Title: The Princess and the Pauper
Author: Kate Brian
What it's about: Princess Carina of Vineland hates being a princess. She wishes she had the freedom normal girls do. So when Carina has to go to Los Angeles as part of a goodwill tour, she and her friend Ingrid make plans to slip away from the delegation so Carina can meet her internet boyfriend and rock musician. Enter Julia Johnson. Julia's a normal girl who lives in LA with her mother. They're only barely able to make ends meet, and Julia can only afford to go to the classy high school she attends because of a scholarship. When Carina and Ingrid meet Julia, they notice Julia could pass for Carina with the right hair and makeup work. A plan is hatched for the two girls to switch places, and plenty of interesting stuff happens.
What I thought: Carina almost seems like she was written to be a cliche foil to Julia's more normal, realistic character. Not that Carina isn't interesting and doesn't get some development, but I think that Julia and Ingrid are much more dynamic. Um. The book's funny, and it doesn't seem unrealistic in the little ways which could make or break a story, and the bigger stuff doesn't seem too unrealistic, any more than a plot like this inherently is. Well, this is teen fiction for girls, definitely, but the romance stuff, while there, is definitely the B-plot of things. I also like how the mother-daughter relationships are played out.
Overall: Not everyone's gonna like this one, but it's not bad for its genre.
Showing posts with label slice of life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label slice of life. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Dairy Queen
Title: Dairy Queen
Author: Catherine Gilbert Murdoch
What it's about: D.J. Schwenk is fifteen, and she lives and works on her family's dairy farm in Wisconsin. Her summer has a twist thrown into it when a family friend who is also the coach of a rival community's football team sends one of his players to help at the farm in hopes of the player, Brian, learning something about hard work. Eventually, D.J. takes on the task of training Brian in football. D.J.'s well suited to the task, too, since two of her brother's play college ball and the Schwenks are a football family. This is a summer of issues being resolved for D.J. and her family, as she has to deal with the rift between her two older brothers and the rest of the family, her younger brother's propensity for silence, and the direction her own life is taking.
What I thought: The first-person narration here really works. D.J. is an engaging narrator whose voice really rings true to me. She has a lot of issues to deal with in this story, but it never felt like the author was just heaping on the misery to up the angst factor. Probably has to do with the sense of humor D.J. has. The story seemed pretty well paced to me, and though it's approaching three hundred pages, fairly long for a teen novel thing, it was a fairly quick read, just a couple of hours in the afternoon. I enjoyed it a lot, though, and I'll be picking up the sequel from the library soon as it comes in.
Overall: This is exemplary teen fiction.
Author: Catherine Gilbert Murdoch
What it's about: D.J. Schwenk is fifteen, and she lives and works on her family's dairy farm in Wisconsin. Her summer has a twist thrown into it when a family friend who is also the coach of a rival community's football team sends one of his players to help at the farm in hopes of the player, Brian, learning something about hard work. Eventually, D.J. takes on the task of training Brian in football. D.J.'s well suited to the task, too, since two of her brother's play college ball and the Schwenks are a football family. This is a summer of issues being resolved for D.J. and her family, as she has to deal with the rift between her two older brothers and the rest of the family, her younger brother's propensity for silence, and the direction her own life is taking.
What I thought: The first-person narration here really works. D.J. is an engaging narrator whose voice really rings true to me. She has a lot of issues to deal with in this story, but it never felt like the author was just heaping on the misery to up the angst factor. Probably has to do with the sense of humor D.J. has. The story seemed pretty well paced to me, and though it's approaching three hundred pages, fairly long for a teen novel thing, it was a fairly quick read, just a couple of hours in the afternoon. I enjoyed it a lot, though, and I'll be picking up the sequel from the library soon as it comes in.
Overall: This is exemplary teen fiction.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Frindle
Oh, man, you people. I must love you all a lot if, the day after getting a Wii and Brawl, I am here, writing a book review for this lovely blog. Okay, sure, it's a book aimed at grade school children, and it only took me, like, an hour to read, tops, but still. Also, I've already reviewed one of Clements' books for older readers. That was back in April, and it was Things Hoped For.
Title: Frindle
Author: Andrew Clements
What it's about: Nick is a creative kid who is always coming up with new ideas. When he enters the fifth grade, he is inspired by something his English teacher said and decides to make up a new word. He decides that he'll call pens "frindles". A simple idea soon spirals into something huge.
What I thought: This is simple but cleverly written. It's short, not cutesy, and gives a realistic portrayal of how something like this might actually go down.
Overall: A fun, easy read.
Title: Frindle
Author: Andrew Clements
What it's about: Nick is a creative kid who is always coming up with new ideas. When he enters the fifth grade, he is inspired by something his English teacher said and decides to make up a new word. He decides that he'll call pens "frindles". A simple idea soon spirals into something huge.
What I thought: This is simple but cleverly written. It's short, not cutesy, and gives a realistic portrayal of how something like this might actually go down.
Overall: A fun, easy read.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
The Dissociation of Suzumiya Haruhi
Title: The Dissociation of Suzumiya Haruhi
Author: Tanigawa Nagaru
What it's about: This volume throws us a lot of curveballs. A new school year has started, and the SOS Brigade is recruiting for new members. Haruhi has started generating sealed realities again. Kyon meets up with a friend from middle school, Sasaki, who is the girl who gave Kyon the reputation for liking weird girls. Kyon finds out that factions of rival aliens, espers, and time-travelers believe that Sasaki is the one who should really have Haruhi's powers, and they want Kyon's help to change things.
What I thought: Um, awesome much? Sasaki (who I keep wanting to call Sakaki, like the Azumanga Daioh character) is an interesting figure, both similar to and different from Haruhi. Also, her close relationship with Kyon may yet lead to some sort of romantic drama. Plus, it's a huge twist on everything we've thought so far about Haruhi and her nature. And, dude, new SOS Brigade members? Come on, that's such a neat thing to have possibly occur, and I'm pretty sure the one girl Kyon had his eye on will play a further role. However, come on! This book ends on a huge cliffhanger! Totally not fair!
Overall: Hugely interesting novel. How come the tenth book hasn't come out yet?!
Author: Tanigawa Nagaru
What it's about: This volume throws us a lot of curveballs. A new school year has started, and the SOS Brigade is recruiting for new members. Haruhi has started generating sealed realities again. Kyon meets up with a friend from middle school, Sasaki, who is the girl who gave Kyon the reputation for liking weird girls. Kyon finds out that factions of rival aliens, espers, and time-travelers believe that Sasaki is the one who should really have Haruhi's powers, and they want Kyon's help to change things.
What I thought: Um, awesome much? Sasaki (who I keep wanting to call Sakaki, like the Azumanga Daioh character) is an interesting figure, both similar to and different from Haruhi. Also, her close relationship with Kyon may yet lead to some sort of romantic drama. Plus, it's a huge twist on everything we've thought so far about Haruhi and her nature. And, dude, new SOS Brigade members? Come on, that's such a neat thing to have possibly occur, and I'm pretty sure the one girl Kyon had his eye on will play a further role. However, come on! This book ends on a huge cliffhanger! Totally not fair!
Overall: Hugely interesting novel. How come the tenth book hasn't come out yet?!
The Indignation of Suzumiya Haruhi
Title: The Indignation of Suzumiya Haruhi
Author: Tanigawa Nagaru
What it's about: This book has two medium-length stories. The first has the student council finally take notice of the SOS Brigade's illegal occupation of the Literature Club clubroom. In order to keep the Literature Club going, the SOS Brigade has to publish a literary journal. Haruhi, as editor-in-chief, assigns each of her members a type of story to write. In the text of the story, we get to read the submissions of Nagato, Asahina-san, and, of course, Kyon, who are made to write fantasy-horror, a fairy tale, and a romance story, respectively. The second story is about the SOS Brigade getting its second client, a girl in Haruhi and Kyon's class named Sakanaka-san. Her dog, Rousseau, has been behaving strangely lately. Sakanaka-san thinks it might be spirits, and she's come to the SOS Brigade for help. Running throughout both stories is the theme of Haruhi starting to become more normal, and there's also some romantic subtext if you look for it.
What I thought: Both stories in The Indignation of Suzumiya Haruhi are really pretty interesting. The first story is a really entertaining one, and it's entertaining without its plot relying on the supernatural at all. The stories that Kyon and Yuki write also serve as good character development, as does Koizumi's speculations about Haruhi's mental state and why Kyon happened to pick the romance story. The second story in this book has some good mystery and sci-fi in it, as well as some good development for both Haruhi and Nagato. Plus, Kyon has some really funny observations going on, too. Along with the themes of Haruhi's developing normalcy and slight romantic subtext, there's also subtle build-up for a larger conflict which we saw begin with the mysterious time-traveler last volume, as well there being some talk about the more normal future of the SOS Brigade and its members as the school year approaches its end. Really, at eight books in, we're starting to really feel a larger plot building in the shadows now, and it's really exciting to contemplate.
Overall: Really, I think this is one of the better books in the series. It's totally worth reading this far!
Whew! I'm back into the swing of reviewing books! Having a short-term job combined with the internet heroin that is TV Tropes makes for not much free time. Heh! After I finish The Dissociation of Suzumiya Haruhi, I have a princess story book I bought last night, as well as the next two volumes of The Law of Ueki and Twilight coming in from the library. I've read Twilight before, and at the time I thought it was at best a beach read. Let's see if it manages to retain at least that good a rating during the second read-through. If any of you haven't heard of Twilight, it's a vampire romance book that is all the rage with teen girls with questionable taste. And I also mean to read Steppenwolf, The Westing Game, A Simple Path, and Dave Barry's History of the Millennium (So Far). The second and fourth are ones I am looking forward to; the first and third, not so much. But as far as the third goes, people keep giving me religious books 'cause I'm a Catholic, so I figure I might as well at least try reading one of them some time. But before that, more fiction! =D
Author: Tanigawa Nagaru
What it's about: This book has two medium-length stories. The first has the student council finally take notice of the SOS Brigade's illegal occupation of the Literature Club clubroom. In order to keep the Literature Club going, the SOS Brigade has to publish a literary journal. Haruhi, as editor-in-chief, assigns each of her members a type of story to write. In the text of the story, we get to read the submissions of Nagato, Asahina-san, and, of course, Kyon, who are made to write fantasy-horror, a fairy tale, and a romance story, respectively. The second story is about the SOS Brigade getting its second client, a girl in Haruhi and Kyon's class named Sakanaka-san. Her dog, Rousseau, has been behaving strangely lately. Sakanaka-san thinks it might be spirits, and she's come to the SOS Brigade for help. Running throughout both stories is the theme of Haruhi starting to become more normal, and there's also some romantic subtext if you look for it.
What I thought: Both stories in The Indignation of Suzumiya Haruhi are really pretty interesting. The first story is a really entertaining one, and it's entertaining without its plot relying on the supernatural at all. The stories that Kyon and Yuki write also serve as good character development, as does Koizumi's speculations about Haruhi's mental state and why Kyon happened to pick the romance story. The second story in this book has some good mystery and sci-fi in it, as well as some good development for both Haruhi and Nagato. Plus, Kyon has some really funny observations going on, too. Along with the themes of Haruhi's developing normalcy and slight romantic subtext, there's also subtle build-up for a larger conflict which we saw begin with the mysterious time-traveler last volume, as well there being some talk about the more normal future of the SOS Brigade and its members as the school year approaches its end. Really, at eight books in, we're starting to really feel a larger plot building in the shadows now, and it's really exciting to contemplate.
Overall: Really, I think this is one of the better books in the series. It's totally worth reading this far!
Whew! I'm back into the swing of reviewing books! Having a short-term job combined with the internet heroin that is TV Tropes makes for not much free time. Heh! After I finish The Dissociation of Suzumiya Haruhi, I have a princess story book I bought last night, as well as the next two volumes of The Law of Ueki and Twilight coming in from the library. I've read Twilight before, and at the time I thought it was at best a beach read. Let's see if it manages to retain at least that good a rating during the second read-through. If any of you haven't heard of Twilight, it's a vampire romance book that is all the rage with teen girls with questionable taste. And I also mean to read Steppenwolf, The Westing Game, A Simple Path, and Dave Barry's History of the Millennium (So Far). The second and fourth are ones I am looking forward to; the first and third, not so much. But as far as the third goes, people keep giving me religious books 'cause I'm a Catholic, so I figure I might as well at least try reading one of them some time. But before that, more fiction! =D
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
The Intrigues of Suzumiya Haruhi
Title: The Intrigues of Suzumiya Haruhi
Author: Tanigawa Nagaru
What it's about: One afternoon when Kyon arrives at the clubroom early, he gets an unexpected visitor - a version of Asahina Mikuru from eight days in the future. She's been sent back in time by Kyon himself, and Kyon and this version of Asahina-san have to complete mysterious tasks for the next several days, all the while keeping this Asahina-san a secret from the rest of the SOS Brigade. To further complicate things, Haruhi's acting oddly, and Kyon's not sure why.
What I thought: This one has some really cool stuff in it. We get some more time travel fun, for one thing, and for another, all the brigade members, as well as Tsuruya-san, get some good character development. There's also some nice build-up of Haruhi's feelings for Kyon and vice versa, although that's pretty subtle stuff. The SOS Brigade also gets up to a lot of its normal activities, and it's always nice to see them interacting as a group. There are also some pretty funny parts. Plus, more Tsuruya-san is always a good thing.
Overall: An above-average entry in the series.
Author: Tanigawa Nagaru
What it's about: One afternoon when Kyon arrives at the clubroom early, he gets an unexpected visitor - a version of Asahina Mikuru from eight days in the future. She's been sent back in time by Kyon himself, and Kyon and this version of Asahina-san have to complete mysterious tasks for the next several days, all the while keeping this Asahina-san a secret from the rest of the SOS Brigade. To further complicate things, Haruhi's acting oddly, and Kyon's not sure why.
What I thought: This one has some really cool stuff in it. We get some more time travel fun, for one thing, and for another, all the brigade members, as well as Tsuruya-san, get some good character development. There's also some nice build-up of Haruhi's feelings for Kyon and vice versa, although that's pretty subtle stuff. The SOS Brigade also gets up to a lot of its normal activities, and it's always nice to see them interacting as a group. There are also some pretty funny parts. Plus, more Tsuruya-san is always a good thing.
Overall: An above-average entry in the series.
Monday, May 12, 2008
The Wavering of Suzumiya Haruhi
Title: The Wavering of Suzumiya Haruhi
Author: Tanigawa Nagaru
What it's about: This is another volume of shorter stories. We start with "Live A Live," about North High's cultural festival and what Haruhi gets up to during that, and "Asahina Mikuru's Adventure Episode 00" is basically the movie the SOS Brigade filmed during The Sighs of Suzumiya Haruhi. "Charmed at First Sight LOVER" is an interesting one where one of Kyon's junior high friends gets a crush on Nagato. "Where Did The Cat Go?" picks up after last volume's "Snow Mountain Syndrome," and it's about the mystery detective game Koizumi arranged for. Finally, "The Melancholy of Asahina Mikuru" is about Asahina-san's time travel mission.
What I thought: For me, this novel was a mixed bag. "Live A Live" had some fun stuff and interesting character development for Haruhi, while "Asahina Mikuru's Adventure Episode 00" seemed to drag on because I was already familiar with most of its content from Sighs. "Charmed at First Sight LOVER" was good character development for Nagato, and Nakagawa was a pretty fun character. There was also some good humor when Haruhi finds the note Kyon tossed out the window. That's a scene I'd like to see make it into the anime. "Where Did The Cat Go?" was kind of a boring read, really, because there was no real suspense in this mystery story, and it didn't even seem like Koizumi's game would have been a fun one to play. "The Melancholy of Asahina Mikuru" was pretty good, though. For one thing, it again got into the time travel/sci-fi subplot of things, and for another, it gave Asahina-san some character development, which I think she and Koizumi don't really seem to get enough of.
Overall: A fun volume, but I can't call it a favorite in the series.
Author: Tanigawa Nagaru
What it's about: This is another volume of shorter stories. We start with "Live A Live," about North High's cultural festival and what Haruhi gets up to during that, and "Asahina Mikuru's Adventure Episode 00" is basically the movie the SOS Brigade filmed during The Sighs of Suzumiya Haruhi. "Charmed at First Sight LOVER" is an interesting one where one of Kyon's junior high friends gets a crush on Nagato. "Where Did The Cat Go?" picks up after last volume's "Snow Mountain Syndrome," and it's about the mystery detective game Koizumi arranged for. Finally, "The Melancholy of Asahina Mikuru" is about Asahina-san's time travel mission.
What I thought: For me, this novel was a mixed bag. "Live A Live" had some fun stuff and interesting character development for Haruhi, while "Asahina Mikuru's Adventure Episode 00" seemed to drag on because I was already familiar with most of its content from Sighs. "Charmed at First Sight LOVER" was good character development for Nagato, and Nakagawa was a pretty fun character. There was also some good humor when Haruhi finds the note Kyon tossed out the window. That's a scene I'd like to see make it into the anime. "Where Did The Cat Go?" was kind of a boring read, really, because there was no real suspense in this mystery story, and it didn't even seem like Koizumi's game would have been a fun one to play. "The Melancholy of Asahina Mikuru" was pretty good, though. For one thing, it again got into the time travel/sci-fi subplot of things, and for another, it gave Asahina-san some character development, which I think she and Koizumi don't really seem to get enough of.
Overall: A fun volume, but I can't call it a favorite in the series.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
The Rampage of Suzumiya Haruhi
Title: The Rampage of Suzumiya Haruhi
Author: Tanigawa Nagaru
What it's about: This is another volume with a couple of short stories. The first, "Endless Eight," is all about the last two weeks of summer vacation and how the SOS Brigade spends them. "The Day of Sagittarius" is a showdown between the Computer Research Society and the SOS Brigade. In order to win back the computer that Suzumiya Haruhi blackmailed them out of, the Computer Club's president challenges the SOS Brigade to a battle using a computer game he and his club members designed. "Snow Mountain Syndrome" is basically "Lone Island Syndrome Part II." The SOS Brigade goes to spend the last few days of December at Tsuruya-san's family's mountain lodge. While Tsuruya-san and Kyon's little sister stay behind to make snowmen, Haruhi leads her brigade out for skiing. However, they get caught in a mysterious blizzard and end up finding an empty mansion. From there, events become puzzling and even creepy.
What I thought: "Endless Eight" was a fun enough story, but the other two stories are the ones I really enjoyed. "The Day of Sagittarius" is a fun story with action and conflict. We get to see some character development for Nagato, and the Computer Research Society is just a fun foil for Haruhi and her brigade. "Snow Mountain Syndrome" is really a good story, though. It includes Tsuruya and Kyon's little sister, for one thing, and for another, it's got plenty of mystery and suspense to it. The abandoned mansion is chock-full of strange happenings, and you're bound to feel just as edgy as Kyon as events unfold. There's also some good development for Nagato and Haruhi in this one, too.
Overall: "Snow Mountain Syndrome" is one of my favorite stories in this series, so for that alone, I rank this novel pretty highly.
Author: Tanigawa Nagaru
What it's about: This is another volume with a couple of short stories. The first, "Endless Eight," is all about the last two weeks of summer vacation and how the SOS Brigade spends them. "The Day of Sagittarius" is a showdown between the Computer Research Society and the SOS Brigade. In order to win back the computer that Suzumiya Haruhi blackmailed them out of, the Computer Club's president challenges the SOS Brigade to a battle using a computer game he and his club members designed. "Snow Mountain Syndrome" is basically "Lone Island Syndrome Part II." The SOS Brigade goes to spend the last few days of December at Tsuruya-san's family's mountain lodge. While Tsuruya-san and Kyon's little sister stay behind to make snowmen, Haruhi leads her brigade out for skiing. However, they get caught in a mysterious blizzard and end up finding an empty mansion. From there, events become puzzling and even creepy.
What I thought: "Endless Eight" was a fun enough story, but the other two stories are the ones I really enjoyed. "The Day of Sagittarius" is a fun story with action and conflict. We get to see some character development for Nagato, and the Computer Research Society is just a fun foil for Haruhi and her brigade. "Snow Mountain Syndrome" is really a good story, though. It includes Tsuruya and Kyon's little sister, for one thing, and for another, it's got plenty of mystery and suspense to it. The abandoned mansion is chock-full of strange happenings, and you're bound to feel just as edgy as Kyon as events unfold. There's also some good development for Nagato and Haruhi in this one, too.
Overall: "Snow Mountain Syndrome" is one of my favorite stories in this series, so for that alone, I rank this novel pretty highly.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
The Disappearance of Suzumiya Haruhi
Title: The Disappearance of Suzumiya Haruhi
Author: Tanigawa Nagaru
What it's about: Christmas is approaching, and Suzumiya Haruhi wants to celebrate with the SOS Brigade. However, December 18th rolls around, and Kyon finds himself in a decidedly un-merry position. Nothing is as he remembers it. Haruhi and Koizumi no longer attend North High, Asahina-san has no recollection of him, and Nagato is a normal, shy bookworm. Now it's up to Kyon to figure out a way to restore the universe to how it was previously - if he even wants to.
What I thought: In contrast to The Boredom of Suzumiya Haruhi, this book is one full story, and it's a good one. It's got a mysterious feel to it, and it's pretty neat to see the SOS Brigade members in the other universe, acting how they would if Suzumiya Haruhi had never blown into their lives. Another neat thing is getting to see how Kyon's view of the SOS Brigade and its leader has changed since Haruhi first formed the club. There's also good personality development for Nagato, as well as development for the mysterious time-traveling events stemming from Tanabata three years ago.
Overall: As far as the Suzumiya Haruhi books go, this is an especially good one.
Author: Tanigawa Nagaru
What it's about: Christmas is approaching, and Suzumiya Haruhi wants to celebrate with the SOS Brigade. However, December 18th rolls around, and Kyon finds himself in a decidedly un-merry position. Nothing is as he remembers it. Haruhi and Koizumi no longer attend North High, Asahina-san has no recollection of him, and Nagato is a normal, shy bookworm. Now it's up to Kyon to figure out a way to restore the universe to how it was previously - if he even wants to.
What I thought: In contrast to The Boredom of Suzumiya Haruhi, this book is one full story, and it's a good one. It's got a mysterious feel to it, and it's pretty neat to see the SOS Brigade members in the other universe, acting how they would if Suzumiya Haruhi had never blown into their lives. Another neat thing is getting to see how Kyon's view of the SOS Brigade and its leader has changed since Haruhi first formed the club. There's also good personality development for Nagato, as well as development for the mysterious time-traveling events stemming from Tanabata three years ago.
Overall: As far as the Suzumiya Haruhi books go, this is an especially good one.
The Boredom of Suzumiya Haruhi
Title: The Boredom of Suzumiya Haruhi
Author: Tanigawa Nagaru
What it's about: Kyon, Haruhi, and the rest of the SOS Brigade return for more adventures. This book is set between Melancholy and Sighs, chronologically speaking. It's made up of four short stories. "The Boredom of Suzumiya Haruhi" is about the SOS Brigade entering a baseball tournament, which "Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody" is about the SOS Brigade celebrating Tanabata, a Japanese festival. "Mystérique Sign" is a short adventure wherein someone actually comes to the SOS Brigade for help with a problem, which turns out to be more than Kyon and the others bargained for. "Lone Island Syndrome" is a longer story. Haruhi decides that the SOS Brigade will go on a field trip over the summer break, and so Koizumi invites them to stay at a relative's mansion on an isolated island. While there, Haruhi's desire for murder mystery excitement takes a deadly turn.
What I thought: One interesting thing about this volume is that we start to see a little more of Haruhi's personality besides her crazy enthusiasm. "Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody" and "Lone Island Syndrome" both show a bit of her more vulnerable, melancholy side. We also get to see a bit of development for Nagato. Kyon notes a couple times that she seems lonely or that she might possibly be trying to make jokes. As far as Asahina-san goes, she gets a bit of character development, too, but more importantly, we get to see some plot-developing time travel. That's something important about this volume and "Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody" in particular, we get more development for the overarching plot of the series.
Overall: These stories are all very interesting. The Boredom of Suzumiya Haruhi is a good read.
Author: Tanigawa Nagaru
What it's about: Kyon, Haruhi, and the rest of the SOS Brigade return for more adventures. This book is set between Melancholy and Sighs, chronologically speaking. It's made up of four short stories. "The Boredom of Suzumiya Haruhi" is about the SOS Brigade entering a baseball tournament, which "Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody" is about the SOS Brigade celebrating Tanabata, a Japanese festival. "Mystérique Sign" is a short adventure wherein someone actually comes to the SOS Brigade for help with a problem, which turns out to be more than Kyon and the others bargained for. "Lone Island Syndrome" is a longer story. Haruhi decides that the SOS Brigade will go on a field trip over the summer break, and so Koizumi invites them to stay at a relative's mansion on an isolated island. While there, Haruhi's desire for murder mystery excitement takes a deadly turn.
What I thought: One interesting thing about this volume is that we start to see a little more of Haruhi's personality besides her crazy enthusiasm. "Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody" and "Lone Island Syndrome" both show a bit of her more vulnerable, melancholy side. We also get to see a bit of development for Nagato. Kyon notes a couple times that she seems lonely or that she might possibly be trying to make jokes. As far as Asahina-san goes, she gets a bit of character development, too, but more importantly, we get to see some plot-developing time travel. That's something important about this volume and "Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody" in particular, we get more development for the overarching plot of the series.
Overall: These stories are all very interesting. The Boredom of Suzumiya Haruhi is a good read.
Friday, May 9, 2008
The Sighs of Suzumiya Haruhi
Title: The Sighs of Suzumiya Haruhi
Author: Nagaru Tanigawa
What it's about: Suzumiya Haruhi gets the idea to make a movie for the school's cultural festival, and she drags Kyon and the others into it. Haruhi charges into the matter with her usual enthusiasm, and as she pushes for excellence, the lines between fiction and reality start blurring, much to the dismay of the four other Brigade members, especially Kyon, as Koizumi tells Kyon that he's responsible for making sure Haruhi doesn't cause any permanent damage to the world.
What I thought: This is where you really get a sense of Haruhi's powers and her craziness. Some of the things she comes up with are really just hysterical. More of the mystery surrounding Haruhi and her powers is discussed, too. I dunno, this book was never as interesting to me as some of the others. It's still very good, though, and it continues the story of Haruhi, Kyon, and the SOS Brigade.
Overall: If you liked The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi, continue on and read this book.
Author: Nagaru Tanigawa
What it's about: Suzumiya Haruhi gets the idea to make a movie for the school's cultural festival, and she drags Kyon and the others into it. Haruhi charges into the matter with her usual enthusiasm, and as she pushes for excellence, the lines between fiction and reality start blurring, much to the dismay of the four other Brigade members, especially Kyon, as Koizumi tells Kyon that he's responsible for making sure Haruhi doesn't cause any permanent damage to the world.
What I thought: This is where you really get a sense of Haruhi's powers and her craziness. Some of the things she comes up with are really just hysterical. More of the mystery surrounding Haruhi and her powers is discussed, too. I dunno, this book was never as interesting to me as some of the others. It's still very good, though, and it continues the story of Haruhi, Kyon, and the SOS Brigade.
Overall: If you liked The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi, continue on and read this book.
The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi
Title: The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi
Author: Nagaru Tanigawa
What it's about: Kyon is an ordinary Japanese high school student. He knows that aliens, time travelers, ghosts, sliders, espers, and the like don't exist. But on high first day of high school, the girl sitting behind him, Suzumiya Haruhi, declares she has no interest in normal humans but that if there are any aliens, time travelers, sliders, or espers, they should come find her. After this, Haruhi joins and quits every club in the school, proclaiming them all to be too boring. Kyon accidentally gives her the idea to create a club of her own to fill the void, and with that the SOS Brigade is born. Along with Kyon, Haruhi recruits Nagato Yuki, a quiet bookworm belonging to the literary club and whose clubroom the SOS Brigade takes over, Asahina Mikuru, a cute upperclassman, and Koizumi Itsuki, a charming transfer student. With these four as her subordinates, Haruhi intends to find mysteries and fun to relieve the boredom of normal life. However, what she doesn't know and what Kyon, our narrator, finds out is that the other three members of the SOS Brigade are more than they seem, as is Haruhi herself.
What I thought: First off, the narration style is quite unique. Kyon has a very interesting way of describing things, using lots of metaphors and references. Another oddity of this is that there are occasional lines of narration and internal monologue that seem to be heard by the other characters. It can be a little confusing at first, but it adds a level of interest once you realize that it's not a mistake. The characters themselves are great. Kyon is a good, normal straight man, and you sympathize for him whenever Haruhi drags him into some stupid situation. Haruhi herself is a really interesting character. Despite being the title character, we don't really get to see what she's thinking at all; we only see what Kyon observes and postulates about her. She's quite a larger-than-life character, though, with her wild stunts, eccentricities, and fancies. You can't help being taken with her for that reason. Asahina-san, Nagato, and Koizumi are also similarly well-developed characters, Asahina-san and Nagato especially. Another point to praise is the development of the plot through this book and the rest of the novels. Despite being mainly full of silliness, there is a surprisingly deep and entertaining plot involving a lot of science-fiction elements. The hidden agendas of Asahina-san, Nagato, and Koizumi are good illustrations of this.
Overall: This book, the rest of the Suzumiya Haruhi novels, and the anime series based on the books are all extremely excellent. Here is where you can find all the Suzumiya Haruhi novels online to read. They've not been translated to English in any official capacity, so fan translations online are all that English-reading fans have. However, the translations are pretty good quality.
Author: Nagaru Tanigawa
What it's about: Kyon is an ordinary Japanese high school student. He knows that aliens, time travelers, ghosts, sliders, espers, and the like don't exist. But on high first day of high school, the girl sitting behind him, Suzumiya Haruhi, declares she has no interest in normal humans but that if there are any aliens, time travelers, sliders, or espers, they should come find her. After this, Haruhi joins and quits every club in the school, proclaiming them all to be too boring. Kyon accidentally gives her the idea to create a club of her own to fill the void, and with that the SOS Brigade is born. Along with Kyon, Haruhi recruits Nagato Yuki, a quiet bookworm belonging to the literary club and whose clubroom the SOS Brigade takes over, Asahina Mikuru, a cute upperclassman, and Koizumi Itsuki, a charming transfer student. With these four as her subordinates, Haruhi intends to find mysteries and fun to relieve the boredom of normal life. However, what she doesn't know and what Kyon, our narrator, finds out is that the other three members of the SOS Brigade are more than they seem, as is Haruhi herself.
What I thought: First off, the narration style is quite unique. Kyon has a very interesting way of describing things, using lots of metaphors and references. Another oddity of this is that there are occasional lines of narration and internal monologue that seem to be heard by the other characters. It can be a little confusing at first, but it adds a level of interest once you realize that it's not a mistake. The characters themselves are great. Kyon is a good, normal straight man, and you sympathize for him whenever Haruhi drags him into some stupid situation. Haruhi herself is a really interesting character. Despite being the title character, we don't really get to see what she's thinking at all; we only see what Kyon observes and postulates about her. She's quite a larger-than-life character, though, with her wild stunts, eccentricities, and fancies. You can't help being taken with her for that reason. Asahina-san, Nagato, and Koizumi are also similarly well-developed characters, Asahina-san and Nagato especially. Another point to praise is the development of the plot through this book and the rest of the novels. Despite being mainly full of silliness, there is a surprisingly deep and entertaining plot involving a lot of science-fiction elements. The hidden agendas of Asahina-san, Nagato, and Koizumi are good illustrations of this.
Overall: This book, the rest of the Suzumiya Haruhi novels, and the anime series based on the books are all extremely excellent. Here is where you can find all the Suzumiya Haruhi novels online to read. They've not been translated to English in any official capacity, so fan translations online are all that English-reading fans have. However, the translations are pretty good quality.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Rascal
So, finals are totally kicking my butt, as far as getting free time goes. That's the explanation for why updates are so infrequent, and I'm stickin' to it. But here's one book, anyway. I actually finished it Saturday, but I was too tired to post this then.
Title: Rascal
Author: Sterling North
What it's about: Rascal chronicles a year with Sterling and his pet raccoon, Rascal. It starts when Sterling takes home a raccoon kit and includes various events like trips into the wilderness, the trouble Rascal gets into, and the day Sterling brings Rascal to school.
What I thought: This really evokes a nostalgic feel of the good ol' days, which is something I look for in certain books. The descriptions are vivid and loving, and the adventures of Sterling and Rascal are written with the right touch of humor to keep them engaging. Though a book accessible to younger readers, everyone should be able to appreciate the simple pleasure of Rascal.
Overall: Let's call it short but sweet.
Title: Rascal
Author: Sterling North
What it's about: Rascal chronicles a year with Sterling and his pet raccoon, Rascal. It starts when Sterling takes home a raccoon kit and includes various events like trips into the wilderness, the trouble Rascal gets into, and the day Sterling brings Rascal to school.
What I thought: This really evokes a nostalgic feel of the good ol' days, which is something I look for in certain books. The descriptions are vivid and loving, and the adventures of Sterling and Rascal are written with the right touch of humor to keep them engaging. Though a book accessible to younger readers, everyone should be able to appreciate the simple pleasure of Rascal.
Overall: Let's call it short but sweet.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Things Hoped For
Title: Things Hoped For
Author: Andrew Clements
What it's about: Gwen's a high school senior who loves to play the violin. She stays with her grandfather in New York so she can attend a music school and audition for colleges. One day, a few days before her college auditions, Gwen comes home to find her grandfather missing. He's left her a message telling her not to worry and not to let anyone know he's gone. Gwen tries to go about her days as usual, and she meets Robert, a trumpet player who is also in town for music college auditions. Gwen and Robert stick together over the coming days, which include a prying great-uncle, an mysterious creeper, and a whole lotta self-discovery for Gwen.
What I thought: Written with an easy style from the view of a sympathetic narrator, this book really makes music resonate with someone like me who has never really connected with the practice of playing a musical instrument. For all Gwen's a flawed character, like any good character in a novel should be, she's utterly likable. Robert is the protagonist of Clements' earlier book Things Not Seen, and it's interesting to see him portrayed from another character's point of view. The prose is rather musical in its way, too, and has a very easy, comfortable feeling that makes reading this book feel heartwarming.
Overall: This is a good book, and if you're a fan of classical music, you'll especially enjoy this. Matty, if you end up reading this review ever, check out Things Hoped For.
Author: Andrew Clements
What it's about: Gwen's a high school senior who loves to play the violin. She stays with her grandfather in New York so she can attend a music school and audition for colleges. One day, a few days before her college auditions, Gwen comes home to find her grandfather missing. He's left her a message telling her not to worry and not to let anyone know he's gone. Gwen tries to go about her days as usual, and she meets Robert, a trumpet player who is also in town for music college auditions. Gwen and Robert stick together over the coming days, which include a prying great-uncle, an mysterious creeper, and a whole lotta self-discovery for Gwen.
What I thought: Written with an easy style from the view of a sympathetic narrator, this book really makes music resonate with someone like me who has never really connected with the practice of playing a musical instrument. For all Gwen's a flawed character, like any good character in a novel should be, she's utterly likable. Robert is the protagonist of Clements' earlier book Things Not Seen, and it's interesting to see him portrayed from another character's point of view. The prose is rather musical in its way, too, and has a very easy, comfortable feeling that makes reading this book feel heartwarming.
Overall: This is a good book, and if you're a fan of classical music, you'll especially enjoy this. Matty, if you end up reading this review ever, check out Things Hoped For.
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