For those who have been enjoying the Twilight books ...
but would prefer something a bit more well written, try this Carnegie Award winning novel by New Zealand writer, Margaret Mahy. It is really fantastic and just a taste of what this writer has to offer.
From the Amazon website:
Product Description
"When three-year-old Jacko is stricken with a baffling illness, his teenage sister Laura, a 'sensitive,' is the only one to recognize that demonic possession is the true cause of his malady. . . . The beautiful characters grow with readers and the style is beautiful but ornate. An extraordinarily rich and sensitive novel."--School Library Journal, starred review. Winner of the Carnegie Medal; ALA Notable Book; ALA Best Book for Young Adults; School Library Journal Best Book of the Year; Booklist Editor's Choice.
The relationships also really nice in this, ie, between Laura and her brother, Laura and her mother etc. It just has a more grounded feel than the Twilight books, I think, and doesn't leave you feeling empty at the end. I also loved the New Zealand setting.
Comments
Thanks Empress :)
ed
As someone who loves children's/young adult lit (I'm 22 and I studied it as my major) It's always disappointing to me to see how many wonderful books get shoved into the children's area, when they are really for everyone. Thanks for the recommendation though, I'll definitely check this out!
I agree, Cinnamingirl (great tune :) Just because the main characters in a book are of a certain age range doesn't mean the writing style or concepts are meant for that same group of readers. I can't imagine trying to help my seven year old nephew decipher the sixth HP book, but it's in the 7-12 y.o. section.. I thought this very thing as I picked up New Moon this weekend, which was at the end of an aisle in B&N. The bookstores seem so disorganized to me, so I prefer buying online (Amazon addict). But sometimes instant-gratification requires more effort.. While Meyer's books may not be literary masterpieces, I do enjoy the storyline, and the first-person, present tense point of view. And her descriptions allowed me to really visualize the story, to let my imagination fill in the gaps, almost make it "my" story. The movie wasn't "bad", and the actors were easy on the eyes - I personally think Kristen looks even more attractive with the brown contacts.. But the movie didn't match up to what I had already envisioned by reading the books - the same as all the HP movies..
btw - thanx, Empress, I'll check this out :)