**Hopefully this can be used as an argument for more than just Twilight fans to read Kristin Cashmore's beautiful, adventurous, and amazing novel, Graceling. But I figure if the Twilight fans get into it, that is a pretty big audience to start with.
So you've read Twilight, which is why I am talking to you. I know that not all Twilight fans are the same. Maybe you love everything that Stephanie Meyer creates, or maybe you hate Breaking Dawn (full disclosure, it's ridiculousness and Bella's character changes make it my favorite, maybe that makes me less credible). You've seen all the movies. Maybe you love every time Robert Pattinson walks on screen. Perhaps you're a New Moon fan and can't get enough Taylor Lautner. You may love Kristen Stewart and you may still be wondering my Summit did not cast you. Maybe James is still your favorite villain, but perhaps you can't get enough of the Volturi.
Now that I've accepted your many differences, I am going to make a couple of generalizations. You love the romance and the struggle and (even if you wished there had been a battle first) the happy ending. You love that this story includes supernatural elements, something beyond everyday life. My hope is that you kind of wished that Bella could have gotten it together enough to maintain some sanity without Edward. Because true love is great, but there is a little more to life. And you wish that Edward would loosen up a little. And be less of a creeper. But not too much.
I want you to read Graceling, by Kristin Cashmore. Because Bella & Edward's story (flawed as I think it was, and as perfect as you might think it was) is done and you need that kind of page turning romance and adventure. But I think you should go with a heroine like Graceling's Katsa, who is fiercely independent and does not lose that, even when she falls madly in love. Love shouldn't drag people down, it should lift them up. Katsa's love, which is written in a way that makes it near impossible to put down, is beautiful and passionate and powerful, but it is not the whole story. She is complex and her life is complicated. Sometime after her birth she developed a grace (which anyone can tell by looking at her two different colored eyes, the sign of a grace) that could be manipulated by her uncle the king. Katsa's grace is killing, but she comes to realize that she is so much more than just this one thing.
Everyone else is telling you to read The Hunger Games, and you should, because it's wonderful. But for those who really want that intense romantic element, I say give Graceling chance. And it's got plenty of action and adventure and independent chick power for everyone else.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Thursday, October 7, 2010
No pare, sigue, sigue...
Paciencia y fe!
Paciencia - I've patiently waited over three years since first seeing a performance from this show on the Tony's until In the Heights finally came to Seattle.
Fe - I had faith that despite my high expectations I would be entertained and moved.
Well, as Abuela Claudia made clear, you will not go wrong with paciencia y fe. I left the theatre convinced that I would be happy to see this show every night of its three week run. I had to settle for twice, although I do have a few days to try and get one more in. Not since I saw Rent at 17 years old had I anticipated a show so much. I had the soundtrack memorized, and that soundtrack could move me to tears. My expectations were so high that I was terrified the show or the performers would leave me disappointed. Sometimes when you listen to a soundtrack from the original, brilliant Broadway performance, the touring cast comes up short. This was absolutely not the case. Even those performers who fell short of the originals still brought enough talent and heart to their rolls, and all of my favorite characters were exhuberant. Sonny was funny and endearing, Nina's pain was real and relatable and her voice was outstanding, Camila was a force, and Abuela Claudia was the glue that held the neighborhood together. Benny was ripped and talented, Graffiti Pete's moves stood out, Daniela was sassy, Carla was ditzy, and we fell in love with Usnavi right along with Vanessa. I'm missing a few, but I maintain, no one disappointed.
With themes of home and family and love, and a soundtrack that takes classic broadway and adds some latin hip hop you absolutely cannot go wrong, and they don't. Go see this show, wherever you are, whenever it comes your way.
And then raise your flag.
Paciencia - I've patiently waited over three years since first seeing a performance from this show on the Tony's until In the Heights finally came to Seattle.
Fe - I had faith that despite my high expectations I would be entertained and moved.
Well, as Abuela Claudia made clear, you will not go wrong with paciencia y fe. I left the theatre convinced that I would be happy to see this show every night of its three week run. I had to settle for twice, although I do have a few days to try and get one more in. Not since I saw Rent at 17 years old had I anticipated a show so much. I had the soundtrack memorized, and that soundtrack could move me to tears. My expectations were so high that I was terrified the show or the performers would leave me disappointed. Sometimes when you listen to a soundtrack from the original, brilliant Broadway performance, the touring cast comes up short. This was absolutely not the case. Even those performers who fell short of the originals still brought enough talent and heart to their rolls, and all of my favorite characters were exhuberant. Sonny was funny and endearing, Nina's pain was real and relatable and her voice was outstanding, Camila was a force, and Abuela Claudia was the glue that held the neighborhood together. Benny was ripped and talented, Graffiti Pete's moves stood out, Daniela was sassy, Carla was ditzy, and we fell in love with Usnavi right along with Vanessa. I'm missing a few, but I maintain, no one disappointed.
With themes of home and family and love, and a soundtrack that takes classic broadway and adds some latin hip hop you absolutely cannot go wrong, and they don't. Go see this show, wherever you are, whenever it comes your way.
And then raise your flag.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Can you grok this?
When I started Stranger in a Strange Land I was instantly fascinated. I had to move past the fact that it's now 2010 and we know there is no one on Mars and that for a senario similar to this book to exist it would have to involve not Martians, but a life form on a planet much farther away. It has its moments of sexism and homophobia, but so did the majority of the population in the 60s. In my interpretation highlighting these, and many other, flaws in our society was a big part of the book's purpose. Getting beyond that the story is instantly gripping and written in a way that is very accessible, most of the time. A human, born off planet and raised by Martians has now returned to Earth. There is government scandal, a great escape, and apparently this guy can "discorporate" people and things. We learn right along with Mike, the Man from Mars, all the things that humans take for granted and what elements of our society are a little difficult to comprehend.
We move along as Mike learns from Jubal, Jill, and all his other water brothers (Martian appreciation for water would make activists incredibly proud). And then he tries to comprehend the most bizaare concept of our society, religion. He studies and attends services. He talks to people and tries to understand why there are all these different understandings of the world. Ultimately Mike creates his own "church" which is part 60s love cult and part, well, kind of what I imagine Scientology to be. I must admit that I don't know all that much about Scientology, but I do know that the "founder" (L. Ron Hubbard) of this celebrity-loved religion is a science fiction writer and a contemporary of Heinlein. A quick internet search told me that the rumors surrounding the legend that Hubbard made up Scientology, just to see if he could, actually involved a bet between Heinlein and Hubbard to see who could get more money from a relgion they created. Well, Hubbard won, but I probably still won't read Dian3tics anytime soon. That said, Mike's "religion" in Stranger in a Strange Land is not exactly a religion and is supposedly compatable with all the world's major relgions, which ever you prefer. As I understand it, this is also true of Scientology. I would have to do more research on the topic to better grasp all of this, but I did think it was very interesting.
Regardless of Heinlein's intentions with regard to creating a religion, his critique, or more, analysis of society is riveting. I think that while looking at how Mike must see our world is enlightening, my favorite insights come from Jubal. This is a character who is constantly changing up his arguments to play devil's advocates, seeming to talk in circles at times. However it seems his true purpose is to make whoever he is talking to, and the reader, see all sides of an issue and to comprehend that nothing is as simple as it first seems. Through Jubal Heinlein highlights to complexities of our world, and is occaisionally able to boil them down to the simplest, most important elements at the same time.
And then it ends, with (spoiler) the new icon sacrificing himself for his cause, which seems to be bringing people to a higher understanding about themselves and the world.
Science Fiction is so intense. Double Rainbow intense. I'm still trying to grok it all, but Heinlein's most famous novel is definitely worth a read.
We move along as Mike learns from Jubal, Jill, and all his other water brothers (Martian appreciation for water would make activists incredibly proud). And then he tries to comprehend the most bizaare concept of our society, religion. He studies and attends services. He talks to people and tries to understand why there are all these different understandings of the world. Ultimately Mike creates his own "church" which is part 60s love cult and part, well, kind of what I imagine Scientology to be. I must admit that I don't know all that much about Scientology, but I do know that the "founder" (L. Ron Hubbard) of this celebrity-loved religion is a science fiction writer and a contemporary of Heinlein. A quick internet search told me that the rumors surrounding the legend that Hubbard made up Scientology, just to see if he could, actually involved a bet between Heinlein and Hubbard to see who could get more money from a relgion they created. Well, Hubbard won, but I probably still won't read Dian3tics anytime soon. That said, Mike's "religion" in Stranger in a Strange Land is not exactly a religion and is supposedly compatable with all the world's major relgions, which ever you prefer. As I understand it, this is also true of Scientology. I would have to do more research on the topic to better grasp all of this, but I did think it was very interesting.
Regardless of Heinlein's intentions with regard to creating a religion, his critique, or more, analysis of society is riveting. I think that while looking at how Mike must see our world is enlightening, my favorite insights come from Jubal. This is a character who is constantly changing up his arguments to play devil's advocates, seeming to talk in circles at times. However it seems his true purpose is to make whoever he is talking to, and the reader, see all sides of an issue and to comprehend that nothing is as simple as it first seems. Through Jubal Heinlein highlights to complexities of our world, and is occaisionally able to boil them down to the simplest, most important elements at the same time.
And then it ends, with (spoiler) the new icon sacrificing himself for his cause, which seems to be bringing people to a higher understanding about themselves and the world.
Science Fiction is so intense. Double Rainbow intense. I'm still trying to grok it all, but Heinlein's most famous novel is definitely worth a read.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Geektastic was... well... geektastic!
I have been using the library lately. A lot. My stack of books is a little overwhelming and I may end up paying a couple bucks in late fees because I got a few too many books at a time. But that's okay, I mean the library could use some additional funds right now.
Anyhow, I'm almost done with the incredible Stranger in a Strange Land and promise to tell all about water brothers and grokking once I finish and grok that, but first I wanted to tell you how amazing Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd - edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci - was. This young adult (although appreciated by geeks and nerds of all ages) anthology is brilliantly written and covers a huge range of nerdy topics. Even when the subject was cosplay or something else that I have very limited knowledge of, the themes were universal. These talented geeky authors will have any reader ready to fly their geek flag, no matter what is on it. Each one taught a slightly different lesson, so here's the short version of what I got from each:
From Holly Black & Cecil Castellucci we learn that it is possible for a Jedi and a Klingon to find love.
From Tracy Lynn we learn that given the correct training and the willingness to open her mind, even the head cheerleader can appreciate geeks.
From Scott Westerfeld we learn about the good/evil, law/chaos scale, and contemplated where we might fall on it.
From Cassandra Clare we learn that the guy online may not be what you expect, but that doesn't mean that you won't still find something amazing.
From M.T. Anderson we learn that parents are more complicated than generally given credit for.
From Cynthia & Greg Leitich Smith we learn to give Dawn Summers a little more credit, and to see that we probably relate more to her than we realize.
From David Levithan we learn that Quiz Bowl varsity jackets are incredibly contentious.
From Garth Nix we learn we really love the strong silent knight type, but it's even better if he speaks now and then, no matter what his voice may sound like.
From Lisa Yee we learn that when using baton twirling to make friends you may want to add some fire.
From Kelly Link we learn that lying online causes complicated trips to NYC and should probably not be encouraged.
From John Green we learn that bullies only have bullying, and nerds have all kinds of awesome nerdy stuff.
From Barry Lyga we learn that you should not mess with Dino girl.
From Sara Zarr we learn that sometimes you have to take risks to stand out, but that it may not be the healthiest form of therapy.
From Wendy Mass we learn that competition can be healthy, but you also have to know when to step back and just look at the stars.
And from Libba Bray we learned that it's the pelvic thrust that really drives you insane.
Okay, so if you read it you'll get a whole lot more than that out of it, but you have to read it first.
Seriously.
Stop what you're doing and go to the bookstore or the library and get it.
You're still here?
I'm done with you now.
Anyhow, I'm almost done with the incredible Stranger in a Strange Land and promise to tell all about water brothers and grokking once I finish and grok that, but first I wanted to tell you how amazing Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd - edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci - was. This young adult (although appreciated by geeks and nerds of all ages) anthology is brilliantly written and covers a huge range of nerdy topics. Even when the subject was cosplay or something else that I have very limited knowledge of, the themes were universal. These talented geeky authors will have any reader ready to fly their geek flag, no matter what is on it. Each one taught a slightly different lesson, so here's the short version of what I got from each:
From Holly Black & Cecil Castellucci we learn that it is possible for a Jedi and a Klingon to find love.
From Tracy Lynn we learn that given the correct training and the willingness to open her mind, even the head cheerleader can appreciate geeks.
From Scott Westerfeld we learn about the good/evil, law/chaos scale, and contemplated where we might fall on it.
From Cassandra Clare we learn that the guy online may not be what you expect, but that doesn't mean that you won't still find something amazing.
From M.T. Anderson we learn that parents are more complicated than generally given credit for.
From Cynthia & Greg Leitich Smith we learn to give Dawn Summers a little more credit, and to see that we probably relate more to her than we realize.
From David Levithan we learn that Quiz Bowl varsity jackets are incredibly contentious.
From Garth Nix we learn we really love the strong silent knight type, but it's even better if he speaks now and then, no matter what his voice may sound like.
From Lisa Yee we learn that when using baton twirling to make friends you may want to add some fire.
From Kelly Link we learn that lying online causes complicated trips to NYC and should probably not be encouraged.
From John Green we learn that bullies only have bullying, and nerds have all kinds of awesome nerdy stuff.
From Barry Lyga we learn that you should not mess with Dino girl.
From Sara Zarr we learn that sometimes you have to take risks to stand out, but that it may not be the healthiest form of therapy.
From Wendy Mass we learn that competition can be healthy, but you also have to know when to step back and just look at the stars.
And from Libba Bray we learned that it's the pelvic thrust that really drives you insane.
Okay, so if you read it you'll get a whole lot more than that out of it, but you have to read it first.
Seriously.
Stop what you're doing and go to the bookstore or the library and get it.
You're still here?
I'm done with you now.
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