Shakespeare's Daughter: Peter W. Hassinger

"Susanna Shakespeare finds the small town of Stratford-upon-Avon much too quiet and provincial.  She yearns to travel to London to see her father's world of players and poets, and to follow a secret dream of her own.  Once Susanna arrives in London, nothing is quite as she expected it to be--least of all her relationship with her famous father.  But propelled by her love for Thomas Cole, a Catholic chorister, and her desire to sing, Susanna discovers that it is only with the support of those who love her that she has the strength to succeed.

"Screenwriter Peter W. Hassinger creates a Shakespearean tale rife with imagery and beauty that pays homage to the Bard himself."

I didn't realize it when I first picked up the book that this is a young adult novel.  I thought it was just a shorter adult book.  Still, I was extremely impressed!  When compared to another book I just read (see the depressing review just before this one), this book is BY FAR magnificently and remarkably better than some of the other material I've delved into as of late.  I was extremely impressed with the plot and the characters.  While the plot itself was a little bit heavy on the religious turmoil of the time--something I fear might put off some readers--the rest of the storyline more than makes up for it.  The language is lyrical and the descriptions are woven as if from magic.  Hassinger's background as a screenwriter is very evident in the eloquent manner in which he describes his characters' surroundings.  Though a YA book, this is definitely one to treasure.

The portrayal of William Shakespeare was definitely an interesting one and--though it's most assuredly a fanciful tale with contrived personalities of its characters--I took delight in witnessing Shakespeare's interactions with his children.  It was the children that made this story for me.  Their personalities were so touching and lifelike.  Their dialogue was charming.  I could picture them perfectly.  Even though anyone who knows about the life of William Shakespeare knows the tragedy that befalls his family, I was still touched by the loss they suffered.  It was extremely well-written and I tragically, morbidly beautiful.

While I very much enjoyed Susanna as a character, her actions were not always true to the time period. Now, one can argue that Susanna behaved the way she did because she's a great example for female readers of a strong young woman until he is blue in the face, but that does not necessarily mean I am willing to overlook the historical inaccuracies.  ***These aren't really spoilers, but I do discuss tiny bits of the story to prove my point.  Fair warning!***  Under NO circumstances would a Tudor-era father allow his daughter to flit around alone with a boy!  The informality between some of the characters also rubbed me the wrong way.  The interactions between Tom and Susanna were another issue I had.  Their lack of modesty and uncharacteristic behavior was not what they would have been raised to practice--not to mention a devout Catholic boy like Tom!

However, if one is willing to overlook the issues with some historical inaccuracies, this is a simply MAGICAL book.  I devoured it in about two days and I'm definitely giving it to my thirteen-year-old cousin tomorrow!  This book is a wonderful and quick read that I recommend.  It has Shakespeare, art, history, and amazing writing all rolled into one.  What's not to like?

Eragon (Eragon, Book One): Christopher Paolini

"One boy...

"One dragon...

"A world of adventure.

"When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter.  But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself.

"Overnight his simple life is shattered, and he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic, and power.  With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds.

"Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders?  The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands."

So, long story short, I went to review this book yesterday but had to stop when I realized that I'd forgotten to review another book that I'd finished a few months ago.  Now, I'm back to reviewing after quite a bit of a hiatus.  Many things contributed to this lack of posting, not the least of which was the words inside of this book...  While the first few chapters were alright, I quickly reached a point that I could hardly stand reading it!  Now, before I get angry comments from devoted fans, please give me a chance to explain my stance.

For several years I've been told from numerous sources how much I would like this book and I just never picked it up.  The plot seemed okay, but the premise was not my usual cup of tea.  Then, some time ago, I picked up Eragon at a book resale store...then it proceeded to sit on myself for months before I actually opened it.  Thought it had taken me a while to get to this book, my expectations were somewhat high after all of the hype from bookstores and fellow readers.

As I said before, the first few chapters were okay, but my interest quickly diminished and I was extremely put off by the writing style.  The novice abilities of the writer were made extremely evident in the blatant overuse of explanation and the constant inconsistencies in the formality of the language.  (Not to mention, half of the book was written in internal dialogue!  That's the cheapest way to create filler and description for a story.)  It was as if Paolini wanted to make sure he answered any and all questions the readers might have about any of the characters' actions, so he felt he had to unnecessarily repeat himself and describe every little interaction to the point of exhaustion.  Eragon didn't seem to know if he was a poor farmer or a hero-in-training.  His mannerisms and language didn't always fit his character.  One of the biggest problems I had with Eragon was that I just didn't care about him!  He was too perfect and too good.  He  didn't have any flaws, which made him entirely flat.  He was so similar to many of the old characters in some of the first children's literature.  He always made the right choice, he preached good examples to others, and he was purely and entirely good.  In other words, the character of Eragon was BOOOORING!!!  There was no personality other than the flat one you would expect from a very basic character created to be an example for children rather than one they can relate to.  Essentially, the only thing that makes Eragon different from Abbott's "Rollo" was that Eragon rode a dragon.  He was just about as interesting and exciting as a character created purely with the intent to help children decide between "good" and "bad."

Before I get a hundred comments telling me that I don't know what I'm talking about when I discuss and critique children's literature, let me say that it was my minor and I've taught a Children's Literature course to college students where the head of the college's English department deferred to my knowledge of the topic.  That is partially why I read this book--I like to read popular modern children's literature to compare and contrast and see how literature has evolved.  I have to say that Eragon was a bit of a step back from a lot of other books I've read.  Just because you graduated school early, your parents own a small publishing company, and you think you know what you're doing when you write does NOT mean you should.  Sorry.  That's the harsh truth.  You may say that all of the book sales don't agree with my opinion, but just because Gossip Girl and books about farting dogs make sales does not mean it's literature that is worth our child's time.  There are so many better choices that will captivate and enrich our children's minds and expand their horizons.

I hate to say it, but I'm not recommending this book.  The only reason I finished it was because I cannot stand to leave a book half-done.  With its flat characters and less than thrilling writing, I have to say something I've never had to say before:  I won't be reading the rest of this series.  It's just not worth my time.

Red Dragon (Hannibal Lecter, Book Three): Thomas Harris

"Before The Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal, there was Red Dragon, the book that introduced Hannibal Lecter to the world.  Hailed on its arrival by The Washington Post Book World as "the scariest book of the season" and by Newsday as "crime novel of the year," Red Dragon is for all time "and unforgettable thriller with equal parts of horror and suspense" (New York Daily News). In Red Dragon, Thomas Harris leads you on a journey into a madman's mind:  a reverberating torture chamber where Francis Dolarhyde is both monster and victim; a furnace of devouring memory where man and dragon can coexist only by constant vigilance and blood sacrifice."

I thought I'd reviewed this book months ago and was just writing my review for another book when I saw that I somehow forgot to do this one!

Anyone who read my review for Hannibal Rising knows how much I enjoy the Hannibal series.  I was so excited to pick up one of Harris' books again.  I saw the film adaptation of this book many times before I read the hard copy, so my expectations were high.  Harris did not disappoint.  The characters were strong and complex.  The plot was dramatic and dark without crossing the line into cliche.  Dolarhyde was frighteningly real and his crimes were unbelievably heinous.  The little snippets of Hannibal Lecter's input were a tantalizing taste of the sinister genius that I love (in a twisted literary way) from the previous stories.  Though I do give this book a good review and I definitely recommend it, I did not love it quite as much as I loved reading Hannibal Rising.  To be honest, I believe this is only because there was not as much Lecter and not because there was something lacking from the story itself.  I think I'm forever wrecked because of the truly haunting story that was told in Rising.

As for those of you who are wondering how similar this book was to the film, I'll only say that I am happy with some of the changes Hollywood made and others were much better conveyed in the story.  I won't give away anymore spoilers, so you'll have to go pick it up for yourself.  (Sorry!  I know I usually provide more of a book-to-film analysis for something like this, but the movie adaptations of Harris' works really need to be witnessed first-hand.)