Bookshelf, Library Bag, or Donation Box

In Bookshelf, Library Bag, or Donation Box, our Tators give their verdict on the books they read, whether they're keepers for the shelves, one you borrow from your local library, or just give to your local used bookstore.

Photo credit: Penguin USA

The story begins by following the lives of an unsuspecting man waiting in an airport, Wil Parke, and a young street hustler named Emily Ruff. There's been an incident in the rural Australian town of Broken Hill, where the entire population of thousands have been wiped out. Rumor has it that only one man walked away: the outlier.

At first blush, Lexicon is a novel about the power of words -- the way in which they can be wielded to control people. But not just anyone can use their powers of observation and persuasion this way; only a select few who are admitted into a secret school focused on teaching students to hone their skills through the study of classic literature, psychology, and linguistics even have a chance. They must spend many years of rigorous study, discipline, and constant testing to become masters. The masters of words are called Poets and are named after famous authors like T.S. Eliot, Virginia Woolf, and Emily Brontë. Some work for the school while others work for organizations related to the school but the details of the organization's purpose and true function are unclear.

Lexicon makes for a good summer read. Partly because of the love story, which is the real pulse of the novel, and  the importance of love in our lives -- how it keeps us human. Also, the book is well-paced and most will churn through its 400 pages quickly. There's a nice mix of adventure and introspection that keep the story moving.

With that being said, the novel had a few problems. In Lexicon, words and phrases are means of control and persuasion over others. It was disappointing to discover that these words were just a mishmash of letters -- made up words and phrases. I was expecting something more than that, especially from a book filled with clever nods to classic works and authors. Another factor that made Lexicon a borrow, rather than buy, type of book was that it was difficult to follow, especially in regards to the dialogue in the last third of the book. Often, the dialogue wasn't linear in the typical "person A speaks" then "person B speaks" fashion and made it difficult to distinguish who was saying or thinking what.

If you're looking for a smart, fast-paced summer read with a hint of science fiction, this book is for you. 

Verdict: Library Bag

Learn more about Max Barry and his other books at his website, like him on Facebook, follow him on Twitter. If you're interested in politics and/or international relations, check out NationStates.

*A copy of Max Barry's Lexicon was provided by the publisher via NetGalley.com.

Wild @ Heart with YA Lit

As a regular reader of Young Adult Literature, I often hear there is little value in it for adults. However, I strongly disagree. Although some of the popular motifs, like love triangles, can be tiresome, there is a great deal of YA literature with complicated story lines and themes that adults, as well as teens, can learn from. 

One reason I choose to read YA Literature is that they are often quick reads with modern plots. This category is great for staying up to date with modern references to music, television, and technology. Another reason I read novels directed at teens is there are many current novels about dystopian societies, which often draw my interest. Finally, I read YA Literature to remind myself of what it is like to be a teenager. Life is different for teens today than when I was younger. I think it is important to be able to remain sympathetic to the complicated nature of teen life, and not to become too distant from those years. For, when you forget what it is like to be young, you truly begin to be old. Reading YA Literature ensures that I remain wild at heart.

Peregrine Harker & the Black Death by Luke Hollands is about Peregrine, a 15 year old orphan in 1908 London who works at the local newspaper. He loves adventure, mysteries, and getting into trouble. It reads like a traditional mystery novel and is definitely a book written with reluctant boy readers in mind.

Somewhere between Sherlock Holmes, The Adventures of Tin Tin, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Peregrine Harker is difficult to peg which demographic Hollands is trying to reach. At times, the novel reads like a teen novel. Peregrine encounters a great deal of violence, witnesses murder, gets into several physical altercations that he barely gets out of with his life, and even has a love interest. Like Sherlock, Peregrine has an unnatural gift for sniffing out clues to find the bad guys. And, the villains are serious bad guys. They are murderous, smuggling kidnappers with no qualms for beating up children and forcing girls into marriage. 

However, at other times, the novel feels like it is intended for a much younger audience. Throughout, the dialogue is childish and silly, reminiscent of Tin Tin, and feels much closer to a book written for middle school children than young adults. Even so, much of the content is incongruous with a middle school novel. 

Not only is the story difficult to peg, but Peregrine himself is a paradox. His is a 15 year old orphan, raised by the newspaper manager, but is proficient in fencing and boxing (enough that he can hold his own in a fight against a bare knuckle champion)? Much of this just doesn't makes sense. 

In my opinion, this story showed promise and would have been stronger if Hollands had decided to write an actual young adult novel. He could have raised Peregrine's age to about 18, made the story more complex, developed the love interest further, and explained how he is so versed in self-defense and fighting. Instead, the story feels disjointed and underdeveloped. 

Verdict

Library Bag: If you know a child who really likes mystery novels, this might be the right novel for him/her. However, if you are an adult that enjoys dabbling in YA every now and then, hoping for a light read with an entertaining plot, I don't recommend it. It is way too "young" for me, very predictable and left me feeling unsatisfied.