Animal Farm by George Orwell

Summary:

A farm is taken over by its overworked, mistreated animals. With flaming idealism and stirring slogans, they set out to create a paradise of progress, justice and equality. Thus the stage is set for one of the most telling satiric fables ever penned - a razor-edged fairy tale against tyranny to a totalitarianism just as terrible. When Animal Farm was first published, Stalinist Russia was seen as its target. Today it is devastatingly clear that wherever and whenever freedom is attacked, under whatever banner, the cutting clarity and savage comedy of George Orwell's masterpiece have a meaning and message still ferociously fresh. (from back cover)

Review:

I loved George Orwell's other famous novel, 1984, as it is one of the most revered dystopias. Animal Farm is a little different in that it is a satire of Communist Russia, so any history buff will enjoy all the parallels.

The story starts out on Manor Farm, where the animals are mistreated by their owner Mr. Jones. When an elderly pig named Old Major suggests that the animals overthrow Mr. Jones and rule the farm in harmony, the animals agree and succeed in running Mr. Jones from the farm. Immediately, two pigs, Snowball and Napoleon, become leaders and establish Seven Commandments and the rules for the farm. As a mirror to the Soviet Union, Snowball is supposed to be Leon Trotsky and Napolean is Joseph Stalin. What is cool is that everything that happens in Animal Farm can be attributed to a real event in history. Even the characters of Snowball and Napoleon share personality traits with their likenesses.

Even though the animals call for equality, it is obvious, as in any society, that classes will emerge. Since the pigs are smarter than all the other animals, they take it upon themselves to be the leaders. And in leading, the pigs get a lot of perks like more food, no labor, and residency in the farm house. I liked watching the plot develop and to see the similarities between this regime and the one in Communist Russia. George Orwell has definitely mastered the art of satire.

Even if you know nothing about Russia and the Soviet Union, Animal Farm is vague enough that the events and characters can be likened to any totalitarian regime in history. Even without reading the novella, the line "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others" is sure to strike a chord with anyone, like it did with me when I first read it.

A short, simple book, Animal Farm is perfect for book clubs or literature classes as it provides plenty of discussion and symbolism. And even if you read it for fun, like I did, I'm sure you will enjoy its message.

Rating: 8 out of 10.

FTC: borrowed from a friend.

1945/Signet Classics/138 pages.

Summer of Fear by Lois Duncan

Summary:

Julia, Cousin Julia. From the moment she arrived that summer, she seemed to seep into Rachel Bryant's life like a poison. Rachel knew she should feel sorry for her seventeen-year-old cousin. But why didn't Julia seem more grieved over her parents' recent deaths? Everyone else was enchanted by Julia - Rachel's parents, her brothers, her friends, and even her steady boyfriend. No one but Rachel seemed to notice Julia's frigid stare, her womanly body, the strange possessions she took pains to hide. Rachel's normally gentle little dog feared and loathed Julia from the start. What was it about her? What did she want with the Bryants? Soon all Rachel's questions were replaced by terror, as she desperately tried to bridge the gap that had sprung up between herself and those she cared about most.

For suddenly she realized who Julia really was, and the summer turned bone-cold. (from book jacket)

Review:

Lois Duncan is one of my favorite authors because she writes the best thrillers. Her books are always simply written, not a lot of detail or complex plots, but the mysteries are always spooky and really nicely done. Summer of Fear definitely isn't my favorite of hers, but it was a decent book all the same.

As from the summary, Summer of Fear starts out with Rachel learning that her aunt and uncle have perished in a car accident, and her cousin will coming to live with her family. Rachel hasn't seen Julia in awhile, so she knows it will be weird to have another girl around and to share her room. What Rachel isn't prepared for her family's sudden attraction to Julia; they even seem to like her more than Rachel! It's not until Rachel starts seeing some of Julia's idiosynchracies that she suspects something is going on.

I don't want to say too much about Julia because Rachel figures out what is going on with her pretty quickly and most of the book is spent having Rachel trying to convince her family that Julia is not who she seems. Some of Lois Duncan's books are downright creepy, but Summer of Fear wasn't too bad. It was pretty tame and I was never that scared during it, which was a little disappointing.

While I enjoyed Summer of Fear and its simple mystery, some of Lois Duncan's other books are way better in that they are actually creepy. But this was still a good read.

Rating: 7 out of 10.

FTC: borrowed from library.

1976/Little, Brown/217 pages.

The Pact by Jodi Picoult

Summary:

From Jodi Picoult, one of the most powerful writers in contemporary fiction, comes a riveting, timely, heartbreaking, and terrifying novel of families in anguish - and friendships ripped apart by inconceivable violence. Until the phone calls come at 3:00 am on a November morning, the Golds and their neighbors, the Hartes, had been inseparable. It was no surprise to anyone when their teenage children, Chris and Emily, began showing signs that their relationship was moving beyond that of lifelong friends. But now seventeen-year-old Emily has been shot to death by her beloved and devoted Chris as part of an apparent suicide pact - leaving two devastated families stranded in the dark and dense pre-dawn, desperate for answers about an unthinkable act and the children they never really knew. (from back cover)

Review:

I think my love for Jodi Picoult and her novels should be apparent by now. I've read six of her books and absolutely adored every one of them. They are all adult novels, which even comes to a surprise to me, but often her characters are teenagers so it reads like YA. The Pact is no different.

What intrigues me the most about The Pact is the relationship between Chris and Emily. When I say that these two teens have known each other since birth, I am not exaggerating. Their families are next-door neighbors and Chris's mom even helped to deliver Emily. They grew up together in every sense of the word and all their parents were secretly rooting for them to get married one day. Everyone has read books of undying love between high school sweethearts, but this love was different. I can't imagine being in a relationship with someone who was like family and that you've known your entire life - I think it would be pretty cool but at the same time it could be a little stifling. Jodi Picoult wrote the relationship between Chris and Emily very well. They were like soulmates, but it wasn't cheesy or corny at all. The couple had their issues but their love and trust in one another just seemed so real.

That's why I love Jodi Picoult's novels. The characters, the situations, the dialogue, it all seems real to me. The characters are complex, they have their secrets, their insecurities, their own thoughts and feelings. Every character is totally different and reacts to each situation differently (and even if it's not how I would act, everything makes sense in context). The Pact was no exception, as Chris goes on trial to see whether he was the victim of botched double suicide or the prepretrator of the crime. Jodi Picoult is wonderful at going back in time and revealing little bits and pieces of information, first about the Hartes and the Golds and Chris and Emily's burgeoning relationship, and later about that fated night. You learn everything in increments and you can't put the book down because you have to see what happens next.

There is so much I would like to say about this novel, but I don't really want to give away any of the plot. It's another crime/court case drama, which I love, but a lot of it isn't even about the trial, but about Chris and Emily. I kind of guessed the ending, but it didn't take anything away from story, which is a sad one. Thinking about Chris living without Emily, his complete and utter soulmate, makes me kind of upset. With their relationship, I can't even imagine what I do. Luckily for me, Jodi Picoult has written a riveting novel about this kind of situation.

The Pact has everything that I would want in a book: love, mystery, secrets, complexity, tears, heartbreak, family. If you've never read a book by Jodi Picoult, I suggest that you read one immediately. They are extraordinary and will leave you thinking long after you've read the last page.

Rating: 10 out of 10!

FTC: borrowed from library.

1998/Harper Perennial/389 pages.

Waiting on Wednesday - 28

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine for bloggers and readers to get excited about upcoming books.

The Time-Traveling Fashionista by Bianca Turetsky

When Louise Lambert receives a mysterious invitation to a traveling vintage fashion sale in the mail, her normal life in suburban Connecticut is magically transformed into a time traveling adventure.

After a brief encounter with two witchy salesladies and donning an evening gown that once belonged to a beautiful silent film star, Louise suddenly finds herself onboard a luxurious cruise ship in 1912. As Alice Baxter, the silent film star, Louise enjoys her access to an extensive closet of gorgeous vintage gowns and begins to get a feel for the challenges and the glamour of life during this decadent era. Until she realizes that she's not just on any ship-- she's on the Titanic!

Will Louise be able to save herself and change the course of history, or are she and her film star alter ego, destined to go down with a sinking ship in the most infamous sea disaster of the 20th century? (from Goodreads)

This sounds like it will be a really cute historical fiction novel AND it takes place on the Titanic which is totally awesome. Look for The Time-Traveling Fashionista in stores on April 5, 2011.

The Agency: The Body at the Tower by Y.S. Lee

Summary:
Now nearly a full-fledged member of the Agency, the all-female detective unit operating out of Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls, Mary Quinn is back for another action-packed adventure. Disguised as a poor apprentice builder and a boy, she must brave the grimy underbelly of Victorian London - as well as childhood memories of fear, hunger, and constant want - to unmask the identity of a murderer. Assigned to monitor a building site on the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament, Mary earns the confidence of the work crew, inching ever nearer her suspect. But if an irresistible desire to help the city's needy doesn't distract her and jeopardize her cover, unexpectedly meeting up with an old friend - or flame - just might.

A suspenseful and evocative window into a fascinating moment of history, The Body at the Tower is the must anticipated second outing with a daring young detective. (from book jacket)

Review:
I was really excited to read The Body at the Tower, which is the sequel to A Spy in the House. In the first novel of the trilogy, the reader is introduced to Mary Quinn, who escapes execution and comes to reside at Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls. However, Miss Scrimshaw's is merely a cover for a corp of women detectives known as the Agency. When Mary is recruited, she must go undercover as a spy on several dangerous missions, and The Body at the Tower begins on Mary's second mission. As the summary stated, Mary must pretend to be a boy in order to discover a murderer.

I really like it when I start a series where a few books have already been published because that means less waiting time for me. I was glad to jump right into Mary's world again, which is an interesting one at that. First, the novel takes place in Victorian London, a wonderful setting for all sorts of mischief. Second, I love the fact that Mary is a spy and detective, and even though this is unrealistic in some aspects, Y.S. Lee makes a convincing case that there may have just been a few of these brave women running around. Mary is very smart and cunning, which makes her a joy to follow around. She slips up a few times, but she plays a boy well.

Everything is going great, until she runs into the handsome and devilish James Easton again. I was especially glad to see this gentleman, because despite being arrogant at times, he and Mary make a great pair. There is always a lot of chemistry and witty banter between them, and my favorite scenes were always the ones that featured these two characters.

Though The Body at the Tower lagged at times, specifically the funeral of John Wick, who was the victim in this story, most the time there were a lot of twists and turns and clues to be solved. The ending is satisfying, the villain's means and motives made sense and once again Mary Quinn saved the day.

I really enjoyed The Body at the Tower and look forward to more of Mary's escapades, but unfortunately The Traitor and the Tunnel, the last book in the trilogy, will not be published in the US until Spring 2012. Hopefully I will be able to find some other suitable reading material to tide me over until then.

Rating: 8 out of 10.
FTC: borrowed from library.

2010/Candlewick Press/337 pages.

Her and Me and You by Lauren Strasnick

Summary:
I met Fred first.

Fred: Hot. Enigmatic. Alex's first friend in her lonely new town. Maybe her first ... everything.

I met Adina the following Monday.

Adina: Fred's twin sister. Cold. Troubled. Trouble.

I kissed him. She pressed her mouth to my mouth.

People warn Alex to steer clear of the twins, but Alex is drawn to them. She wants to be part of their crazy world ... no matter the consequences. (from book jacket)

Review:
I liked Lauren Strasnick's debut Nothing Like You well enough, and I am always interested in the relationship between twins so I thought Her and Me and You would be a good choice. I enjoyed the read, however the sparse writing style is hard for me to get into.

The novel starts out with Alex moving to Meadow Marsh with her mother after her father cheats with a much younger woman. Alex's mother takes to drinking, and when her best friend gets a new boyfriend, Alex starts to feel lonely. She turns to her new friends that she has made at school, Fred and Adina. Fred is nice to Alex but Adina is a mystery. Sometime she's nice to Adina and other times she spreads rumors about Alex behind her back. And it all seems to stem from one thing: she's jealous that Alex is taking her brother away from her.

So we have a really weird situation with the twins that's actually really interesting to watch. You can tell Adina has some problems but she acts pretty crazy most of the time. Fortunately, things get somewhat resolved, but I must say that the ending was very confusing for me and just kind of leaves off without saying too much.

I liked Her and Me and You, but I was never really engrossed in the story. The sparse and succinct writing works for this book, but for me I just don't like it that much. However, if you enjoyed Nothing Like You, you should definitely give Her and Me and You a try because the writing is very similar.

Rating: 7 out of 10.
FTC: borrowed from my library.

2010/Simon Pulse/171 pages.

Waiting on Wednesday - 27

Waiting on Wednesday was created by Jill at Breaking the Spine for bloggers and readers to get excited about upcoming books.

Possession by Elana Johnson

Vi knows the Rule: Girls don’t walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn…and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi’s future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself.
But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they’re set on convincing Vi to become one of them….starting by brainwashed Zenn. Vi can’t leave Zenn in the Thinkers’ hands, but she’s wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous: everything Zenn’s not. Vi can’t quite trust Jag and can’t quite resist him, but she also can’t give up on Zenn. This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play. (from GoodReads)

This sounds really good! It's dystopian and I can tell there's going to be a convincing love triangle of some sort. You only have to wait until June 7, 2011 to read Possession!