I've recently discovered two very great books, so why not review/give thoughts on them?
Part 1: Airman, by Eoin Colfer.
I spent a long time trying to figure out what genre Airman was, and finally decided on 'alternate history, with an air of steampunk'. The setting is the non-fictional Saltee Islands off the coast of Great Britain(yes I looked them up and they exist, but not quite the same as the author has us imagining them) in the Victorian era.
The book centers around the idea of flight(as in, airborne travel) and freedom, and is filled with beautiful prose and lovely description. Each character has a very distinct voice and individual personality, which is one of my favorite parts of a book. The characters weren't all from the Saltees, either. There were Frenchmen, Englishmen, Irishmen, Americans, and even a dandy pirate. The main character, Conor, has definite goals, dreams, and values, and it makes us care for him from the start.
As many books will, Airman slowed down toward the middle section, and while it felt slow going with hardly any action to speak of, I never lost interest, so strong was Conor's determination, and so enjoyable(or detestable) were the characters. Unlike any other book I can think of, this one made me cry a little near the beginning, instead of at the end. It invoked emotion the whole way through.
I would absolutely recommend Airman to everyone. (although maybe those under 10 wouldn't understand it or enjoy it to its full level) It did have light swearing, but other than that, there was hardly any objectionable content. In fact, it would make an awesome read-aloud. (I mean, who doesn't want to practice their different British, French, and American accents?) I can only describe it as a wonderful and inspiring read.
Part 2: The Marvels, by Brian Selznick.
One thing you should know about Selznick: He tells parts of his stories with huge sections of illustrations, and it is fascinating and glorious. (Especially to me, as an artist) His other books are also amazing, and I believe I mentioned them in a previous post.
The Marvels is a super quick read. The illustrations weave a magnificent history, and when it got to the prose section I didn't want to stop looking at all the fabulous pictures. They're all so well thought out, one can tell Selznick didn't just like scribble them all out, they're very meticulously planned and composed.
I won't spoil it for you, but I must say the picture story and the prose story connect beautifully in the end, and there were lovely symbols and continuing ideas and everything matched and tied together. I was impressed. And it totally didn't end in the way I expected.
However, I came away unsatisfied, because there was mention and acceptance of homosexuality. -_- How dare you associate such a thing with such a great book?! In all other ways, though, The Marvels is brilliant. I'd recommend it to anyone 12 or older.
At any rate, both of these books inspired me, and they're grand. The Marvels is fairly new, and my library, for one, doesn't have it yet, and it costs a pretty penny at Barnes and Noble, but perhaps you're like me and have a fantastical best friend who decided to buy it and is willing to loan it to you. Airman should be easier to find at the library, and definitely costs less if you want to buy it. Anyhow, go find something awesome to read!
What amazing books have you been reading lately?
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