As I wrote in a previous post I picked up the 2nd book in the Hotlanta series and let me say again "Hotlanta is bananas!" The book just moves along dropping designer and brand-names and then all of the sudden at the end, it explodes with all kinds of craziness. So, of course there's always the comparison of this series to the AWESOME Gossip Girl and it does have shades of GG in it (status, image, shopping) but it doesn't have any of GG's snark. There's no mocking, snarky tone to it at all which is one of the reasons I like GG so much. Anyway, I have the 3rd Hotlanta book waiting to be read. I also picked up the first Around the Way Girls book. I can't wait.
I could NOT make it through Deathnote. I tried. The whole reading it "backwards" was disconcerting and I just wasn't into the story or the character either. I don't think manga is for me. But I know how hugely popular it is so I'd definitely recommend this book to fans of manga and graphic novels. I'd also recommend it to someone who was looking for something "different" to read. It could make for a interesting discussion on society and what it deems morally right. I don't think I'd recommend this to a reluctant reader though.
Tyrell made me so sad. His mother is horrendous and vile. The saddest thing is that while *she* is a fictional character, there are mothers who actually do this in real life. Again, she reminded me of Namond's mom, DeLonda, on The Wire (I think it always comes back to The Wire universe for me)and Keisha in Hotlanta. Mothers who seems void of any maternal protective instinct although they seem to think by hooking up with these gangsta men, they're actually providing a good life for their children. Coe Booth really captures Tyrell's voice. It really feels like he's talking to you. I'd recommend this book to fans of urban fiction and teens living in urban environments, fans of The Wire, "troubled" teens. The thing is I think the book could appeal to any teen no matter where they live or anything like that. Tyrell is a very good and strong character and the way that Booth captures who he is makes him seem like he's a real-life person and I think that the honesty in the way he says everything would be very appealing.
There seems to be a lot of discussion in class regarding the ability to relate to a character--if they can't relate to the character they generally aren't big fans of the book--I wonder how teens living in environments that are the complete opposite of Tyrell's would feel about the book. I'm not saying that it shouldn't be recommended or taught, I'm just wondering what people would say about it. I think that's one of the best things about books. Books can open you up to something you never would have known or thought about before. How awesome is that?
I'm still reading Poison. It's a fun read but I'm not deeply invested in the story. I think I'd recommend this to girls who want to buck the norm and fans of fantasy. Poison is a strong character right away. She's fierce, defiant, belligerent and a loner but she also loves her father and sister very much and is wildly protective of them. I think that she cares about her stepmother too but she's too busy being angry to actually admit it to herself.
***To be continued after class
**************************************************
I'm so excited there is going to be a sequel to Tyrell!! I need to know what happened to him.
I'm almost finished with Poison. It's still a weird book and Poison is kind of a violent girl. The whole dog-killing-skinning and wearing their skins was so gross and then she killed that moth thing by throwing an apple through its wing. I haven't encountered that many female characters who are like Poison. She's more like a male warrior character at times. Also I can't get that movie Labyrinth with Jennifer Connelly and David Bowie out of my head as I read this book.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UoG-xQ9Lqc
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Wow so many great thoughts here. I looooove Hotlanta, but I haven't read the third one yet so you'll have to tell me what happens.
ReplyDeleteGreat thoughts on Tyrell...In reaching larger, non-urban audiences, I think we have to keep thinking of expanding on a book's themes like we do in class...I think the book's biggest appeal will be youth in urban settings. But...like Freak Show, Tyrell's story is one of survival, and that's universal to any teen's interests. There's also the hip hop factor, which is huge. And then there are the relationships--it's a love story, a story of troubled siblings, a story with bad parents (what teen doesn't hate their parents just a little bit, right?). So I think it's important for us to draw on these bigger issues when we talk about audience--otherwise the books, etc become ghetto-ized. It's like saying that gay books are only for gay people, right? These books are good and everyone should read them. Everyone should have the opportunity to expand their horizons and learn about the different things that are happening around the world. Some connections are stronger than others, but all of these experiences are valid. I know that you already know this, I just think it's important to capture this kind of thing because it's soooo helpful when it comes to defending intellectual freedom.
Poison...I love this book--probably because of the main character's headstrong attitude and the gross out factor. But honestly, I'm soooo not a fantasy fan. I usually have to get tricked into reading fantasy but the character or a situation like Holly Black's Valiant which is full of fairies and trolls (hate hate hate fairies and trolls). But you're tricked into liking the fairies and trolls because the book starts off with the headstrong teen girl walking in on her mom and boyfriend making out. She runs away from home and lives homeless in the NYC subway with a band of other homeless teens. They're all shooting up, and then they discover that they're shooting up fairy dust...It tooootallly tricked me and hooked me.