Book Review: Quintanna of Charyn by Melina Marchetta

I have to warn you that this review might be a bit of a love letter, or a rant, or a rave, or a very strange mix of all three.

But first, let me get some stuff out of the way!

US Edition

Quintana of Charyn is the third and likely last full length book* of the Lumatere Chronicles series which at first tells the story of Lumatere (a smallish but prosperous kingdom whose royal family is massacred, an event followed by 10 years of very bad stuff) and then adds the story of Charyn (the kingdom that orchestrated massacre of the royal family, but whose inhabitants possibly have an ever rawer deal - and curse - than the Lumaterans).

It's a very complex story, with lots of sub plots and lots of characters and it's not one of those stories that you can just pick up in the middle. TRUST ME.

Having said that, Quintana of Charyn is a great and epic story where all the stuff you have been learning and feeling and thinking since Finnikin of the Rock and Froi of the Exiles finally comes to a head.

The story starts pretty soon after the ending of Froi (or at least I think so, I'm a bit hazy with the timeline of the Epilogue) and things just start happening. Froi and Quintana are separated by a lot of distance and circumstances, and in some ways they spend the bulk of the book trying to get back to each other.

As this plays out there are many other plots and subplots moving afoot and I have to give Melina Marchetta major props for keeping all these treads - big and small - on a tight leash, everything that happens matters one way or another.

Actually, there was this scene near the end of the book that has to do with something minor that happened in Froi that made me cry so hard, and I get teary eyed just remembering that scene. It just guts me.

Anyway, since I'm not going to spoil the conclusion of the story for you guys, I'm just going to say that, over all, I found the book to be great. Froi is still my favorite book of the series but I'm happy with where things ended.

I did have a couple of problems with Quintana though. The first one is minor, and is mostly born out of my selfish longing for wanting the couples I love spend more time together on the page, just because I like seeing people be happy after all the suffering (and to clarify, you do get some of this, but I just (selfishly) wished for a bit more).

The second trouble is a bit bigger: I freaking hate Isaboe and her daughter Jasmina. There, I said it!!
I know a lot of people like Isaboe but, boy, she just rubs me the wrong way. For me, and this is MY OWN PERSONAL OPINION AND JUST THAT, Quintana got a much rawer deal in life than Isaboe did (though admittedly neither of their lives has been a walk in the park), yet Isaboe is actually the one that whines about it the most.

People LOVE her, she's the freaking Queen of Lumatere and yet she's so hell bent on revenge and tends to see the people of Charyn as this "Other" thing that don't quite deserve her compassion. She's not all that bad, and I don't hate her like I do the actual villains of the story, but she irritates the bejesus out of me.

Same goes for her daughter. Every single thing I hate about children in books is embodied in Jasmina. Again, JUST MY OPINION, but yeah, each time she was around or was mentioned I clenched my teeth. And I don't hate children in books, I love Vestie in this story, she's awesome. Go, Vestie!!

Now, back to the good stuff and to end in a sweet note: have I mentioned that all the characters I loved going into Quintana I LOVE even more after Quintana? no? well, I totes do. Melina writes some of the best adults/parents in the history of fiction, these aren't some stock/token characters or carton cut outs put there to foil our younger, more intrepid protagonists. Hell, no!

They are people with lots of flaws and virtues, who make mistakes and love their children and are just trying to do the best they can with the (often) shitty hand they have been dealt. Beatriss, Trevanion, Perri, Tesadora, Lord and Lady A, Lirah, Gargarin, Arjuro and DeLancey (to mention a few) are three dimensional characters and they totally make their presence felt! They matter to the story.

Aussie Edition

Second shout out? The Last Borns!! I FREAKING LOVE YOU GUYS!! I've mentioned it before, but these kids just slay me. No one really expected much of them, they could have skated through life just being adored, but instead they recognize that what's happening to Quintana isn't right (in book two) and they decide to do something about it even though they don't have the means or skills to do it. That's SO not going to stop them. Not all of them are perfect, I definitely have my favorite(s) but yeah, I love the Last Borns. And they keep the awesome going in Quintana of Charyn.

And I'm not even going to start with Phaedra and Lucian because a) SPOILERS!! and b) This is already to long as it is. I can just go on and on about how much I love those two.

In closing: If you're a fantasy fan, go read this series. If you are not, then go read it anyway. It's fantasy but with really strong characters, a complex plot that isn't overly complicated and terrific writing. Quintana of Charyn will be released on April 23, 2013, and thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the e-galley.

1/2

* There is a short story about Lady Celie of the Flatlands , published by the Australian review, and rumor is that there might be another one. 

My Top 5 Favorite Characters from the Lumatere Chronicles - A Quintana of Charyn Blog Tour Post

Hello my loveys!!

If you have been around me you probably already know that I have a deep abiding love for Melina Marchetta's writing (and you can look at my Marchetta Madness posts from earlier this year if you need proof of it!) 

So when there was a chance to jump in and be part of the Quintana of Charyn Blog Tour (hosted by 132 Minutes)  I decided to join in by making one of my lists!

So, as of right no - before I read Quitana - here is my list of Most Favorite Characters in the Lumatere Chronicles. And yes, I'll try to make it as spoiler free as possible. 

5. Lucian of the Monts

Compared to other characters, Lucian had it relatively easy during the exile as he had most of his village, his grandmother and father (who was a great leader) with him during the 10 years they spent out of their kingdom. But things come crashing down for him after they return home, and suddenly he has to step into his father's role as leader of the Monts. He struggles with feeling like he's not good enough, and he often puts his foot in his mouth but he means well - flaws and all - and he grows up. Out of all the guys in the series, he's actually the one that makes me swoon the most, actually. 

4. Tesadora of the Forest Dwellers

There is nothing particularly nice or homey about Tesadora. She's pretty hard core and doesn't mince her words, she's tough and most people call her a witch and she's probably the most feared person of the kingdom. But she always protects the people who need it and she's very no-nonsense about the people she does care about. She's tough and I respect that. She also has this love story that's, you know, hate at first sight and love ever after. 

3. Froi (of the Exiles?) 

The road to liking Froi was a hard one, he does some pretty bad things during Finnikin of the Rock, but he eventually grows up to be very loyal, as he learns to connect with people and with the land. He has this yearning inside of him for a place to call home and he works very hard at not disappointing the people who believe in him. He's not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but I liked seeing him grow up. Plus, I like his sense of humor, it's kind of sly and not always appropriate but at least he still can laugh. And I love the way he is with Quintana. 

(Note: I totally love Quintana tons, but I don't think I can say why without spoiling some big things from the second book, so :P) 

2. Beatriss of the Flatlands

For me, Beatriss is one of those women who grew up never knowing her own strength. She was called Beatriss the Beautiful and Beatriss the Beloved (of Captain Trevanion), and no one really thought she was anything more than a pretty face, except for Trevanion. But when push came to shove, she endured some really awful things and did her best to protect the people of her town. She kept it together when no one would have blamed her for falling apart, and even though it takes her time, she does eventually stars to live again. 

1. Phaedra of Alonso

Phaedra was one of those characters that simply made me ache for her. Much like Beatriss, Phaedra doesn't know her own strength at first and she does feel like a failure sometimes due of her marriage to Lucian - because she knows he didn't want to marry her at all and just did it because his father promised he would - but she's full of quiet resilience, and she eventually proves to be capable and resourceful. I loved seeing her relationship with Lucian develop during Froi of the Exiles and I can't wait to see more about them. 

Shout out to Tariq of Lascow and the Last Borns!

I can't say much about Tariq without spoiling some stuff, but if you haven't read Froi, be on the look out for him. I totally loved him and absolutely believe he was a good leader and that he had all the makings of a good king. 

The Last Borns, particularly Grijio of Paladozza and Satch of Desantos. These guys have something their elders sometimes misplace: a moral compass - They know that the way people treat Quintanna is not right and they do whatever they can to keep her safe even if they have no fighting-skills to speak off.  Seeing risking themselves to help her, just because it was the right thing to do, really touched my heart. 

Okay! so that's my list! Has anyone read the series too? Care to share your thoughts? Just drop a comment bellow!

Be sure to check 132 Minutes to see past and future links to the other blog tour stops! 

Oh, and there is a Blog-Tour Long giveaway going on! So just check out the Rafflecopter form bellow! 

Terms and Condition of the Giveaway:

1. INTERNATIONAL.
2. Entrants must be 13 years old to enter.
3. Hosts will not be responsible for lost or damage of goods while in shipment. 
4. Winner will be notified via email and will have 24 hours to reply or another will be drawn. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Anyway! I hope you check out more of the tour! And thanks for reading!

Love, Alex.

PS - Quintana of Charyn will be published in the US in Spring 2013 - March I believe - but it's already available through Firshpond World!

Speed Date: Ferragost by Melina Marchetta

The Deal: Lady Celie of the Lumateran Flatlands has spent a lot of her life in the neighboring kingdom of Belegonia - where her father was an ambassador for many years - and she's a favorite of the royal family. That's why she's spending a small holiday in the island of Ferragost - site of the royal family's spring castle.

Due to travel complications, Celie ends up spending quite a bit of time at the Island with only three other guests and Banyon, the guardian of the Castle. Things suddenly take a turn for the worst when one of her fellow guests is found dead. 

Celie is scared but she's determined to find some answers, and make sense of the whispers she hears about the Island, even if that keeps making her cross paths with Banyon. 

My Thoughts: Lady Celie has always been one of my favorite characters from the Lumatere Chronicles even though she's not a major character (or wasn't in Finnikin and Froi, I have yet to read the third book). She's best friends with Queen Isaboe and very loyal. 

Ferragost is all about Celie's adventure at the island and it almost feels disconnected from the rest of the happenings in the series, because it's a very isolated adventure (though you do learn Celie has had some other adventures along the way).

I enjoyed seeing Celie on her own but I felt the story was too short, I wanted to know more!! And I wanted to see more of Banyon, I felt like I was left hanging there. But it was a nice, quick story that does add a bit of dimension to the rest of the series so that was nice.

Ferragost can only be purchased at the Review of Australian Fiction's site for 2.99 (Australian) and it comes with another short story by Kirsty Eagar called Molasses. Each story is about 75 pages long. It's very easy to buy it from RAF, even if you're not in Australia. 

2/3 (The story was good but I wanted more of it!)

What's a Book Speed Date, you ask? It's a quickie review--about 150 words or so--of any genre book (variety is the spice of life, after all).

If you want to join in or just read other speed date reviews, check out The Book Swarm

Cover Love: Quintana of Charyn by Melina Marchetta (US edition)

Summary:

"The climactic conclusion of Printz Award winner Melina Marchetta’s epic fantasy trilogy!

Separated from the girl he loves and has sworn to protect, Froi and his companions travel through Charyn searching for Quintana and building an army that will secure her unborn child’s right to rule. While in the valley between two kingdoms, Quintana of Charyn and Isaboe of Lumatere come face-to-face in a showdown that will result in heartbreak for one and power for the other. The complex tangle of bloodlines, politics, and love introduced in Finnikin of the Rock and Froi of the Exiles coalesce into an engrossing climax in this final volume."

Quintana of Charyn by Melina Marchetta is the last book of the Lumatere Chronicles and it comes out in the US on March 12, 2013. Thanks to the people at Candlewick for sharing the US cover!

I can't wait to read this book!

Pre-order: Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Book Depository

Also, if you're a Melina Marchetta fan, you should probably check out 132 Minutes - A Melina Marchetta Fan Page and you'll feel right at home.

Book Review: The Gorgon in the Gully by Melina Marchetta

At First Sight: Danny Griggs has always been afraid of pretty much everything in his life - from the possible monster under his bed or the shadows under the door; to calling a classmate and them not remembering who he is - so he's more surprised than anyone when he volunteers to retrieve a special soccer ball that went down the mythical Gully at the edge of St. Raphael's playground. 

In the Gully, everyone knows, there is a Gorgon - a gruesome monster that hoards and keeps everything that goes into it's territory. 

Danny would really like to take back his words but he knows he can't or he'll be forever more known as a coward! Instead -and after consulting with his older brother Jonah - Danny starts to device a plan to go down the Gully and retrieve the soccer ball (which his team needs to win the big finals!), a plan that starts simple enough, involving his friends Jackson and Bella, and soon expands to include Simmo  - the playground's bully - and pretty much everyone else in Year 4.

Second Glance: I have no shame in confessing that I first wanted to read this book because Danny is Jonah Griggs' younger brother and that I knew that there was some Jonah in the story. But in the end, Danny and The Gorgon in the Gully won me over on their own. 

Danny is just such a sweet kid: he loves everyone in his family, even his Mom's boyfriend; he is loyal to his friends and all he wants is to get some play time in the soccer finals; and he's resourceful and tries to do the right thing, and even when he doesn't he tries to make it right. 

I also loved the secondary characters. In a very simple way, all type of elementary school cliques were displayed but in such a way that I was like "Yup, that's what elementary school is like!" and I never felt like they were cartoonish, even though the book is pretty short. 

Bottom Line: The Gorgon in the Gully was such a lovely read, even if you're not a kid, it will totally bring you back to those days where everything was both complex and pretty simple at the same time. It's sweet story, and I was a nice message - though it's not heavy handed - about what courage and friendship mean. 

PS - this book is only available in Australia, so the link provided is to www.Fishpondworld.com  which  delivers worldwide for free . So far I have had pretty good experiences with them but I still recommend caution when dealing with them. 

Book Review: On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

At First Sight: For the last six years, Taylor Markham has lived on the Jellicoe School, under the care of a woman named Hannah who picked her up after her mother abandoned her at a Seven-Eleven. Taylor has always been full of questions: about her mother's whereabouts and about her father, and about what role Hannah plays into it all.

But now she's seventeen, as far away from answers as ever, and with the responsibility of leading the boarders in the territory wars between them and the cadets and the townies. 

And then Hannah leaves under mysterious circumstances, leaving behind a bad tempered cat and a manuscript telling the story of five kids who lived on the Jellicoe Road some twenty years before.

Without Hannah, Taylor is more lost than ever, and the fact that Jonah Griggs is back doesn't help matters at all. 

Second Glance: I've read Jellicoe Road before, I even reviewed it once before. But this time I decided to listen to the Audiobook of it when I came across the australian edition - something I hadn't done before - and while the story remained the same, it was a very different experience. 

I liked hearing the voices of Taylor, Jonah, Chaz and Raffy, and everyone else, I thought the narrator  - Rebecca Macauley - did a good job of it, making different voices for everyone and her guy-voices were pretty good. 

Also, I noticed stuff about the characters that I hadn't before, like that Taylor was a bit of a Drama Queen, something that I had never noticed before. 

On the down side, the musical transitions between chapters and between past and present were too long and they got kind of annoying after a while. 

Bottom Line: Jellicoe Road remains one of my favorite books ever and I liked the Audiobook, but I still think I like the reading experience a bit better. 

(for this edition/format)

And One Last Thing... (Marchetta Madness)

So... I know that I have gone overboard with the Melina Marchetta themed posts this week, so I'm going to be quick when talking about this last thing. 

One of the things I love the most about Melina's writing is kind of completely indirect: The fact that she introduced me to stuff being written in places other than the US.

English is my second language and I admit I learned to master it in great part because I wanted to read, and read contemporary stuff aimed toward my age group - well, the age my heart feels anyway - so I got my books of Amazon and called it good. But I didn't know a lot of authors and it took me forever to take a chance on a new author. 

Before reading Melina's books, I wasn't even aware of Australia as a source of novels. But since then I've learned that Australian authors are made of AWESOME. 

Basically This:

Helped me to get to this:

In a very indirect way, sure, and over a long time, but I got there. And I HIGHLY recommend these books. Good Oil made me ache, Starfish Sisters reminded me of the true awesome of female friendships, and Graffiti Moon has the spirit true contemporary-urban awesome sauce.

So there. 

I bid farewell to the Marchetta Madness week! 

Thanks to Chachic for putting it together and be sure to check ou the Guest Post from Melina herself, that wrapped up this event in Chachic's Book Nook!

Love, 

Alex.

A Romantic Spotlight (Marchetta Madness)

Hello guys! I can't believe Marchetta Madness is almost over!

And since we are so close to the end, I want to talk about one of the things I love the most in Melina's books: the Romance.

Melina's books are wonderful for so many different reasons, but her characterization is particularly masterful, and no matter how rich the contexts and environments, there is always a lot of love and many kinds of love going around.

There are wonderful friendships and amazing family ties in all of the stories, but I love the way she writes romance. I love that when her girls fall in love they do so completely and without losing themselves. I love that her guys sound like guys and that they are fierce about the people they love.

So, here are some of my farorite romantic moments in Melina's books.

Fair warning, though, spoilers lay ahead!

(On the) Jellicoe Road

This first quote is one of my favorite parts of the whole book. Taylor is in a mood, the quest she's conducting with Jonah isn't going as planned and they are both at the far end of their patience. And I've always loved the scene because it's so Jonah.

"I'm here because of you. You're my priority. Your happiness, in some fucked way, is tuned into mine. Get that through your thick skull. Would I like it any other way? Hell, yes, but I don't think that will happen in my life time."

Then, a little ahead:

"What are you thinking?" I whisper after a while.
"That you deserve romance," he says.
I trace his face with my fingers. "Let me see. A guy tells me (too spoilery)... and then drives seven hours straight without whingeing once, on a wild-goose chase in search of my mother with absolutely no clue where to start. He is, in all probability, going to get court martialled because of me, has put up with my moodiness all day long, and knows exactly what to order me for breakfast. It doesn't get any more romantic than that, Jonah."
"I'm in year eleven, Taylor. I'm not going to get court-martialed."
"Just say you get expelled?"
"Then so be it. I still would have driven for seven hours and ordered you hot chocolate and white toast and marmalade."

See, I love that it's kind of a "Grand Gesture" moment, but in a completely practical way.

In The Piper's Son, there are two moments that I love.
The first one is all Will and Frankie. I'm going to have to cut it up a little 'cause it's long:

Francesca sits on the bench. Opposite her, with a lot of space between them, and a lot of silence, Will leans on the preparation bench.
“What do you always say about me?” Tom hears him ask.
She’s not answering.
“Frankie?”
“That you used calculus to work out whether we should be together or not,” she says.
“I mean when you’re trying to compliment me.”
“That you’re the smartest guy I know,” she says finally in a flat voice.(...)
“Why would the smartest guy you know do something stupid and lose you?” he asks.
She sighs. “Because smart guys have two brains, Will. One in their head and one in their pants.”
“Yeah, well both my brains are connected and one is always reminding the other of you.”
“I thought we weren’t going to drive each other crazy with this type of stuff, Frankie,” Will says, frustrated.
(...)
“Come here,” she says.
“No, you come here.”
“I said it first.”
“Rock paper scissors.”
“No. Because you’ll do nerdy calculations and work out what I chose the last six times and then you’ll win.”
Will pushes away from the table and his hand snakes out and he pulls her toward him and Tom figures that Will was always going to go to her first.

And this one is all Tara and Tom (It's a scene very near the end, so fair warning)

“I spilt my guts out all over the arrival lounge at Sydney’s domestic airport, Tara. It’s as bloody romantic as you’ll ever get from me. Where are you?”
“At a public phone in arrivals. I’ve run out of credit. I used my reprimanding voice and told my parents and Frankie and Justine that they couldn’t come near me for the next five minutes. I can see the four of them from here. They’re talking about me. They have a look of fear on their face. Even my parents, who created me, are afraid. I see that look on a lot of people’s faces when they see me, Tom. Never yours.”
“I keep it hidden, but it’s there. Believe me, you frighten me to death, but for different reasons.”

Nothing to add, but a happy sigh.


I also got a very soft spot for the romances of the adults. Like Sam and Georgie in Piper's Son. Hannah and Jude in Jellicoe. And, of course, Beatriss and Trevanion - I think I love them most of all.

I don't want to spoil Froi, as it's all too new and in Finnikin they had few scenes together, but the following scene always stuck to me, when Trevanion finds out Beatriss is still alive:

"Her strength, it comes from you," she said quietly.
"What?" The question was like a bark, but she did not shrink back.
"Beatriss."
There was a sharp hiss of breath, and Finnikin found himself in his father's path as Trevanion advanced tosard her furiously. "Beatriss is--"
"Do not speak her name! Do not dare taint her memory," he raged.
Evanjalin did not move. "Sometimes when people sleep they agonize about decisions made. Other times they think back on the past. She spends much time doing both. I do believe it is Beatriss who has worked through the dark magic to find me."
"You lie to taunt me!"
"Enough, Evanjalin," Sir Topher ordered. "Beatriss is dead."
Finnikin felt his father flinch at the words, but Evanjalin held Trevanion's gaze.
"Most nights she is restless. There are too many people to worry about, and she wonders how she will be able to make things right. How can she be someone other than Beatriss the Beautiful or Beatriss the Beloved? But then, just when she's about to lose hope, she remembers what you would whisper to her, Captain Trevanion. That she was Beatriss the Bold. Beatriss the Brave. To all others she was a fragile flower, but you would not let her be."
Finnikin's hand was still against Trevanion's chest; his father's heart was beating out of control.
"She remembers the nights you lay with her when she worried about something happening to you. 'What would I do without you?' she would cry. Do you remember your response, Captain Trevanion? 'What needs to be done, Beatriss."

*Sigh* this scene breaks my heart each and every time.

So, these are some of my favorite scenes of the books, I tried to keep this short but I think that didn't work out so well. But what can you do when you have so much awesome to pick from?

Anyway, what about you? Any favorite scenes?

PS - Sorry for the crappy formatting. Blogger is trying to destroy me

At the Movies: Looking for Alibrandi

Josie Alibrandi is an scholarship student at a prestigious All-Girls catholic school where she's finishing Year 12 (a.k.a. Senior Year). An excellent student, she hopes to go to university and study law. Her life is defined in a lot of ways by the two women in her life: her Nonna Katia and her single mom Christina. Her father has never been in the picture, though Josie knows who he is and in which part of Australia he lives. 

Josie is used to being a team with her mother, even though they don't see eye to eye in some regards, but with her Nonna Katia, Josie clashes constantly. An Italian immigrant, Nonna Katia has pretty outdated ideas about the mixing of "Italian" and "Australian" and has a very Us versus Them mentality. Katia's relationship with Christina is also a bit strained, mostly because Katia showed little support to Christina when she got pregnant at sixteen.

And things are about to be shaken up in the Alibrandi household. First, when Josie meets Jacob Coote, who goes to a public school, can make up a speech at the drop of the hat, and is the resident bad-boy of Josie's life. And then, Michael Andretti, Josie's faceless father moves back from Adelaide to Sydney... and lets just say that their first meeting is everything but ideal. There is also John Barton a sensible, nice, smart and rich guy in whom Josie finds something of a kindred spirit. 

Surrounded by her friends, her family and even her school nemesis, Josie is set out to live the year that might very well change and define the rest of her life. 

Looking for Alibrandi is based on the novel by the same name by Melina Marchetta, and though it follows the book pretty closely, it has some deliberate differences that keep it from being exactly alike. However, I'm happy to say that all my favorite parts of the book made it to the movie. 

Alibrandi is a movie that feels very Australian and its a lot of fun. Though nothing can ever compete with one's own imagination, it was easy to see the actors as the characters. I particularly liked Anthony LaPaglia as Michael Andretti. 

I do have to say that sometimes it was hard to understand what Nonna Katia was saying, like at all. And that I found her a bit more likable in the book.

All in all, Looking for Alibrandi is a must see for any Marchetta fan, and a very nice teen movie even if you haven't read the book. I give it a B+

This review is part of Marchetta Madness, hosted by Chachic's Book Nook 

Tune in Tuesday (30) - Book Playlists Edition: Marchetta Madness Themed!

This meme is hosted by Ginger at GReads and music. Each week you can post an old or new song so that it gains more interest! So head on over and link up.

We are still doing Book Playlists and for this week -and in theme with Marchetta Madness week - I'm featuring songs from books by Melina Marchetta. 

Music is a big theme in Melina's stories, it helps people connect and to heal. Many of Melina's characters are musicians - like Justine, Tom, Frankie, Ben - or need to feel the music like the people from Charyin in Froi. 

So here are my Marchetta inspired picks

The Coward of the County by Kenny Rogers - It's a recurring theme in Jellicoe Road, each time Taylor says anything about Kenny Rogers everyone always tells her "Oh, the Coward of the County" and I think Taylor takes it a bit personal. This song always makes me a little sad, which is how Jellicoe makes feel too.

I'm Your Venus by Bananarama - This movie comes up in Saving Francesca - and Tom says he only danced to it because he thought it said I'm your Penis - It's actually quite a feel good song for me so, here it goes. Fair warning, though, the video is SO 80's

Lastly, this song comes up in The Piper's Son, and I love it anyway so I thought, why not? The Blower's Daughter

So, what song plays for you?

List Maniac #26 - Favorite Secondary Characters (Marchetta Madness)

Oops! Sorry for the super long title, it's just that it's Marchetta Madness Week and I realized I hadn't done a List Maniac in a really long time! So I decided to spot light some of my favorite secondary characters. 

In this case, my criteria to call them Secondary is that we have never seen things from their perspective. These are the characters I've loved and wish I knew more about them!  

And now, onto the list! 

Jimmy Hailler (Saving Francesca / The Piper's Son)

"Jimmy Hailler was a killer of a listener. The guy understood fragmented people." (The Piper's Son)

At first glance, Jimmy is a bit of a clown. He's always saying and doing the one thing that will make everyone uncomforatble, and he seems to do it only for his own amusement. But people tell him stuff, he's doesn't judge and he ends up having more inside and perspective than anyone would ever give him credit for. His personal history is hinted at in bits and pieces, but I always feel like I want to know more about him. Sadly, he's currently MIA and not even his friends know where he is. 

Celie of the Flatlands (Finnikin of the Rock / Froi of the Exiles) 

When Lady Celie first appears on the page, you don't think a lot about her. But she keeps making small appearances and now, after reading Froi, I've realized that she kind of lingers. And I want to hear more about her. I know from the bits and pieces that she's very smart and braver than one would guess seing as she's beautiful. And I'm happy to hear that we'll be hearing more about Celie soon.

Marcus Sandford (Looking for Alibrandi)

"Who's the hunk?"

She looked pensive and reached to touch it. 

The person in the photo was of medium height with golden-brown hair. He was smiling broadly, leaning against a shovel, with no shirt on. 

"His name was Marcus Sandford." 

"An Australian?" I screeched. "You know an Australian hunk?"

"He was my friend."

When I read Looking for Alibrandi, I was captivated by the story of Nonna Katia and Marcus, and I always wondered about him. What his life had been? Did he marry someone else? Had kids? Did he still thought about Katia? I would love to get answers to all of those questions, mostly because I always thought they deserved a happy ending. And even though he's never in the story 'in the present day', I wish he were.

Ben Cassidy ((On The) Jellicoe Road / The Piper's Son)

"When it's time for Ben to play his solo - his eyes are close, his mind anywhere but here, his fingers so taut and precise that it almost looks painful - my eyes well with tears. Because you know from the look on Ben's face that he's somewhere you want to be."

Ben is a really close friend to both Raffy and Taylor - he is Taylor's second in command in the territory wars - but he never gets quite as much page time as Raffy or Jonnah or Chaz. But I love whenever he's around. I love that he likes to tease Jonah and he's not afraid of him (though he often gets beat up for his efforts), and that he loves music so much. I was so happy to see him and his band make a cameo in The Piper's Son, but it's just never enough.

Tariq of Lascow & the other Last Borns (Froi of the Exiles)

I really liked Tariq the second he showed up in Froi of the Exiles, he's essentially a nice, decent man who was worthy of leading people. I would have loved to hear more of him and his life in the caves. The other Lastborns, Satch of Desantos and Grijio of Paladozza (as well as his sister Tippideux) also intrigued me. I hope they feature more in Quintana of Charyn.

Special Mention: Danny Griggs ((On The) Jellicoe Road / The Gorgon in the Gully).

I know Danny does have his own book but is only available in Australia, and as such is very hard to come by this side of the pond. I love Danny because Jonah loves him. I would LOVE to read his story and I hope someday is published in the US so I can get my paws on it.  

Okay, so that's my list! and I admit it would have been up way earlier if not because I kept getting distracted while I was looking for quotes about these characters and ended up reading big chunks of each book, just because. 

It's Not Just a Book! It's an Experience - (Marchetta Madness Week)

Hello everyone!!

So today marks the start of the Marchetta Madness Week - Hosted by Chachic's Book Nook - and Chachic is asking what's the first Marchetta book you read. 

Mine was Saving Francesca, but the thing is that for me it's never just reading a book. It's a whole experience. I became an instant fan when I first read Francesca. I was nineteen or so, and I remember I waited and waited and waited because I wanted to get the particular cover I got (which was the original US paperback). I thought it would be a fun, cute book, and it was but it was also so much more. 

I remember staying up very late to finish the book, of being sitting up in my bed in the middle of the night crying because of what was going on, because the ending was happy and hopeful and then crying some more because it was over. 

I have very vivid memories of what I was doing and where I was when I was reading each and every of Melina's books, I remember the parts that made me cry, and when I was laughing while reading and no one else got it. There are very few books that have given me that: the immediate recall of the first time we crossed paths each and every time I pick them up. 

When it comes to Melina's books, I tend to see them as living, breathing beings. They are not just stories and characters, there are people to me. Reading them it's not something I can do with my eyes only, I'm there 100% , I go in with my heart and my head, and everything in between. 

It's not just reading a story, it's a whole experience.

That's why I was so very happy to be part of this week dedicated to Melina's works, because they touch me in ways I never thought possible and I'm happy to spread the word!

So... what about you? Have you read a Marchetta book? which one?

Coming Soon: Froi of the Exiles

Hi guys!

So, late last year I got a chance to read Melina Marchetta's Froi of the Exiles and I loved it. I usually love Melina's books, that's true, but Froi was such a departure for me as I'm not really a fantasy kind of girl, but it's one of my favorite books ever.

Since the book is coming out this Tuesday, March 13th - and I reviewed it back in December - I wanted to share my review of the book once more. So, click the link bellow.

Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta.

And all I got to add is that you should read it because it's made of all things heartbreaking but awesome!

Book Review: Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta

WARNING: THIS REVIEW MIGHT CONTAIN MILD SPOILERS ABOUT FINNIKIN OF THE ROCK

US Cover

At First Sight: Three years after the events of Finnikin of the Rock, Froi has found a home next to the Queen Isaboe and Finnikin, with Trevanion, Perri and the rest of the Queen's guard. They have given him a purpose in life, turning him in to a warrior and a weapon to avenge the people of Lumatere, to right all the wrongs that were done during the days of the curse and the exile.

So, when he's given the chance to do this once more, to infiltrate into Charyn -the neighboring kingdom, the one responsible for the atrocities that took place - and kill it's king, Froi goes, unaware that his life is about to change.

And so is the perception everyone has of Charyn. Known for it's savagery, Charyn has been facing it's own curse for the last 18 years and it's a curse that's about the come to a head, with potential to destroy everything. Which is why a lot of people from Charyn are leaving their country, and making a refugee camp in the valley between the two countries, asking to be admitted into Lumatere so they can start over.

Australian Cover

In Charyn itself, Froi is finding a lot more about himself and the Princess Quintana, and Charyn as a whole, and the terrible heartbreak they have been living in for the past 18 years, and suddenly things aren't black and white anymore.

Second Glance: I've made a really poor job of summarizing Froi of the Exiles, I know this but I don't want to spoil too much and I know that if I go into more detail, I will, but let me tell you that the story is about so much more than just Froi and Charyn yet they are both are at the core of everything, as is Quintana. 

There are at least other two strong sub plots going on, one revolving about Trevanion and Beatriss - their story was heartbreaking and made me cry but also filled me with hope, I LOVED it.

And the other is about the Queen's cousin Lucian of the Monts and his unwanted wife Phaedra of Alonso, and I have to say that Phaedra is my new favorite character, her story and her choices left me absolutely gutted, and it's in great part because of Lucian and her that I wish the third book of the Lumatere Chronicles - Quintana of Charyn - were here already.

Also, I want to point out that with Finnikin, I had a problem with the pace, I often felt like there were these lulls in the narrative where nothing happened and then everything seemed to happen at once. That pace problem is gone from Froi, it grabs you from page one and doesn't let go till the very end, flowing from one chapter to another, for one persepctive to another in such a way that there is no way to put down this book. 

Bottom Line: I'm not a fantasy girl, but I loved Froi of the Exiles, cliffhanger ending at all. At the end of Finnikin of the Rock, I would have been okay if there wasn't another book of this series, but after Froi, I can't wait for Quintana, to be back in this work and to see how it all turns out. This is truly an amazing book. Froi of the Exiles is already out in Australia and will be published out int he US on March 13rd, 2012.