isn't quite enough.  Maybe you change direction and find something you really like...

only to realize that you. want. MORE.

Well, folks, I can confidently say that I've been there and I now have a decided opinion on what I want out of my books.  Perhaps these books are out there and I just have yet to discover them.  Perhaps there's a place in the market that has yet to be fulfilled.  Maybe some of you will have recommendations for me.  Either way, I want what I want, so here it is.

Historical Fantasy

This is probably one of those genres that I can find plenty of if I just look for it.  However, I am definitely looking for some recommendations, because apparently I can't do it by myself.

Gothic Fiction

This probably isn't too surprising given my love of all things Jane Eyre.  It's been a while since I read anything recent with a Gothic tone.  Help a girl out?

Horror

Yes, I know!  Horror is out there in force!  However, I need recommendations, people!  Halp!

Epistolary Novels

I loooove books written in letter form.  Ever since Daddy-Long-Legs, I've been completely in love with the genre.  I've read everything from the moving to the silly.  I can't get enough of it.

Dragons

I just took one reading of Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey to get me hooked.  Seraphina?  Awesome.  The Sweetest Dark?  Fantastic!  Must. have. MORE!

Automatons

This is a recent one, but as I prepare to read The Girl with the Wind Up Heart, I get the feeling I'm going to be wanting a lot more of this.  Plus, you know, it tends to be found in steampunk.  God, I love steampunk.

So, how about it?  Can someone out there help me out with some great book recommendations?  I'd be ever so grateful.  I'll be here waiting.

Review - Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

by Stephanie Perkins
publisher: Dutton Books
date of publication: September 29, 2011
format: Hardcover
pages: 338
source: purchased
series: Anna and the French Kiss #2
buy it:

From Goodreads:

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion...she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit--more sparkly, more fun, more wild--the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket--a gifted inventor--steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

This book has been sitting on my shelves for the longest time, yet I'm just now getting to it.  Why is that?  Heck if I know.  Once I pulled it down and opened that shiny cover, I got sucked in and didn't want to give up reading it. Lola and the Boy Next Door made for a great companion to Anna and the French Kiss, and while it's been quite some time since I read Anna, it still brought back many of the same feelings I had when I did.

Lola Nolan is a girl struggling to figure things out.  She sees herself as much more mature than she really is, evidenced by her choice of boyfriend, a man 4 years older than herself.  That may not seem like much, but at 17, Lola is still figuring out who she is and what she needs.  Seeing Lola get treated like dirt by Max made me very frustrated, almost to the point of putting down the book.  One of her greatest moments of redemption comes in the wake of something horrible he says to her, and it was then that I realized what potential she had as a character.  As she works through the tumult of her thoughts and comes to the realization of who she really is, she really shines.  It is then that you see that Cricket is there to highlight all of the best of her while Max highlights all of the worst.  It made for an interesting contrast and I really enjoyed seeing the culmination of that conflict.

Stephanie Perkins is a very funny writer.  In spite of the heavier issues at hand, she never failed to make me laugh when it was most needed.  The blend of seriousness and humor really worked for Lola and the Boy Next Door and the delivery was much appreciated.  I also loved the subplot involving her dads and her biological mother.  The circumstances surrounding Lola's birth and the lingering effects they left upon her really lent perspective to her overall character.  When combined, it made for an engrossing read that left me alternating between laughter and sniffles.

While I didn't get quite the same level of experience reading Lola and the Boy Next Door as I did Anna and the French Kiss, I still found Lola to be an enjoyable read that ultimately left me with a smile on my face in the end.  The ways in which Perkins incorporated humor and even characters from Anna into the storyline made it even more engaging.  If you're looking for a fun read with some weight at the root of it, Lola and the Boy Next Door should do very nicely.  I would definitely recommend it to all.

Spring Into Horror Read-a-Thon 2014

It's been ages since I participated in a read-a-thon, so I thought I would start with this one since I've enjoyed it in the past.  This year, I am committed to reading 3 books.  Because I'm doing this for fun, none will be review books.  All of these are books I own and have been looking for a chance to read.  I plan to read the following:

Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff

The Outside by Laura Bickle

Rage Within by Jeyn Roberts

If you would like to participate, follow this link to the sign-up post and use the linky to sign up.  I hope you'll join me!

Stacking the Shelves #4 - April 26, 2014

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews and is a meme dedicated to sharing your book hauls and swag.  Please visit this link to find out more.

It's been a pretty good week with lots of nice pick-me-ups that were much-needed in light of some medical problems I am facing.  It was nice to have these pretties to think about and I can't wait to read them all.

The Books

For Review

Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck (paperback from Sterling Publishing)

Dirty Wings by Sarah McCarry (eGalley from Netgalley & St. Martin's)
The Stepsister's Tale by Tracy Barrett (eGalley from Netgalley & Harlequin Teen)
Firebug by Lish McBride (eGalley from Netgalley & Henry Holt & Co.)

Purchased

Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley

Steam & Sorcery by Sidney Spencer Pape (eBook)
Photographs & Phantoms by Sidney Spencer Pape (eBook)
Kilts & Kraken by Sidney Spencer Pape (eBook)

What I Read

Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

What I Reviewed

House of Ivy & Sorrow by Natalie Whipple
Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira

What I'm Reading

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
The Door by Andy Marino

Other Posts

Hannah's Review of Searching for Sky by Jillian Cantor
Feature & Follow Friday - April 25, 2014

Feature & Follow Friday - April 25, 2014

Feature & Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. It is a way for book bloggers to get to know each other better. To join in and make some friends, simply follow the directions listed by Parajunkee on her blog.  This week's question is:

Have any pets? Tell us or show us!

I have 3 wonderful cats to show you.  First, meet Tadhg:

Tadhg was my little writing buddy and my partner in crime.  He was my first cat in 4 years and he was spectacular.  We lost him in January of this year, but he's still with me and I will never forget him.

Meet Widget:

Widget is a handsome boy, a playful cat, and, to be honest, a complete jerk sometimes.  LOL  He's my daughter's cat and he lets everyone know it.  I'm also convinced he's the cat the Friends song is about.  You know the one.

Meet Rochester:

Rochester is my sweet old man.  We rescued him from the shelter in January, where they thought he was a kitten.  Nope.  He's just tiny and, I'm quite sure, a lot older than they thought.  He's an awesome cat, though, and has so much love to give.  Just look at that face!

So, that's my bunch.  Who are your furry friends?

Review - Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira

by Ava Dellaira
publisher: Farrar, Straus & Giroux BYR
date of publication: April 1, 2014
format: ARC
pages: 323
source: publisher
buy it: Love Letters to the Dead

From Goodreads:

It begins as an assignment for English class: Write a letter to a dead person. Laurel chooses Kurt Cobain because her sister, May, loved him. And he died young, just like May did. Soon, Laurel has a notebook full of letters to people like Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, Amelia Earhart, Heath Ledger, and more; though she never gives a single one of them to her teacher. She writes about starting high school, navigating new friendships, falling in love for the first time, learning to live with her splintering family. And, finally, about the abuse she suffered while May was supposed to be looking out for her. Only then, once Laurel has written down the truth about what happened to herself, can she truly begin to accept what happened to May. And only when Laurel has begun to see her sister as the person she was; lovely and amazing and deeply flawed; can she begin to discover her own path.

I don't often read contemporary fiction.  I do, however, enjoy epistolary novels a great deal.  When Love Letters to the Dead arrived unexpectedly in the mail, I was intrigued by its premise.  I knew it was going to be a tough, heart-breaking book, but it was one that called to be read.  As it turns out, I was right on both counts.

Laurel is a character caught in the vacuum her sister's absence left behind.  She is unable to move past her idealized thoughts of her sister, unable to break free from the same spiral May was on before she died.  As you read Laurel's story through letters, you can't help but be angry on her behalf.  This is a girl who has been let down so many times, times when she needs support the most.  When you find out why she holds such a rosy view of her sister, however, it will break your heart.  It makes Laurel one of the most compelling characters with one of the most heartbreaking stories I've read in quite some time.

Each letter is filled with Laurel's raw emotions, as well as an account of her further loss of control over her life.  Not only that, but each letter addresses what happens to the recipients of each letter.  She talks of their short lives and their deaths and all that makes their memories live on to this day.  This adds to the emotion of the book and makes for an even more poignant reading experience.  By the end of Love Letters to the Dead, you'll have tears in your eyes as the implications of everything fully hits you.

Love Letters to the Dead was so much more than I had expected.  It's not a comfortable read, but you know what?  It's an important one.  Things like this do happen and there are children and teens that really deal with this in their day-to-day lives.  What's more, Love Letters to the Dead doesn't fear to touch upon other subjects of vast importance today.  In the end, Love Letters to the Dead is a gritty, moving novel about death, guilt, redemption, and healing.  It's a novel that stayed with me long after I put it down.

Searching for Sky by Jillian Cantor: Review

Title: Searching for Sky

Author: Jillian Cantor

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens

Publication Date: May 13, 2014

Source: Netgalley

From Goodreads:

Sky and River have always lived on Island, the only world they’ve ever known. Until the day River spots a boat. Across Ocean, in a place called California, Sky is separated from River and forced to live with a grandmother she’s just met. Here the rules for survival are different. People rely on strange things like cars and cell phones. They keep secrets from one another. And without River, nothing makes sense. Sky yearns for her old life where she was strong and capable, not lost and confused. She must find River so they can return to Island, but the truth behind how they ended up there in the first place will come as the biggest shock of all.

 

This type of book is a tricky one to write. Every one of us sees the world as it is. If you are part of my generation and younger ones then you’ve never lived without a cell phone in your hand or a computer to use. I’ve never lived a life without cars or electricity or modern amenities. I’ve never lived a life where I didn’t go to school. I’ve never had to life off of the land or life on my own. So it’s really hard for me to imagine how someone who has never known any of this can see the world and obviously it was also hard for Jillian Cantor. This was a tricky book and while it had heart it didn’t quite get the end result that she (probably) wanted.

The protagonist, Sky/Megan, seems very ignorant and not just because she didn’t grow up in this world. I blame this on the fact that her entire life she has been taught to only know the things that she needs to know and never more. She has been taught to never question, to live life on strict routine. Never stray from the routine or break any of the strict rules that Helmut has put forth before them. Basically don’t use your mind. River on the other hand is referenced as a dreamer throughout the book. He questions everything, thinks of things bigger than himself, and is not afraid to be defiant.

Because of his ability to process things and question and understand the world better than Sky, it was River who should have adapted better to this new world of California, but instead it was Sky who thrived. I understand that this was because she had a “team of professionals” to help her, but even at the end of the book there was hardly any growth from River and that was disappointing.

One of the things that made this book so tricky was trying to figure out how people who have never been in modern society. I found it hard to believe that Petal and Helmut (the parents on Island) never called the rocks leading down or up, “steps”. Or that they never said any words, like “awesome” or “sucks” or whatever the equivalent would have been before they left California. It just doesn’t seem realistic to me that Sky would only know a few words. It’s strange that she would call a light the “sun”. She should have been smart enough to know that the sun emits light. She would have known the word light; therefore she should have known that a “light” on the ceiling was not the sun, but rather something that emitted light. Even if she didn’t know what electricity was she would have known the word light.

I have read other book very similar to this one and yet those other books surpassed this was by far. Like I’ve said, this is a tricky subject to write. A tricky point of view to write from and unfortunately for Cantor it just didn’t come out like she was hoping it would.