Where have I been?

For those of you who check my blog on a regular basis (I doubt anyone does) or are a new visitor, you'll notice I haven't posted since the end of April. Well, unfortunately for me, it's that horrible time of year again when I have to give up all hopes of a social life, hobbies and reading in order to focus on my examinations.

Luckily for me however, these are my A2 exams so after June 19th I'm officially free for three months, until I (hopefully) head off to The University of West England in the middle of September to study journalism and media. Another great thing is, if I do get into UWE, I'll have no exams throughout my three years as an undergraduate, which means that my A2s could potentially be the last time I ever have to pick up a book and revise, woo!

Once June 19th has come and gone I should (hopefully) have two reviews ready to write and publish, one of the second book in Joseph Evans' 'Seckry Sequence' series called 'The Trinity Awakening' and the other being 'Ready Player One' by Ernest Cline. You didn't honestly think I wouldn't be doing a sneaky bit of reading in my breaks haha?

So, until then, I doubt you'll be seeing any of me so best-of-luck to any of you who are currently in the same situation as me, let's hope it's all worth the effort eh? See you in a couple of weeks!

Torn - Cat Clarke

"Alice King is expecting the holiday of a lifetime when she sets off with her classmates on a trip to the Scottish wilderness, but she's not exactly prepared for an experience beyond her darkest nightmares.

Alice and her best friend Cass are stuck in a cabin with Polly, the social outcast, and Rae, the moody emo-girl. Then there's Tara - queen of mean. Powerful, beautiful and cruel, she likes nothing better than putting people down.

Cass decides it's time to teach Tara a lesson she'll never forget. And so begins a series of events that will change the lives of these girls forever.."

Torn by Cat Clarke follows the story of Alice King after she returns from an adventure trip to Scotland with her classmates, following an experience that will change the course of Alice's life forever, along with her best friend Cass, social outcast Polly and emo-girl Rae. The four girls do all they can to move on with their lives, but with betrayal, love, lies and insanity in the way, the future doesn't look bright for any of the four girls.

Anyone who has read my review of Undone by Clarke will already know that I'm a massive fan of her work, so naturally I was beyond excited to finally be able to pick Torn up. With Undone easily being one of my all-time favourite books, I knew there would be a lot to live up to, but thankfully Clarke did not disappoint. What I love most about this book is just how gripping it is. From the very first page Clarke sucks you in, enthralling yet terrifying you at the same time with her writing style and ability to perfectly capture teenage interaction, and the real struggles teenagers face today.

It's clear that Clarke has no issue with placing her readers in awkward and uncomfortable positions, burdening you with the darkest thoughts of the protagonist and forcing you to ask yourself what you would do in their shoes and, in terms of Torn, that's a pretty frightening position to be in. But that's what's so effective about the story. Everything Clarke writes is so real. The story is so well dominated by dark and twisted themes such as betrayal, death and the consequences of all our actions, no matter how big or small. Clarke's stories provide something different to the YA genre that isn't based on superficial relationships and impossible situations and that's what makes Torn so relatable.

For me, guilt is the mother of all emotions. It can derive from any action or thought and it can, at times, be horrible to deal with. I'm in no way trying to pass off guilt as a mental illness, or even trying to compare it to one, but it was so compelling to see how Clarke used guilt to emotionally unravel her characters and, in some cases, drive them to the point of self destruction. As a reader, you're provided with so many different aspects of guilt that you get an understanding of fluidity. You have characters trying all they can to ignore and bottle up their guilt, characters trying to redeem themselves and rid their guilt with 'good' actions, characters suffering with anxiety and constant dread and then you have characters who are so consumed by guilt that they destroy themselves as a result. Clarke so tragically manages to capture real, human issues.

I love how Clarke never seems to write perfect characters, they're all flawed in some way and, no, I'm not talking about the pathetically trivial YA flaws like being too curvy or not beautiful enough, I'm talking about real flaws. All of her characters mess up and do bad things, with the root of all their issues going deep. Everything they do we all do as well. We all act without thinking. We fight and argue. We love and deceive. And because of that all of her characters are so easy to relate to, so I was constantly finding aspects of myself in all of them. So, whilst some may assume that the novel is a black and white story about bulling and cruelty, the consequences of it and seeking revenge, I see it more of a story that highlights the imperfections of all of us, showing that just because someone does wrong by you, does not mean you can too do wrong by them and then try to come out as the hero because you were merely seeking revenge. Thus, I find it easy to assume that Clarke is saying nobody is just good or just bad, and those are the kind of characters young readers need, which is why I'm so thankful for Clarke. Not at any time during this novel did I find myself rooting for the hero or the villain, because there simply isn't one of either.

Finally, without giving any spoilers away, it's great that Clarke highlights that life isn't a fairytale. Things go wrong all the time and whilst most of them are fixable, some things aren't; they're permanent and we have to pay the price for that. And whilst the ending might be a little bitter sweet for some, simply because it's both an open and close-ended narrative, I for one loved it and am not ashamed to admit that Clarke managed to reduce me to tears once again.

Ultimately, this is a story about troubled love, secrets, lies and friendships tearing at the seems. It steps over the typical YA girly narratives of hallway cat-fighting between the social outcast and 'Queen B(itch)' by taking a much deeper and darker root, showing that sometimes there is no hero or villain to root for.

I give Cat Clarke and Torn ★★★★★

Divergent - Film Review

"In a world divided by factions based on virtues, Tris learns she's Divergent and won't fit in. When she discovers a plot to destroy Divergents, Tris and the mysterious Four must find out what makes Divergents dangerous before it's too late."

On the whole, I found myself quite content with this film. I mean, it wasn't quite on the level of other YA franchise films such as Harry Potter or The Hunger Games, but it was far better than its predecessors, such as the abysmal Beautiful Creatures. I was glad to see that the writers and director stayed as close to the book as they could, including so many recognisable quotes where they could and not straying too far from the book's narrative. However, I did at times feel as if the pacing fell a little flat, which is mainly due to the fact that some scenes couldn't be included in order Lionsgate could attain that all important 12A rating, which is disappointing.

Considering the film was created on a minuscule $85 million budget, the graphics and CGI were pretty impressive. I found myself taken aback by just how much detail had been put into creating the dystopian city that is Chicago as it was both beautiful and haunting. It's easy for a dystopian film to be quite generic but there was just the right balance of destruction and futuristic elements to give it a believable feel, so on the whole the setting was so much better than I imagined possible.

Although the pacing of the film did fall a little flat at times as previously stated, I did find that much of the more intense, action scenes were far more exciting to experience than in the book. It felt very much like the director, Neil Burger, tried as best he could to push the boundaries of the 12A rating to create an exhilarating atmosphere, adding a little more brutality than Veronica Roth did in the book.

What I did find a little disappointing with the film however was the execution of the characters. It felt very much like some characters were seriously underdeveloped whilst some were developed in completely the wrong way, Peter Hayes for example. Peter definitely didn't come across as the brutal yet desperate individual doing all he can to survive initiation into the Dauntless faction from the book, he was more like an annoying fly that you can't keep away from your food. I also wasn't particularly impressed by Theo James' portrayal of Four as room for him to express the character was pretty restricted, even his so called 'chemistry' with Tris seemed a little forced so I'm hoping he'll do a far better job in Insurgent.

Despite this however I was really impressed by Shailene Woodley's performance. As an actress I was totally unfamiliar with prior to this film I wasn't sure how well she'd cope, but she blew me away during the climax in particular. It's clear that she has a real understanding of Tris Prior's character and I can see why people are heralding her as Hollywood's next 'big actress'. I was also really pleased with the ending. As a book fan it can sometimes be frustrating when an adaptation strays from the source material, yet with this film I was pleased they shook it up and altered it slightly because it made it more exciting to watch because although I knew what the ultimate outcome would be, I didn't know what the process leading up to it would be.

Ultimately, this an adaptation that offers much in the way of excitement and action, yet has the tendency to fall flat at times with some characters feeling irrelevant to the narrative compared to their stance in the book. If you'd like the read my review of the book also then click here to do so.

I give Neil Burger and Divergent 7/10.

The Seckry Sequence: City of the Falling Sky - Joseph Evans

When Seckry Sevenstars is forced out of his village by the greedy Endrin Corporation and relocated to the daunting metropolis of Skyfall City, he harbours resentment for the company and vows to get them back one day for taking away his home, his school and his friends.

Then, when a mysterious email asks Seckry to break into the headquarters of the Endrin Corporation to steal a container full of worms for a hefty sum of money, his anger resurfaces, and he can’t resist the revenge he promised himself.

But what Seckry finds isn't what he expected. Staring at him through the darkness, with wide, innocent eyes, is something that makes Seckry’s heart almost stop.. A girl. Suddenly the question of what Endrin were doing with a few worms becomes the last thing on Seckry’s mind. What were Endrin doing with a human?

City of the Falling Sky by Joseph Evans is an exhilarating and unique story about a teenage boy named Seckraman Sevenstars as he and his family are forced out of their home and into the metropolis that is Skyfall City. After dealing with his initial frustration, Seckry begins to settle and enjoy his new home, but that moment of bliss can only last for so long before things begin to stir, resulting in Seckry being sucked right in.

From the get go it is clear that the plot is well thought out, creative, intriguing and unlike anything I've read in a long time. The tone of the book is excellently set in the prologue and instantly grabs your attention, not wasting time by setting out an unnecessary and draining build up; Evans just dives straight in and I love that. Evans' descriptive techniques and vivid imagination are beyond admirable and I found myself engrossed by and so easily picturing the world he's created, every unfolding event and setting, ranging from the magic and fantasy of the Friction game, to the futuristics of Skyfall City and Estergate High. In fact, whilst reading I found myself reminiscing about the world of Harry Potter and although I don't like to create comparisons between books, it just came natural to me, so it's apparent that Rowling has inspired Evans just like she's inspired the rest of us.

I really loved how the plot progressed throughout the book, expanding in an entertaining, gripping and knotty manner at the conclusion of every chapter. Questions are constantly being raised, as soon as you think you know what's going on the narrative is flipped and you're left stunned and confused by how you didn't see something coming, which is a great representation of just how talented Evans is. Although there are an array of narratives intertwined with each other, Evans eases the reader into any new aspects of the story and revisits them at later points when the picture becomes clearer, so you never for a second find yourself confused.

Albeit there are elements of the story that will forever remain fiction (or at least I hope so), I found myself relishing in the contrast between realism and fiction. It's difficult for a story, particularly one with such strong themes of fantasy, to find a balance that is both believable and totally out of this world, but that doesn't seem to be a problem within this novel. The characters are well developed with legitimate, human connections to each other and I especially found myself drawn to Seckry, sympathising with every ounce of pain, struggle and frustration he experiences. He's clearly flawed but not necessarily in a negative light, although I did find aspects of him, such as the way in which he dealt with Snibble, contradictory of his character. On the whole however he is a charming and ordinary human who extraordinary things have happened to, and that is part of what makes him such a great character

Finally, the ending had me in pieces. It was fantastic. Oh how I so desperately want to share it with you, but that would be unfair of me to do. I found it so compelling and exciting and I loved how everything was wrapped up nicely with no loose ends, which would inevitably lead to a rushed resolution in the follow-up if the ending was the complete opposite.

Overall, this book is a truly exciting and compelling YA novel that stretches the boundaries and successfully presents the generic conventions of sci-fi and fantasy whilst also having a great sense of uniqueness, and although I found one or two typos here and there, I didn't for a second find myself irked or distracted by them.

I give Joseph Evans and The Seckry Sequence: City of the Falling Sky ★★★★★

Eleanor & Park - Rainbow Rowell

Synopsis: Eleanor is the new girl in town, and with her chaotic family life, her mismatched clothes and unruly red hair, she couldn't stick out more if she tried.

Park is the boy at the back of the bus. Black t-shirts, headphones, head in a book - he thinks he's made himself invisible. But not to Eleanor.. never to Eleanor.

Slowly, steadily, through late-night conversations and an ever-growing stack of mix tapes, Eleanor and Park fall for each other. They fall in love the way you do the first time, when you're young, and you feel as if you have nothing and everything to lose.

Eleanor & Park follows the heartwarming and heartbreaking story of two teenagers, Eleanor and Park, as they deal with the every day obstacles of teenage life in the 1980s. All is not how it seems however as whilst dealing with those obstacles the unexpected happens; they take you on an a journey of being young and falling in crazy, stupid love for the very first time.

For me, it was a relief to finally pick up a YA romance that isn't about unrelatable characters with perfect lives and an instant connection or attraction, in fact Eleanor & Park is the complete opposite of that. As the book shifts between 3rd person past tense of both Park and Eleanor, you're given a real understanding of the story and how they're both feeling - both are honest about their perceptions of each other, even if much of it is kept deep in their thoughts. Rowell successfully derives from the idea of 'perfect' character traits as a result, which are too often part of the YA genre.

On the whole, this novel is such a real and relatable story and everything fits and flows together so nicely and is achieved through Rowell's charming and delicate writing style, which is so wonderful to read. Everybody has experienced that first messy love, or at least dreamed of it, and Eleanor and Park's relationship captures that so beautifully and in the truest way. They fall in love slowly and simply by bonding over music and comics but despite all that they are also a perfect example of how love is far from perfect.

All of Rowell's characters are so well thought out and easy to connect with in this novel, particularly Eleanor who you can do nothing but sympathise with. She's experienced such a horrible home life because of her stepfather and it's so heartbreaking to read. I love how often Rowell ventures into Eleanor's past because she has such a massive and interesting backstory - you're constantly reminded of how 'flawed' Eleanor is as a result of her past and thus grow a greater understanding of her character.

Saying that however I did occasionally find myself irked by Eleanor. Although her anger, frustration, snappy nature and ability to take the simplest of things the wrong way are totally justified of her character, I felt as if she was sometimes she just created a scene with Park in order to distract herself from her home life, which is quite tragic. Nonetheless, I did find a positive in loving and being annoyed by Eleanor and that was a particular appreciation for Rowell as an author as she has the ability to create a range of opinions on a character for you, rather than just feeling love or hatred.

In all honesty I wasn't expecting to get so caught up in this contemporary novel but there is just something about Rowell, her writing style and her amazing ability to tell a story in its truest form that keeps you hooked from start to finish. You're left asking yourself whether there is such a thing as falling and being in love, or whether this was simply an infatuation or the first of many loves and thankfully you're not given a definitive answer.

I give Rainbowell Rowell and Eleanor & Park ★★★★★