Science Fiction Annotation

George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty Four

 

Summary: Winston Smith works for the Ministry of Truth in a dystopian, future world that is full of poverty and totally controlled by the government where everyone is watched.  Smith works for the controlling Inner Party with the task of re-writing newspaper articles in order to prevent people from knowing any real history, but rather that history always agrees with what the Inner Party says.  Meanwhile, Smith disagrees and despises the part wishing he could rebel against “Big Brother.”  

Genre:  Science Fiction, Dystopian, Science Fiction Classics, Modern Day Classics
Appeals:

Pacing – Neither fast nor slow, makes the reader want to continue reading to find out what happens.  Pace picks up leading towards the climax. 

Characterization – Relatable characters in Winston and Julia while others are the representation of the authority in which a reader might come to despise.

Storyline – A cautionary story of a totalitarian government constantly surveying and controlling all citizens.  The story is driven forward by the characters. 

Tone/Mood – Both thought-provoking and dark, foreboding of the future, depressing.

Frame/Setting – Formerly Great Britain, a province in the superstate of Oceania.

Read Alikes:

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

Week Seven Prompt

Asa Earl Carter was a well known segregationist in the early 60’s fighting against civil rights.  Carter was a Ku Klux Klan member and a speech writer for the famous segregationist and Alabama governor, George Wallace. After a failed run for governor, Carter disappeared from public life. In 1976, “The Education of Little Tree: A True Story” by Forrest Carter was published. Little Tree is often credited with the boom of “Native American Lit” and tells the story of an orphan boy named Forrest who learns about life from his Cherokee grandparents. Published to rave reviews, Little Tree became a best-seller, even winning the respected Abby Award from the American Booksellers Association. Teachers assigned it to students to learn about Native American life. And all along, most people didn’t realize that the beloved Little Tree was written by well-known racist Asa Earl Carter, the same man who wrote Wallace’s famous segregation speech, “I draw the line in the dust and toss the gauntlet before the feet of tyranny, and I say segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation tomorrow.”

Although Carter’s work has been discredited as untrue, The Education of Little Tree can still be found on out of date booklists or assigned by teachers. When information like this about a book comes out, librarians must reconsider where they have the item shelved. Most libraries originally would have had this work shelved in non-fiction as a biography. When it’s no longer true, should you move it to the fiction section? Most libraries would, and Carter’s work can now predominately be found in the fiction section. However, if a librarian is not paying attention to a controversy, a book like this may remain in non-fiction, continuing to give the wrong impression to patrons.

Additionally, this brings up the question on what do you tell patrons when they request this book? If a student is assigned it or a teacher is requesting it for curriculum or a patron is just telling you they love it, do you mention the controversy and let the public know that the author is not who they thought he was. As a place that disseminates information, it’s our job to remain unbiased but also to give accurate information. I think it’s important to encourage the patron to learn more about the author’s history. By being aware of quality work published on Native Americans, a librarian can be prepared to share some alternate recommendations with patrons interested in the topic.

Gentle Reads Annotation

The Best of Me: A Novel by Nicholas Sparks

 

 

Summary: Two soon-to-be high school seniors, Amanda and Dawson, fall in love in the spring of 1984.  However, people with the stereotypical “small-town” mindset set the odds against them.  Soon, the two go different ways in life.  Years later, the two are reunited when returning to the small town of Oriental for a funeral.  It is discovered that neither the lives of Amanda nor Dawson have turned out as they once predicted.  Their desire for one another is evident, but the two must decide whether their love can exist within their current lives.

Genre:  Mainstream Fiction, Love, Gentle

Appeals:

Pacing – Sparks builds emotion through slow scenes meant to capture the different moments of Amanda and Dawson’s relationship.

Characterization – Realistic characters that are easy to relate to who face realistic challenges that are presented throughout the course of the story. 

Storyline – A heartwarming and heartbreaking journey for two individuals who were told they were wrong for each other but yet truly loved one another. 

Tone/Mood – Sparks book a tone that is realistic and melancholy.

Frame/Setting – Small town North Carolina

Read Alikes:

In A Class By Itself by Sandra Brown

Mike, Mike and Me by Wendy Markham

The Last Time I Saw You I by Elizabeth Berg

Bring Me Home For Christmas by Robyn Carr

A Lady of His Own by Stephanie Laurens

Week Six Prompt

Personally, I don't agree with this statement. I think it's good to have read the book. but, I don't think you have to like it. I don't like certain genres, but if it's a good book, even one I might not personally like, I should be able to see things in it that would appeal to readers who do like that genre. Let's use Twilight for example. Personally, I don't really like it. However, I can see the appeal so I could booktalk the heck out of it. If I had to, I could sell it to a teen audience, because I can see how it would appeal to THEM as opposed to me. It's part of being non-biased and well-versed in different genres and styles.

Week Six Prompt - Book Talk

Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgewick

Have you ever had the feeling you’ve lived another life? Or maybe that you know a person from somewhere, but you just can’t put your finger on it? When journalist, Eric Seven, arrives on Blessed Island to investigate rumors of a population who has discovered the fountain of youth, there’s something vaguely familiar about residents Merle and Tor. It’s like he’s known them before, but something’s not right. And then things start to go horribly wrong.

A long time ago, before recorded history, crops start to fail. Villagers are starving and dying. In order to save his people, a sacrifice must be given and only one will do. King Eirikr the One and his Queen, Melle, fight to save their people and fight to stay together. But this isn’t just any love story. It’s dark, and chilling, and scary.

From prehistory, to Vikings, to World War II, to the year 2073, the award-winning Midwinterblood takes the reader on a roller-coaster through time. In seven, interlocking stories, Marcus Sedgewick weaves the story of two souls and their struggle to find each other. It’s Midwinter and only blood will appease the gods. See how it all comes together in Midwinterblood.

Kirkus Style Review

Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle

Lauren Myracle’s Infinite Moment of Us is written from the perspectives of two protagonists, Wren Gray and Charlie Parker.  Wren is an excellent student who has always gone out of her way to make her parents happy, including not dating while she was in school.  Wren’s original plan (and her parents plan for her) was for her to study at Emory University.  However, Wren, feeling pressure from all around her has decided to not attend Emory straight out of high school, rather she decides to spend a year in Guatemala with a group similar to the Peace Corp.  Charlie, on the other hand, is an intelligent young man who has been in and out of foster homes since childhood.  Charlie’s plan is to attend Georgia Tech where he has received a scholarship.

Infinite Moment of Us is a 3 month-long look at the development of an intense and romantic relationship between Wren and Charlie.  Not forgetting the hectic times, Myracle creates realistic characters who find realistic obstacles in the way of their relationship.  Wren at times can be stubborn while Charlie has to deal with an ex who doesn’t exactly want Charlie to move on without her.  The attraction between Charlie and Wren is clear, and the obstacles only help their relationship grow and for Charlie and Wren to get to know each other better.

Myracle does not shy away from teenage sexuality, as there are several intimate scenes described in detail.  These scenes might be surprising for those who have not read a Myracle story before, but rather than detracting from the story, the scenes enhance it. This book will be popular with mature teen readers who enjoy steamy romance.

Adventure Annotation

The Quest:  A Novel By Nelson DeMille

 

Summary: Set in 1975, The Quest follows two journalists and a photographer Frank Purcell, Henry Mercado, and Vivian Smith who are in Ethiopia covering a Civil War.  They come across an elderly priest who has been sentenced to death.  Just before death, the walls of the priest’s cell explode and he is hurt, but free.  Insisting that he is dying, the priest tells Purcell & Mercado of the Holy Grail.  While the journalists originally escape Ethiopia (after close calls of death from local tribes and government.  The trio decides to go back to Ethiopia.  Feeling that for whatever reason they have been chosen, the trio makes their way through the jungles of Ethiopia searching for a mythical monastery that hides the Holy Grail.  Many obstacles stand in their way, but the draw of the Grail leads them on.

 Genre: Adventure, Suspense

 Appeals:

 Pacing – Quick in action parts but a much slower pace in others.

 Characterization – The characters in the Quest are believable as people even though they seem to be against all odds in their quest to find the holy grail.  What transpires at the monastery at the end is open to different interpretations. 

 Storyline – The Quest combines many genres including adventure, mystery, and suspense.  DeMille includes a lot of actual history within the storyline as well as undertones of faith and religion.

 Tone/Mood – Certainly a dark tone is found in The Quest, due in large part to the actual history of the Ethiopian Civil Wars and the brutality of the fighting.  Purcell, Mercado, and Smith rely on faith to see them through numerous trials that they come across.

 Frame/Setting – Civil War torn Ethiopia in the 1970s.  Much of the novel is set in the jungles.

 Read Alikes:

 Labyrinth by Kate Mosse

Shadows of Steel by Dale Brown

Scavenger by David Morrell

Thunderhead by Douglas Preston

The Five Greatest Warriors by Matthew Reilly