This is my last official summer before I begin graduate school, so, I thought what better way to celebrate than to read or re-read some of my favorite fairytale-esque books! I have featured just a few in this post, but hopefully this will inspire you to create your own list! The first is a new series that I feel is under appreciated! The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clarke follows a fantastic line of Biblical mythology that has rarely been turned into worth while fiction. The series focuses on the imagined history of the nephalim (the half angel-half human beings mentioned in Genesis) I highly recommend this series. Not only is the vocabulary on the GRE study guide (hey, come on, it is supposed to be young adult, I think this is an accomplishment!) but the quality of writing is pretty good for being such a fast paced book. Speaking of pacing, the books flow seamlessly from plot turn to plot turn. The new spin that Clarke takes on classical fantasy is instantly timeless! A must read for quite summer evenings when you are feeling a bit of wanderlust!
Another book I am reading for the first time is The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. A long time Gaiman fan I have not been let down as he has drawn me, yet again, into a fantastic world meshed beautifully with our own familiar one. The story is about a young boy named Nobody Owens who is brought up in a graveyard, raised by ghosts, and taught by a vampire and a werewolf! I mostly enjoyed Gaiman's use of classical mythology in not only the graveyard setting (fantastic Latin phrases and place settings), but also in the characters themselves. For example, the long dead poet who gives Bod the advice that he should be like Leander (who was killed trying to reach his lover), Hero (Leander's girlfriend, who kills herself), and Alexander/Paris (who seduced and kidnapped another man's wife) when pursuing his lady-love! This is the type of book that makes you wonder about the characters after you have read it (not there yet, but I am sure I will still think this at the end!)I guarantee you will not regret picking this one up and toting it around this summer!
Harpsong by Rilla Aska. I read Harpsong early last month. I greatly enjoy dustbowl stories from Oklahoma and Harpsong was in no way a disappointment! The protagonist is a young folk singer who travels the railways with his child bride Sharon. The book is told from Sharon's perspective and takes the audience along the ride from slum camps outside Oklahoma city to the bustle of Chicago. I know this doesn't sound like a fairytale, but I think it is a classic piece of Americana literature that tells the story of a very real and yet unbelievable time for most of us (or at least for me). Judge as you see fit.
Sunshine by Robin McKinley. I love stories that blend our own reality with that of a fantasy realm. I think some of the best fantasy novels follow this pattern. In this same theme exists the world of Sunshine a place where the people have learned to live with the things that go bump in the night. It is interesting how the author weaves her story around this new reality. Also...against the current waive of sexy vampire nonsense...her vampires are actually terrifying! thank gosh! McKinley is a superb author and has been rewriting fairytales for the past 20 years and making them unique to our time and place.
The Host by Stephanie Meyer. Ok, I am a sci-fi junkie. And I know what you're thinking "Stephanie Meyer?". Ok, hear me out though. Unlike the Twilight disaster, this book is actually written for adults. You can tell that she really took her time with the story and enjoyed writing it. The book is Invasion of the Body Snatchers, meets Casablanca, and covered in Film Noir. A dark novel about a slow alien invasion taking place all over the world and a small band of people refusing to surrender. Here is why the book is so interesting. One of the host bodies that Wanderer (our resident alien) is placed into still has its former resident. A girl named Melanie who shares with Wanderer all of her memories, dreams and fears of the invasion. The book is a creative double narrative between Malanie and Wanderer and will definitely keep you up at night and watching the news!
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