The Blackthorn Key vs All the Bright Places (Round Three)

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The Blackthorn Key vs All the Bright Places

This really feels like an apples to steak comparison; both nourishing but so very different!

When I pulled out The Blackthorn Key, one of my students was very excited; he had enjoyed it greatly – bonus of doing this is that teens see us reading ‘their’ books – and he really wants to loan me the rest of the series! It was, in places, laugh out loud funny. Set in an alternate history, we follow Christopher, an orphaned apothecary apprentice in his first adventure (this is part of a trilogy, of course).

The language, initially, is difficult for kids to get into; slightly antiquated vocabulary that doesn’t last throughout the novel, and it has a structure that demands attention. The story centres around discovery, friendship, sacrifice. It is really his unending intellectual curiosity that I enjoyed; both as a reader and as a teacher. Seeing his friendship with the Baker’s son develop gave an awesome example of two boys being friends and supportive without any bro culture or toxicity.

This was, very simply, an enjoyable novel. The protagonist struggles and while smart isn’t so amazing that he’s unbelievable. The supporting characters have enough back story to be more than filler. The plot keeps moving at a good pace and there are unfair and awkward things that happen. Christopher has to deal with people who don’t like him.

And now I’m really torn; both novels are great but for vastly different reasons. All the Bright Places is literature while The Blackthorn Key is what I would use to get students reading. I’m going to very begrudgingly put All the Bright Places forward, even though I enjoyed Blackthorn more, because of how well it could be adapted to a classroom and how well both genders are represented. But if you have anyone struggling; help them with the first two chapters of Blackthorn and they will be hooked! 

Ember in the Ashes VS Trouble is a Friend of Mine

Ember in the Ashes is a brutal dystopian fantasy world - the story was very compelling and the stakes life and death. (You can see my earlier review for more details.)

However, I found the lightness and humour in Trouble is a Friend of Mine to be refreshing and something I actually wanted to spend time with; I had to keep reminding myself to continue reading Ember.

An earlier reviewer compared Trouble is a Friend of Mine to Sherlock and Gilmore Girls, and it certainly feels reminiscent of those kinds of stories, or like an extended episode of Veronica Mars. It was an incredibly fast paced and fun read.

This is a very short review, but personally I am putting forth Trouble to the next round. As much as I enjoyed Ember (and would recommend the novel), I devoured Trouble. In fact, I liked it so much that I dropped everything else I was doing (weekend marking? hah!) and picked up the sequel instead.

Round 2:  

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I vote that The Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands move on to the next round. This book was a refreshing read after so many dystopian and teen angst-filled novels of late. The gripping tale of the 17th Century apothecaries and loyal friends, mysterious murders and secret codes, had me flipping pages in rapid succession. The story kept me intrigued throughout, and the characters were engaging and endearing. I feel this novel would engage all types of readers due to the variety of elements it contains. From magic and mystery, to thrilling explosions, to the tale of a boy trying to solve a code to avenge his Master and live up to expectations, it has something in it for everyone. I feel that Christopher, and his best friend Tom, are characters students will relate to and cheer for as they read this exciting tale!
 

I vote for The Blackthorn Key as well!  I like the mystery feel of this book that keeps readers guessing and wanting to read more!  As well, I like that it is part of a series, as those kids who really like the book now have two more to keep them reading!  I believe any student who likes magic might like these books.  The characters are very relatable and believable.  I agree with the above review; finally a book that is not filled with angst and drama!
 

I liked the Blackthorn Key.  It was fun and engaging, like an old episode of Young Indiana Jones. There wasn’t the darkness of other teen sci-fi like the other reviews have said.  It read like a quick paced adventure novel, essentially Clive Cussler for YA with enjoyable characters of substance with a solid theme of friendship and brotherhood.  It’s nice to see a YA book not focused on girls growing up in totalitarian regimes.  I will even read the next two in the series!

 

From the Library’s Circulation Desk…

I vote that The Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands  move to the next round.  I really enjoyed this book even though historical fantasy fiction is not my preferred genre.  The storyline kept me engaged. It had a heavy plot with some suspenseful writing.  It was truly a page turner.  In between explosions, mystery and puzzles to solve, Christopher’s character was on the search for Master Benedict Blackthorn’s killer.

 

Conviction vs. All the Bright Places (Round Two)

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Devon's thoughts:

Conviction by Kelly Loy Gilbert 

(Spoilers. This book offends my delicate sensibilities so I’m spoiling it in hopes no one else reads it, even though I know that this isn’t how the book slam works)

I don’t mind books that talk about faith; I think it is interesting to watch characters struggle with matters of faith and the juxtaposition of what they learn at home and what they see at school, and I think this can be very helpful for readers to see as well. If you don’t grow up in that faith, as a reader you get to learn about it more intimately than you would from a textbook. My greatest concern with matters of faith in Conviction, however, is how homosexuality is portrayed. Calling it addictive and using it to fill other holes in your heart is offensive. Because of how many references there were to homosexuality in the beginning, I was desperately hoping that the major crisis would be for Braden to be gay. While I know this is an accurate portrayal for some denominations of Christianity, I didn’t see any benefit to adding this to the story. While it is used as a crisis point, it’s done so VERY weakly, and the crisis could easily have had other sources.

I struggled with how well written the novel is; the scenes of his father drinking, the abuse, and the entire scene where Braden and Madi are at the lake… So much of this was beautifully described. Even the discussion of baseball; it went over my head but there was passion and fun in those sections. The structure, on the other hand, was incredibly frustrating. There are too many problems for any character to face – or for any writer to handle effectively. It felt as though there were major problems raised and dropped repeatedly. The female characters exist solely as romantic interests or mothers; they not only have no depth, but when the men-folk do them wrong, the women justify the bad behavior. Is that realistic? Sure, sometimes. But they’re so one-dimensional that again, I thought Braden might be gay and that women just do not show up on his radar. 
I had to re-read the ending, thinking I had missed some major development. I still feel as though I have; out of nowhere, after repeatedly contrasting how important it is for Braden to work through his problems and how critical everyone is over Trey running away, the resolution is to throw down your glove and walk away? It would be full of teen angst drama on film, but on the page it was just confusing. There must have been a MAJOR epiphany that I missed, for him to leave his father, school, baseball, and the church to go live with his gay brother, who not only has room for him but also the time to raise a teenager, write a book, and run a restaurant. And then I just kept thinking about his home with his father standing empty for two months. Did they do the dishes before they left? I don’t need a scene where they pack, but some resolution would be nice.

I honestly would not recommend this book to anyone. Ever. I was horrified by the depictions of homosexuality. I wanted some depth to the female characters. I wanted at least one issue resolved. I don’t feel like one satisfactory resolution is asking too much.

Jon's thoughts; 

 Conviction is a good example of a book that emphasizes the importance of (a) being able and willing to read about other people’s experiences without necessarily feeling like we have to adopt their worldview, and (b) recognizing that sympathetic protagonists tend to make it difficult for readers to do this. For the protagonist Braden, religion is the lens through which he filters and understands the world around him. I think it is likely that secular readers would find the worldview off-putting, but I don’t think that is necessarily an incorrect or invalid way of experiencing the text. Once you get past that hurdle, I found it a remarkably honest insight into the way Christian youth attempt to make meaning of the world in which they live. Much of this can be attributed to Gilbert’s technique—she is an excellent writer, and that is a virtue that sometimes gets overlooked in YA in deference to the story.

            Where Conviction falls short is in its insistence on tackling too many subplots. Braden’s relationship with his faith, his father, his brother, baseball, the trial, his friends, and his girlfriend all exist at times independently of each other while at other times in anastomosis. As a result, none of them feel fully resolved by the end of the novel. Normally, this in itself would be a valid critique of any novel. However, the coming-of-age, bildungsroman-esq nature of the story underscores the issue of having a sympathetic but flawed protagonist who holds problematic opinions or worldviews at the beginning of the novel: if he doesn’t rescind those views or come to a better understanding of his own flaws by the end, it allows room for doubt as to whether those ideas need to be challenged at all.

            Overall, I see Conviction as a text through which non-religious readers can catch a glimpse of how a particular type of Christian youth can struggle to understand the world through the lens of his religion. It’s not so different from reading about young adults who struggle with their gender, sexuality, race, or class. Even as I’ve extolled the importance of writers to write responsibly, it is just as important (perhaps even more so) for readers to read generously. Conviction¸ I believe, is a good exercise in that.

We both put All the Bright Places forward as the winner. 

Wolf vs All-American

      

Reviewed by the Flying Bisons

We still love the surefooted way Graudin handles the alternate history that is the premise of Wolf by Wolf, but we also wanted the recognize the relevance of the issues explored in All American Boys. This was a difficult decision.

Devon made an excellent point in her review about Quinn's story line; his only real conflict is with Guzzo as it's obvious to everyone, including Quinn, that Paul's abuse of Rashad was completely out of line. Rashad's perspective about being unjustly beaten by the police officer (Paul) is raw and gritty and one that needs to be discussed in what many wrongly view as a "post racial" world.

While Wolf by Wolf is beautifully written and from a strictly literary perspective, deserves to move on to the next round, we felt All American Boys, written from two male's perspectives, to be timely and should be put in the hands of many of our teens.

We're putting forth All American Boys, but we'd like to recommend an even better book about #blacklivesmatter titled The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.

Ember in the Ashes

Ember in the Ashes:

I had a little difficulty with this book when I first started it. I found myself initially irritated with the character of Elias who kept self-sabotaging and (after years of intense training and self-control) somehow couldn't regulate his behaviour enough to keep from drawing the suspicions of his fellow trainees. I wanted this character to be smart and capable and he seemed to be having difficulty being either of these things...

However, as the book progressed I was sucked deep into this world and the conflicts it posed. Elias' storyline received an interesting supernatural complication (that satisfied my earlier frustrations) and I found both his story and Laia's story highly compelling! Laia's perspective as one of the conquered and oppressed people, alongside Elias' privileged and yet equally oppressive life, vividly depicted the many horrors that life in this world involved. I was quickly drawn into the story emotionally, eager to see how Laia and Elias would able to fight back against the many injustices they were faced with, and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Secret Path VS. Conviction

Conviction:  Too much of a “God” undertone to the story.  I found the book to be leaving details out that could have been revealed much sooner.  It was not one that held my interest.  I approach these smackdowns in being given the chance to read YA books so I can recommend them to students.  However, I wouldn’t recommend this one, mostly because we work in a public school and it had a very religious undertone.  

Secret Path: This book was ok, but after reading it, I was made aware there is a prior book that would have helped to make more connections to the story of Chanie Wenjack. I have prior knowledge about the residential schools, so I was able to piece together the story.  But for some students, they may not be able to fully understand the book, as it is mostly just pictures with a few pages of lyrics, not necessarily like a traditional graphic novel.  I did not listen to any of the music as I read the book.  

If I had to pick between the two books to move on to the next round, it would have to be Secret Path.  It at least exposes students to our past history and might open up some conversations and deeper thinking.

From the Library’s Circulation Desk…

I finished reading Conviction but at times it was painful to read.  The only reason I finished it is because I thought I might want to vote it to the next round but that is not the case.  There were baseball references and at times I thought to myself maybe I could recommend this book to my sports oriented students.  I did not enjoy the book and I do not see myself recommending it .  The God references made me uncomfortable and I also work in a public school.

I vote that Secret Path be moved to the next round.  Even though, in my opinion, it is a dark read.  It is a graphic novel about the story of Chanie Wenjack.

Secret Path: I vote for this unconventional graphic novel to move ahead to the next round. There is a section on the back cover of the book that I wish were included within the pages, because it gives a better understanding of the story and I worry that some readers may miss it. The book is dark and, at times, a little bewildering; however, it has potential to spark curiosity about our past, which is dark and bewildering itself. It is one way to dig into a conversation which should be had. Secret Path has my vote.

All the Bright Places vs All American Boys (Round One)

All the Bright Places –Jennifer Niven

Devon's thoughts:
Two people – Theodore and Violet - who look like they have nothing in common wind up in the school’s bell tower at the same time on the same day for the same reason; to commit suicide. They talk each other out of it, and start to build a friendship. Theodore wants to regain some control over his life because he has undiagnosed bipolar disorder and feels that committing suicide is the only way he can find that control. Violet, on the other hand, is having trouble dealing with the death of her sister the previous year. Over the course of the story they become friends and eventually more than that.

The story is told in alternating points of view which gives you a clear idea of what the characters are really thinking. There are a lot of very serious issues in the book; mental illness, suicide, teen sex, and bullying. But the characters make themselves so vulnerable that they’re very believable and you always want to know what happens next! The way they discover the place they live in mirrors how they discover their feelings for each other.

Watching Theodore and Violet’s relationship progress is realistic and as the story leads to the conclusion you won’t be able to put it down! If you liked The Fault in our Stars or 13 Reasons Why, this book is for you!

Jon's thoughts:            

Despite being somewhat skeptical of the opening scenes and character initiations, I found that I enjoyed All The Bright Places far more than I thought I would. Most of my initial misgivings about the book had to do with how Violet Markley’s initial struggles stemmed entirely from her sister’s death. It seemed lazy, not only because it felt like Jennifer Niven was trying to provide a compelling reason for why Violet Markley is suffering (as if the everyday pressures of being a teenage girl didn’t provide sufficient cause for unhappiness), but also because the exploration of death in YA has always seemed more compelling as an end to suffering as opposed to a cause for it. Indeed, many of the characters gave off the impression of being caricatures I’d read a dozen times before. Theodore Finch as an attractive but mysterious bad boy with a secretly troubled soul? Come on.

            Once the story actually gets rolling, though, All The Bright Places serves as a good demonstration for why it’s important to read generously. As the book progresses, Violet and Finch move away from caricatures of common YA troubled stereotypes and blossom into fully developed individuals. Jennifer Niven possesses a gift for expressing certain sentiments about what it’s like to love in a way that carries the full weight of its wonder and beauty without descending into the cliche. It’s a rare quality and one that makes All The Bright Places worth reading on that merit alone, to say nothing of the whimsy in Violet and Finch’s adventures and the willingness to address mental health issues without ostentiously making them the focus of the novel.

            Whether love can save us is a question we may never be able to answer. But All The Bright Places reminds us that love is, at the very least, the best thing we do. For as long we can keep it up and as much as we can give.

All American Boys – JasonReynolds and Brendan Kiely

Devon's thoughts: 
Two boys – one white and one black – come to terms with a police assault. But it isn’t just Rashad and Quinn who are involved, their friends, their families, their entire basketball team, and their school has to face what happened. Over the course of the book, both boys have to fight racism, the desire to fit in, and the need to speak out for what is right.

The story is told in alternating points of view which gives you a clear idea of what the characters are really thinking. You get to see the same people from different perspectives, and you get to see the same situation from different points of view. There are serious issues in this book; violence, racism, bullying, and the need to live up to parents’ expectations.

Watching the boys try to decide what kind of world they want to live in, and how involved they want to be in changing their world is intense. This is a real page turner and great if you understand the team dynamics of playing basketball! 

The less hyped review is that All the Bright Places is a bit of a tear jerker but also feels real. All American Boys is a little didactic. Reading the two inspired a lot of conversations about if it is better to have a slightly heavy handed book that talks about issues that need to be discussed or if its better to play on emotions. 

 Jon's thoughts: 

           Inasmuch as we can call into question the inherent didacticism of books featuring black characters that are about racism (or books featuring LGBT characters that are about sexuality), one thing to bear in mind is simply that representation matters. So while All American Boys might not be the most compelling or original YA story I have ever read, it does feature a person of colour (POC) as the main character, and I believe it is worth acknowledging the trials and tribulations of an underrepresented group among a sea of YA literature that perhaps does not do so often enough.

            The book’s main shortcoming stems from bystander Quinn’s story arc. His struggle between remaining loyal to a family friend and standing up for what he knows is right lacks depth. It’s not so much that the struggle is unrealistic; it’s simply that we aren’t given enough reason to believe it ought to be as much of a struggle as it apparently is. As far as the reader’s experience goes, Paul is an abusive cop who uses his authority to beat the life out of Rashad. We never experience Paul the way Quinn seems to see him, and that, in turn takes a lot of the wind out of Quinn’s internal struggle and journey.

            Rashad’s story arc is one I believe is worth reading for his firsthand experience with racism and police brutality, especially for those who have never been exposed to such issues. For those who have read about similar accounts in the news or from personal encounters, his story may feel like one we’ve heard and read about before. Nonetheless, it is perhaps one we could afford to experience just a little more and understand a little better. 

Winner: All the Bright Places! 

Trouble vs Wolf

Reviewed by the Flying Bisons

Trouble is a Friend of Mine is a mixture of a rollicking teen movie with a dash of Sherlock Holmes thrown in for good measure. It's great fun to read and the whip-smart dialogue is reminiscent of Gilmore Girls, but even though the male character Digby is a hoot, the plot and essence of the book would still fit under chicklit and you'd be hard-pressed to sell it to your male readers.

Wolf by Wolf, on the other hand, is like The Amazing Race set in Nazi Germany meets The Hunger Games. The very nature of the book, even though narrated by a female protagonist, lends itself to be read by both genders. It's beautiful, yet horrifying, tense, yet has comedic moments. Imagine that WWII was won by the Axis powers; pair that with a narrator who is a survivor of a concentration camp and whose sacrifices will numb your spirit, and then, with your heart in your throat, you accompany her on her most important mission: kill Hitler.

We are putting forth Wolf by Wolf, and highly recommend the sequel Blood for Blood as well as Graudin's other historical speculative novel, Walled City.