Book Review: A Break with Charity

Friday Spines Book Review:

A Break with Charity, by Ann Rinaldi

Ann Rinaldi has written many historical fiction novels for older children/young adults. If you've tried reading her books and lost interest, try this one. Told by a fourteen-year-old girl named Susanna, whose story will be familiar to most who've been through junior high years, the historical content is fresh and excellently woven with the drama. 

Susanna English feels out of place in her strict Puritan community. She's impatient with the twittery female stereotype she's expected to fulfill, and finds the inflexible sexism stifling: "[my father], a man, a town elder, and a rich merchant...could be forgiven his enlightened views while I, a mere, girl, could not." Perhaps partly to make up for her "unladylike" cleverness, she longs to be part of a circle of girls who frequently met at the town parsonage, sharing stories and listening to tales told by the Indian servant Tituba. She doesn't know what the girls are plotting, though, and by the time Ann Putnam, the young leader of the group, puts the pieces together for her, she's too deeply involved to stay innocent.

Ann's circle has been deliberately flouting the rules, and utter the magic word--witchcraft--to justify their behavior. Now the religious leaders have asked the girls to name their tormentors, and they won't pass up a chance to escape the severe dullness of daily life as females. Susanna, who wouldn't otherwise be caught up in more than the outer tendrils of the frenzy, is drawn into the core by Ann's confession: If she tells anyone the truth about the girls' mysterious affliction, the English family will be named as witches.

The language in this book is elegantly old-fashioned yet simple. The subtleties of the plot are better understood by older children, but the language seems a little straightforward in comparison--it's not enough to take away from the book, but be prepared. Besides the semi-intense backstabbing, which is told in age-appropriate language, there isn't much content that could be labeled objectionable. I recommend this book for ages 9 and up: Older readers will probably get more out of the story, but won't be challenged by the writing. 

Other things I liked about this book:

• The twist on the ever-present wish to belong is woven into the historical novel so subtly that you'll hardly be concious of your connection to spunky Susanna's predicament. The title, too, is a beautiful twist on a classic situation.
• The depth of the characters is suitable for the audience, but can still be explored further by older readers. It's especially interesting to see the often ignored sides of young girls in Puritan communities.
• Ann Rinaldi's dialogue shifts to fit the characters while maintaining the voice of the era, becoming more sophisticated for adults, simpler for children, and containing an undercurrent of malice with Ann's circle of girls.
• Although religion is certainly present in the book, it can be understood and related to by people of any belief. 

Themes:

• Sexism
• Understanding
• Class
• Religion
• Historical fiction
• Age/wisdom
• Cliques/friendship

Other books you might enjoy: The Witch of Blackbird Pond, by Elizabeth George Speare; Up a Road Slowly, by Irene Hunt; Fever 1793, by Laurie Halse Anderson; and other books by Ann Rinaldi. 

Happy reading--check back Monday for the next book!

M. Gabrielle

Book Review: A Great and Terrible Beauty

Friday Spines Book Review:

A Great and Terrible Beauty, by Libba Bray

This riveting trilogy combines (fairly gentle) horror, vivid historical fiction, and coming-of-age, but you won't be thinking about anything except Gemma Doyle, debutante-in-training at Spence Academy for Young Ladies, also known--quite eloquently--as hell.

"'While we can and will teach you the necessary skills to become England's future wives and mothers, hostesses and bearers of the Empire's feminine traditions, it will be up to each of you to nurture and feed your souls, and to apply yourselves with grace, charm, and beauty. This is the Spence motto: Grace, charm, and beauty. Let us all rise and say it together.'
There is a great rustling as fifty girls stand at attention and recite the pledge, chins tilted upward toward the future."

On her sixteenth birthday, Gemma has a mysterious, haunting vision of her mother committing suicide, in the middle of a public market, on Gemma's sixteenth birthday. It turns even more disturbing when every detail the first of her many visions is proven true. Red-haired, too-tall Gemma is then sent to Spence, in accordance with her mother's wishes. She's used to not fitting in, and is not surprised when the other girls at her new boarding school subtly but unreservedly shun her. Her social standing changes dramatically when she catches Felicity, who has the most power at the school, doing something decidedly un-ladylike: Gemma's immediately welcomed into the inner circle.

Even with the promised friendship of Felicity and her best friend Pippa (as well as Gemma's roommate, Ann) and the grudging admiration of the rest of the Spence girls, Gemma's life still isn't what she wishes for. There's Kartik, the young Indian who's been shadowing her since her mother's death, as well as the visions that have followed her in much the same way. She shares these visions with the circle of girls she tentatively calls friends, and together they discover a magical world that only Gemma can take them to, that they call the Realms.

The writing in this book is beautifully old-fashioned, fitting in with the corsets and mincing steps while still being concise and easy-to-understand. Libba Bray's storytelling is excellent; the plot will keep you drawn in as long as your house isn't burning down. I recommend this trilogy for ages 10 and up--the romance bits aren't inappropriate and the horror isn't vivid enough to scare off younger readers, but readers with more context around expectations of women during the Victorian era will be far more able to empathize with Gemma.

Other things I like about this book:

• The covers of all books in the Gemma Doyle trilogy are intriguing and fit the story perfectly.
• Although the majority of the book is narrated by Gemma, there's a few chapters from Kartik's perspective: The transitions are eloquent and concise, providing enough contrast to make the reader notice but not enough to distract from the story.
• The portrayal of the world's expectations of Gemma as a young woman are historically accurate but still easy for us, in modern times, to identify with. Also, although she and her friends are constantly breaking the constraints of society, it's handled in a way that seems realistic, perfectly blending fantasy with history.
• Just enough wishes come true in the Realms to make us wonder whether or not anything is possible. 

Other books you might enjoy: The Luxe series, by Anna Godbersen; Wildwood Dancing, by Juliet Marilier; and Ophelia, by Lisa Klein.

Themes:

• Heaven/hell
• Magic
• Social class
• Religion
• Friendship/love
• Historical fiction
• Equality: Gender and racial
• Etiquette

Happy reading!
M. Gabrielle

Next Friday Spines Review

Hello lovely readers! Hm, for next week... Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green (!!!) and David Levithan. These are both amazing authors whose books you should pore over and worship (especially Looking For Alaska, by John Green, one of the best books of all time).

See you on Friday--happy reading!
M. Gabrielle

Book Review: Wild Roses

Friday Spines Book Review:

Wild Roses, by Deb Caletti

Wild Roses is one of my 10 favorite books: The story is unbearably sweet, sad, terrifying, and thrilling. Deb Caletti's stories are as easy to fall into as Sarah Dessen's, but darker in a way that makes you cringe while simultaneously leaning farther into the book. 

Cassie has a stepfather. Dino is a famous violinist and composer, and as if that wasn't enough, he's insane. She's hated him ever since her mother married him, trying to figure out why her mom let go and let herself love a man who's certifiable. And then a gorgeous blonde boy comes up her driveway, and Cassie is gone. Ian is Dino's new--and only--student. Cassie promises herself that she won't fall in love with him, but from the moment she hears his bike tires crunching on the gravel, only one tiny part of her is able to resist.

Wild Roses is dark enough to make getting through the book a tiny bit of a challenge. (Most of Deb Caletti's books are like this, but they're worth every uncomfortable second.) The writing in this story is incredibly vivid, and told in Cassie's careful, abrupt, and somehow lyrical voice. The plot will keep you engaged but not terrified that Cassie (and you) are going to die; also, the covers on all of the editions are unbelievably romantic, and fit the story perfectly.

This book is good for ages 14 and up. There's a little swearing, a lot of intense heartbreak, and the storyline will be appreciated significantly more by readers past their tweens.

Other things I liked about this book:

• The "third wall" (click here and scroll down for definition) of this story is occasionally broken by Cassie; "I guess we should also begin with an understanding, and that is, if you are one of those easily offended people who insist that every human breath be politically correct, it's probably best we just part company now."
• Ian is utterly wonderful but still human.
• Cassie's development as a character is subtle enough to be realistic, but the reader can still watch as she realizes how much she's changing.
• The length and complexity of sentences varies with the situation, becoming long and languid as Cassie watches Mars through her telescope, and shorter and more terse as Dino's craziness escalates. 

Other books you might like: Along for the Ride, by Sarah Dessen; Twenty Boy Summer, by Sarah Ockler; and other books by Deb Caletti.

Themes:

• Music
• Mental illness
• Parents
• Power in relationships
• Love and friendship
• Loyalty to self
• Acceptance
• Truthfulness

Most of these are subtle enough to be unnoticed, but still thought-provoking. The book is definitely less overwhelming than last week's Jumping Off Swings.

Note: All links lead to Goodreads, except for the third wall, which leads a page at Carson-Newman College's website. (Random, yes....)

Happy reading, everyone--check back on Monday to see next week's book!

M. Gabrielle