The Madman's Daughter

The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

Most disappointing …

I was reading reviews of Young Adult books and ran across this title. It is a spin-off of one of my favorite classics… The Island of Dr. Moreau. Read the book eons ago and adored it – my heart belongs to science fiction. And I actually liked the 1996 movie despite its disappointing reviews. I will admit it probably has more to do with Val Kilmer being in it than anything else. Needless to say, as soon as I realized the Madman of the title was Dr. Moreau, I immediately requested the novel and then saved it for my enjoyment in between my tasks.

I was in heaven for the first 6 chapters – the first 62 pages. While the novel remained in London, the atmosphere was gothic, dark and foreboding. Juliet Moreau was an intriguing character – the abandoned orphan child of the mad doctor. The London professionals ran Dr. Moreau out of England. Dr. Moreau left behind his wife and daughter who quickly became destitute. Juliet’s mother supported what was left of her family by becoming a mistress to a wealthy man. When she died of consumption, Juliet was left with nothing.

A friend of the family managed to find her work as a maid at the King’s College of Medical Research where she easily fit in having grown up around her father and his experiments. Juliet does not mind the sight or the smell of blood. She would have lived out her days in the darkened halls of King’s College if it were not for two events. The first, she finds a manuscript of her father’s that leads her to hope that her father is still alive. The manuscript leads her to a former servant of her family. The second, a professor forces himself upon Juliet and she maims him in self-defense. She can no longer stay in London, but she does have a trail that might lead her to her estranged father.

I should have put the book down then. The next four chapters are spent on an ocean voyage from London to islands off the coast of New Zealand. Granted that would be a long trip even in these days, but it is far too long, boring and uneventful. The only happening of note is the crew picks up a castaway before reaching their destination. Between the former family servant, Montgomery and the mysterious survivor, Edward, we now have the dull love triangle that becomes the demise of the book.

Despite the fact that the Isle of Dr. Moreau could be both fascinating and dangerous, the book does not spend too much time in developing the scenes and atmosphere. No, from the time Juliet sets foot on the island, two questions resonate in her pretty little head. Do I love Edward or Montgomery? AND Is my father mad or a genius? She might wonder if she is mad as well a few too many times. Juliet loses her logical mind and becomes a lovesick girl. I would wonder why either of the two men would be attracted to her at all for anything other than her looks.

I will not be reading the two intended sequels. I will not recommend. Huge disappointment!

Trust No One

Trust No One by Linda Sue Park

Okay, okay, okay, okay. So I said I was through, I know! I have no real excuse except that maybe I am a glutton for punishment. Or perhaps I already had this volume waiting at home. Or perhaps I cannot leave anything incomplete or unfinished. I can leave no stone unturned.

The good news is that this volume is far better than the previous, Shatterproof. The bad news is that it still has a lot wrong with it. There are inconsistencies that probably cannot be avoided with so many authors contributing to the series. They do not entirely bother me because I read so many other books in between that they do not blatantly stand out. However, I do believe that they tend to be responsible for the confusion between books. The inconsistencies make it harder to remember accurately what is important and what is at stake.

My favorite part? The terrific cliffhanger at the very, very end. No, I will not spoil it, but for once, the rest of the book is worth the wait. And yes, I have Book 6 at home waiting for me.

The lackluster parts? The Cahills knew there was a mole. They thought it was Ian. They finally discover the truth. And the problem is resolved nearly immediately. All of that suspense building for a disappointing outcome.

The Vespers are building a world-destroying machine, and all Amy can think about is… Ian and Jake. Which one does she love? Which one does she belong with? Is she cheating on Ian by kissing Jake? Is she misleading Jake? It won’t matter if the world is destroyed Amy. Snap out of it already!

But rather than snapping out of it, Amy actually pulls a 180. No longer is she a tough, fighting machine. No, now she is depressed. Amy is throwing in the towel. Amy is withdrawing from the world. Amy is slowly giving her responsibilities over to her brother Dan. Dan does not always make the best decisions.

But Dan does make the most interesting decisions!

If you have followed this far, we might as well continue together. I certainly won’t miss the next volume. But if you have managed not to get caught up in the media machine that is the 39 Clues. Don’t!!!! There is SOOOOOOOOOOO much better out there! Do. Not. Bother! Turn away! Go Back!

Book 1: The Medusa Plot
Book 2: A King's Ransom
Book 3: The Dead of Night
Book 4: Shatterproof

Bamboo People

Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins

I apologize as I slowly plod through yet another review of a Rebecca Caudill 2013 nominee that I finished two months ago before my life got busy with preparing for summer events. I assure you that it didn’t take me this long to get around to writing because the book was bad. On the contrary, I truly enjoyed this novel despite the fact that it is contemporary realistic fiction… not normally a fan.

I enjoyed this book tremendously because I learned something new. Rather, I learned about a culture that I was not familiar with – Burma/Myanmar. I confess that I was nearly, completely unaware of the oppression in that far away country. Children’s fiction has been somewhat obsessed with the Middle East in recent years. I have read about Iraq, Afghanistan and India, but not yet Burma. In fact, I needed to do a quick Google search so that I could picture where I was and what I looked like. (The Karenni are an ethnic group within Burma. Karenni women are the ones that traditionally put copper rings about their necks to elongate them.)

This novel is a book about two boys on opposing sides. It is unique because the first half is written from the perspective of Chiko, the son of a Burmese Doctor. The second half is written from Tu Reh’s perspective. Tu Reh is a Karenni refugee living across the border in Thailand. The Epilogue of the book returns to Chiko as is most fitting. He is the protagonist who gains the readers’ hearts.

Before the story begins, Chiko’s father has been imprisoned for resisting the government. Chiko has been in hiding within the walls of his family’s home lest the Burmese soldiers force him into the military. Chiko’s dream is not to follow in his father’s footsteps although that is what he was being groomed to do. No, Chiko wishes to be a teacher. And when the call comes for people to interview for teaching positions, Chiko is willing to leave his home to take the chance at the opportunity of a lifetime.

Unfortunately, the interviews are a lie. They are a trap to capture boys to grow the Burmese army. Chiko is not military material. He is fortunate to meet a streetwise boy named Tai who has learned to survive on the streets. Tai teaches Chiko how to fake his way through a beating without injury. In exchange, Chiko teaches Tai how to read. In this way, they protect and eventually save each other.

Tu Reh is a Christian Karenni who is faced with the words of Ecclesiastes 3:3, “a time to kill and a time to heal,” when he finds a wounded Burmese soldier on his first patrol. His instinct is to kill his chosen enemy. Tu Reh’s father wisely advises him to reconsider. The soldier? Chiko. When Tu Reh returns to the refugee camp with Chiko, he must face his elders and explain why he brought a wounded enemy soldier back with him. By this time, Tu Reh is inclined to save a life. It is harder to kill an individual person than a nameless… faceless enemy.

This is an intriguing book about boy soldiers, but there is so much more within the covers. Education and street smarts are shown to both be advantageous. Healers and dictators both play important roles. Good as well as bad people are on both sides of the conflict. In addition, there are strong female characters, including quite a bit of romance. Recommending to 5^th through 8^th graders who enjoy learning about the lives of children in foreign countries.