Thursday, April 17, 2008

Mona Lisa? Yeah, she's classic.


So, here I am, at a library conference. I usually find these quite fun. However, I've somehow contracted what appears to be food poisoning. To make the matter worse, since I'm on the children & young adult services board, I'm missing dinner with the author we brought in for the breakfast keynote. Who's the author, you ask? Rick Riordan. Yep.

So what'll I do instead? Well, I guess this.

Meg Powers has just survived abduction. She was left to starve, handcuffed in a cave in the middle of nowhere. She had to crush her hand to free herself, then crawl through a forest on a ruined knee. All she wants to do is hide, recover, and have a normal college girl life. But some people think she's a hero, and what might have blown over after awhile won't, because not only is she famous for what she went through, she's famous for who she is - the daughter of the first female U.S. President. The paparazzi aren't going anywhere.

Loooove this. Love. No, really. Love. Meg is snarky and angry. And rightfully so. But behind all of that, there's this brilliant, compassionate, driven young woman. She's funny - and remarkably normal, at least considering her situation. We watch Meg heal her psychological and physical damage ever so slowly, despite setbacks and spotlights, relapses and conflict. She's so alive that she seems real. Or is that the other way around? Either way, I want her to be real. I want to be her friend. I'll have to settle for reading about her, and luckily, there are three books in the series before this one. I hate jumping into the middle of a series, but this title easily stands on its own. It just makes me want more. It's character-driven drama at its absolute best.

If you didn't follow the original link, I invite you to read Ellen Emerson White's blog. It may be the smartest author blog out there.

8 comments:

Axa said...

I haven't heard of this series but will definitely pick them up!

tanita✿davis said...

Oh, Jac, NO! Food poisoning!? And missing RICK RIORDAN!? I'm sorry!!!!

Sarah Stevenson said...

Hope you're feeling better, Jackie!

This one sounds really gripping--I'll have to look for the series at my library...

Anonymous said...

Sorry about the food poisoning.
Hope you were/are able to enjoy some of the conference.

Ms. Yingling said...

Cover of this looked dumb, but I liked the author and your review will make me pick this one up. I've been looking for characters to love.

Vivian Mahoney said...

Hope you're better now. Oh, man. Rick Riordan? He's supposed to be coming out here in a few weeks and I'm hoping I'll get to see him.

I'll have to check out this book, it sounds very good.

Angiegirl said...

So glad to see you loved this one. Ellen Emerson White rocks. I waited for this book for around a decade and still it didn't disappoint. I freaking loved it.

If you want another feisty, awesome EEW read, pick up The Road Home. It's just. so. good.

Unknown said...

Hey, cool. Thanks!

EEW