Psychosomatic

I pledge Allegiance
to the Flag
of the Safer States of America
and to the Republic
for which it stands
one Nation
under Law
with Security
and Safety
for All.

Yep. That got my attention. My how I love social commentary. Never mind relying on immigrant labor for menial jobs, just make so many laws that 24% of the population ends up in jail. Then, contract out prisoners to work camps! The government makes money on the contracts, and society has prisoners do road work, shell shrimp and make pizzas. Brilliant really, unless you were the person who dropped the apricot that Melody Haynes tripped on. Even though Melody wasn't wearing her walking helmet.

I'm accustomed to dystopias where our hero struggles against the constricts of a society and government gone wrong, so I was pretty surprised when this one turned into a football game (ok, that's overly simplified, and by the way, football? Totally illegal.). I recognize that one teen boy is unlikely to really be capable of being a sole resistor, and therefore must acknowledge that this is probably a more realistic of a teen protagonist's reaction. But darn if I didn't want Bo (short for Bono, hee!) to stick it to the man. As for the virtual sidekick Bork? Pretty darn amusing.

Rash is just my second Hautman. I thoroughly enjoyed Godless and have heard great things about Mr. Was. Sweetblood seems to involve vampires, and I'm always up for teenage vampires. Perhaps I'll get around to those someday... Meanwhile, Hautman impresses me.

Knots

Today I slipped on the ice and fell. My knee is now rather purple and it's swollen into a bit of a knot. My hand is all scraped up and all I want to do is whimper, whine, take an aspirin and curl up with Becoming Chloe. Of course, there's no point in wallowing, so I'll post instead. Besides, compared to what the Scottish sisters Jeannie and Sarah experience in Helen Frost's The Braid, I'm a big klutzy wuss. There are no grounds for denial of this statement (follow the 'klutz' label for more classic examples).

1850. The Highland Clearances are forcing thousands of people to emigrate from Scotland. Jeannie leaves with her parents and two younger siblings. Sarah hides herself away until her family has left, then travels with her grandmother to live on an island - a place where it isn't more profitable for the landlords to raise sheep than collect rent. Connecting the sisters is the titular braid - a twist of each girls' hair - held safe for remembrance. Each girl faces hardships. Not everyone makes the crossing to Canada, where there isn't a home or work waiting for the family anyway. Their struggles are different; Jeanie's are more physical and environmental, where Sarah's are more emotional and social. Each find reserves of strength and become women in the poems before our eyes.

Frost's form is elaborate, inspired by the Celtic knot and explained fully in the afterward. I have to acknowledge the ingenuity of the endeavor, but must admit that had it not been covered in the afterward, I would have missed the importance of what she had done. This can also be attributed to my laziness as a reader who has become to expect less from prose poetry. I'm happy that she has added a degree of difficulty to the genre in this moving and readable story.

Ze Finalists!

79 books into 5 (was 80, but we commuted one over to Sci-Fi/Fantasy). There were so, so, so many wonderful titles, it wasn't easy. Either way, as always, if I finish it, it's reviewed. It just might take some time. I'm about 25 books behind... (Which is why you don't see a link for Brief Chapter). Our 5 choices for the YA category are all fantastic, but very different - I don't at all envy the Judges!

For the other 40 finalists in the 7 other categories, click on over to the Cybils and feast your eyes!

The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak
WWII Germany. Death speaks. A little girl who wants more than anything to read.

A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life by Dana Reinhardt
Adoption. Religion. Questioning that which you never questioned.

Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson
WWI. Orphaned. Decides to head out to Montana and stake a claim. Alone.

Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
One night in the NYC Punk Rock scene. Two kids fallin' in love. And swearing.

The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin
Abusive mother. Three kids finally taking steps to escape.

Head on over to my cohorts blogs - they are very clever people: Little Willow, Mindy, Sara TadMack,
and our administrator, Jen.


Keep your eyes on this spot! We're cooking up something fun for you!