Oh No Witches

That does it!  I'm taking a quick packing break to do a quick ramble.  Why?  'Cause I desperately need to do something literary related and if I pick up a book I will probably not put it down until moving day.  Let's ramble about Witch Week by Diana Wynne Jones.  Part of the Chronicles of Chrestomanci and the second story in my special volume, it made me as happy as the other ones have.  Lets get on with it shall we?  As always SPOILERS AHEAD!

 This story again takes us out of Chrestomanci's home world and let's us explore an entirely new one.  This world is one where magic and especially witches (both male and female) are feared to the point that they are burned any time one of them is discovered.  Our story takes place in a boarding school where a significant portion of the student body are what are called witch orphans.  These are children that have been orphaned after one or more of their parents have been executed for being witches.  The school is thrown into turmoil when a teacher is slipped a note informing him that one of his students is a witch.  We are then introduced to a whole bunch of kids who belong to various social groups with in the school.  Nan Pilgrim is the descendant of a very powerful witch who was known for starting a rebellion. Charles Morgan an unpopular boy who uses his ferocious looks to keep people at bay.  Brian Wentworth, the son of the vice principle who is harassed by the popular group.  Theresa Mullett and Simon Silverson, popular and cruel.  And a whole host of other kids who make up this school.  Weird going ons start to happen all of which points to a witch among the students.  As the story progresses each child becomes suspicious of each other, and then of themselves as they realize that most of them possess some sort of mage.  It get's bad enough that the teachers call in the witch hunters to rid the school of whoever is causing the problem.  All of this eventually catches the attention of Chrestomanci who travels to this world to see what is going on.  He is confused as the profusion of magic should make this world embrace witches not fear them.  He discovers that this particular world experienced a schism at some point trapping all the witches on this side and all the embracing of magic on the other.  He uses the witch children to work some big magic, the worlds merge and it appears that people live happier ever after.

World Building - This world is full and slightly unsetteling.  There is the feel of a modernish day England boarding school that most British/Fantasy lovers will recognize.  There is also the feeling that something is slightly off about the whole thing...which considering the ending of the book makes this world feel very carefully built.  It is very different from Chrestomanci's open and pastoral world and really gives us the impression of being in a different place.  It was effective, appropriate and complete.

Story - The story had a beginning, middle and end.  It had layers and depth.  It made sense, we were given all the information we needed with out getting bored by a lecture.  Most off all I kept turning the pages.  I never once got bored with the story and wanted to finish it as fast as possible and at the same time was very sad when it was over.  It is very appropriate for the age group it is written for and as with all stories by this author it is just phenomenal.

Characters - Another strong point to this book, the characters were varied and interesting.  Each character stayed true to how they were written, while still being given the chance to change and grow.  The children and adults all interacted in believable ways.  I liked how the author gave us characters that originally fit into very stereotypical school niches, the popular kids, the bully, the loner, the teachers pet, the stranger, the head of the school, etc...but then gave them all a chance to become something else.  I also liked that not every single character chose the best path, that the author recognized that just 'cause you get the choice to do does not mean everybody does.

Editing - Props to the editor.  This book was readable and made perfect sense.  We get the information we need when we need it and the pacing was wonderful.  The book as a whole fits into the Chrestomanci world.  I feel this type of editing and pacing is perfect for the intended age group, which is the Middle Grade/Young Adult crowd.

The Kids - I loved the children as a whole in this book.  I loved the world with in a world that a bunch of children can create with their own rules, moral, code of conduct and way of thinking.  It is entirely different from the world of adults and I remember as a kid how when a group of us got together we lived a completely different life from the adults.  This book very much sends me back to those days and it is nice to see a children's author who seems to understand children.

The Spells - The various spells the kids used, both intentional and otherwise where very original and refreshing.  The way that a child's mind works to create spells is so different then a "logical and educated" adult and really adds a different dimension to this book about magic.  I also just found the results of the spells amusing...especially when the hundreds of shoes appeared and needed sorting, what a great visual.

The Solution - I very much appreciate that Chrestomanci used the kids to solve this worlds problems.  He recognized that they were the ones with the magic (for the most part) and that they were more open to a solution that involved magic.  Instead of going to the adults to talk or fight the problem, he used his best resources, the children and came up with a complete and elegant solution.

Overall Impression - I really really really wish I had known about this author as a kid.  I feel like these would have been some of my favorite books and this book in particular would have appealed to me.  I give it 8 out of 10 flying carpets and recommend it to any kid who needs a book to read, fans of British fantasy and anybody who just wants a fun read.  Happy Reading Everybody!

Code Name Heartwrenching!

Over the course of the last month I have finally gotten in the mood to read Code Name Verity by Elizbeth Wein.  I had heard a lot of great things about it from trusted sources, but knew it was going to be a bit on the heavy side...so I waited until I was in the perfect mood for a book like this.  I found it very different from what I was expecting...in a good way...I think...Let's get to it shall we?  Please be warned that this book is about the suspense and this post will be full of SPOILERS AHEAD!  So please read (or not) accordingly.

This is a two part book, told from two different perspectives.  In the first half we have a captured British agent who is being tortured for information.  The book is written in the form of her confession/information for her captors.  She writes in a combination diary/novel format, always keeping the story at arms length.  We find our little agent has agreed to give up 11 codes for the 11 code machines she was found with when her plane crashed in occupied France.  She gives up each code for a creature comfort, such as her clothes and a blanket.  She writes of her contempt for her captors, and fear that she will be seen as a traitor for giving so much away.  Her story unfolds and we eventually come to learn that she (in the form of Queenie) and a female pilot by the name of Maddie have become very good friends over the course of WWII.  Queenie becomes an interrogator due to her knowledge of German and her very convincing style of questioning.  Maddie is much quieter then the loud and flamboyant Queenie, but she lives for flying and the two become a great team.  Everything goes wrong when Maddie and Queenie end up on a mission to drop Queenie in France for some undisclosed mission.  Queenie makes it down, but is quickly captured due to her lack of local knowledge.  We watch as she describes her past and present with a strange, yet realistic mix of humor and groveling dread. A definite change is noted when she is shown pictures of her wreck and the body of the pilot are shown to her, she starts to lose all emotional control at the thought of her dead friend.  We end her section with her begging, and pleading, and in obvious mental and physical distress.  Part two of this book is told from Maddie's perspective, mostly after the Queenie parachutes out of the plane into France.  Maddie (who obviously did not die in the plane crash) is hidden by

French sympathizers until her escape can be safely brought about.  We learn her side of the story and low and behold Queenie (who is really named Julia, code name Verity) has made up the vast majority of her confession.  The codes, the machine, the names of airfields and officers have all been made up, with just enough truth to get past her captors.  While awaiting escape, Maddie learns that Queenie is alive and being held in the very prison she was sent to infiltrate.  Queenie's "confession" is smuggled out and turns out to be coded plans and information for the resistance.  As the story comes to a close, Maddie assists the resistance with the raid on the prison and discovers Queenie, along with several other prisoners are being transported to a final camp...either for hard labor, or immediate termination.  The resistance plans to blow up a bridge and rescue Queenie, but as plans do, all goes awry and Queenie suffers.  Queenie spots Maddie and begs her in code to end her suffering quickly.  Maddie shoots Queenie, giving her the quick and painless death of mercy.  Maddie understandably feels guilty about killing her best friend, and struggles to report it when she debriefed after her rescue.  The book ends with Queenie's brother and mother both offering and asking to be considered family by Maddie, understanding that she gave Queenie the end she wanted.

Ok...so all of that, really does not communicate what the book is about at all, not even a little bit.  This book is essentially about a friendship, in fact this friendship between Queenie and Maddie (I keep calling her Queenie for consistency/lack of confusions sake) is about the only true constant in the book.  The story, the writing style, the perspectives all vary wildly through out the book.  One moment we are in a third person narrative, the next another person's first person musings, another a person speaking directly to another.  This narrative style mostly works for this type of book, as emotion is the core of the whole story.  The bit of confusion only adds to the reader empathizing with the various characters.  I mentioned above that this book was not exactly what I was expecting.  From what I had heard from other people, I thought it was all going to be set in the prison that Queenie was being held.  I also got the impression that Queenie actually was a traitor (obviously these people are better at spoiler free reviews then I am :-) ) or at least cracked under pressure.  To be honest I was a bit excited about that prospect as I have never really read anything from that perspective, though I imagine with a certain amount of torture more people crack then not.  I did not expect the more...almost light hearted tone the story took at several points (are you enjoying my use of ...and/ today?)  There were moments of utter heartbreak, and I admit Maddie's role in Queenie's death came as a surprise, but there was not a whole lot that was over the top.  I'm not sure if my overall

impression of the book is because it was not what I had initially thought the book was going to be like, or if I genuinely don't have a clear cut idea of what I think about the book.  In general I liked Queenie's half of the book the best, her mix of sauciness and despair rang true and interesting.  Maddie's half was more predictable and a bit angst ridden for me.  Queenie's part felt a bit like the part in the movie V for Vendetta where Natalie Portman's character is held in prison and learns about a past prisoner, and since I love that movie it worked for me.  Maddie's part felt more traditionally, heroine overcomes all odds to be the true friend that is needed without a lot of originality type of a story.  I did appreciate the research the author put into this book, even with the artistic liberties she freely admits to, the feel and vibe of the book feel right, which is very important to me.  I did enjoy seeing where Queenie got her stories to feed to her captors.  However there seemed to be a lot of overly convenient ties between the family that helped Maddie and the people holding Queenie.  I guess I did like the book, especially the first half.  If it were up to me I would have liked to read a lot more of the Queenie side of things and style of writing.  I see why it got rave reviews, and would recommend it to anybody who has an interest in historical fiction, kick-ass girls, a bit of a tear jerker, or liked the movie V for Vendetta.  I will give this book 7 out of 10 Puss Moths.
What do you think of authors taking artistic liberties with known history?  How often does a book not turn out like you were expecting?  How confusing was this rambling?