Wear Your Cards on Your Sleeve: Book Review of Hearts in Atlantis

 

Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King

Gratitude

Thank you to Montgomery County Public Libraries for making Stephen King’s Hearts in Atlantis readily available to the public.

Description

Hearts in Atlantis is a book of linked short stories which share some characters and most relate to the Vietnam War.

In the opening story of Hearts in Atlantis, a promising new neighbor moves into Bobby’s apartment building—and as much as Bobby likes him, his mother dislikes him.

Bobby has a complicated life. His mother is a stressed-out single mom. She speaks ill of his dead father, works long hours, and withholds her love. Bobby wants to challenge her but also knows the passive aggressive punishments that reward any battle of wills.

He has two very good friends—Carol and Sully-John. His upstairs neighbor makes three.

Soon it becomes clear that things are even more complicated than they seem, especially his neighbor.

One story in particular, the title story, seemed targeted at me—and all the other procrastinators out there. A group of boys in a dorm becomes obsessed with playing Hearts. They can do little else and soon these working class scholarship boys are all in academic trouble. And still they cannot help playing Hearts.

Believe me, the characters’ obsession with playing Hearts reminded me of my own obsessions: of every time I had to finish one more chapter, one more episode, win one more game of Spider Solitaire before I could get started on my work. And yes, it felt like an obsession. Over the years, the just one more has changed, and the feeling of desperation about having to finish just one more has diminished, but the anxiety of it is quite real. Perhaps it was a belief that if I could get a small amount of satisfaction before I started, it would be easier to complete my work. Or perhaps I needed a small amount of accomplishment before I started. Maybe it was just a combination of anxiety, obsession, and fear of failure. Maybe I just really didn’t want to do my work. Who knows. Over the years I have worked hard to come to an understanding with my procrastination and significantly beat it back into the darkness.

A few of the stories had the flavor of Firestarter—so much of the story being flashbacks, the foreboding, the pace being slow for most of the story and then quite fast.

Overall, a decent read, and easy to keep up with. I had several reading interruptions and I didn’t feel as though I lost the thread.

The stories are not short—some novella length—and perhaps they could have been edited down. A pleasure to read, all the same.

Would I Teach This Book?

Would I teach this book? As much as it was a decent read, there are better Stephen King books of short stories—Nightmares and Dreamscapes being one of them.

Still, for the doubters who have never read King and think it’s all gory horror, this would not be a bad introduction.

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The Cat's in the Bag: Book Review of Warriors: A Starless Clan: Star

 

Star by Erin Hunter

Gratitude

Thank you to HarperChildrens and Goodreads Giveaways for the review copy of Warriors: A Starless Clan: Star by Erin Hunter.

Description

I am new to the series, but it was not difficult to jump in and start reading. The book is about several clans of cats that live near each other and have a shared agreement about how the clans can interact with each other. They all believe in the StarClan, or a cat heaven where the ancestors (at the least the good ones) look down and guide them.

The cats have different roles in their clans, such as warriors and medicine cats. The warriors hunt for food but also go into battle when necessary. When Splashpaw, a very bad cat, takes false leadership of the RiverClan and manipulates them into trying to conquer the other clans whether they like it or not, the other clans must decide how to respond.

The book follows several different cats, and these are cats who feel deeply, talk, and battle. They are organized and govern over their clans. There are also dogs and “two legs” in the book, but they don’t figure prominently. I find it interesting that this is not a world ruled by cats, as there are humans and other animals, but that the cats rule their own communities.

The anthropomorphic cats and their battles have a certain appeal to younger readers, especially as this is part of a series.

Would I Teach This Book?

Would I teach this book? It is unlikely that I would teach Star. It is in the middle of a series. The descriptions of the cats speaking--they often mew their words--is funny at times. I was reminded of the old Laser Cats skits on SNL.

There is also a lot of history between the cats, details about the battles, and descriptions of the cats--their coloring, their wounds, their actions. The level of detail, which could be enjoyable to a young reader, makes it more difficult to read aloud or teach to a class.


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Don't Stop Believin' in That Soulless Heap of Metal: Book Review of Suitor Armor

 

Suitor Armor, Vol. 1 by Purpah

Gratitude

Thank you to Goodreads Giveaways and Crown Publishing for the review copy of Suitor Armor Volume 1 by Purpah, a romantasy graphic novel with knights, sorcery, and fairies.

Description

Lucia is a lady-in-waiting for Kirsi, who will soon be the queen. While she is seen at court as Kirsi’s companion, Lucia is secretly a fairy, and this is a dangerous secret to have, as fairies and humans have been at war for many years. Kirsi is generally wrapped up in her own concerns about her upcoming marriage to the king and looks to Lucia more as a diversion. Both of their lives become more interesting when the court sorcerer brings an empty but magical suit of armor to fight the king’s greatest knight.

As our story begins, Kirsi is at loose ends, not feeling like she can speak to the king, and Lucia finds empty wine bottles outside of her door in the morning. The king does seem more interested in tournaments than his fiancée, preferring to watch knights fight each other. The plot works because Kirsi is too wrapped up in her own problems and oblivious to Lucia to notice that her friend has a crush on the empty armor.

The fact that Lucia is so taken by the terrifying armor—he is not drawn to look kindly—is perplexing and something that a good friend should be cautioning against. Of course, this is not that kind of book, and the suggestion is that Lucia sees something in the enchanted metal that no one else can.

Suitor Armor was originally published on the platform Webtoon, an app on which comic writers can publish their work and comic readers can find new reading material. Comics can be searched by genre as well as by the daily publication schedule. I was unfamiliar with Webtoon before reading Suitor Armor, but it seems to be similar to Substack in that stories can be published in serial form.

The concept is intriguing, as print periodicals have been in rapid decline for the past few decades (nothing new here), but there is something to be said for having to wait for an installment and not being able to binge on media.

Would I Teach This Book?  

There would be some certain advantages to teaching a book like Suitor Armor, which was a serially published comic first. It would offer the opportunity for students to compare reading online versus in print, suggesting a discussion of publication and format. This volume is just the beginning of the romance of Lucia and the terrifying knight, so there is more online to explore.

The discussion of Lucia having a crush on a scary looking metal creature is a different story. I would be remiss not to talk about the trope of the pretty young woman falling for the monster. While I understand that this is a trope that many appreciate and enjoy, I find it troubling because the beauty and the beast pairing is so gendered—the woman must do all the hard work of appreciating the good inside while the male gets both the beauty and kindness without having to “see past” her looks. Admittedly, Lucia does not have the same horror of the knight’s appearance that everyone else has.

The volume does have charm, and the wide-eyed innocence of Lucia would be difficult to dislike. There would be much to discuss if this was part of the curriculum in a graphic literature or genre course.

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Talk to the Snake: Book Review of The Song of the Blue Bottle Tree

 

The Song of the Blue Bottle Tree by India Hayford

Gratitude

Thank you to Kensington Publishing Corps and Goodreads Giveaways for the advanced reader’s edition of The Song of the Blue Bottle Tree by India Hayford. The book, a Southern gothic, depicts extreme sects of Christianity who idolize their religious leaders, encourage domestic violence, and handle snakes–in this book, the snakes are much safer than the preachers.

Description  

While the book follows several characters, the story is really Genevieve’s. At a young age, Genevieve loses her mother, father, and grandmother. Eventually she is handed off to a distant relative and her preacher son. When the preacher abuses Genevieve, she knows she must escape, but since she is a child, she is not able to control her means of escape.

Fast forward, and Genevieve creates a life and identity for herself, choosing the name Genevieve from a tombstone. She has wandered and in her travels has often slept in cemeteries. For her, the territory is familiar, as she has ghosts that travel with her and speak to her. She also meets other people's ghosts, and ghosts attached to places.

When Genevieve meets Mercer, a recently returned Vietnam veteran, and then his family, she finds a reason to stay put for a while. In Mercer, Genevieve discovers someone who is in need of healing as much as she is.

The Song of the Blue Bottle Tree draws a clear line between good and bad people. Religion is used as a tool to wield power and encourage domestic violence. Genevieve is the quirky fighter who won’t bend under the abuse. She has a past and seems to have a future. She is easy to like and easy to root for. Genevieve’s back story is intriguing, though it gets confusing, as it is parceled out in bits and pieces. That she sees and hears ghosts has lots of potential, though the execution is not fully successful. In some ways, this is very much a first book. The author plays with structure, point of view, and has a quirky main character. Taking risks means the outcome won’t always be perfect—but in many ways, an imperfect but daring book is preferable to a safe book.

Would I Teach This Book?  

Would I teach this book? The Song of the Blue Bottle Tree would not be my first choice of novel to teach—it does not hit the notes of prose or the articulation of view points that I prefer for novels I teach. It would be a great pick for a book club to discuss. Between Genevieve’s adventures and the family dynamics, there is plenty to talk about.

The Song of the Blue Bottle Tree will be on sale March 25, 2025. 

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They'll Bleed You Dry: Book Review of Cutting Teeth

 

Cutting Teeth by Chandler Baker

Gratitude

Thank you to Goodreads Giveaways and Flatiron Books for the review copy of Cutting Teeth by Chandler Baker.

Description

There are many unglamorous things about motherhood, including so many things that have to do with bodies: breastfeeding, changing diapers, potty training, etc., etc., etc. In Cutting Teeth Chandler Baker takes it next level with a preschool class afflicted with Renfield’s syndrome, the term used for people who feel compelled to drink blood. For the fours class at Little Academy, it is the blood of their parents, particularly their mothers, that they crave.

Amidst the drama of the parents as they struggle with their children’s needs, their preschool teacher is murdered. For Rhea, Darby, and Mary Beth, who all have children in the class, the drama is just beginning.

The book alternates between the points of view of the three as they struggle to make it through the days. Rhea is a single mother struggling to launch her business, Darby is racked by second-guessing herself, and Mary Beth is the powerhouse room mom and fundraiser for her church who takes care of everyone’s needs but her own.

Cutting Teeth is really about the sacrifices, fears, and resentment that accompany motherhood. It highlights how mothers still tend to be the primary caregivers and fathers have more social freedom. The literal draining of blood is a metaphor of the expectations and responsibilities placed on mothers to the point of great mental and emotional strain. To that degree, the book does depict how the stress and obligations can feel as though parts of you are being taken away. 

Would I Teach This Book?

Would I teach this book? I can see myself teaching Cutting Teeth in a literature class that focuses on gender or a contemporary literature class. It would be interesting to teach a class on depictions of mothers in literature or attitudes toward motherhood in literature. Cutting Teeth depicts some of the difficulties of motherhood and the almost compulsive desire to protect our children. The point of the book is not to give a balanced view of the experience of being a modern mother, but to highlight how much is asked of mothers and how terribly draining daily life can be. As it is still difficult to explain the difficulties of motherhood and people can be especially judgy about mothers discussing how sometimes we have moments of actual distaste or dislike for motherhood. It would be interesting to explore how literature treats these themes in a class or book club.

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Teen Boy Vibes Like a Bottle of Axe: Book Review of Ready Player One

 

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Description

In Ready Player One, Wade wasn’t born into a life full of glitter and confetti. He’s an orphan and his aunt, who is supposed to be his guardian, takes his food vouchers and lets him fend for himself. The entire world has crumbled—the natural resources have been used up, leaving pollution and poverty. He was so unpopular at his school, he switched to virtual school. But in virtual reality, inside the OASIS, a place where humanity now goes to escape the scarred real world, Wade is Perzival, and there he is free to geek out and spend his time searching for the “egg.”

When the creator of the OASIS died, he left behind a quest, and the first person to complete the quest and find the egg will inherit his kingdom—both the OASIS and his real life fortune. After five years of the world puzzling over the first clue, Wade has caught a break. With the break comes fame, danger, and the possibility of romance.

All About the 80s

Much of the book centers around the characters searching through the dead man’s book of his obsessions, and then searching through his obsessions for clues. His obsessions, and now the characters’ obsessions, revolve around 1980s pop culture. There are references to movies, music, books, and many, many, many video games. The book is largely a love letter to 80s pop culture--it is strange to imagine such a widespread obsession with the past that the current trends are left mostly for new technology and not the creation of art.

For a person not well-versed in the 80s, the book might not be as interesting. It would be much harder to accept endless references to Family Ties, Rush, and Black Tiger if a person did not have a clue about any of it. With the exception of the video game titles, with which I was unfamiliar with most, I recognized and could follow a lot of the references, though I imagine for a younger crowd it would be like reading an alien version of People magazine.

Would I Teach This Book?

Would I teach this book? Ready Player One has some pretty intense teen boy energy, not just in the choice of geeky stuff, but also in the vibes towards the love interest. The references to sexuality and male and female bodies also fall into this vibe. I found the book a bit off-putting, compared to other dystopian novels I have read. The book also feels a bit longer than it needed to be--I think a good editor could shave at least fifty pages off.

I can see the appeal for people who grew up in and around the 1980s, but most current students in any stage of their education will probably not be familiar with that lore. It could make for good discussions about first books and how to handle pop culture in literature, but there are other books that would do the job of both better.

The book is a solid meh, and unless students expressed their own interest in the book, it would not be my first choice.


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Shipping Out: Review of Namesake

 

Namesake by Adrienne Young

Gratitude

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Goodreads Giveaways for the Fable trilogy, of which Namesake is the second. I am enjoying reading my way through!

Description

In Namesake, Adrienne Young starts us off where Fable left off, following up on the cliffhanger ending. We soon learn that Fable has a grandmother and her grandmother, Holland, is the cornerstone of the gem trade in the Unnamed Sea, where she holds court in the most affluent city. Fable’s grandmother wants to pull Fable off of her ship, the Marigold, and use her for her own purposes.

Fable lives in a world governed by sea trade and poverty. Many are cutthroat, sometimes literally, because that is what they need to do to survive. After being abandoned by her father on the most dangerous island of all, Fable has finally found a family in the crew of the Marigold, including West, with whom she had built a passionate relationship. She will do whatever she can to keep her place on the Marigold.

Will Fable’s father come through and help her? Is West the man she thinks he is or is he the man that everyone else says he is? Will Fable be able to scheme her way from treacherous Holland?

If you enjoyed Fable, you will likely enjoy the Namesake.

Would I Teach This Book?

Would I teach this book? Sequels are not easy to teach without the books that come before. While reading Fable is not a requirement for reading Namesake it certainly helps. It might work for a class on the YA genre or YA fantasy. To teach it in middle school might be difficult because of some mild spicy content—certainly it would depend on the school.

Overall, I would be more likely to teach Fable than Namesake. The series relies, in part, on our love for Fable and our rooting for her to come from the bottom up. Somehow, now that Fable has worked herself up a bit from the bottom, she is not quite as compelling. She does not seem terribly bothered by her problematic power moves—certainly, she cares about what her crew will think, but less about how her choices will impact other people. I am all for girl bosses, but with the questions that are brought up against her father and West, what moral questions does she have for herself?

To be fair, the business deals that Fable sets up are not so violent as West’s or her father’s—but I am wondering about the lack of any moral culpability, beyond the concerns that Fable has for the Marigold’s crew.

The plot also relies on a few moments when Fable is wrong about other characters’ intentions. The turnaround feels cheap, and Fable’s reactions do not seem to equal what the emotional fallout felt like it should be.


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