Review: Ostakis

Ostakis by Angelica Primm
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As with much of science fiction, the power of the story is actually the indirect addressing of current societal concerns. What happens to a society where there are intersex men who can and do get pregnant? What happens to a society where an extreme religious faction uses sexuality and gender roles as a basis for power and economic struggles? What happens when household power and societal power overlap?

I enjoyed the nuanced descriptions of various relationships in the book: father-intersex son, intersex son-intersex son's friend, man-intersex employee, etc. I am not so keen on the explicit sex, but that is just me being a prude. Most of the book is more concerned with the struggle to make sense of relationships that are political, but just as strongly personal.

If I have any question about the book, it would be what happens to the women? As might be expected in a book that focuses on intersex relationships, with a bisexual-male MC, women are there, but they are largely in the background. Again. Their looks, especially including their clothing, are mentioned and brief allusions to some business roles and power, but they are mostly incidental. I am glad for the focus on intersex males, but it makes me, as a female, feel that part of the necessary change in society is still not included in the discussion.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

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Review: Manga Classics: Pride & Prejudice

Manga Classics: Pride & Prejudice by Stacy King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am not especially enamored of manga art work. The young girls are a bit TOO pretty and elaborately styled and the older people are a bit too excessively drawn for me. But this book, although it has all of the problems that manga has IME, still managed to appeal to me. In particular, I thought the artist did an exceptional job with the enigmatic Mr. Darcy. Less appealing - and purposely so, I suppose, were Mrs. Bennett and Mr. Collins, the latter being almost too clownish for the otherwise well-drawn characters. And, to credit the author, she does tell the original story, without digressions. Some details are obviously missing, but the story follows Austen's very well and, in a few instances, even manages to convey some of the emotions of the original story spot on. Elizabeth's indecision and change of heart was especially appealing. If you like manga, try this one. Interesting.

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Review: Lifeboat 12

Lifeboat 12 by Susan Hood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think I will hide much of this review, because I am thinking that everything I wrote might be a spoiler. The book is historical fiction, though, so most of the facts are known.
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This book is a nice complement to the musical I wrote, based on Pennies for Hitler by Jackie French. It tells of the true story of the sinking of one of the ships that was supposed to take children from England to safer countries during WWII - only this ship was torpedoed. Many of the children and adults on board died, but the protagonist in the story - a real person, interviewed by the author just before he died - was one of the ones who lived. For me, it makes the story in Pennies for Hitler even more real. I knew Jackie French did her research well, but this book brought that research to life. Much appreciated is a section at the back of the book with pictures and another section with references.
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I am not a huge fan of verse novels/books. I don't understand why they are written in verse. The verse format doesn't usually work for me, as it is often more of a distraction than anything else. But there were a couple of places where the verse format was interesting here: when the ship sinks and when the lifeboat is being tossed about in the waves. It does make for quick reading, though.

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Review: Hey, Kiddo

Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I envy kids who knew what they wanted to do as an adult from a young age. I don't think I ever had this sense of identification with any future profession or job. It seems to have given Jarrett, the boy, a sense of coherence to an often jumbled and complicated series of relationships to the people in his life. I am not sure I would have been strong enough to come out of such a life as well as he did, dealing both with his mother's heroin addiction and his custodial grandmother's alcoholism.

Interesting, and another graphic novel that I actually enjoyed. This story is really made for a graphic novel format. The art work isn't necessarily a favorite for me, but it works and works well here. I REALLY appreciated the notes at the end of the book, too. They add a lot of depth to the story for me.

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Review: Where the Watermelons Grow

Where the Watermelons Grow by Cindy Baldwin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this story and I respect the voice - but I am not from this part of the country and it doesn't really "bring me home". The thoughts, however, were true and real: self-blame, misunderstandings, the burdens of responsibility. I have never had to deal with mental illness as directly as this, but I respect how the father treated the mother and how the young girl had to come to grips with it, too.

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Review: A Week in Winter

A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In some ways, this book reminds me of the YA/older child book One Whole and Perfect Day by Judith Clarke. It has a lot of interwoven plot lines that finish together with a mostly happy ending. I wouldn't say it is excellent writing, but it is a comforting read, if you can keep all of the characters straight.

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Review: Armadilly Chili

Armadilly Chili by Helen Ketteman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

If I were still teaching, especially in the lower grades, I would certainly add this book to a unit on re-writing folk tales. This is basically The Little Red Hen, translocated to the SouthWest. It would be an interesting book to read along with The Little Red Hen and then have the students write their own take-off version: Marie the Moose's Mousse, Aspic for Astronauts, whatever. Very colorful illustrations.

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