Interesting Reader Society - Book Reviews by Young Adults
Interesting Reader Society -- School Library Journal, 02/03/2010
Fisher, Catherine. Incarceron. Dial. February 2010. ISBN: 978-0-8037-3396-1. Gr 7–12.
Although Claudia and Finn live in completely different worlds, the fates of these two teens are intertwined more closelythan they could ever imagine. Finn dwells in the living prison that is Incarceron, a failed experiment that was intended to be a paradise, and all he wants is to get Outside. Claudia belongs to the outside world, is stuck in an arranged marriage, and is just as much a prisoner as Finn behind the iron barriers that are her father and the Queen. Both of them will need to work together, and fast, if they want to escape.
Not too many books can take me by surprise anymore, but this one threw me a twist that made my head spin! The characters are all very distinct, and the writing style is perfectly fitting for the setting of the story. The cover was superb! The large key, embossed in the center, caught my eye as soon as I saw it, and the mixture of machine cogs and leaves fit together in a simple, but striking, motif that represents the thread of machinery versus nature that is woven through the plot.
Out of all the many things that this book had going for it, the strength of the female characters drew me in. Attia especially interested me, because she didn’t let anything keep her down, and she was the one character that embodied the old adage “anything that doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger.” One of my few complaints about this book was that it was slightly slow at the start, and it took awhile to capture my attention.—Rachel B., age 17
Volponi, Paul. Rikers High. Viking. February 2010. ISBN: 978-0-670-01107-0. Gr 10 and up.
Martin Stokes knows what the justice system is really like. Having been on Rikers Island for five months, waiting for a court date that is continuously delayed, and facing charges for a crime he didn’t even mean to commit, he has no illusions any more about the justice system. This gritty story follows Martin through finding out that his court date is yet again delayed, getting caught in the middle of a fight, his move to a new Sprung (section of jail), and finally, to the day that he has been waiting for—his day in court.
The cover reflected the mood of the book very well because it’s gritty and straightforward. The most compelling aspect of the book was the depth of all of the characters. Martin has many unexplored feelings and thoughts, as do all the teachers, the court officers, and the other inmates at Rikers. Way to go for Martin—I hope that other kids like him will end up all right.—Rachel M., age 16
Leavitt, Lindsey. Princess for Hire. Hyperion. March 2010. ISBN: 978-1-4231-2192-3. Gr 7–10.
Unpopular Desi Bascombe has a playground crush on a guy named Hayden. Desi also works at a pet shop with a crazy manager, and she decides to search for another job. After seeing a classified ad for a “princess” substitute, Desi applies for the position and accepts the job. Does she have PP (Princess Potential)? It’s not all tiaras and posing for the camera, she learns. Desi is faced with a choice: play by the rules, or do what she believes is right. What will a fake princess decide?
I liked the cover because it has bright colors and a picture of the powder that transforms you into a selected type of princess. The cover shows jewelry and a key chain with the Eiffel Tower on it. The best part of the book was when Desi was at the princess court to be judged on the success of her previous jobs. Desi did what she believed was right and in the end she succeeded and was allowed to advance to level two.
It could have been better. The story does not have much reality to it. That’s just me though, and not every girl who reads this might feel the same way.—Audrey B., age 12
Avasthi, Swati. Split. Alfred A. Knopf. March 2010. ISBN: 978-0-375-86340-0. Gr 8 and up.
When Jace turns up in Albuquerque, NM, after a 19-hour drive with a beat-up face, $3.84 in his pocket, and a secret on his long-lost brother Christian’s threshold, there are a lot of questions. Rather than answer them, Jace just tries to move on, to leave his abusive father behind him. This turns out to be much harder than anticipated. Haunted by memories of past sins and abuses, Jace must learn to live with himself and his anger, or else become like his father, the thing he fears most. Just when he thinks things might work out for him and Christian, they both have to confront their fears and go back to resolve a critical loose end.
This book focuses on a part of abuse that can get cut off—the afterwards part. What does happen after the last punch is thrown? What happens when someone won’t leave? How can a person move on after making a huge transgression?
The cover was really neat with the keys because they are such small things in reality, but without them life would remain locked. The most compelling element of the book was Jace’s narration. The flashbacks were horribly gripping and in the present his emotions were raw and honest, so the reader gets to see the side of him that he tries to keep hidden from those around him. There wasn’t much of a resolution with Jace’s and Christian’s relationship, just a bit of an allusion to it at the end, so it would have been nice to get a bit of clarification with that.—Rachel M., age 16The Interesting Reader Society (IRS—”teens, not taxes!”) is a library teen advisory and reading group for kids in grades 6 to 12 sponsored by the Poudre River Public Library District in Fort Collins, CO. IRS is also one of the 15 2009–2010 national teen reading group appointees for the Teens’ Top Ten/YA Galley project of the Young Adult Library Services Association.
