108. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

108. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. J.K. Rowling. 2003. 912 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars] [mg fiction; mg fantasy; series book]

First sentence: The hottest day of the summer so far was drawing to a close and a drowsy silence lay over the large, square houses of Privet Drive.

ETA for 2025: I am listening to the Harry Potter series on audio book narrated by Stephen Fry. Is this a long book? YES. Is it a very long book? Also YES. Am I attached to the characters? VERY MUCH SO. If the book gets tedious it's because some of the characters are tedious, if that makes sense. I do sometimes feel that Harry Potter is insufferable at times. His attitude, I mean, particularly when it comes to friendships and "dating" if you will. But I am liking this one more each time I reread it.

Premise/plot: Harry Potter and his friends struggle to keep things together as a new year at Hogwarts begins. Lord You-Know-Who has returned. But the Ministry of Magic (among others) are determined to bury their heads in the sand. (Perhaps because they are more involved with You-Know-Who than they'd like to admit. Perhaps because they would rather believe that Harry Potter (and company, the Order of the Phoenix) is lying than that HE has returned. You could argue either.) The staff and students are on high alert--namely from Dolores Umbridge (and those whom she represents as High Inquisitor). The year won't be easy. The foundation of Hogwarts is being shaken about. 

Meanwhile, Harry Potter is continuing to have dreams and visions. His scar is still bothering him. He's beginning to realize that he and You-Know-Who share an unbreakable bond. 

My thoughts: It is so easy to feel overwhelmed by the weight of the books in these series. The pacing is all over the place for me. On the one hand, the books never fail to have about one hundred pages of the most intense, fast-paced, action-packed DRAMA. On the other hand, so much time is spent getting to that point. Like you've got eight plus months of more mundane chronicling of school life--always taking a chapter or two for the Christmas holidays--and then BOOM end of school year, BIG show down. In the middle of the book, I'm always am I sure I want to keep reading. At the end of the book, it's like this is why I do keep reading. 

Lighter moments are definitely getting harder to come by. ETA: I am rereading the series. I definitely appreciated this one MUCH more the second time around. I have all the feels for the ending of this one. The last half of the book is SO intense and emotional. Sirius Black is one of my favorite characters. This one does feature some big reveals--for those reading it the first time around. 

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

96. How To Train Your Dragon

96. How To Train Your Dragon. Cressida Cowell. 2003. 214 pages. [Source: Library] [audio book, 3 stars, children's fantasy]

First sentence: A Note from the Author: There were dragons when I was a boy.

Premise/plot: Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third is the 'hero' of Cressida Cowell's How To Train Your Dragon. He's the son of a chief, a viking, but among his peers--among anyone really--he's not the strongest, brightest, best. The novel opens with him hoping that he can manage to steal a baby dragon--any kind of dragon. He ends up with the smallest dragon anyone has ever seen. And the training manual isn't all that helpful. The book merely says: YELL AT YOUR DRAGON. THE END. Is there a better way? Will Hiccup get thrown out of his clan?

My thoughts: The book is nothing like the movie of the same name. NOTHING. I was actually disappointed that the book is so very different from the movie. (I really liked the characters from the movie and the premise of the movie.) That being said, I did like it. There were a few scenes that were enjoyable. I wish I'd not had the movie to compare it to.

ETA: I listened to this on audio in August 2025. The narrator was David Tennant. I thought he did an excellent job narrating the book. 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

42. Inkheart

 Inkheart. Cornelia Funke. 2003. 563 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, MG fantasy, Mg Fiction]

First sentence: Rain felt that night, a fine, whispering rain. Many years later, Meggie had only to close her eyes and she could still hear it, like tiny fingers tapping on the window pane. 

Premise/plot: Meggie has been raised solely by her father, Mo--whom some call Silvertongue--since her mother's death. The two are incredibly close. Both love, love, love BOOKS. Though for some 'odd' reason, Mo won't read aloud to Meggie. Still until the mysterious appearance of Dustfinger--one rainy night--the two are happy and content. After mystery and adventure are sprung on them--as most adventures are in fantasy novels--well, these two will have quite the time trying to hold onto what they have: each other.

My thoughts: I first read this one in 2007. I never got around to the sequels. I hope to this time around. I was conflicted last time, and I still am in some ways. I think the book suffers from uneven pacing. The first third--the pacing was excellent. The last third--the pacing was fantastic. The middle third, well, this book is LONG and it isn't always as tightly paced as it could be. I think the story itself is intriguing and compelling. It could just use a little trimming here and there to keep readers at the actual edge of their seats. 

I am going to try to watch the movie as well.

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

77. Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. J.K. Rowling. 2003. 912 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars] [mg fiction; mg fantasy; series book]

First sentence: The hottest day of the summer so far was drawing to a close and a drowsy silence lay over the large, square houses of Privet Drive.

Premise/plot: Harry Potter and his friends struggle to keep things together as a new year at Hogwarts begins. Lord You-Know-Who has returned. But the Ministry of Magic (among others) are determined to bury their heads in the sand. (Perhaps because they are more involved with You-Know-Who than they'd like to admit. Perhaps because they would rather believe that Harry Potter (and company, the Order of the Phoenix) is lying than that HE has returned. You could argue either.) The staff and students are on high alert--namely from Dolores Umbridge (and those whom she represents as High Inquisitor). The year won't be easy. The foundation of Hogwarts is being shaken about. 

Meanwhile, Harry Potter is continuing to have dreams and visions. His scar is still bothering him. He's beginning to realize that he and You-Know-Who share an unbreakable bond. 

My thoughts: It is so easy to feel overwhelmed by the weight of the books in these series. The pacing is all over the place for me. On the one hand, the books never fail to have about one hundred pages of the most intense, fast-paced, action-packed DRAMA. On the other hand, so much time is spent getting to that point. Like you've got eight plus months of more mundane chronicling of school life--always taking a chapter or two for the Christmas holidays--and then BOOM end of school year, BIG show down. In the middle of the book, I'm always am I sure I want to keep reading. At the end of the book, it's like this is why I do keep reading. 

Lighter moments are definitely getting harder to come by.

ETA: I am rereading the series. I definitely appreciated this one MUCH more the second time around. I have all the feels for the ending of this one. The last half of the book is SO intense and emotional. Sirius Black is one of my favorite characters. This one does feature some big reveals--for those reading it the first time around. 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

65. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. J.K. Rowling. 2003. 912 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: The hottest day of the summer so far was drawing to a close and a drowsy silence lay over the large, square houses of Privet Drive.

Premise/plot: Harry Potter and his friends struggle to keep things together as a new year at Hogwarts begins. Lord You-Know-Who has returned. But the Ministry of Magic (among others) are determined to bury their heads in the sand. (Perhaps because they are more involved with You-Know-Who than they'd like to admit. Perhaps because they would rather believe that Harry Potter (and company, the Order of the Phoenix) is lying than that HE has returned. You could argue either.) The staff and students are on high alert--namely from Dolores Umbridge (and those whom she represents as High Inquisitor). The year won't be easy. The foundation of Hogwarts is being shaken about. 

Meanwhile, Harry Potter is continuing to have dreams and visions. His scar is still bothering him. He's beginning to realize that he and You-Know-Who share an unbreakable bond. 

My thoughts: It is so easy to feel overwhelmed by the weight of the books in these series. The pacing is all over the place for me. On the one hand, the books never fail to have about one hundred pages of the most intense, fast-paced, action-packed DRAMA. On the other hand, so much time is spent getting to that point. Like you've got eight plus months of more mundane chronicling of school life--always taking a chapter or two for the Christmas holidays--and then BOOM end of school year, BIG show down. In the middle of the book, I'm always am I sure I want to keep reading. At the end of the book, it's like this is why I do keep reading. 

Lighter moments are definitely getting harder to come by.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

65. The Secret Life of Bees

The Secret Life of Bees. Sue Monk Kidd. 2003. 302 pages. [Source: Library] [historical fiction; dysfunctional families; adult novels with young protagonists]

First sentence: At night I would lie in bed and watch the show, how bees squeezed through the cracks of my bedroom wall and flew circles around the room, making that propeller sound, a high-pitched zzzzzz that hummed along my skin.

Premise/plot: Lily Owens goes on a quest in The Secret Life of Bees. Choosing to run away from an abusive home, she sets out to find out more about her dead mother. She has just a few clues--one clue is a picture of a black madonna or Mother Mary. This has the name of a town and state. Surely this means her mother once spent time there, right?! Knowing very little about her journey ahead, but knowing what would happen if she stays--she sets out...but not alone. Rosaleen is the family's black maid. She's taken care of Lily forever and ever. But now it may be Lily's turn to take care of her--even if it means breaking the law. These two have a journey ahead of them. Will they find what they are looking for?

My thoughts: This one is set in South Carolina in 1964. It is definitely character-driven. It is very much a period piece, capturing a specific time, place, and culture. Much of the novel is INTENSE in that it deals with realistic situations that NO ONE ever really feels comfortable with. One such event is what happened with Lily's mother... Another is how her father has raised her...or not raised her as the case may be. If you find it difficult to read about physical, verbal, mental, emotional abuse....this one may be tough going for you. Not that it might not be worth it in the end...it might be. You might be thankful to go on Lily's journey with her. Yet another situation is the wide-spread racism. Rosaleen is determined to register to vote no matter what...but it's risky to be so determined to change the world. I could keep going on and on...there is really nothing "easy" and "comfortable" about this one...

I am glad I finally read it. I've been meaning to read it forever. But I can't say that I loved, loved, loved it. I found elements of it to be strange and bizarre. (For example, the scene where they're eating cake in a communion like fashion and talking about eating the body of Mary.) There were just a few things that were a little off for me to be able to wholeheartedly love it. That being said, I don't have a problem with those readers that do love it. 

© 2020 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

38. An American Plague

An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793. Jim Murphy. 2003. 165 pages. [Source: Library] [nonfiction, mg nonfiction; history]

First sentence: The sun came up, as it had every day since the end of May, bright, hot, and unrelenting.

Premise/plot: An American Plague is an award-winning nonfiction narrative about the yellow fever epidemic of 1793. The setting is Philadelphia. The characters are many; there isn’t one point of view. Though readers do spend some time focusing on one of Philadelphia’s most prominent (and opinionated) doctors, Benjamin Rush. It is well researched and provides young readers plenty of details.

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. I didn’t love, love, love nonfiction as a child, but to be fair nonfiction has come a long, long way since I was a child. Also perhaps my interests have matured a bit too.

I would recommend this one to kids that enjoy history, or enjoy nonfiction, or enjoy medical thrillers. It is hard to know with certainty what makes a book or subject appealing.

I have really enjoyed all the Jim Murphy books I have read

© 2020 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

For the Love of Mike

For the Love of Mike (Molly Murphy #3) Rhys Bowen. 2003. 336 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Actually I had been guessing at the time.

Premise/plot: Molly Murphy is determined to be a private investigator. In this third book in the series, she is working on two cases at the same time. One case has her going undercover at a garment factory. Another case has her looking for a missing person--a runaway daughter. Will she be able to solve both cases and collect her fees? Or will these cases prove too challenging and dangerous? Could Molly Murphy lose her life in the attempt to be a private investigator?

My thoughts: This is the third Molly Murphy mystery I've read.

I'll start with the good news. I like that the books build upon one another and that we're still catching glimpses of people we've met in books one and two. This seems like a good way to build a believable world--people it. Some are mere background players but others are becoming central to the plot.
Now for the bad news...

Are readers supposed to actually like Molly Murphy? Are we supposed to find Molly Murphy fierce, brave, empowered, independent, ahead-of-her-time? Because this reader is mostly finding Molly Murphy to be lacking any and all common sense. Are readers supposed to find her blunders and near-misses charming and adorable? This reader doesn't. It is not that I want Molly Murphy to actually suffer the consequences of her incompetence. I don't want her to be raped, molested, kidnapped, or killed. I don't. But at this point, she needs a team of men to follow her around to protect her from herself--her brave, daring, independent escapades and adventures. And surprisingly enough, that team of men actually exists. Men are fighting over her. They're also yelling at her, telling her not to be so stupid, but...they don't see her lack of sense as a bad thing...they actually want to be with her.

This touches on the second annoyance of the series...the "romance." In the first book, Molly fell for a police officer, Daniel Sullivan. He seemed to be equally smitten with her. It looked like it was going to be heading towards a happily ever after. But a few chapters into the second book--perhaps less--readers find out he's been engaged to another woman this whole time. Daniel seems to be hero who pops up dozens of times in each book to SAVE MOLLY FROM HERSELF. She then whines about how she hates to be "saved" by Daniel and how she wants to never, ever see him again. She also seems to be mourning the fact that he won't choose her. If Molly really and truly wants to never see Daniel again--perhaps she could work harder at NOT BEING ARRESTED or brought to the station for questioning. Perhaps if she avoided potentially dangerous situations altogether--going into gang hang-outs, for example, to ask her questions.

Right now there are TWO men "in love" with Molly. Because I actually like Jacob, I'm thinking he deserves better than Molly.

© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time. Mark Haddon. 2003/2004. 226 pages. [Source: Borrowed] 

First sentence: It was 7 minutes after midnight.

Premise/plot: Christopher Boone, our (relatively) young hero, discovers a dead dog in his neighbor's yard. He is determined to figure out WHO killed the dog (and possibly WHY). This also involves another new endeavor--besides 'becoming' a detective--that of becoming a writer. He is going to write a true story--he does not understand lies or fiction--of what happens. His journey soon expands beyond the one mystery to one of far greater importance.

My thoughts: How could I have not known that this one involved a dead dog?!?! I partially blame myself for not taking care of myself and "guarding" my emotions. The dog is violently, senselessly murdered...and this is what drives the story for the first few chapters. This is a book that made me lose my temper; I was this close to screaming at the book in frustration and anger. Not just for the injustice towards the dog--but for injustice in general for how Christopher is treated. 

The writing is excellent, for the most part; but the story is depressing.

Quotes:

Prime numbers are what is left when you have taken all the patterns away. I think prime numbers are like life. They are very logical but you could never work out the rules, even if you spent all your time thinking about them. (12)

A lie is when you say something happened which didn't happen. But there is only ever one thing which happened at a particular time and a particular place. And there are an infinite number of things which didn't happen at that time and that place. And if I think about something which didn't happen I start thinking about all the other things which didn't happen. For example, this morning for breakfast I had Ready Brek and some hot raspberry milk shake. But if I say that I actually had Shreddies and a mug of tea I start thinking about Coco Pops and lemonade and porridge and Dr. Pepper and how I wasn't eating my breakfast in Egypt and there wasn't a rhinoceros in the room and Father wasn't wearing a diving suit and so on and even writing this makes me feel shaky and scared...(19)

© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus. Mo Willems. 2003. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Hi! I'm the bus driver. Listen, I've got to leave for a little while, so can you watch things for me until I get back? Thanks. Oh, and remember: DON'T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS!

Premise/plot: Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus is the first book in Mo Willem's Pigeon series. Pigeon is Pigeon. To know him is to love him, perhaps?! He addresses readers directly and proceeds to argue! In this one he's trying to persuade you to let him drive the bus.

I'll be your best friend! How 'bout I give you five bucks? What's the big deal!? It's just a bus!!! No fair! I bet your mom would let me. I have dreams, you know! Fine. 

This one earned a Caldecott Honor in 2004.  

My thoughts: Mo Willems is a must-read author. He's created several super-successful series. Pigeon is one of them. Elephant and Piggie is another. I love, love, love, love, crazy-love his Elephant and Piggie series. But I do love Pigeon. I recently read that there will be a new Pigeon book next year!

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10


© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The City of Ember

The City of Ember. Jeanne DuPrau. 2003. 270 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: In the city of Ember, the sky was always dark.

Premise/plot: The City of Ember is one of my all-time favorite books. Ember was built by the BUILDERS to protect humanity from its biggest threat in dark, dark days. Hundreds of years have passed, the inhabits of Ember know nothing of the world outside. They know nothing of blue skies and yellow sun. In part, the builders wanted it that way--to protect the people from knowledge of the past. But the time has come--has almost come and gone, in fact--for the people to leave Ember behind and rejoin the world above. The problem? The instructions have been lost. And only one person even knows that something important--something vital--has been lost and is worth searching for. And few take her words seriously because she's "senile" and "not herself." Lina Mayfleet, our heroine, stumbles upon these instructions quite by accident, and really all in thanks to her baby sister, Poppy. Will she be able to decode the instructions--what remain of them after Poppy's little snack--and solve the mystery? It is too big to solve on her own. But Lina has a few good friends that she thinks are trustworthy--and clever. The one who becomes her best friend is Doon Harrow. These two grow close as they work on solving the problems that threaten life as they know it.

My thoughts: I love this book. I do. I can't believe--in a way--that it was the author's first book. It is just MARVELOUS. I love the world-building. I love how thought-provoking it is. And I love the characterization. It is one of those rare books that defies expectations. It is premise-driven, plot-driven, and character-driven.

One of my favorite quotes:

The trouble with anger is, it gets hold of you. And then you aren't the master of yourself anymore. Anger is. (89)

© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Among the Barons

Among the Barons. (Shadow Children #4) Margaret Peterson Haddix. 2003. 208 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: "Hey, L! Mr. Henricks wants to see you!"

Premise/plot: Among the Barons is the fourth book in Margaret Peterson Haddix's Shadow Children series. In this fourth book, Lee/Luke faces new challenges and dangers. Lee's 'brother' Smits has come to the boys school. His parents have sent him because he's been troubled the past few months. His trouble? His brother Lee is dead--remember Luke has assumed his identity in order to come out of hiding--and Smits can't talk about it with anyone, or grieve in any normal way. Luke/Lee finds himself pondering: what does this kid want from me? is he angry with me? does he want to expose me as a fraud? is he trustworthy? why does he want me for a brother when clearly we've never met? Smits does not come alone; accompanying Smits is his ever-present sledge-hammer-wielding bodyguard named Oscar. Luke/Lee soon finds his questions doubled. After a close call at school, the boys are called home. And...wait for it...Luke/Lee finds himself AMONG THE BARONS.

My thoughts: This series continues to hold my interest. The only book that I remembered clearly--at least so far--is the first book. So in a way, I feel like I am reading this series for the first time. I find myself getting swept up into the drama and mystery. I would definitely recommend this series if you're looking for a compelling, fast-paced read.

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

How To Train Your Dragon

How To Train Your Dragon. Cressida Cowell. 2003. 214 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: A Note from the Author: There were dragons when I was a boy.

Premise/plot: Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third is the 'hero' of Cressida Cowell's How To Train Your Dragon. He's the son of a chief, a viking, but among his peers--among anyone really--he's not the strongest, brightest, best. The novel opens with him hoping that he can manage to steal a baby dragon--any kind of dragon. He ends up with the smallest dragon anyone has ever seen. And the training manual isn't all that helpful. The book merely says: YELL AT YOUR DRAGON. THE END. Is there a better way? Will Hiccup get thrown out of his clan?

My thoughts: The book is nothing like the movie of the same name. NOTHING. I was actually disappointed that the book is so very different from the movie. (I really liked the characters from the movie and the premise of the movie.) That being said, I did like it. There were a few scenes that were enjoyable. I wish I'd not had the movie to compare it to.

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

A Christmas Journey

Christmas Journey. Anne Perry. 2003. 180 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Lady Vespasia Cumming-Gould hesitated a moment at the top of the stairs.

Premise/plot: A country-house party in December goes terribly wrong when one of the guests decides to jump off a bridge and commit suicide. The "victim" of this mystery (Gwendolen) was first the victim of a cutting insult. The other guests decide that Isobel (the woman who was 'rude') is to blame. She's to be ostracized from that day forward. But the host (Omegus Jones) and the heroine (Lady Vespasia) concoct a way to "cleanse" her socially. She'll be the one to travel to the mother's home (Gwendolen's mother) to tell her the news. If the mother travels back with her and agrees that sufficient penance has been done, then all will be well--socially.

My thoughts: This is a very odd book. It's Christmas-themed, which could be a great thing. But. It's also supposed to be a mystery. And that is where it falls short a bit. Perry's books usually have at least one or two crimes. And they tend to be DRAMATIC and big. Not subtle and dainty. I liked that this Christmas mystery didn't offer a lot of GRIT and RAGE. On the positive side, it is a very short read! But ultimately it is probably forgettable as well.



© 2016 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Cafe Mystery

The Cafe Mystery (The Whodunit Detective Agency #4) Martin Widmark. Illustrated by Helena Willis. 2003/2015. 80 pages. [Source: Library]

First Sentence: "Mmm, pastries!" said Maya. "Cakes and muffins! Yum," added Jerry. "Can you believe everything that's been happening in there?" asked Maya, gesturing toward Cafe Marzipan, Pleasant Valley's best bakery.

Premise/plot: Jerry and Maya are kid detectives with a new toy: a digital camera. And that camera will come in handy for their next case. The bakery has suffered several robberies in the past year. No one has been able to figure out who the robber is. The robber just happens to hit every time there is a large amount of cash in the cash register. (An event that isn't all that common.) Can Jerry and Maya figure out which of the employees is working with the robber...and why?

My thoughts: I like this series. I do. I am enjoying spending time in Pleasant Valley. Jerry and Maya are very good at what they do.

© 2016 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Circus Mystery

The Circus Mystery (The Whodunit Detective Agency #3) Martin Widmark. Illustrated by Helena Willis. 2003/2015. 80 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: It was summertime in the town of Pleasant Valley. The sun had been shining brightly all day, and a gentle breeze rustled through the leaves of the trees in town.

Premise/plot: Jerry and Maya are two kids with a detective agency. A circus is coming to town. This circus has a bad reputation, however. Whatever towns the circus visits, a series of robberies and thefts occur. They have every reason to believe that their town will be no different, that the thief will rob people in the crowd. The police chief and Jerry and Maya attend both performances of the circus in order to see if they can solve the case.

My thoughts: I like this series well enough. Early chapter books are key in reading development. And who doesn't like a good series? Kids need series books; they need the predictability and the formulaic structure. I would definitely recommend the series.

© 2016 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Dot

The Dot. Peter H. Reynolds. 2003. Candlewick Press. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Art class was over, but Vashti sat glued to her chair. Her paper was empty.

Premise/plot: Vashti tells the art teacher, "I can't draw." Her teacher offers a suggestion--simple and pure--"Just make a mark and see where it takes you." So she makes a dot, a single dot. How far will that dot take her?!

My thoughts: I really, really love this one. I do. It is a fine story made great by the ending. I love how Vashti is able to both inspire and encourage another frustrated kid. When she hears, 'I can't draw,' she knows just what to say... I love how the book shows how a simple thing like a change in perspective can change everything. The book also, of course, celebrates expression and creativity.

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10


© 2016 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Far Side of Evil

The Far Side of Evil. Sylvia Engdahl. 1971/2003. Penguin. 336 pages. [Source: Library]

The wind is howling through the trees outside, a cold, hateful wind. By standing on the bunk I can just barely reach the window. It's quite dark now, and the stars are brilliant, though they seem terribly far away. They, at least, are familiar and comforting, a reminder of home.
Elana, our heroine, has just graduated from the Federation Anthropological Service Academy. Her first "official" assignment has her going undercover on the youngling planet, Toris. The planet is in the "Critical Stage," and the Federation is sending dozens of agents in undercover. It's an information gathering mission, not one of intervention. The goal: blend in as much as possible with the Younglings, and transmit your observations when possible. It's dangerous because if Toris goes critical--uses nuclear weapons--then all the agents are essentially just as doomed as the younglings themselves. The only other agent Elana knows is another recent graduate. His name is Randil. He's a mess.

Toris has two "warring" governments, which is putting the planet in "Critical Stage." Elana's cover gets blown, and she's captured as a spy. The book is her report of how she become imprisoned and how she's handling the daily torture.

The premise of Far Side of Evil is simple. All civilizations--all planets--evolve through a critical stage, a stage where they choose to use their technology for weapons--nuclear warfare--or they choose to use their technology to go to the stars, to explore and colonize space.

Did I like The Far Side of Evil? Not really. Why? That's a good question. Was it because the chapters were way too long? Perhaps. Was it because it lacked the charm of The Enchantress From the Stars? Perhaps. I will say that Enchantress from the Stars has an almost fairy-tale feel to it in places. It reads like a fantasy book. Was it Randil's fault? Probably. He certainly proves irritating and infuriating. But it wasn't his fault alone. I also found Elana's narration to be less than ideal. I found her to be smug, arrogant, condescending, and repetitive. Why was Elana so likeable in Enchantress from the Stars and so unlikeable in Far Side of Evil? I think in the first book she was more vulnerable, and less confident in her abilities. She wasn't alone. She was acting under the advice of other older-and-wiser Federation agents, including her father. Both books are premise-driven to a certain extent; but Far Side of Evil is only premise-driven, and Enchantress from the Stars is plot-driven and character-driven too.

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Reread #49 Tale of Despereaux

The Tale of Despereaux. Kate DiCamillo. 2003. Candlewick Press. 272 pages. [Source: Bought]

There are so few rereads left in the year, yet, I couldn't miss rereading Kate DiCamillo's The Tale of Despereaux. (I first reviewed this one in September 2007). I've also made a point of rereading Because of Winn Dixie and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.

I tend to like talking-mice books. I tend to like animal fantasy when it's well done. And in The Tale of Despereaux it is very well done. DiCamillo is a GREAT author. She is. She has a way with words, with phrasing things just so that happens to appeal to me. She's a good, solid storyteller. Her characters are always unique and memorable. That is definitely the case with The Tale of Despereaux.

Do you have a favorite Kate DiCamillo book?

Quotes:

“Stories are light. Light is precious in a world so dark. Begin at the beginning. Tell Gregory a story. Make some light.”

“There are those hearts, reader, that never mend again once they are broken. Or if they do mend, they heal themselves in a crooked and lopsided way, as if sewn together by a careless craftsman. Such was the fate of Chiaroscuro. His heart was broken. Picking up the spoon and placing it on his head, speaking of revenge, these things helped him to put his heart together again. But it was, alas, put together wrong.”

“Reader, you must know that an interesting fate (sometimes involving rats, sometimes not) awaits almost everyone, mouse or man, who does not conform.”

“Once upon a time," he said out loud to the darkness. He said these words because they were the best, the most powerful words that he knew and just the saying of them comforted him.”

“Despereaux looked at his father, at his grey-streaked fur and trembling whiskers and his front paws clasped together in front of his heart, and he felt suddenly as if his own heart would break in two. His father looked so small, so sad.
"Forgive me," said Lester again.
Forgiveness, reader, is, I think, something very much like hope and love - a powerful, wonderful thing.
And a ridiculous thing, too.
Isn't it ridiculous, after all, to think that a son could forgive his father for beating the drum that sent him to his death? Isn't it ridiculous to think that a mouse ever could forgive anyone for such perfidy?
But still, here are the words Despereaux Tilling spoke to his father. He said, "I forgive you, Pa."
And he said those words because he sensed it was the only way to save his own heart, to stop it from breaking in two. Despereaux, reader, spoke those words to save himself.”

© 2014 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Story of Britain (2003)

The Story of Britain. Rebecca Fraser. 2003. Norton. 828 pages. [Source: Library]

Fraser has a clear purpose for writing The Story of Britain:

some kind of easy framework was still needed to guide the average person through the confusing shoals of disputed facts, to give a broad-brush picture of the past to those not in the van of historical research. The national curriculum today enables many young people to grow up used to handling esoteric historical documents yet without any real chronological sense of the years between, say, the Stuarts and the Victorians. Many children might be forgiven for believing that the Egyptians and the Aztecs once lived on these islands too. The aim of this history is to attempt to return to those old rules of 'who, when, what, how.' (xv)

This chunkster is divided into sections: Roman, Anglo-Saxon, Norman and Angevin, Plantagenet, Lancastrian and Yorkist, Tudor, Stuart, Hanoverian, Saxe-Coburg, Windsor. Most of the chapters are titled with the name of the monarch (king or queen) and years of their reign. But that doesn't mean the book is solely focused on royalty to the exclusion of everything else.

Is it readable? Yes and no. I struggled with the beginning and the ending. It just wasn't a thrilling read. There were sections that held my interest very well. There were sections that were more than informative, they were fascinating too. Other sections were packed with information but exceedingly dull. The sections that worked best were peopled with CHARACTERS that were memorable, dramatic, tragic, or vulnerable. The sections that dealt with human nature and dysfunctional families were quite good. But at some point in this history book, Fraser's focus shifts a bit. Starting perhaps with the Hanoverians (or perhaps even earlier with James II, William and Mary, and Anne), the focus is less on royalty and more focused on prime ministers and parliament personalities. As this one goes on, there is barely a glimpse at all of any royal personality. The last two or three hundred pages of this one were horribly boring.

I thought the book was helpful in some ways. I thought she did a great job conveying information from William the Conqueror through Charles II. There were chapters that were definitely accessible and interesting.

© 2013 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews