Austenland by Shannon Hale

Here is a buddy review with Chris from book-a-rama. I have the first half of the discussion and she has the second. We coordinated dates, but I failed to ask her what time she was posting, so hopefully we are not too far off from each other!

Jane Hayes is a seemingly normal young New Yorker, but she has a secret. Her obsession with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, is ruining her love life: no real man can compare. But when a wealthy relative bequeaths her a trip to an English resort catering to Austen-crazed women, Jane’s fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman suddenly become realer than she ever could have imagined.

Decked out in empire-waist gowns, Jane struggles to master Regency etiquette and flirts with gardeners and gentlemen—or maybe even, she suspects, with the actors who are playing them. It’s all a game, Jane knows. And yet the longer she stays, the more her insecurities seem to fall away, and the more she wonders: Is she about to kick the Austen obsession for good, or could all her dreams actually culminate in a Mr. Darcy of her own?

Chris: So first things first, did you like Austenland?

Kelly: For the most part I did. It was a little more fluffy than I normally read, but I don't think that Shannon Hale can write a bad book. I have read most of her young adult fiction, but this was my first time reading her adult fiction. I wasn't sure because it is Jane Austen fan-fiction, really, but I think that she pulled it off. The genre is getting a bit over-done for my taste, but this one was a worthwhile read. Nothing that I will have to reread, but an enjoyable experience nonetheless. What about you?

Chris: Yes, I did. This was my first Shannon Hale book. She's a very good writer. It was a fun read. I was never bored or felt that it lagged. I was even surprised by some of the twists at the end. I don't think I'll be re-reading either it but I did enjoy it while I was reading it.

Chris: What did you think of Pembrook Park? Would you like to take a vacation like that?

Kelly: I was thinking about this as I read the book and while it was fun to read about, I don't think it interests me that much. I am not very girlie in the 21st-century, so I am not very interested in the attire of that century either. It is fun to read about, but that's as far as I need to take it. That might change if the opportunity was presented to me, but for the moment I will take a pass.

Chris: An Austenland vacation would be right up my alley. It would be fun to dress up and play a part for awhile. I think it would be hard on the head, as Jane found out, trying to follow the rules and be the Austen girl when you know it's all fake. Some of the women had it down to an art though! They also spent a lot of time sitting around and playing whist. That might be a bit boring but no more so than a beach vacation.

Kelly: What did you think of the characters?

Chris: I like Jane even though at the beginning she annoyed me a bit. The men were interesting. I really didn't know how that was going to play out. I was a bit disappointed with Mr Nobley at the end. I thought "Miss Charming" was hilarious and was surprised by Amelia. The one thing that bothered me though was Mrs Wattlesbrook. What was her problem with Jane? Okay, so Jane's not rich but she's still getting paid.

Kelly: Yeah, the treatment of Jane by Mrs. Wattlesbrook was annoying. Maybe that is why she has such a humourous name? So you can hate her, but laugh at her at the same time. Amelia surprised me, too! That was one of the best-written characters in a novel, I think. I didn't expect what happened at all. I didn't really like Jane by times, but she grew on me by the end.

Chris: Stephanie (Written Word) just told me that Shannon Hale is writing a sequel. Do you have any interest in that? Or did the book end where you expected it to?

Kelly: A sequel? I don't really understand what the purpose of a sequel would be. I think that the book ended fine. There is not really much else that needs to be elaborated on... I'll probably still read it eventually because I read everything by her, but I don't really see the point of it. What do you think about it? What did you think about the ending in general? Did you like it?

Chris: I'd probably read it but, like you, I'm not sure what else there is to add to the story. I don't know how I feel about the end. There was a lot of build up- which guy will she choose?- but there was something a bit off. I think the guy seemed a little needy. I don't know how to explain my feelings on it without giving too much away.

Head on over to her blog to read the second half of the review!

Graphic Novel Weekend - Day One

Epileptic by David B.

Books Completed: 80
Completion Date: March 12, 2009
Pages: 362
Publication Date: July 2006

Reason for Reading: Graphic Novel Challenge, New Author Challenge.

Hailed by The Comics Journal as one of Europe’s most important and innovative comics artists, David B. has created a masterpiece in Epileptic, his stunning and emotionally resonant autobiography about growing up with an epileptic brother. Epileptic gathers together and makes available in English for the first time all six volumes of the internationally acclaimed graphic work.

David B. was born Pierre-François Beauchard in a small town near Orléans, France. He spent an idyllic early childhood playing with the neighborhood kids and, along with his older brother, Jean-Christophe, ganging up on his little sister, Florence. But their lives changed abruptly when Jean-Christophe was struck with epilepsy at age eleven. In search of a cure, their parents dragged the family to acupuncturists and magnetic therapists, to mediums and macrobiotic communes. But every new cure ended in disappointment as Jean-Christophe, after brief periods of remission, would only get worse.

Angry at his brother for abandoning him and at all the quacks who offered them false hope, Pierre-François learned to cope by drawing fantastically elaborate battle scenes, creating images that provide a fascinating window into his interior life. An honest and horrifying portrait of the disease and of the pain and fear it sowed in the family, Epileptic is also a moving depiction of one family’s intricate history. Through flashbacks, we are introduced to the stories of Pierre-François’s grandparents and we relive his grandfathers’ experiences in both World Wars. We follow Pierre-François through his childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, all the while charting hiscomplicated relationship with his brother and Jean-Christophe”s losing battle with epilepsy. Illustrated with beautiful and striking black-and-white images, Epileptic is as astonishing, intimate, and heartbreaking as the best literary memoir.

The book description for this book makes it sound so good! Other people agree and have given it good reviews. Sadly, though, I didn't like it. I started it yesterday when I got back from the library and I could not get into it at all. I kept picking it up and putting it down. I think my biggest problem with the book is that I didn't care for the characters. When you read a good book, you want to be pulled into the story and be on the edge of your seat waiting to see what was going to happen next. You change your emotions as the story changes for the characters. I felt nothing! I just wanted the book done and over with. I thought it was too long, it jumped around too much, and didn't seem to have any sort of thought process behind it at all. Normally, I would have loved a book like this, because it has history and even a bit of a fantastical element to it. Those are two things that I love in books, but I didn't believe enough in them with this book. Needless to say, this book was a disappointment to me.

Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon & Dean Hale

Books Completed: 81
Completion Date: March 12, 2009
Pages: 144
Publication Date: August 2008

Reason for Reading: Graphic Novel Challenge, Really like Shannon Hale.

Once upon a time, in a land you only think you know, lived a little girl and her mother . . . or the woman she thought was her mother.

Every day, when the little girl played in her pretty garden, she grew more curious about what lay on the other side of the garden wall . . . a rather enormous garden wall.

And every year, as she grew older, things seemed weirder and weirder, until the day she finally climbed to the top of the wall and looked over into the mines and desert beyond.

Newbery Honor-winning author Shannon Hale teams up with husband Dean Hale and brilliant artist Nathan Hale (no relation) to bring readers a swashbuckling and hilarious twist on the classic story as you’ve never seen it before. Watch as Rapunzel and her amazing hair team up with Jack (of beanstalk fame) to gallop around the wild and western landscape, changing lives, righting wrongs, and bringing joy to every soul they encounter.

After the disappointment that was Epileptic, I had my fingers crossed that Shannon Hale would not disappoint! So far I have really enjoyed everything that I have read by her, so hopeful that this book would be up to the challenge. It was! I enjoyed this graphic novel so much that I am back to wanting to own it. It was just a lot of fun, especially after the dreary nature of Epileptic. Rapunzel is living her life very sheltered, but when she learns just what the world is like, she begins to take actions to change the world. She goes from very naive to a compelling character very quickly. There are setbacks along the way, though. As people know, Rapunzel is locked in a tower by the evil witch who has been raising her. Just, in this book she doesn't get saved by a handsome prince and that is the end of the story. In this book, she saves herself and is out for revenge! There are lots of myths and fairy tales incorporated into the story. The other prominent character that helps her on her adventures is Jack, of Beanstalk fame. He is accompanied by Goldy, a goose that is supposedly going to lay him a golden egg! This is a great story! I strongly recommend this graphic novel.

Enna Burning by Shannon Hale

Completion Date: June 8, 2007
Publication Year: 2006
Pages: 336
Purchased in 2007
Book Two in The Bayern Series

Enna and Princess Isi became fast friends in The Goose Girl, but after Isi married Prince Geric, Enna returned to the forest. Enna's simple life changes forever when she learns to wield fire and burn anything at will. Enna is convinced that she can use her ability for good--to fight Tira, the kingdom threatening the Bayern borders--and goes on secret raids to set fire to the Tiran camps and villages. But as the power of the fire grows stronger, she is less able to control her need to burn. In her recklessness she is captured by the Tiran army and held captive by a handsome, manipulative young captain who drugs her to keep her under his influence. Can Isi and her old friends Finn and Razo rescue her without sacrificing themselves? And with the fire still consuming her, will Enna find a way to manage the gift that threatens to destroy her?

After reading The Goose Girl, I became very interested in reading other books by Shannon Hale, but I am afraid that this one just did not work for me. It was not a terrible book, but it was a weak second book. Honestly, I think it could be skipped with no loss to the series.

This book is about Enna, who was Princess Isi's best friend in The Goose Girl. Enna was also an animal caretaker for the royal family, and the person that Isi first trusted above all else with her secret. Now, time has passed and Isi is married to the Prince of Bayern. It is time for Enna to have her tale, and while she is a sweet-teenager, she just did not work as well for me as Isi did in the previous installment. Isi has the ability to control wind, and is being nearly driven crazy by it, she would not wish the ability to talk to the elements on anyone. Enna finds herself caught up in something beyond her, though, when her brother, Leifer, brings home the power to control fire.

During this book, Bayern is at war with Tiran. Many people are dying, and Enna finds that she has a power that can bring a change to the advantages of her side. Throughout the book she battles with the moral issues involved with the things that she does with her power in the name of war. That's a great deal of the book to me, her trying to come to terms with this new power. Other things do happen, but I would not want to spoil the book entirely for those that intend to read it.

Upon completion, I just found that while a lot happened during the book, none of it really did a very good job to keep me entralled with the story. There was a lot of wasted spent on Enna coming to terms with herself, and while necessary for Enna, it was not really captivating for me. Still, not a terrible novel, just not as good as The Goose Girl.

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

Books Completed: 56
Completion Date: April 6, 2007
Publication Year: 2005
Pages: 400
Owned Prior to 2007

Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Crown Princess of Kildenree, spends the first years of her life under her aunt's guidance learning to communicate with animals. As she grows up Ani develops the skills of animal speech, but is never comfortable speaking with people, so when her silver-tongued lady-in-waiting leads a mutiny during Ani's journey to be married in a foreign land, Ani is helpless and cannot persuade anyone to assist her. Becoming a goose girl for the king, Ani eventually uses her own special, nearly magical powers to find her way to her true destiny. Shannon Hale has woven an incredible, original and magical tale of a girl who must find her own unusual talents before she can become queen of the people she has made her own.

To read the review of this book on Twisted Kingdom, click here.

Book Seven in the 12 Months of Fantasy Challenge and Book Four in the Once Upon a Time Challenge.