JESS JUST READS

A BOOK REVIEW BLOG

Missing by Sue Whiting

Mackenzie da Luca’s mother is missing – she’s vanished without a trace in the jungles of Panama. Now, 116 days later Mackenzie and her dad are in those same jungles. Her dad is desperate to find out what’s happened to his wife. And Mackenzie is desperate to make sure he doesn’t …

Missing by Sue Whiting is a debut children’s novel about a young girl’s search for her missing mother. It explores family, friendship and love. The book also shows readers what it’s like when a family is searching for answers — when people are struggling to cope with the unknown and they feel forced to take matters into their own hands.

“My face is burning up. Memories are too hard. I try to shove it out of my head — it’s safe that way — but it won’t budge and I’m already back at the gallery and thinking about how we strolled around and my scientific mother tried her best to look intrigued.”

This is an incredibly emotional debut. It’s told from the perspective of Mackenzie after her mother has been missing for a number of weeks. Her and her father venture to Panama after local authorities fail to locate Mackenzie’s mother.

This is a confronting read. Over the course of the novel, we are thrust back into the past so we can come to understand how strong Mackenzie’s connection was with her mother, and just how special she was in their lives. The disappearance of Mackenzie’s mother has a monumental effect on her life, and it’s pretty heartbreaking to read this.

Missing is warm and touching, but it’s also heartbreaking. You follow Mackenzie and her father as they try to find this missing piece of them, and a sense of dread forms in the pit of your stomach. Deep down, you know what’s going to happen at the end of the novel.

Mackenzie’s father is broken, and I liked how Sue portrayed his mental health. He’s depressed and has been struggling ever since his wife went missing, and he doesn’t shy away from that around Mackenzie. Yes, at some points he tries to hide how he’s really feeling, but he is a really emotional character and Mackenzie can see how much he’s hurting. Their relationship is quite complicated and fraught at times, but given the situation they’re in, I think Sue illustrated this really effectively.

“Dad’s the same, because as the day wears on and the breeze gets stronger and the clouds hang lower and lower, threatening to pour, he becomes edgier and edgier. Why is he torturing himself like this? It’s hard to watch.”

The storyline is quite confronting for children to read, but the writing is strong and rich with emotion. The dialogue is believable and the characters relatable. I loved the connection that Mackenzie shared with her grandmother — she relies on her grandmother a lot since her mother went missing and it is sweet to see the bond they share.

I think you have to stretch your imagination with the storyline though. Mackenzie’s father pulls her out of school to go to Panama so they can both search for her mother? And they leave Mackenzie’s grandmother at home worried? It would’ve been more realistic if her father left her behind with the grandmother while he went searching for the mother, but then that would mean there wouldn’t be a story to tell. Still, I found the plot to be a bit unbelievable.

I recommend this to young teens, and children who are in the upper end of primary school. It’s middle grade novel, so primarily it’s aimed at children 10-14. I think adult readers might be intrigued by the mystery of Mackenzie’s mother, but I don’t think that Missing will necessarily appeal to adult readers. The protagonist reads quite young, and this book is cemented in the children’s literature space.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Missing
Sue Whiting
March 2018
Walker Books Australia

Scythe by Neal Shusterman

Thou Shalt Kill

A dark, gripping and witty thriller in which the only thing humanity has control over is death.

In a world where disease, war and crime have been eliminated, the only way to die is to be randomly killed (“gleaned”) by professional scythes.

Citra and Rowan are teenagers who have been selected to be scythes’ apprentices, and despite wanting nothing to do with the vocation, they must learn the art of killing and understand the necessity of what they do. Only one of them will be chosen as a scythe’s apprentice and as Citra and Rowan come up against a terrifyingly corrupt Scythedom, it becomes clear that the winning apprentice’s first task will be to glean the loser.

Scythe by Neal Shusterman is a speculative fiction novel set in a world where people don’t die of natural causes. They can live for decades, and they can even reset their bodies and turn themselves young again.

In order to curb the population growth, Scythes are employed to kill people. They act like assassins. There is a system to their decisions, but ultimately, a lot of the time the deaths are random. They could be women, men or children. They could be hundreds of years old, or toddlers. They could be teenagers with lots of promise, or someone evil who hasn’t lived a very moral life.

“That afternoon, just as the scythe had said, they went to the shipping company where the woman worked, and they watched — just as Rowan had watched Kohl’s gleaning.
‘I have chosen for you a life-terminating pill,’ Scythe Faraday told the speechless, tremulous woman. He reached into his robe and produced a small pill in a little glass vial.”

This novel is both original and engrossing; Neal has set this series up really well, drawing the reader into this crazy and chaotic world. The characters are all really different, but the danger is real. The book may be long, but it’s fast-paced and the stakes are high. Despite the fact that the final third of the book dragged on a little too much and it could’ve been edited down, I did really like this read.

The world building is the biggest strength of this series — technology is incredibly advanced and society is a lot more civilised. And yet, fear is so dominant. Despite the fact that people in this world don’t feel pain and they don’t suffer and war doesn’t exist, there is still something in the world that scares them — petrifies them. And that is death. Because it is something they can’t control.

“The scythe attack came less than a minute after she was given her slice, piping hot from the oven. ..Esme turned to see them. Four of them. They were clad in bright robes that glittered. They looked like no one Esme had ever seen. She had never met a scythe.”

Citra and Rowan are moral and compassionate, one of the reasons that they were chosen as apprentices. I liked their dynamic, and their budding relationship. They were in competition with each other, always challenging one another to be the best.

“There were men and there were women. The subjects represented different ages, ethnic mixes, and body types, from muscular to obsess to gaunt. He yelled and screamed and grunted with every thrust, slice and twist. He had trained well. The blades sunk in with perfect precision.”

I’d recommend this to fantasy or science fiction lovers. The storyline is still grounded in reality, but with alternate, fantastical elements. Young adult readers may find this to be a little long, but it’s still a great launch for the series and I think readers will follow Neil onto book number two.

I don’t think this book is necessarily just for young adult readers, but for people who love adult fiction as well. If you love crime or thrillers, you’ll love how Neal has woven fact with fiction, the real vs. the unreal. The main characters may be young but they’re mature and they’re self-aware, and they drive the book. The concept of the series is intriguing enough to pull in even the most reluctant of readers.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Scythe
Neal Shusterman
February 2018
Walker Books Australia

Books About Inspirational Women

Ever since Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls was published, there’s been a definite trend in publishing. There are now so many fantastic books about inspirational women from history. I’ve been reading and reviewing a fair few of them for this blog, so I thought it’d be great to compile them all for one master post.

Forgotten Women: The Leaders & The Scientists
Zing Tsjeng
March 2018
Hachette Book Publishers

Forgotten Women is a new series of books that uncover the lost herstories of influential women who have refused over hundreds of years to accept the hand they’ve been dealt and, as a result, have formed, shaped and changed the course of our futures. From leaders and scientists to artists and writers, the fascinating stories of these women that time forgot are now celebrated, putting their achievements firmly back on the map.

Forgotten Women by Zing Tsjeng is a really wonderful new series, allowing readers to discover 96 women who I can guarantee you’ve never heard of before.

Each of these books features 48 incredible women of history, styled with beautiful artwork and colourful layouts. The Leaders is all about women who were true pioneers. They may not have lived long, or they may have been overlooked, but their contributions were important.

Grace O’Malley was a 16th century Irish pirate queen, Sylvia Rivera spearheaded the modern transgender rights movement, and Agent 355 was an unknown rebel spy who played a pivotal role in the American Revolution.

The series is both informative and interesting. I thought I would’ve gotten sick of these types of books, but I’ve found myself just as enthralled and intrigued as ever. In The Leaders, chapters are broken down into different categories, from rebels to warriors, rulers to activists. In The Scientists, the chapters range from Biology & Natural Sciences to Physics & Chemistry.

Each woman is given around three pages of information, so the books are pretty quick to read and the information not too heavy.

In The Scientists, we meet women whose scientific achievements or whose inventions have paved the way for the future, but unfortunately their successes weren’t as acknowledged or praised as highly or as often as they should’ve been.

Ruby Hirose developed a vaccine for polio, Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner was a brilliant inventor who found ways to improve everyday struggles, and Ynes Mexia was a botanist who discovered 500 new plant species.

Both of these books are packaged beautifully. They’re hardback, with thick, high quality paper and bright colours. They look wonderful together on the shelf, and I hope the series will have more books coming out. I’m sure there are plenty more women out there whose achievements have been sadly forgotten.

SHE: A Celebration of 100 Renegade Women

Harriet Hall

March 2018

Hachette Book Publishers

SHE is a love letter to all the women who have thrown out the rulebook and threatened the status quo. It’s a toast to the brave, bold and brilliant women who make us proud to be ladies.

From fashion icon Coco Chanel to Queen Cleopatra, from literary legend Jane Austen to trailblazer Michelle Obama and from kick-ass activist Malala Yousafzai to the one-and-only Beyoncé, SHE honours 100 truly renegade women, from history through to present day.

SHE by Harriet Hall is a compact book highlighting 100 women from history who contributed to positive change within society. Some of these women have long since passed, but some are still alive today.

What I loved most about this book is that each woman was dedicated only two pages — one page had a black and white sketch illustration of the woman, and the other page detailed their life story. I loved that their story was summarised so succinctly.

YOU CAN READ THE REST OF MY REVIEW HERE

Rebel Voices: The Rise of Votes for Women

Louise Kay Stewart & Eve Lloyd Knight

January 2018

Hachette Publishers

A beautifully illustrated celebration of the brave campaigners who fought for women’s right to vote.

Discover that it was never illegal for women to vote in Ecuador, or how 40,000 Russian women marched through St Petersburg demanding their rights. Find out how one Canadian woman changed opinions with a play, and Kuwaiti women protested via text message. And learn that women climbed mountains, walked a lion through the streets of Paris, and starved themselves, all in the name of having a voice.

Meet the women who rioted, rallied and refused to give up. This book celebrates the women who refused to behave, rebelling against convention to give women everywhere a voice.

Rebel Voices by Louise Kay Stewart and Eve Lloyd Knight is gorgeous and inspiring, educating readers on the history of the female vote and how a woman’s right to vote was achieved in different countries.

This is a hardback book, the size of a portrait picture book. It’s quite large in size, to allow for all the stunning illustrations on every page. The quality is amazing — thick and heavy paper. And there are only 47 pages to this book and there aren’t too many words. So, it doesn’t take long to read.

YOU CAN READ THE REST OF MY REVIEW HERE

100 Nasty Women of History

Hannah Jewell

November 2017

Hachette Book Publishers

These are the women who were deemed too nasty for their times – too nasty to be recognised, too nasty to be paid for their work and sometimes too nasty to be allowed to live.

In 100 Nasty Women of History, Hannah will spill the tea on:
-the women with impressive kill counts

-the women who wrote dangerous things

-the women who fought empires and racists

-the women who knew how to have a good-ass time

-the women who punched Nazis (metaphorically but also not)

So, if you think that Nasty Women are a new thing, think again. They’ve always been around – you just haven’t always heard of them.

Well, this is just hilarious and so so fun to read. 100 Nasty Women of History is all about history’s bravest, most ballsy women. And most of them you’ve probably never heard of!

In the final debate of the 2016 US presidential election, Donald Trump leaned into the microphone as Hilary Clinton spoke about social security, and he called his opponent ‘such a nasty woman’. I’m sure Donald Trump didn’t realise that this phrase would go on to become a badge of honour for women around the world. Being a ‘nasty woman’ is now considered a compliment!

Hannah Jewell is a senior writer for Buzzfeed UK, so she brings into this book her wit and sarcasm. I laughed out loud many times when reading this book, chuckling on public transport to and from work.

YOU CAN READ THE REST OF MY REVIEW HERE

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

Dimple Shah has it all figured out. With graduation behind her, she’s more than ready for a break from her family, from Mamma’s inexplicable obsession with her finding the “Ideal Indian Husband.”

Rishi Patel is a hopeless romantic. So when his parents tell him that his future wife will be attending the same summer program as him—wherein he’ll have to woo her—he’s totally on board. Because as silly as it sounds to most people in his life, Rishi wants to be arranged, believes in the power of tradition, stability, and being a part of something much bigger than himself.

Dimple and Rishi may think they have each other figured out. But when opposites clash, love works hard to prove itself in the most unexpected ways.

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon is a heartfelt romantic comedy about two indian teenagers. Their arranged marriage forms the basis of their story, but their common interests and their experiences at a coding convention in San Francisco over one exciting summer allow them to grow closer.

Dimple is a determined, confident character, not afraid to speak her mind or stand up for what she believes in. Rishi is a bit more timid, and afraid to pursue his real interests instead of feeling like he has to pursue what his family expects of him. Despite this, Rishi is a really sweet guy, full of compassion and heart.

“Dimple’s heart fluttered. Rishi had make a real effort for their non-date. He’d scoped out a place he knew she’d love — and she did; if she could live her under one of the tables forever, she’d be perfectly content to do just that.”

When Dimple Met Rishi is a unique romance novel for teenagers — it is fun and enjoyable. The characters are well-developed and the premise of the book is quirky but entertaining. You follow these two characters over the summer as they pursue their creative endeavours.

Both Dimple and Rishi are incredibly nerdy but they don’t care, and they don’t apologise for it. They’re determined to succeed and they’re both incredibly talented and creative. I think teenagers will find them quite inspiring, especially if there are any teenagers reading this who perhaps feel embarrassed by their interests. When Dimple Met Rishi shows readers that ‘nerdy’ can be fun and there’s nothing uncool about following your passions.

“Dimple opened the paper. It was an amazing sketch, which, if she hasn’t seen Rishi do in about a minute, she would have believed had taken a lot longer. It showed a boy, hair flopping in his eyes and bulging muscles ripping his shirt sleeves — Dimple snorted — hand ing a fierce-looking girl a paper flower.”

There were a few inconsistencies in their characterisation. For example, Dimple is set up to be the bold one, and yet it’s Rishi who stands up to the bullies when they are horrible to Dimple. The way that the two characters were set up, it would’ve made more sense for Dimple to be the argumentative, defensive character and for Rishi to just want to keep the peace and sink into the background.

“Dimple wanted to die. She couldn’t believe Rishi. What was he thinking? Hadn’t she specifically told him not to interfere? He was supposed to just hang out, not basically challenge Hari to a duel. Her fist itched with the urge to punch something, and his ribs were so close…”

Something else that I disliked about the structure of the book was how quickly the POV changed, particularly towards the end of the novel. Sometimes there’d be only a couple of paragraphs and then the POV would switch from Dimple to Rishi. Although it’s cute to discover how each of them is feeling in each situation, I found the constant transition to be really jolting and awkward.

I recommend this for the younger end of a teenage audience, so 13-15 year olds. It’s a really sweet novel, but the language is quite young and the banter quite over the top, so I think older teenagers might find the book — and the relationship — a little unrealistic.

When Dimple Met Rishi
Sandhya Menon
June 2017
Hachette Book Publishers

The Shape of Water by Guillermo Del Toro and Daniel Kraus

It is 1962, and Elisa Esposito—mute her whole life, orphaned as a child—is struggling with her humdrum existence as a janitor working the graveyard shift at Baltimore’s Occam Aerospace Research Center. Were it not for Zelda, a protective coworker, and Giles, her loving neighbor, she doesn’t know how she’d make it through the day.

Then, one fateful night, she sees something she was never meant to see, the Center’s most sensitive asset ever: an amphibious man, captured in the Amazon, to be studied for Cold War advancements. The creature is terrifying but also magnificent, capable of language and of understanding emotions…and Elisa can’t keep away. Using sign language, the two learn to communicate. Soon, affection turns into love, and the creature becomes Elisa’s sole reason to live.

But outside forces are pressing in. Richard Strickland, the obsessed soldier who tracked the asset through the Amazon, wants nothing more than to dissect it before the Russians get a chance to steal it. Elisa has no choice but to risk everything to save her beloved. With the help of Zelda and Giles, Elisa hatches a plan to break out the creature. But Strickland is on to them. And the Russians are, indeed, coming.

The Shape of Water weaves fantasy, fable and mystery. It was put together by two artists — award-winning director Guillermo del Toro and author Daniel Kraus. Scattered throughout the novel are black and white sketch illustrations by visual artist James Jean. These illustrations help give the reader a sense of vision, and they allow us to imagine this story on the big screen.

I was intrigued to read this novel after the movie won Best Picture at the Oscars. It has such an odd plot and quite a quirky romance that I was definitely keen to see what all the fuss was about.

This novel may appeal to all age groups, but it is written like an adult novel, with complex vocabulary and a dry third-person narration. The pacing is quite slow but the characters are full of depth. Given Elisa’s mutism, there isn’t much dialogue to the book. The Shape of Water is mostly prose and description.

“Man should be better than monsters.”
“Ah, but who are the monsters?”

The Shape of Water also highlights the gender inequality of the 1960s. The two main female characters are cleaners, with low-paying jobs and very little respect. The ‘important’ workers involved in the project are all men, and some of them are very dismissive towards Elisa and Zelda. The novel also explores the relationship between Strickland and his wife Lainie. She stays at home with the children, not working or having the chance to make many friends. He’s away for work, sometimes months at a time, and there is very little communication between the two.

There is a definite imbalance in each relationship. Strickland is rarely home and when he is, he doesn’t treat his wife with much respect. He’s dismissive and doesn’t understand how demanding their children are. Over the course of the novel, Lainie finds her own purpose and starts to imagine a life without Strickland.

Additionally, Zelda’s husband Brewster is useless and unappreciative of his wife. He’s demanding and he belittles her and Elisa often thinks about how Zelda would be better off without him in her life.

“Working women don’t get to scurry home and bury their faces in pillows when they’ve been yelled at. You settle your trembling hands by wrapping them around your tools and returning to work.”

The pacing is a little inconsistent. The book takes a long time to kick off — with a lot of backstory and build up — and then the final third of the book moves so quickly that I actually had to go back and reread a few chapters because I was sure that I had missed something integral.

I haven’t seen the movie, but this novel feels void of character emotion. This is supposed to be a grand love story between Elisa and the sea creature, and yet, their romance seems to blossom very quickly but behind the scenes so the reader doesn’t really witness it. And then there’s this grand plan to save the creature from his fate, and I found it quite predictable. Truthfully, I didn’t find myself hugely invested in their romance.

“Zelda kneels to pick up the punch card. Yolanda’s going wild behind her. But all Zelda hears is Brewster carrying on about how she shouldn’t trust anyone. He doesn’t know Elisa, though, does he? Of course he doesn’t. Despite their long years of friendship, Elisa’s never been to Zelda’s home, not once.”

This novel will appeal to people who, like me, want to read the book before they see the movie. It’s not my favourite novel, nor my favourite fantastical romance, but it is something rather different and the characters carry this novel just as much as the plot does.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Shape of Water
Guillermo Del Toro & Daniel Kraus
March 2018
Pan Macmillan Publishers