So I read another rather interesting book lately...another that I would have never chosen on my own but it was recommended by a co-worker and he hasn't steered me wrong yet. =) It was non-fiction - basically about a book that was almost lost to us forever. But it was about SOOOO much more. It takes place during the reformation and I have to tell you that it's made me want to do so much more reading on this period of time. I mean, I knew about Pope Leo and I knew about the Medici family but I had NO idea that Pope Leo was of the Medici family! And I found it so interesting to learn that Martin Luther went to the monastery because he "wasn't the brightest bulb in the box". But I digress...
The book is really about two men and a book...Michael Servetus and John Calvin. (yes, that John Calvin) Michael Servetus was a genius and at 13, his father sent him to university at Zaragossa. There Michael came to the attention of Juan de Quintana who latched on to Michael, and made him his personal secretary. When Quintana left Zaragossa for Toulouse, he took Michael with him. This put Michael in a unique position where he mixed with powerful people. While working for Quintana, Michael was able to attend the coronation of Charles V. This made Michael question some of the things his Catholic church was teaching and doing. So he learned Greek and Hebrew so he could read the original bible and see where the Catholic church could make changes and thereby serve the people more correctly. He wrote a book entitled On the Errors of the Trinity, which, of course, since it took issue with a little something the Catholic church called the trinity, the church and the Inquisition felt was heretical. So at 19, Michael Servetus was condemned to death. He ran...to Switzerland and then to France. He changed his name and enjoyed the freedom of humanism which was flourishing at Paris University. He studied and wrote and argued...with among other men, John Calvin. Now John Calvin had his own ideas about religion and wanted to show Michael the errors of his ways. And Michael, naturally, was convinced of his rightness (which, by the way, I was convinced of as well) so he was having none of it. John, seeing the "success" of Michael and his book, thought he'd write his own book and thereby gain the popularity and power that he craved. Calvin's book was NOT a bestseller and Calvin, who was apparently a gigantic narcissist, decided it was Michael's fault in some way and so would spend the rest of his life hunting Michael down in order to have his life and ideas destroyed.
At some point, Servetus ended up back at the University of Paris and studied medicine this time. He later goes to Vienne and practices as a country doctor there. He also works on a book, Christianismi Restitutio, and corresponds with John Calvin, both of which would bring about his downfall. In the end, Calvin succeeded in his mission to destroy Servetus. He had Servetus burned at the stake along with all the copies of his book he could find. And he ordered that all Servetus' books be collected and destroyed. However, 3 copies miraculously survived...along with John Calvin's personal copy.
As a side story, Michael Servetus, while studying medicine at Paris University, actually discovered how the circulatory system worked...years before Vesalius, who is credited for the discovery. And if this book was never discovered, we'd never have known all the genius of Michael Servetus.
There is so much more to this story...the history of how the printing of books affected the reformation. How much of society that was under the control of the church. And how the church used the Inquisition to try to keep people under their rule while they themselves did things in such excess as to actually disgust those faithful who so loved the church and were so disgusted by the abuse they witnessed the church indulge in. Not to mention the history of how medicine was changed with the discovery of how the circulatory system functioned. And also the beginnings of modern medicine here in America. Oh, and also the history of a little branch of the christian church known as the Unitarian Church. I'm just barely scratching the surface in this review.
This book was so informative and inflammatory (but in a good way) for me. And it also created more questions for me. Oh, I will have to read more books! So I hope you'll check out this book sometime. And let me know what you think!
Friday, March 23, 2012
Friday, March 16, 2012
It's About a Circus?
I recently read The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. While at a swim meet, I had another parent see that I was reading it and ask what is was about. I had a hard time describing it, actually. I read it for book club with my co-workers and when we met to discuss it, I told them of this interaction. I said I kinda felt like this book defied definition. Although I'd heard it described as a romance a la Twilight, I don't think it fits in that category. It involves lot of magic but it's not really Harry Potter...So a few of my co-workers threw out their thoughts and I felt that one in particular described the book pretty well...a modern day fairy tale. So that's what I'm going with. =)
The Night Circus is primarily, in my opinion, an argument between two schools of thought fought on a world stage with players who haven't the slightest idea of the consequences of their actions (at least initially). Two men, one a teacher and the other once his student, have differing ideas on how best to teach magic and whether or not innate ability matters. They have been "challenging" each other for decades and a particular challenge is the focus of this story.
The magician, Prospero, issues a new challenge to his old tutor, the "man in the grey suit". Prospero is using his six-year old daughter as his pawn. The man in the grey suit chooses a student/opponent, in a much more detached manner. and thus the players are in place.
As the years pass and the "students" are groomed for their challenge, a stage is set. The place where this challenge will be played out will be in a circus...but not just any circus. A circus that defies the definition of circus; a circus that shows up out of nowhere, leaves while no one is watching and is only open at night.
Not part of the teachers' plans is for the opponents to meet and fall in love. And therein lies the flaw that will bring down the house of cards. Because neither party is willing to essentially remove the other from the playing field. So who wins in the end?
As I said, I really feel like this book defies description. And although I enjoyed it, I felt that the author could have done some things to draw the reader in a bit more. The book has a wide array of interestingly eccentric characters but because there are so many, we never really get to know any of them. I would have liked to know more about Prospero and the man in the grey suit. And I really would have liked enjoyed a more in-depth detailing of the relationship between Celia and Marco. Also, I felt Ms. Morgenstern's detailing of the circus itself as well as the other locations visited could have been done better. She took great pains to set up this whimsical world yet I never really felt a part of it.
Overall, I did enjoy the book. I just felt like it could have been so much more.
The Night Circus is primarily, in my opinion, an argument between two schools of thought fought on a world stage with players who haven't the slightest idea of the consequences of their actions (at least initially). Two men, one a teacher and the other once his student, have differing ideas on how best to teach magic and whether or not innate ability matters. They have been "challenging" each other for decades and a particular challenge is the focus of this story.
The magician, Prospero, issues a new challenge to his old tutor, the "man in the grey suit". Prospero is using his six-year old daughter as his pawn. The man in the grey suit chooses a student/opponent, in a much more detached manner. and thus the players are in place.
As the years pass and the "students" are groomed for their challenge, a stage is set. The place where this challenge will be played out will be in a circus...but not just any circus. A circus that defies the definition of circus; a circus that shows up out of nowhere, leaves while no one is watching and is only open at night.
Not part of the teachers' plans is for the opponents to meet and fall in love. And therein lies the flaw that will bring down the house of cards. Because neither party is willing to essentially remove the other from the playing field. So who wins in the end?
As I said, I really feel like this book defies description. And although I enjoyed it, I felt that the author could have done some things to draw the reader in a bit more. The book has a wide array of interestingly eccentric characters but because there are so many, we never really get to know any of them. I would have liked to know more about Prospero and the man in the grey suit. And I really would have liked enjoyed a more in-depth detailing of the relationship between Celia and Marco. Also, I felt Ms. Morgenstern's detailing of the circus itself as well as the other locations visited could have been done better. She took great pains to set up this whimsical world yet I never really felt a part of it.
Overall, I did enjoy the book. I just felt like it could have been so much more.
Soul Screamers II
I just finished My Soul to Save, the second in Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamers series. And I was NOT disappointed!
This time around, Kaylee gets involved in NetherWorld-ly intrigue in order to save the souls of Tod's ex and her little sister...who both sold their souls for fame and fortune but didn't really know what they were signing on for. Kaylee feels obligated to help in recompense for the souls her aunt "sold" and also because she believes that these kids, selling their souls to a media mogul, really don't know what they're agreeing to. And if she can save just two from that, she's making a difference.
She and Nash have to deal with the typical teenage issues like consequences to skipping school or missing your curfew. And then there's the NetherWorld issues of flesh eating plants and monsters...and not drawing the attention of creatures who are not so fond of bean sidhes. And add in Kaylee's lessons in bean sidhe ability...well, it's a lot for a teenage girl.
I really enjoyed this book! It has action and suspense and drama. And I find I admire Kaylee's pluck. She's a strong heroine and that appeals to me. I like how Rachel is dealing with the estranged relationship between Kaylee and her father. And I'm enjoying the growth of Kaylee's relationship with Nash. I also like the setting since I once lived in Arlington/Dallas and am familiar with the landmarks and highways, etc., that Rachel uses.
I can't wait to see what other mischief this pair gets themselves into!
This time around, Kaylee gets involved in NetherWorld-ly intrigue in order to save the souls of Tod's ex and her little sister...who both sold their souls for fame and fortune but didn't really know what they were signing on for. Kaylee feels obligated to help in recompense for the souls her aunt "sold" and also because she believes that these kids, selling their souls to a media mogul, really don't know what they're agreeing to. And if she can save just two from that, she's making a difference.
She and Nash have to deal with the typical teenage issues like consequences to skipping school or missing your curfew. And then there's the NetherWorld issues of flesh eating plants and monsters...and not drawing the attention of creatures who are not so fond of bean sidhes. And add in Kaylee's lessons in bean sidhe ability...well, it's a lot for a teenage girl.
I really enjoyed this book! It has action and suspense and drama. And I find I admire Kaylee's pluck. She's a strong heroine and that appeals to me. I like how Rachel is dealing with the estranged relationship between Kaylee and her father. And I'm enjoying the growth of Kaylee's relationship with Nash. I also like the setting since I once lived in Arlington/Dallas and am familiar with the landmarks and highways, etc., that Rachel uses.
I can't wait to see what other mischief this pair gets themselves into!
Inspiration Found!
So this post is a little late as I read the book I'm gonna talk about awhile back but it was really good and I wanted to talk about it. =) Of course, not all the details are as clear now but the intensity of feeling this book brought forth is!
I read Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, for the book club I participate in with my co-workers. Unbroken is not necessarily a book I would have picked up left to my own devices...but I'm so glad that I did read it. Here's why:
I have long held the belief that a positive attitude...being a glass half full kinda person has a big impact on your life, both inwardly and outwardly. (Not that I'm always sunshine and rainbows =) I had this belief reinforced when my grandfathers were sick with cancer..one of my grandfathers lasted longer (despite the cancer being further advanced) because his overall attitude about life was more postitive. But never have I seen a more shining example of this belief than in Louis Zamperini's story!
First of all, in my opinion, Louie was lucky to survive past 10. If I'd been his mother, I'd probably have killed him before then! The things this boy got into and did...ugh! His poor mom. =) But apparently Louie was meant for bigger things. Although, it seemed Louie's whole life revolved around doing outrageous things either for the thrill or to meet girls! Once he got into high school, his older brother had figured him out. He theorized that poor Louie had never had all his "energy" properly channeled and so got Louie involved in running track.
Louie went from a kid who was always running from the law or an irate victim to running in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. He was also set to break a world record for running the mile. When World War II broke out, Louie became a bombadier and saw much combat. And in one fateful mission, he, the plane, and his crew mates went down in the Pacific Ocean. For 46 days, Louie survived being afloat on a life raft...fighting exhaustion, dehydration, hunger, shark attacks...not to mention being shot at by Japanese planes. He and his pilot Phil, survived to land on an island that was Japanese occupied. From there Louie endured the hell of being a prisoner of war...where everything imaginable was done to him to break his spirit, his body and his mind. But Louie refused to be broken. Louie proved to be resilient in life and in his faith and I found this book to be so awe inspiring on so many levels.
I like to think of myself as a positive person; however, I'm not so sure I would have the strength of character to survive all the Louie did. But his story is truly inspirational and completely reinforced my belief in the power of positive thinking. I hope you'll read it...and that you'll agree.
I read Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, for the book club I participate in with my co-workers. Unbroken is not necessarily a book I would have picked up left to my own devices...but I'm so glad that I did read it. Here's why:
I have long held the belief that a positive attitude...being a glass half full kinda person has a big impact on your life, both inwardly and outwardly. (Not that I'm always sunshine and rainbows =) I had this belief reinforced when my grandfathers were sick with cancer..one of my grandfathers lasted longer (despite the cancer being further advanced) because his overall attitude about life was more postitive. But never have I seen a more shining example of this belief than in Louis Zamperini's story!
First of all, in my opinion, Louie was lucky to survive past 10. If I'd been his mother, I'd probably have killed him before then! The things this boy got into and did...ugh! His poor mom. =) But apparently Louie was meant for bigger things. Although, it seemed Louie's whole life revolved around doing outrageous things either for the thrill or to meet girls! Once he got into high school, his older brother had figured him out. He theorized that poor Louie had never had all his "energy" properly channeled and so got Louie involved in running track.
Louie went from a kid who was always running from the law or an irate victim to running in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. He was also set to break a world record for running the mile. When World War II broke out, Louie became a bombadier and saw much combat. And in one fateful mission, he, the plane, and his crew mates went down in the Pacific Ocean. For 46 days, Louie survived being afloat on a life raft...fighting exhaustion, dehydration, hunger, shark attacks...not to mention being shot at by Japanese planes. He and his pilot Phil, survived to land on an island that was Japanese occupied. From there Louie endured the hell of being a prisoner of war...where everything imaginable was done to him to break his spirit, his body and his mind. But Louie refused to be broken. Louie proved to be resilient in life and in his faith and I found this book to be so awe inspiring on so many levels.
I like to think of myself as a positive person; however, I'm not so sure I would have the strength of character to survive all the Louie did. But his story is truly inspirational and completely reinforced my belief in the power of positive thinking. I hope you'll read it...and that you'll agree.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Soul Screamers
First of all, let me just say that I don't always read this much YA fiction...it just so happens that I've finished a YA series (Maggie Stiefvater) and then started YA series recently. =) And this new YA series I just started, Soul Screamers, is by one of my favorite authors...Rachel Vincent. I read Rachel's Shifters series and absolutely LOVED it! That series was gritty, thrilling, and extremely enjoyable! But that's a different blog! =) So Soul Screamers is something I've been meaning to read for quite some time since I figured I'd love it. And I was on Rachel's blog and saw that FIKTSHUN was hosting a Soul Screamers contest so I thought the time to start Soul Screamers was now. =)
My Soul to Take is the first in the series, and I enjoyed it immensely. I didn't know what this series was going to be like - it is categorized as Paranormal Romance in my bookstore, so I knew there'd be romance in it, but I didn't figure Rachel would write solely about romance. I was pleasantly rewarded with a suspenseful book with a little romance tossed in. =)
The series revolves around Kaylee, a 16 year old girl who discovers that she's a bean sidhe. That's banshee for those of you who aren't familiar with Irish lore. Bean sidhes wail a death song when a person is dying, according to lore. Kaylee discovers what she is after experiencing several "panic attacks". Nash, a boy from school who happens to be a major hottie is there to assist Kaylee through the attacks and he ends up being the one to explain to her what she is...because she's thinking she's crazy and he happens to know differently. See, Nash is a male bean sidhe and is thrilled to have found a female counterpart. He was thinking her panic attacks were flukes and was waiting for her family to explain to Kaylee her heritage. Unfortunately for Kaylee, her "panic attacks" aren't isolated and soon it seems young girls are dropping like flies for no apparent reason. And after Nash explains to her what she is, Kaylee decides it's her responsibility to figure out the reason behind these deaths. The action surrounding the resolution to the mystery and the growth of the relationships between Kaylee and her family and friends (and Nash ;) make this first installment a joy ride and a must read! But hey, it's from Rachel Vincent...I wouldn't expect anything less!
Saturday, January 28, 2012
On Wolves
How do I love thee, Maggie...let me count the ways.
So, I just finished reading the last in Maggie Stiefvater's Wolves of Mercy Falls series and could wax poetic about it for just...well, Forever. Suffice it to say, if you have not read Maggie, get thee to a bookstore QUICKLY!
Linger, book number 2 in the trilogy, was a wonderful follow-up to Shiver. Seeing what life is now like for Sam and Grace now that Sam is "cured"...wondering what will become of the wolves since Mr. Blah is determined to rid Mercy Falls of them...how Isabel will recover from the loss of her brother...and oh, yeah, what of that newly turned wolf Beck just brought to town? Oh, and what's wrong with Grace??? So many questions and so much action and just the right touch of romance...I just couldn't put it down. Maggie can definitely weave a good yarn.
Which leads me into Forever. It is the last book in the trilogy and I was thrilled with the story, although sad to say goodbye to the characters. In this last part of Grace and Sam's story, there is much tension derived from Grace now having shifted to a wolf and it's Sam's turn to watch for her and wonder about her. Cole, whom we discover has many redeeming qualities, is in search for a true cure since we now know that Sam's cure isn't a true cure. And he and Isabel chink away at each other's armor with fascinating results. We even end up forgiving Grace's parents...well, somewhat anyway.
This series made me think about the meaning of true love, the value of real friends, the boundaries of loyalty among friends, and doing the "right thing." Maggie did a splendid job of tying up all the loose ends and leaving us with the feeling that Forever, for the characters involved, will be a remarkable journey with a happy ending.
So, I just finished reading the last in Maggie Stiefvater's Wolves of Mercy Falls series and could wax poetic about it for just...well, Forever. Suffice it to say, if you have not read Maggie, get thee to a bookstore QUICKLY!
Linger, book number 2 in the trilogy, was a wonderful follow-up to Shiver. Seeing what life is now like for Sam and Grace now that Sam is "cured"...wondering what will become of the wolves since Mr. Blah is determined to rid Mercy Falls of them...how Isabel will recover from the loss of her brother...and oh, yeah, what of that newly turned wolf Beck just brought to town? Oh, and what's wrong with Grace??? So many questions and so much action and just the right touch of romance...I just couldn't put it down. Maggie can definitely weave a good yarn.
Which leads me into Forever. It is the last book in the trilogy and I was thrilled with the story, although sad to say goodbye to the characters. In this last part of Grace and Sam's story, there is much tension derived from Grace now having shifted to a wolf and it's Sam's turn to watch for her and wonder about her. Cole, whom we discover has many redeeming qualities, is in search for a true cure since we now know that Sam's cure isn't a true cure. And he and Isabel chink away at each other's armor with fascinating results. We even end up forgiving Grace's parents...well, somewhat anyway.
This series made me think about the meaning of true love, the value of real friends, the boundaries of loyalty among friends, and doing the "right thing." Maggie did a splendid job of tying up all the loose ends and leaving us with the feeling that Forever, for the characters involved, will be a remarkable journey with a happy ending.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Rock Star
A fact about me...Jane Austen is one of my VERY favorite authors of all time. Since she only wrote 6 novels, I've read and re-read them all many times. So when I discovered modern authors writing continuations of those novels, twists on those novels, etc., I had to check them out. I've enjoyed many of those, found some mildly entertaining...but one of the things most important to me in a book like that is that the author keep the characters, well in character. For instance, when I read Pride, Prejudice and Zombies, I thought it was a really creative take on the story. And I enjoyed that Seth Grahame-Smith put a modern cultural element (zombies) into the classic...and I liked that fact that, for the most part, I could actually see Elizabeth or Mr. Darcy acting in that fashion. But I found it extremely disturbing when I felt the action was out of character...when I thought to myself, "Elizabeth would never do that!"
Seeing as I'm such a fan of characters staying in character, I was enormously pleased with Heather Rigaud's novel, Fitzwilliam Darcy: Rock Star. This novel, set in modern day, has Elizabeth and Darcy taking on one another as members of rock bands touring together. Elizabeth, her sister Jane, and friend Charlotte combine to create the girl band Long Borne Suffering. Darcy, Bingley, and Darcy's cousin Richard Fitzwilliam, are the stars of the successful and wildly popular rock band, Slurry. I absolutely loved the idea that these characters would meet while touring the U.S. And it was brilliant to use MTV as a conduit for information regarding the band members.
There are elements from the classic, such as certain lines and Ms. Rigaud included the sparring between Elizabeth and Darcy that I found so entertaining in Austen's version. There are newer elements for making this modern...Elizabeth and Darcy have *gasp* sex...there is drug/alcohol addiction, a pedophile...well, this is rock and roll! But what I most enjoyed about the novel is that for the most part, the personality of the original characters is maintained. And Ms. Rigaud does a splendid job of explaining the psychology behind why the characters have those personalities. And that made the book something that I still can't stop thinking about.
In the original, we know that Elizabeth is seen as the smart or witty daughter as compared to her beautiful sister, Jane. But Ms. Rigaud goes further by showing us the effects of these comparisons on Elizabeth's psyche. And in the original, we know that Darcy's parents died young. In this version, we see how they died and how these deaths would effect his ability to have relationships...and how this would manifest itself outwardly and make him appear "proud". The characters of Jane and Bingley are just as amiable in this version as the original. However, we get to delve further into the characters of Charlotte and Richard Fitzwilliam...and while their characters stray furthest away from their original counterparts, they add much flavor to the tale. Ms. Rigaud's incorporation of Caroline, Lady Catherine, Mr. Collins and other characters is also quite creative. I even enjoyed what she did with Wickham's character to make him the evil cad.
All in all, I'd highly recommend this novel whether you've read the original or not. It doesn't lose anything if you haven't read Austen's version. You'll still find it enjoyable.
Seeing as I'm such a fan of characters staying in character, I was enormously pleased with Heather Rigaud's novel, Fitzwilliam Darcy: Rock Star. This novel, set in modern day, has Elizabeth and Darcy taking on one another as members of rock bands touring together. Elizabeth, her sister Jane, and friend Charlotte combine to create the girl band Long Borne Suffering. Darcy, Bingley, and Darcy's cousin Richard Fitzwilliam, are the stars of the successful and wildly popular rock band, Slurry. I absolutely loved the idea that these characters would meet while touring the U.S. And it was brilliant to use MTV as a conduit for information regarding the band members.
There are elements from the classic, such as certain lines and Ms. Rigaud included the sparring between Elizabeth and Darcy that I found so entertaining in Austen's version. There are newer elements for making this modern...Elizabeth and Darcy have *gasp* sex...there is drug/alcohol addiction, a pedophile...well, this is rock and roll! But what I most enjoyed about the novel is that for the most part, the personality of the original characters is maintained. And Ms. Rigaud does a splendid job of explaining the psychology behind why the characters have those personalities. And that made the book something that I still can't stop thinking about.
In the original, we know that Elizabeth is seen as the smart or witty daughter as compared to her beautiful sister, Jane. But Ms. Rigaud goes further by showing us the effects of these comparisons on Elizabeth's psyche. And in the original, we know that Darcy's parents died young. In this version, we see how they died and how these deaths would effect his ability to have relationships...and how this would manifest itself outwardly and make him appear "proud". The characters of Jane and Bingley are just as amiable in this version as the original. However, we get to delve further into the characters of Charlotte and Richard Fitzwilliam...and while their characters stray furthest away from their original counterparts, they add much flavor to the tale. Ms. Rigaud's incorporation of Caroline, Lady Catherine, Mr. Collins and other characters is also quite creative. I even enjoyed what she did with Wickham's character to make him the evil cad.
All in all, I'd highly recommend this novel whether you've read the original or not. It doesn't lose anything if you haven't read Austen's version. You'll still find it enjoyable.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Shiver
No, I'm not Shiver-ing because of the temperatures (it's actually quite mild for early January in Colorado...until tomorrow, anyway =)...it's because I recently read Maggie Stiefvater's young adult novel Shiver. It's the first in her Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy. Now I already knew I LOVED Maggie having read her Books of Faerie, Lament and Ballad. But this novel moved me to Shiver-ing.
It's the story of Grace...who, as a young girl, was attacked by wolves. Since then, she's been obsessed with the wolf pack that inhabits the woods behind her house...and one wolf in particular. Her yellow-eyed wolf, who watches her all winter.
It's also the story of Sam, who is Grace's yellow-eyed wolf. He saved her six years ago when his pack members dragged her from her backyard swing. And he's been obsessed with her ever since.
After a student at Grace's school is attacked and killed by the wolf pack, town members go to the woods and hunt down the pack. During the hunt, Sam (as wolf) is shot and Grace finds him (as human) on her back porch.
As Grace and Sam deal with the fallout of the student's death (and rebirth as a werewolf) they also have the chance to learn about one another as humans and their love born between girl and wolf. There is also the mystery of how Grace remained human after her wolf attack and how to possibly keep Sam in human form.
The story itself is gripping and dramatic but what makes it so much more worthy of reading is Maggie's stunning prose. It is beautiful and she describes the events and landscape both viscerally. I can't wait to finish the trilogy and gobble up anything else Ms. Stiefvater ever writes.
It's the story of Grace...who, as a young girl, was attacked by wolves. Since then, she's been obsessed with the wolf pack that inhabits the woods behind her house...and one wolf in particular. Her yellow-eyed wolf, who watches her all winter.
It's also the story of Sam, who is Grace's yellow-eyed wolf. He saved her six years ago when his pack members dragged her from her backyard swing. And he's been obsessed with her ever since.
After a student at Grace's school is attacked and killed by the wolf pack, town members go to the woods and hunt down the pack. During the hunt, Sam (as wolf) is shot and Grace finds him (as human) on her back porch.
As Grace and Sam deal with the fallout of the student's death (and rebirth as a werewolf) they also have the chance to learn about one another as humans and their love born between girl and wolf. There is also the mystery of how Grace remained human after her wolf attack and how to possibly keep Sam in human form.
The story itself is gripping and dramatic but what makes it so much more worthy of reading is Maggie's stunning prose. It is beautiful and she describes the events and landscape both viscerally. I can't wait to finish the trilogy and gobble up anything else Ms. Stiefvater ever writes.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)