Smackdown Books 2021

Ordinary Hazards
We Dream of Space
If These Wings Could Fly
We Are Not Free
The King of Jam Sandwiches
All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team
The Companion
Punching the Air
Show Me a Sign
Land of the Cranes
Furia
Dragon Hoops
When Stars Are Scattered
Snapdragon
The Radium Girls: The Scary But True Story of the Poison That Made People Glow in the Dark
American as Paneer Pie
Tune It Out
The Gilded Ones
The Left-Handed Booksellers of London
Switch

Monday, January 19, 2015

           


Grasshopper Jungle's main character Austin is horny. All. The. Time. And he  makes sure the reader doesn't forget it by mentioning it. All. The. Time. About halfway through the plot moves beyond his libido, a bit, and begins to focus on the mutant grasshoppers taking over the world. It becomes a more engaging story line, although with some big holes. Like, how did the flamingo and movie reels get on the roof??? There are a few redeeming moments. Austin is awkwardly uncertain about his sexuality. He loves his girlfriend. And his best friend Robby. And he is sweetly conflicted and confused about his own identity. And, also,  they both make him horny.

Sister Mine is about formerly conjoined twins Makeda and Abby. They are the daughters of a mortal mother and demi-god father and were separated shortly after their birth. Abby is a talented musician and Makeda is good at nothing. Abby is full of mojo, demi-god superpower, and Makeda has none. They have an odd (to most of us) but typical (for mythological characters) incestuous relationship together and with their cousins, but unlike Grasshopper Jungle, this is a minor detail of their lives that adds to our understanding of them as members of an immortal family, not a distraction that gets in the way of the story. It has a sweet happy ending in which everyone finds their special gifts and their place in the world, although it came too quickly somehow and wasn't very satisfying.  Overall, the book is solidly "okay."

My vote is for Sister Mine, I guess.

1 comment: