Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Read October 2009. 
Photo courtesy Wikipedia.

The Scoop: Written by Jonathan Safran Foer (US), who debuted to overwhelming acclaim with Everything Is Illuminated. Published by Houghton Mifflin in 2005. One of the first fictional novels to incorporate the September 11th attacks (specifically those of the Twin Towers) as a theme and major plot point.

The Ingredients: First-person narration primarily through the eyes of young Oskar Schell, but also through letters written by his grandparents, addressed to Oskar or his father. The parallel stories revolve around devastation dealt by single tragic events - the 9/11 attacks that killed Oskar's father, and the WWII Allied bombing of Dresden, Germany, the hometown of Oskar's grandparents. Oskar finds a key he believes belonged to his father and embarks on a journey to discover how it relates to his father's death, as he is sure there is an answer there. Also interspersed throughout the novel are pictures, blank and nearly-blank pages, different type and formatting, etc, to create another level and make connections.

Serves: Most age groups. Some sexual descriptions, but mostly suitable for even preteen/elementary-schoolers (I can see myself having read this in elementary school had it been available).

[Chapter 1] What The?: What about a teakettle? What if the spout opened and closed when the steam came out, so it would become a mouth, and it could whistle pretty melodies, or do Shakespeare, or just crack up with me? [5/5 Draws you in and also gives great insight to the creative mind of the narrator.]

Result: A really beautiful presentation of a story. It'd be hard to not feel for and be touched by young Oskar (although I sheepishly admit he occasionally got on my nerves). I loved the formatting, the characters (their complexities and details, their stories, their interactions with Oskar), and how Foer connects everything. It's a very moving novel and feels so real - I could just picture everything happening as it happened - and I genuinely wanted this earnest and sensitive boy to be real even though his life has been touched with such tragedy. It was so refreshing to see the world through his eyes, because though he is only 9 years old and approaches things with childlike naivete and emotion, he also possesses a maturity proving he is wise beyond his years. I really enjoyed it and was moved to tears by the end. [5/5 Superb writing and story. Would definitely read and enjoy this again.]

Pretties

Read September 2009.
Photo courtesy Simon Pulse.


The Scoop: The second in the young adult sci-fi Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld (US). Published by Simon Pulse also in 2005.

The Ingredients: The continuing story of protagonist Tally Youngblood. Don't want to give away too much, because it might spoil the preceding book.

Serves: Young adult.

[Chapter 1] Criminal: Getting dressed was always the hardest part of the afternoon. [2/5 Again, not very inventive or enthralling, but the style does play to describing a 16-year-old's "pretty" life.]

Result: I didn't like this one as much as Uglies. We learn a lot more about the life of "pretties" and it couldn't be more of the kind of people and lifestyle I don't like. Also, the language of the pretties (their slang, you could say) got on my nerves quickly, but I just got used to it. It's still an easy read, I still was able to read it over the course of a day, but it just dragged on more than the first, as I guess the premise was getting stale. Not to say there's no excitement in it; there still are thrills and suspense, even some pretty emotional parts. But some things (and people) I liked about the first one weren't here to the same extent. It's been awhile since I finished it, but still I'd have to go back and skim the end to remember what happened and see where the next will pick up from (and yes, I do plan on finishing the series, so that's still saying something...) [2.5/5 A bit lower than the first, but still a good young adult fiction book compared to some trash that makes it out there. Not a high reread value, but I will move on to the following book.]

Uglies

Read via free download offered by author & publisher, August 2009.
Photo courtesy Simon Pulse.


The Scoop: Part one of the New York Times bestselling "Uglies" series (a total of four novels now). Young adult science fiction novel by Scott Westerfeld (US). Published by Simon Pulse in 2005. Film rights bought by 20th Century Fox and Eragon producer John Davis in 2006, movie scheduled for 2011.

The Ingredients: Tally Youngblood is turning 16, which, in this dystopian society, means she must undergo a mandatory comprehensive plastic surgery to make her "Pretty". The "Pretties" seem to have perfect lives, but Tally meets some others her age who show her what exactly it means to be "pretty".

Serves: Young adult, preferably.

[Chapter 1] New Pretty Town: The early summer sky was the color of cat vomit. [2/5 While I appreciate the attempt at being descriptive with the use of 'color of cat vomit', this sentence doesn't draw you into the story much. It sounds like something any middle-schooler could write.]

Result: I saw the free download offer and had nothing else to do so I decided to give this a go. I read it in a few hours, as it's on a 'young adult' level, and it's actually very interesting. The premise is unique; the main characters and (future) technologies are well-described and developed; and there are enough twists and suspense to keep one intrigued. And if you take the time to think about it, the story delves into many modern-day issues that adolescents especially deal with - body image, conformity, emotional and physical change, individuality, peer pressure, authority, surveillance, and environmental issues. The end left me hanging and I was eager to check out the next in the series. [3/5 While I admit I couldn't really draw myself away from it, in the context of all literature, I can't rate it very high. I also don't think I would read it again. However, in the context of YA fiction (and had I read it in middle school or some years ago), it's definitely one of the better choices available with its sci-fi setting and rather adult (mostly positive) messages. So in that narrower scope, it would have a higher rating.]