Thoughtful Thursday - beauty

Ok, this time it will be a real can of worms. Why does beauty matters soooo much in our modern times?  Why did it matter so much for ancient Greeks and Romans? First some quotes:

Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart.  ~Kahlil Gibran


Against Him those women sin who torment their skin with potions, stain their cheeks with rouge and extend the line of their eyes with black coloring.  Doubtless they are dissatisfied with God's plastic skill.  In their own persons they convict and censure the Artificer of all things.  ~Tertullian


That which is striking and beautiful is not always good, but that which is good is always beautiful.  ~Ninon de L'Enclos


It is amazing how complete is the delusion that beauty is goodness.  ~Leo Tolstoy


There is a road from the eye to the heart that does not go through the intellect.  ~Gilbert Keith Chesterton


I'm tired of all this nonsense about beauty being only skin-deep.  That's deep enough.  What do you want - an adorable pancreas?  ~Jean Kerr, The Snake Has All the Lines


Beauty is indeed a good gift of God; but that the good may not think it a great good, God dispenses it even to the wicked.  ~Saint Augustine

Beauty isn't worth thinking about; what's important is your mind.  You don't want a fifty-dollar haircut on a fifty-cent head.  ~Garrison Keillor

Image via Wikipedia - a real beauty of a manuscript

Now my questions: 

• why, in your opinion, beautiful people get better grades, earn better salaries and rise more rapidly to important positions than their plain-looking colleagues (just don't say it is not the truth because it is) ?
• why some people delude themselves and their children that you can be ugly and still succeed easily if only you are clever/good/intelligent/hard-working/pious enough etc...?
• what should an ugly person do in a society where good looks are so coveted that people practically worship them as they can open almost every door?

• is plastic surgery a solution for ugly ducklings? 

Wishful Wendnesday 28 July

The meme is hosted by Brooke Bluestocking Guide.

My wish today concerns a whodunnit entitled "The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie" by Alan Bradley.

Cover via Amazon

Synopsis (from the publisher):

It is the summer of 1950—and a series of inexplicable events has struck Buckshaw, the decaying English mansion that Flavia’s family calls home. A dead bird is found on the doorstep, a postage stamp bizarrely pinned to its beak. Hours later, Flavia finds a man lying in the cucumber patch and watches him as he takes his dying breath. For Flavia, who is both appalled and delighted, life begins in earnest when murder comes to Buckshaw. “I wish I could say I was afraid, but I wasn’t. Quite the contrary. This was by far the most interesting thing that had ever happened to me in my entire life.”

To Flavia the investigation is the stuff of science: full of possibilities, contradictions, and connections. Soon her father, a man raising his three daughters alone, is seized, accused of murder. And in a police cell, during a violent thunderstorm, Colonel de Luce tells his daughter an astounding story—of a schoolboy friendship turned ugly, of a priceless object that vanished in a bizarre and brazen act of thievery, of a Latin teacher who flung himself to his death from the school’s tower thirty years before. Now Flavia is armed with more than enough knowledge to tie two distant deaths together, to examine new suspects, and begin a search that will lead her all the way to the King of England himself. Of this much the girl is sure: her father is innocent of murder—but protecting her and her sisters from something even worse.

Review: Cousin Kate by Georgette Heyer.

Synopsis:

Cover of Cousin Kate

The plot of this book seems to be a cross between Mansfield Park and Pride and Prejudice by J. Austen with a dash of “Vanity Fair” by William Makepeace Thackeray.

Kate Malvern, the main heroine, is a daughter of a British officer, Major Malvern. She was born and brought up on the Iberian Peninsula during Napoleonic wars, 'following the drum'. At the beginning of the novel she finds herself in dire straits although not for the first time in her life. Her mother died when she was only twelve, her father was a victim of an accident not long ago and, being a gamester, he left his daughter a few trinkets and significantly more debts. After his death Kate was obliged to earn her living – not an easy task for a Regency period woman without any training. She was lucky to find a place as a governess but her luck didn’t hold too long - after the brother of her employer had proposed marriage and met with a refusal, she was fired. Now she is looking for a new ‘situation’ staying meanwhile with her former nurse, Sarah, now Mrs Nidd, whose husband owns a small inn in London.

Kate doesn’t lack brains, she is quite pretty and enterprising to boot, but these factors are actually hindrances in the career of a governess – rich families are afraid of pretty scheming women who might try to ensnare any eligible bachelor among their lot. Sarah, seeing that her beloved Miss Kate becomes quite desperate and wants to find any job, even as an ‘abigail’ (i.e. maid), decides to take matters into her able hands and write to the closest living relative of late Major Malvern – his younger sister, Minevra Broome of Staplewood. The letter, written without the knowledge of ambitious Kate who had opposed such a plan, achieved fantastic effects. Short afterwards Lady Broome presented herself personally in London, talked with her niece and proud Sarah, expressing the kindest concern when it came to the fate of her late brother’s only child, and invited Kate to Staplewood for the summer. It was an offer no impoverished orphan could refuse. What’s more, Minerva almost immediately started showering Kate with presents, repeating that she had always wanted to have a daughter. Soon enough her niece feels very much indebted to her – being a honourable girl she is determined to show her gratitude when the occasion demands it. However, she can’t even guess what she might be asked to do. After all her aunt, being such a rich lady, can’t possibly want anything from a penniless orphaned girl of twenty-four?

Staplewood is a great manor with a splendid park but the family which lives there is not especially happy. Sir Timothy Broome, the husband of Minevra, is a kind gentleman but rather feeble and their only son, Torquil, a very handsome boy of nineteen, is prone to sudden swings in mood and difficult to manage. Soon enough Kate meets another cousin, Philip Broome, who doesn’t like her aunt and seems to think ill of Kate too. Torquil enjoys her company very much but in a peculiar manner – once he even tries to strangle her for ‘fun’. Overall Kate feels rather let down. Although she doesn’t have to worry where to find money for food and shelter she lacks company and entertainment. There’s no busy social life going on in Staplewood – no dances or parties, even family dinners are a bit too formal. In the meantime Kate's aunt very indirectly tries to sound her niece out: what would she say if anybody offered her the undeniably lucrative 'position' of the future Lady Broome…the reason of Minerva's uncommon generosity is going to surprise Kate in a very negative way.

What I liked:

Certainly the main heroine was likeable enough as she was given plenty of Lizzie Bennett’s traits (from “Pride and Prejudice”). The narration was well-paced so I found myself riveted to the book very soon; in fact I finished it in one day! Apart from that the sense of period is superb indeed, especially when it comes to the language of lower classes. Mr. Nidd Senior is a treat every time he opens his mouth, Sarah too!

What I didn’t like:

Don’t expect the plot to surprise you - this book does sound a bit schematic, especially if you read any other Heyer romances. I also found it strange that after a week of very casual acquaintance any sensible man might feel obliged to propose to a girl…especially a dowryless girl. I am not especially fond of such rapturously romantic gentlemen but perhaps, being a woman who lives in the twenty-first century, I am somewhat spoiled.

The final verdict:

A nice, light, entertaining novel but nothing more – I can recommend it to any Austen fan, especially as a summer reading. I am curious about other books of this author - are they are similar?

Silent Saturday - say it with pictures!

Thoughtful Thursday - children's books

"There are some themes, some subjects, too large for adult fiction; they can only be dealt with adequately in a children's book." — Philip Pullman

 Do children's books and Young Adults books nowadays -all these fantasy fairy tales, novels and poetry- are, in your opinion, better or worse than they used to be? Why so many adults admit to reading them? Does it mean the children's literature has got better or the adults have become more childish, immature? Can children's books be deep and thoughtful? Can adults actually benefit from reading kids' lit? Is reading YA books really "as easy as eating popcorn" (according to one lit professor)?

And finally: do adults who find that their recreational reading requirements are in the main met by children's books really miss a lot?

Wishful Wendnesday 21 July

The meme is hosted by Brooke Bluestocking Guide.

Today my wish will be rather science than fiction. I would like to read "Brilliant: The Evolution of Artificial Light" by Jane Brox.

"In Brilliant: The Evolution of Artificial Light, Jane Brox illuminates the fascinating and forgotten history of man-made light, tracing its development through centuries of sputtering, smoking candles, to the gradual refinement of gas and, finally, electric light. Brox captures the sense of wonder that permeated the Chicago World's Fair as electric light lit up the "White City," and shows how quickly we became reliant on electric light, recounting the trepidation and anxiety that accompanied the mandatory blackouts of World War II and the power outages that have plagued New York City's power grid since the 1960s. Brox also addresses the unexpected consequences of light pollution, detailing the struggles of astronomers who are no longer able to see stars, and migrating birds that confusedly circle lit buildings at night until they die from exhaustion. Brilliant is an eloquent account of how a luxury so quickly became a necessity, and permanently changed human history. --Lynette Mong"

Review: „Incarceron” by Catherine Fisher

Review: „Incarceron” by Catherine Fisher

Synopsis

The book is the first part of a dilogy, set in a fantasy kingdom which used to be ruled by the Havaarna Dynasty. One of the rulers, king Endor, after a period known as the Years of Rage (a rebellion? a war?) had decided to improve his country by stopping the Time. No change, no stress for the monarch. In practice it meant imprisoning people in the artificial Era (by the look of it 17th century) by a set of rules called the Protocol although the country’s technology seemed to be far more advanced.  The orders of the king had forced people to hide all the sophisticated technology behind the Era décor, exactly as in a theatre. To make everybody perfectly happy the king also ordered a group of scientists, called Sapienti, to create an ultimate prison. The Sapienti came up with the idea of Incarceron, which was supposed to be not only a prison but also a kind and considerate guardian for the inmates, with health care, good working and living condition, the right entertainment etc. (yeah, sure, whatever). Seventy Sapienti agreed to inhabit the prison and supervise the criminals dumped there -they did it out of free will because they thought it would be a thrilling Experiment. More or less half of the kingdom's population, a fallout of the Years of Rage, have been sentenced to go to the prison pernamently. Incarceron was also given a life and personality of its own, becoming a kind of independent AI creation. It was sealed permanently then. Outside it has been attended to by a Warden of Incarceron, one of the most powerful people in the country. So far only one human has been rumoured to escape Incarceron and his name or nickname was Sapphique. Nobody knew how he had done it and whether it was true at all.

The narration shows the reader two points of view: one of a prisoner, called Finn, who believes he came to Incarceron from the outside, and the second of the current Warden’s daughter, called Claudia, who is being prepared to get married and become the next Queen.

Through Finn’s eyes we see that the prison is closer to hell than to the idealistic notions of the Sapienti who had created it. The place is horribly unpleasant, some inmates fight each other, forming pillaging bands; the life of prisoners is rather short as they often fall ill and nobody cures them. The prison, although efficient and sustainable, plays its wicked games with the prisoners too. It seems nobody controlls it anymore. In some cells, called Wombs of Incarceron, new inmates and strange animals are grown from recycled dead matter. Finn is believed by one of the local Sapienti, Gildas, to be cell-born and thus special. Gildas hopes Finn might even help him escape because the boy gets strange visions having a kind of epileptic fits from time to time. Finn’s oathbrother, Keiro, considers the whole escape a waste of time, though; like most of inmates he doesn’t believe in any outside world. It all changes when Finn finds a strange crystal object with a crowned eagle inside – the same symbol he has tattooed on his wrist. Perhaps his visions are something more than just figmentsof  imagination after all?

Following the chapters of Claudia we learn that the last Havaarna king died leaving his young son under the tender care of a step-mother, who (no surprises here) had also a child of her own, a boy called Caspar. Young prince Giles used to be betrothed to Claudia but when he was fifteen he had a riding accident and died. Now Caspar, the earl of Steen, is the heir to the throne. His mother, queen Sia, rules the kingdom till he reaches 18 and can be crowned. Claudia is going to marry Caspar very soon and be the future queen. Her father, John Arlex, the Warden of Incarceron, has been preparing her for that role since her birth. No expense was spared to turn Claudia into a perfect politician – intelligent, ruthless, pragmatic and cunning. Her tutor, Jared Sapient, imparted knowledge in such a way that Claudia enjoyed learning and soon became a real jewel among teenagers. However, she is not happy – although she lives in luxury her father treats her like an object, a tool to fulfil his ambition, and she starts resenting it more and more. Her fiance, Caspar, has always been a spoiled brat; at the age of seventeen he is already a dim-witted, brutish, drinking philanderer, who couldn’t even finish his education (well, why bother?). Little wonder Claudia is less than eager to marry him. She starts to investigate the accident of prince Giles and finds out that the heir apparent might be alive after all. Where could he be hidden, though? Wouldn’t a prison be an excellent place? Especially one you simply have no hope to escape?

What I liked:

The story is intricate but very well-told, with dynamic pace of narration and surprising twists now and then. I loved the fact that the two  worlds  presented - the prison and the kingdom – were actually so much alike. The imaginative scale of the authoress made reading this book a Rollercoaster adventure. The descriptions really worked for me - this book is an excellent movie material. What’s more, I found it very realistic that each of the characters had their dark side so close to the surface - Claudia is not just a young high-born girl and Finn is more complex than just a brutal prisoner. As they have to act, fight and lie to survive they change with the story. The ending is simply incredible - I haven't seen it coming for sure. All in all a very good read, not only for children.

What I didn’t like:

I don't want to pick holes in the plot as I haven't read the second part yet. Just let me tell you I didn't like the eyes of the Warden of Incarceron. Why? They changed colour through the book! Very disconcerting!

Page 70 (paperback edition) 'Crystal eagle, dark swan' part 6 :”His black eyes watched her closely”.
Page 382 'The Lost Prince' part 29 :”His grey eyes held hers and the light in them was keen and sharp”.

Perhaps in the second part we will be given a reason for the change. If not, the editor should be given a slap.

The final verdict:

I loved this book and I can't wait to get the second part!! Highly recommended!

Silent Saturday - say it with pictures!

Photographic Print—Edwards, Jason

Toughtful Thursday - global warming

 As I am enduring a heatwave now let's talk about the topic a bit forgotten - the global warming. Here are some quotes to get the discussion rolling:

"Global warming is too serious for the world any longer to ignore its danger or split into opposing factions on it". 
Tony Blair

"… those who are absolutely certain that the rise in temperatures is due solely to carbon dioxide have no scientific justification. It's pure guesswork."
Henrik Svensmark

"As best as can be determined, the world is now warmer than it has been at any point in the last two millennia, and, if current trends continue, by the end of the century it will likely be hotter than at any point in the last two million years."
Elizabeth Kolbert

"On average, global warming is not going to harm the developing world."
Bjorn Lomborg

Image via Wikipedia

Now my questions:

• Are you sure that the unstable weather we've been experiencing for some time is caused by humans and their activities?
• Is the global warming, according to you, a real threat or just another bugaboo invented by politicians and supported by corrupt scientists?
• What could be done to prevent a future disaster, if it is really approaching?
• Why, in your opinion, some people, scientists and laymen alike , oppose the notion of global warming if it is so noticeable and obvious? 

Review: Queen Camilla by Sue Townsend

Review: "Queen Camilla" by Sue Townsend

Cover of Queen Camilla

Synopsis

The book is a continuation of the other1992 novel by Townsend – “The Queen and I”. I haven't read the previous part but this one I would call an “almost-absurd comedy”. Before I explain why, let me present a short synopsis.

It is set in the Great Britain which became nothing less than a totalitarian nanny state in the disguise of republicanism. The ruling party is called the Cromwellian party and acts accordingly, trying to outlaw angling and having more than one dog in your household. Their opponents, called the Neo Cons, have a youngish leader, Boy English, who relies solely on his own attractiveness and media hype. The Royals have been dismissed to live in  a special Exclusion Zone along with other misfits: single mothers, drug addicts, alcoholics, people morbidly obese, criminals, suspected terrorists etc. They are doing amazingly well, mingling with the neighbours and even earning from time to time some money (Prince William works for the scaffolding tzar who practically owns the whole Zone, Arthur Grice). But the time of a great change is near – the Neo Cons plan to restore the monarchy and they want to see old dear Liz on the throne again. Elizabeth abdicates, though; Charles is unwilling to assume the crown but his oldest son William, disgruntled with the manual work, seems to be more than keen. However, a long-lost son, the result of a brief fling between Charles and Camilla back in the 60s, makes himself known. Despite his illegitimate status there is officially no bar in the new England to his inheriting the crown – and it might spell disaster because he is a frightful oik and a control freak. It is a comedy, though, not “1984” or “Animal Farm” by George Orwell, so there are no tragic events in store. Finally all's well that end's well - at least for the nation's dogs. The Republicans are overthrown, the new dog laws are repealed and the Royal Family are given a job to do in Windsor Castle where they form a living tableau for the edification of paying gawkers and tourists. They were better in the wild.

What I liked:

I am a dog lover so to me the ability of the dogs to communicate to each other makes this story really interesting. Conversations of the dogs are put in human words, and that I found the funniest part.

What I didn’t like:

Townsend's humour here seems dripped with acid and sometimes you don’t know whether to laugh or not. After all, she chose difficult topics, writing about serious social issues: home care, old age, unemployment, low standards of education. It’s difficult to turn these problems into a comedy and, in my opinion, her attempt failed.
I am also not a big fan of her narration – in my view her style is more appropriate for theater or cinema – good dialogues, nothing more.
I also hated the ending. So many plotlines were left hanging...what happened to Gin and Tonic, a pair of lovely dogs left uncared for, what happened to Dwayne and his belowed Parris? We will never know…unless there’s a third book coming.

 ETA: No Polish girl or woman, nanny or otherwise, could be named Katya (as it is the case in the book). 'Katya' is Russian or Ukrainian. If she is Polish, she would be called Kasia. A slight difference perhaps but try to name a fictional English lass without Irish roots e.g. Siobhan.

The final verdict:

If you are a fan of Townsend’s books you might want to read it having some time to kill. I found it rather bland and unchallenging with few bright spots, though.

Wishful Wendnesday 14 July

The meme is hosted by Brooke Bluestocking Guide.

This week I do wish to lay my hands on "Sapphique" by Catherine Fisher. It is the second (and the last) part of a series started by "Incarceron" which I've just finished reading and I loved it (review coming soon!).

Cover of Sapphique

From the Catherine Fisher site:
Finn has escaped from the terrible living Prison of Incarceron, but its memory torments him, because his brother Keiro is still inside. Outside, Claudia insists he must be king, but Finn doubts even his own identity. Is he the lost prince Giles? Or are his memories no more than another construct of his imprisonment? And can you be free if your friends are still captive? Can you be free if your world is frozen in time? Can you be free if you don't even know who you are? Inside Incarceron, has the crazy sorcerer Rix really found the Glove of Sapphique, the only man the Prison ever loved. Sapphique, whose image fires Incarceron with the desire to escape its own nature. If Keiro steals the glove, will he bring destruction to the world? Inside. Outside. All seeking freedom. Like Sapphique.

Tuesday Teaser

The Tuesday meme hosted by MizB at shouldbereading.wordpress.com

This is from "Queen Camilla" by Sue Townsend; the review is coming soon!

Cover of Queen Camilla

The dog food that Grice's van delivered was labelled with government health warnings, saying: 'DOGS KILL.' 'DOGS SERIOUSLY ENDANGER YOUR HEALTH.' 'DOGS CAUSE BLINDNESS.' 'DOGS LICK THEIR GENITALS AND THEN THEY LICK YOU!' 'DON'T FEED A DOG, FEED A STARVING CHILD!' 'DOGS CARRY FLEAS.'

Silent Saturday - say it with pictures

Review: The River King by Alice Hoffman

Cover of The River King

The River King by Alice Hoffman

Synopsis:

The book is set in Haddan, a small town in Massachusetts situated on the river Haddan, the town’s mystical waterway. The comunity is divided into two parts: permanent inhabitants, born and bred there, and people working at the Haddan School, a prestigious institution for rich kids. These two parts never intermingle; it seems they are more secluded from each other than the Cappulets and the Montagues in Verona. We get to know the rules through the eyes of four characters: Carlin Leander, a fifteen-year-old swimming scholarship girl who intends never to return to her neglecting mother, Betsy Chase, a young photography teacher just engaged but still unsure about what is best for her future, August Pierce, a troubled loner who strives to survive his first year at school where nobody tolerates his weirdness and Abel Grey, a very handsome policeman who tends to be too inquisitive for his own good and too distracted to endure any long-term relationship. The narration swirls in loops and circles, not unlike the currents of a river, taking us forwards and backwards in time. We find out what disaster of a marriage Annie Howe, the wife of the first headmaster, dr. George Howe, had to endure just because she dared to cross the invisible barrier - she was a local girl and her husband belonged to a better society.

When the body of August is found in the river by local boys playing truant, a number of events is set in motion. Both communities are shocked but for different reasons. As the policemen have to visit the school several times, Abel meets Betsy and falls for her with unexpected intensity (male menopause approaching?). On the other hand Carlin can’t find peace of mind, accusing herself of pushing poor August into suicide – she has started to go out with another boy although she knew August was hopelessly in love with her and she reciprocated the feeling to some extend. Was it really a suicide, though? Only Abel, struggling with the shadow of his own brother's suicide, takes murder into account. As usual, nobody seems to be really interested in solving the mystery (if there is one, that is). Will the maverick policeman have enough stamina to prove his theory against everybody else? Will Betsy break her engagement with a very promising young history professor to follow her true love? The story unravels as people make their choices among half-domesticated swans and the scent of roses, Annie Howe’s all time favourite flowers.

What I liked:

The pace of narration, rather languid and dreamlike at the beginning, unexpectedly drags you into the world of small town weirdness and keeps you firmly within, although it is meandering too much now and then. The language is really elegant, the descriptions – almost hauntingly alluring. You simply find yourself on a river bank under willows listening to the flow of water and watching the waves – a relaxing experience but not without pangs of sorrow now and then. The story of Annie Howe’s life and the struggles of other romantic couples, especially Carlin and Gus, were presented in a truly piercing way.

What I didn’t like:

If you are into crime mysteries and suspense more than romance and mysticism (it is my case), this novel won’t meet all of your expectations. The death of August Pierce would appear suspicious even for a beginner detective in his or her teens with just one good eye. You only wonder why it took Abel so long to solve it (right, he was deeply in love and his methods were rather unorthodox but still…). What’s more, the character of Abel never persuaded me completely – the guy is so wrapped up in his own problems and so inapt for leading a normal life that you must start wondering if Betsy really notices in him something more than just gorgeous body and blue eyes .Also some of the supposed main points of the story were never fully explained – when an author does such a thing the book leaves me always tetchy.

The final verdict:

I am a bit conflicted about this book but I might give it another chance to charm me. You must be in the right mood to read such a many-layered morality tale and the season is an important factor too. Summer is fine, autumn/fall would be even better, though.

Thoughtful Thursday - magic

 I would like to discuss magic and its place in literature. Here are some quotes I've chosen:

I confess that Magic teacheth many superfluous things, and curious prodigies for ostentation; leave them as empty things, yet be not ignorant of their causes. But those things which are for the profit of men -- for the turning away of evil events, for the destroying of sorceries, for the curing of diseases, for the exterminating of phantasms, for the preserving of life, honor, or fortune -- may be done without offense to God or injury to religion, because they are, as profitable, so necessary.

HEINRICH CORNELIUS AGRIPPA, Three Books of Occult Philosophy or Magic

Magic and all that is ascribed to it is a deep presentiment of the powers of science.

RALPH WALDO EMERSON, Essays

 The trouble with magic is that there's too much it just can't fix. When things go wrong, glimpsing junkyard faerie and crows that can turn into girls and back again doesn't help much. The useful magic's never at hand. The three wishes and the genies in bottles, seven-league boots, invisible cloaks and all. They stay in the stories, while out here in the wide world we have to muddle through as best we can on our own.

CHARLES DE LINT, The Onion Girl

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. 

Arthur C. Clarke

My questions:

• Does magic in books disturb you in any way?
• Do you think that children and their parents should avoid reading books which feature supernatural world and  demons/witchcraft/spiritual entities/ magic spells ?
• Why, in your  opinion, so many children's books like Harry Potter or the Bartimaeus series have been lately accused of spreading unchristian ideas and e.g removed from school libraries as a result ? Do you think the protection of children has been really the main reason behind such actions ?

Image by Okinawa Soba (In Asia and Africa until August) via Flickr

 

Wishful Wednesday July 7

Today I am wishing for "How I became a famous novelist" by Steve Hely. Well, who wouldn't like to be one? That's why some tips might come in handy, especially if they are presented in a very witty way. I haven't read it but I wish I could!!

 

Cover of How I Became a Famous Novelist

Amazon.com Review

Steve Hely's satiric novel masquerades as the tell-all memoir of Pete Tarslaw, author of the runaway bestseller The Tornado Ashes Club who's become a lit-world pariah. Two years out of college, Pete still moons after the brilliant Polly Pawson, who dropped him post-graduation for law school. His hygiene and motivation have degraded such that he's accumulating beer bottles next to his bed as convenient substitutes for the toilet. His dubious job transforming the convoluted prose of wealthy foreign students into earnest college entrance essays depresses him, more for its lack of prestige than any ethical implications. When Polly announces her engagement in a gleeful mass email, Pete's desire to upstage her at the wedding inflames his obsession with the fame, fortune, and female attention enjoyed by bestselling authors--clever charlatans, in his estimation. What follows is Pete's exposé of the Machiavellian tactics he employed in creating and selling a maudlin mess of a book. It lands him a spot on the New York Times bestsellers list (hilariously parodied by Hely) and an unwisely candid prime-time TV interview, in which his theories on authors as con artists spark a book-world feud, spike his Amazon sales rank, and force him into a literary showdown at a Texan book festival. Along the way, no one connected to books--writers, writing teachers, lit agents, publishers, critics, book buyers--gets off unskewered by Hely's rapier pen (and readers may wonder, on occasion, if Steve Hely has employed Tarslawian strategies in his own bid for a slot on the bestsellers lists). But out of the irony emerges something that feels like genuine reverence for great books, and for those who write out of honesty. For fellow book lovers weary of tracking book sales trends, Hely's wrap-up might feel like a catharsis. --Mari Malcolm

Tuesday Teaser

 

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Should be Reading:

This week I would like to present a fragment from "The River King" by Alice Hoffman. I am reading it right now.

News traveled quickly at Haddan and by noon most people knew there had been a death. After the initial course of hearsay and gossip, people overloaded on rumours and simply shut down. All across campus there was silence in unexpected places.

Review:"Ptolemy's Gate" by Jonathan Stroud

Review: Ptolemy’s Gate by Jonathan Stroud

Synopsis

In the final installments of the Bartimaeus series we finally find out the identity of  the previous rebellions' masterminds and why the djinni Bartimaeus was so partial to the form of a certain Egyptian boy. First things first, though.

SPOILER WARNING

If you haven’t read the first and the second part of this series yet and you value highly an unspoiled reading experience, it would be advisable to put off the lecture of this synopsis as it does contain several spoilers. I tried to limit them as much as possible but I had to mention some facts simply in order to keep the synopsis logical and coherent.

After unravelling the Golem plot against the Prime Minister successfully, Nathaniel/John Mandrake became even more powerful than before. Although only seventeen, he is now a fully-fledged, independent magician, the youngest ever Minister of Information (or rather Disinformation – honestly some his moves reminded me of the infamous Joseph Goebbels…), the member of the Council - in short one of the most influential people in magical London. He owns a delightful villa in a pleasant quarter, he commands several powerful djinni and minor magicians as well, he is constantly invited to parties and performances. What's  more, women court him and fawn on him, even those influencial ones, like Jane Farrar. Any teenager's paradise? Hardly. In fact, Nathaniel has never been so lonely and in a greater danger to boot.
The suave, ruthless and unerring John Mandrake persona suits him ill, although he is hardly avare of it. He must constantly watch his back - his colleagues wouldn’t spit on him if he were on fire. He is constantly overworked, having unofficially much more responsibilities than a mere propaganda job and, as the parties and theatricals are simply compulsory for every member of the government, he hardly finds one free moment to rest and think. What’s more, Nathaniel’s most precious slave djinni, Bartimaeus, is now as weak as a kitten due to the prolonged bondage to the material world. The young minister, afraid of many possible implications (Bartimaeus knows his birth-name and might spill the beans on him if summoned by another magician) desperately wants his slave-friend around all the time, although such a treatment might exhaust the djinni in question to death.
Rupert Devereaux, the Prime Minister and Nathaniel's immediate superior, is becoming more and more paranoid when it comes the his personal safety and the loyalty of other magicians. Instead of ruling the empire he sets his ministers at variance (so nobody gains the upper hand) and goes often to the theatre as the most popular magician-playwright, Quentin Makepeace, is his closest buddy. Devereaux clearly tries to forget about all troubles, even those he really shouldn’t forget for his own sake - the most dangerous rebellion is quietly brewing in the background again and its nature is so shocking that even the cleverest magicians couldn’t have predicted it. Or maybe they could, had they been a little bit less bigheaded and less occupied by their internal feuding.

The magical British empire is also in dire straits – the war with America is at a standstill, with more and more casualties every day. Normal people – the Commoners – have started to protest on the streets; they’ve had enough of war effort and magical exploitation, no matter what propaganda lies Mandrake's employees have been spreading around; what’s more, some Commoners, especially children, discover they have a kind of resilience to magical activities. Add to this the fact that one of the conspirators, who previously had taken an active part in both plots, haven’t been unmasked and imprisoned yet and you might understand why Nathaniel is so wound up.

Meanwhile Kitty, having now two false identities courtesy of the family of Hyrnek, works for an elderly magician, Mr Button during the day and as a barmaid at night. She hasn’t left London, although her friends would have made it easy for her; she has her own agenda - she wants to discover more about the nature of spiritual entities such as Bartimaeus. Kitty, having still  in mind her previous chat with the djinni, simply doesn’t understand why magicians enslave the sources of their power instead of cooperating with them peacefully. Is it really impossible (because too dangerous)? Haven’t anybody tried it before? Well, in fact there was one exception.
We are told more about the unique bond which used to link Bartimaeus and a boy-magician, Ptolemy, living in Alexandria  in the second century BC. Although just in his teens, Ptolemy had been more powerful than an ordinary wizard, consecrating all his life to studying the Other Place and spiritual entities, inhabiting it. He actually befriended his djinnis, asking them questions and never wanting their protection or any other services. He also visited the Other Place more than once - a feat no other magician has achieved so far. Uncharacteristically, Bartimaeus and other demons did plenty of things for him unasked, saving his life many times and helping ordinary people with their problems. Unfortunately Ptolemy became too absorbed in his studies to see a real danger approaching. His cousin, a drunken, blundering crown prince, jealous of the fact that Ptolemy was more popular among people of Alexandria than him, decided to murder the boy. Bartimaeus and other djinnis guarding Ptolemy, urged him to leave and hide but he turned their advice down as he couldn’t possibly leave his beloved library. When the worst came to the worst, the boy dismissed Bartimaeus in the final gesture of friendship (the djinni didn’t want to leave and, heavily outnumbered, would have been killed for sure) and died alone. To honour the memory of his only human friend so far, Bartimaeus often takes the form of the Egyptian boy while being summoned to the material world. Kitty, to her utter disbelief, is the first to discover why he does so.

Will Bartimaeus ever enjoy such a intimate relationship again? Will Nathaniel meet Kitty and finally thank her for saving his life? What will become of the British empire and its quarreling magicians?

What I liked:

It is a thrilling finale indeed. The chapters presenting the Bartimaeus’s point of view I found once again the best and the story of his friendship with young Ptolemy- very moving and inspiring. I also loved the fact that the author didn’t forget about one single character which had been introduced in previous books – for example we finally find out the name of the mysterious mercenary, so resilient to magic and instrumental in all of the rebellions attempted. I  fully appreciated the scene in which Jessica Whitwell (white-haired, cleverer version of Cruella) was the only government member who put up a fight and showed some backbone in time of crisis - her male colleagues just meekly accepted their fate. Now the ending…well, not every author would dare to end his or her successful series this way for sure - it was a huge surprise to me. Not revealing what happened to Nathaniel, Kitty and Bartimaeus, I just would like to say that after reading the whole series for the first time I was out of sorts for almost a week. On the other hand, I suppose this kind of ending was only too logical so after the rereading I think I am a bit more comfortable with it.

What I didn’t like:

Once again: I know it is a children’s series and there’s probably a set limit when it comes to the number of pages but in my very humble and biased opinion the author might have tried to show more of the Ptolemy’s personal history. He set this character well in time, that’s true, but kind of forgot about the real Ptolemys, a very colourful Greek dynasty with great narrative potential, which used to rule in Egypt after the era of pharaohs. Let me present a short excerpt of the historical background which, in my view, might have been exposed in the books more ( I based it on the Wikipedia entry, so it will be nothing fancy or too scholarly I assure you).

The uncle of the young Ptolemy from the book (let’s call him Ptolemy-magician for the clarity’s sake) would be no one else than Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II, nicknamed Physcon (“"Sausage", "Potbelly" or "Bladder") for his obesity. Nice, isn’t it? His complicated career started in 170 BC, when Antiochus IV Epiphanes invaded Egypt, captured his brother Ptolemy VI Philometor, the alleged father of Ptolemy-magician (btw the whole family wasn’t into fancy names so they needed nicknames to differentiate) and let him continue as a puppet monarch. Then Alexandria chose Ptolemy Euergetes as king. The evil and degenerated crown prince would be Ptolemy IX Soter II or Lathyros ("grass pea"). His story is practically an ideal material for a separate book (but perhaps not a children’s book when you come to think about it). At first he was chosen by his mum, Cleopatra III to be her co-regent (his father Ptolemy VIII wished that she would rule with one of her sons after his death and she complied), though she was more forced to choose him by the Alexandrians – apparently he was quite popular at the beginning. Continuing the tradition of pharaohs, he married his sister Cleopatra IV, but his mother pushed her out and replaced her with his younger sister Cleopatra Selene. Later, she claimed that he tried to kill her, and successfully deposed him, putting her favorite son Alexander on the throne to rule with her. However, she later grew tired of the now Ptolemy X and deposed him, putting Ptolemy IX back on the throne- quite a merry-go-round. She was soon murdered by Ptolemy X, who took the throne again. He was then killed in battle, and Ptolemy IX reigned until his own death. In Alexandria, Ptolemy IX, replaced the sarcophagus of Alexander the Great with a glass one, and melted the original down in order to strike emergency gold issues of his coinage. The citizens of Alexandria were outraged at this and soon after, Ptolemy IX was killed. As you see, the righteous wrath of people is something difficult to bear.

The final verdict:

All in all I love this series far better that “Harry Potter”. Neither of its parts really let me down – it is funny, inventive and well thought-out from the beginning to the very end. Trully magical.

Silent Saturday...say it with pictures!