Good Reads, Bad Reads

I have read some pretty bad books this year. Normally if I'm not into by page 75 I ditch it. But lately I've decided that even reading poorly written novels is important. Why?

Because I can see what's wrong with it. You know how you read a book and you know it's not good but you don't know why . . . . I've started to figure out why. This is all in hopes of improving my own writing.

What I've discovered is that most books that I want to put down are lacking the inclusion factor. I want to be drawn into the world. I want to love the characters. I want to feel what they feel and see what they see. This isn't just one flaw in all the novels but different missing elements.

So my hope to avoid this fate:

1) Backstory: Whether I use it or not, create deep back story for all important characters. This will round them out.

2) Infuse Emotion through language: If a scene should be happy or sad, I should feel it. I should laugh or cry.

3)  Ground story: The story needs to be based on some sort of fact or truth. Even in fiction the audience should be able to relate on some level.

The Looking Glass Wars

The Looking Glass Wars is a series based on Alice in Wonderland. It is supposed to be the true story of Wonderland. Is is such a great concept. Really creative with elements that are entertaining and well-thought out. All the favorite characters appear: Alice, The Queen of Hearts, The Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, although they may not be in the capacity you expect.

I finished the first novel and started the second, but I couldn't quite overcome the fatal flaw of being told the story instead of shown. I never felt like I entered the world of Alyss Hart and the Wonderlanders. I always felt like I was kept an arms distant length from characters that I truly would have liked to get to know. Unfortunately it didn't happen, so I couldn't bring myself to finish the book. Not when there are others out there calling my name.

Infernal Devices Series

(The Prequel to the Mortal Instruments) This series was amazing! I literally could not put it down. I probably ignored my family far more than I should have but I seriously had to know what was going to happen next. What I took a away from this series is the importance of character development. Each character had an amazing backstory and you really cared deeply for the Shadowhunters in the novel. (You also really despised the villians.)

I also gleaned the importance of leaving the audience in suspense. This series definately blows the Mortal Instruments out of the water.

Length of Series

City of Heavenly Fire, the final book in the Mortal Insturments series by Cassandra Clare. I really loved this series; however, I think it drug out a little too far. The series could have been wrapped up in Five books quite nicely. The sixth book was really just a set up for her next complete series. So I feel a little jaded as a reader. . . . She used the fame and momentum of her star series to milk another sale, but I guess a writer's gotta do what a writer's gotta do. Although now I have very little interest in reading the next series. It's important to admit that I'm not her target audience and that her audience will most likely pick up everything she writes because teenagers (especially girls) can be very loyal once you gain their trust. She's done this quite well so good for here.

The length of a series is highly important. Some authors can get away with it (Jordan) others struggle. But knowing your limit is important. I just finished reading "Cress" by Marrissa Meyer. I thought she'd wrap it up in three, but she's held my interest for a fourth. I think the reason is that she draws on a common knowlege base. Using fairy tales that everyone knows, but placing these characters in different situations and tying their world together. I'm intrigued for another book, but let's hope she's not planning a marketing scheme with her series.

Mortal Instruments

What an amazing story world. Clare has an uncanny ability to use New York as a character in her stories. Through her description the setting comes alive and it literally feels like you're walking down the streets in New York. I also admire her proficiency for cliffhangers. I seriously could not put these books down because there is never a good place to stop. I read four books in four days. (And so you don't worry, my family is happy, fed, and the laundry is done.) What I've taken from this series is the importance of chapter endings. I need focus a little more energy to make sure the reader doesn't have a reason to put the books down.

 

This book is amazing! It is set in Germany in World War II and it follows young Leisle through the events of her life during WWII. I've read a fair few of books lately but none can compare to the emotion infused into this story.

Zusak accomplishes this with his clear skill for similes and beautifully descriptive metaphors, but the real kicker is the narrator. This book is narrated by Death. What an incredible idea!!!! This book not only touched my heart, but gave me incredible insight to the importance of the narrator. Not only that but the possibility of an unconventional narrator. The creative perspective for telling this story was opened full tilt by using Death as a third party observer to the events occurring to the characters. Death is able to take us places that we wouldn't be able to go if it had been told through one or even two of the characters. It is refreshing to read something with such spark.

Zusak is an artist of words. I enjoyed the theme paralleling the importance of words and books by show casing a book burning, having the main character develop a love for books, and emphasizing the power of words. I highly recommend this book from a creative standpoint, but also for entertainment. It is a story that opened my eyes to the tragedy of WWII for the Germans as well as the Jews. It inspires empathy and love for the fictional characters affected by the atrocities of war.

YA Explosion!!! My Notes for Novel Writing

I have literally read 5, yes 5, young adult novels in the last two weeks. Get ready for this list: Divergent and Insurgent by Veronica Roth, Nightengale by David Farland, Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles) Marrissa Meyer, Prodigy by Marie Lu. You might ask yourselves why this is so amazing? Well my friends, it's because I'm a wife, mother, professional writer, dance teacher, and Sunday School teacher. I have very little time to devote to reading, but for some reason the stars aligned just so that I could get some serious research under my belt. So for your enjoyment here are my notes about each of these novels:

Divergent and Insurgent by Veronica Roth: Dystopian. If you loved the Hunger Games you will love this series. What I loved about it? The characters and the setting. Roth does an amazing job of creating believable characters. The story is seen through the eyes of Beatrice prior, a strong female protagonist who doubts her strength, but I would be just as interested to read it from Four's, the male protagonists, point of view. It is set in an apocalyptic world divided into major subcultures which children select and join when they turn 16. It is a fast-paced, energy packed series that keeps the reader invested because of the characters Roth creates.

Nightengale by David Farland: This is a contemporary fantasy. What I enjoyed most about this one is the fact it is set in my hometown! That's right a majority of the novel takes place in southern Utah, so as I was reading I found myself clearly picturing the setting for the characters. This was also a little unsettleing when it came to imagining the fantastical elements of the novel, but it gave me some good pointers for writing believable settings.

Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles) by Marrissa Meyer: Sci-fi, Fiction. If you love fairy tale twists this book is especially for you. Meyer weaves an interesting element of fairy tale and science fictions. I like how she intertwines the genre and updates fairy tales. This second novel was a bit slower of a read than the first, but it picks up toward the end. I really enjoyed Cinder (her first novel in the series.) But something in this novel fell a little flat.  I'm still intrigued by Meyers ability to marry genres.

Prodigy by Marie Lu. Dystopian. This series is suuuuper addicting. I simply cannot put it down when I get started. The big draw for me is the duel narrators. Lu tells her story through both June and Day. It is mesmerizing to read the events in the story from two perspectives that never over lap and bring something different to the story. I'm not sure how she was able to keep the events in the story so together when she was writing from two protagonists perspectives, but it is awesome! I'd like to give it a try in a story or two.

The novels I read were all good for different reasons. If I had to rate them in order of what I'd read:
1) Prodigy (Legend Series)
2) Divergent and Insurgent
3) Nightengale
4) Scarlet