Three Recent Re-reads: Princess Academy, Their Eyes Were Watching God, and From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

I've had the pleasure of re-reading a few excellent books over the last couple of months. Rereading is so great, especially when you have a horrible memory like I do and can basically enjoy it like the first time all over again!

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

When I suggested this as our next readaloud, my boys balked a little at the title. With the word "princess" in the title, it does tend to come across as a little bit girly. But having already read it twice myself, I assured them they had nothing to fear.

But . . . it turns out . . . I had forgotten how slow-paced this book is. It didn't seem slow when I was reading it to myself. But when I was reading it to three boys who just couldn't wait for the bandits to arrive, suddenly Miri's repetitive thoughts on whether she would rather stay on Mount Eskel or move to the palace and become a princess seemed rather dull and boring. I caught myself thinking, Oh no, Miri, not again. Do you have to agonize over your feelings for Peder one more time? 

Over the years of reading aloud to my boys, I haven't shied away from books that might be seen as being more traditionally for girls. Consequently, some of our favorite books have starred female protagonists, such as The Penderwicks, Ramona, and Pippi Longstocking. But I can also recognize that there are certain themes and subjects and plots that my boys are just more naturally drawn to. And daydreaming about what it might be like to be a princess isn't one of them. (In all fairness though, it isn't really a matter of girl vs. boy as much as just a matter of taste. For example, I don't enjoy books with fantasy creatures in them; that doesn't have anything to do with the fact that I'm a girl, but rather, that's just my personal preference.)

But we held out for the promised siege, and it was worth the wait (although, I have to say, I don't remember being so incredulous about Dan's demise when I read it the first two times . . . tiny Miri was able to hold onto a root with huge Dan hanging onto one of her legs???? No way. I'm sorry, but no way.)

So all's told, it was a bit of a let down. It pains me to say it, but it was. I still liked the writing (how about this wisdom from Doter: "Unhappiness can't stick in a person's soul when it's slick with tears"), but the story was a bit of a drag. This is why I'm sometimes afraid to reread a book I loved in the past. You just never know how it's going to strike you on a reread.

(For a more positive review, read the one I wrote back in 2012.)

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

I read this book for the first time in 2013, but when it was selected for my book club's "classic" month, I knew I would need to reread it as I could remember almost nothing from before.

I purposely held off reading my review of it because I wanted to be able to experience it this time without being influenced by my 2013 self. (I will probably finally go back and read it after I finish writing this review.)

What I found was that bits of the story immediately came back to me as soon as I began listening. I remembered Janie's three husbands (Logan, Jody, and Tea Cake) before I was re-introduced to them. I knew each one would be flawed but that the last one would be the best. And Janie saved her best self for the end as well. According to Tea Cake, "God made it so you spent your old age first with somebody else and saved up your young girl days to spend with me." I thought that was so sweet.

This time I was struck by the characters of the three men: Logan's biggest fault was that he was old and boring, something that wasn't exactly under his control. Jody's was that he wanted all good things to be credited back to him, no matter the cost. And Tea Cake's was that, for all of his love, he was still a bit immature. (I had forgotten the two big scenes that really highlight this weakness: the time he spends all of Janie's money having fun while she is home worrying; and the night he physically hurts her to prove to the world how much he loves her. Tea Cake was so likeable, and it was hard to see him make stupid choices, but they made him more real.)

Incredibly, I had forgotten how the book ends until I was literally right there, in the room with Tea Cake and Janie, both of them with a gun in their hands. Sometimes I am annoyed with my poor memory, but in moments like this, it means I get the full emotional impact all over again.

The other thing that surprised me was how little phrases from the book pinged with recognition inside me, like this one: "She stood there until something fell of the shelf inside her." I couldn't have quoted it, but once I heard it again, it registered as something I'd heard (and loved) before. The writing is just so good.

I'm guessing I shared this in my review the first time because I think it's one of the most beloved quotes from the book, but it's worth sharing again because it sums up the theme so beautifully: "Love is like the sea; it's a moving thing. But still and all, it takes its shape from the shore and changes with every shore it meets."

If you've somehow missed reading this classic, I highly recommend it.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg

When Mike and I decided to go to New York for our anniversary, I had a sudden longing to revisit Claudia and Jamie's adventures. Originally, the Met was on our itinerary, and I thought it would be so fun to have this story in my head while we walked through the museum (even though many of the referenced landmarks are no longer there). Even though we ended up needing to cut it due to lack of time, this story still made an excellent companion on the flight there and back. I had forgotten how much I loved it.

I actually never read this book as a child. I know we owned a copy, but frankly, the cover did absolutely nothing to make me want to read it. (I actually just looked it up to see if it was as bad as I remembered. It was the 1976 edition, and yes, it was.) I had no idea what I was missing, but finally as an adult in 2009, I read it for the first time, and it was marvelous.

Claudia Kincaid feels unappreciated at home and decides it would be best to run away so her family realizes how much they would suffer without her. She carefully and methodically makes plans: She settles on a place (the Metropolitan Museum of Art), a time (on her way to school), and a companion (her middle brother Jamie--mostly because he has enough money to fund the entire grand scheme). Once they are well settled in a 16th-century bed, Claudia decides she can't go home until she has done something noteworthy, and figuring out if the Museum's newly acquired angel statue is really an early work of Michelangelo seems like just the thing.

One of the best parts of this book is the relationship between Claudia and Jamie. They start out as two normal siblings with plenty of arguing and bickering and not a lot of shared goals. But gradually, things come into alignment until something clicks. Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler explained it this way:

"What happened was they had become a team--a family of two . . . Becoming a team didn't mean the end of their arguments, but it did mean that the arguments became a part of the adventure, became discussions not threats. To an outsider, the arguments would appear to be the same because feeling like part of a team is something that happens invisibly. You might call it "caring." You could even call it "love." And it is very rarely indeed that it happens to two people at the same time, especially a brother and a sister who had always spent more time with activities than they had with each other."

The other really masterful part of this story is Claudia's subtle, almost invisible, transformation. When she runs away, she really gives no thought to her parents. She wants them to be sorry she's gone, but she doesn't have any idea about the mental and emotional anguish she will put her parents through when she and Jamie suddenly vanish without a trace (and, as a side note, I couldn't help thinking that even in 1967, this story was probably somewhat unbelievable. But in 2019? It could never happen. Those two kids would have been found within hours of leaving). But then it becomes more about making some sort of impact or contribution before she goes home so her time will be well spent. But eventually, she realizes that she can go home and still be plain, sensible Claudia Kincaid and that that will enough (especially once she has the secret of the statue secured). In the words of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler: "Happiness is excitement that has found a settling down place."

Even though we didn't get to visit the Met, there was still something about being in New York with this story bumping around in my brain that just made it so much more special and fun. Also, it put me in an E.L. Konigsburg sort of mood. I need to read some of her other books.

What have been some of your recent rereads? Did your opinions change or stay the same?

An Event in Black (with Shannon and Dean Hale)

As I've mentioned before (here, here, here, and here), I love going to author events. But even more than that, I love taking my kids to author events. Seeing the real faces of the men and women who wrote and illustrated our favorite stories adds a whole new dimension to the reading we do in the comfort of our home. So when I saw that Shannon and Dean Hale would be at The King's English promoting their new transitional book, The Princess in Black, I knew we had to go.

(Side note: it was not in my original plan to take all four of my kids, but I'll tell you more about that another day . . .  )

First, let me tell you a little about this book. While I am an avid Shannon Hale fan, my kids are not familiar with any of her other books because they are not old enough yet to enjoy them (although, I have to say that when I read Rapunzel's Revenge last year, Aaron was totally sucked in by the pictures and asked me dozens of questions about what was going on at this point or that point). But the Princess in Black is just the right level for the three older ones (ages 6, 4, and 3) to enjoy.

It's about Princess Magnolia--she's pretty and frilly and just, oh, so perfect. The Duchess Wigtower is determined to find something to put a mark in the princess's pristine reputation.While they are conversing over tea, Princess Magnolia gets an urgent call on her ring phone--a monster has escaped from Monster Land. Making a hurried excuse, Princess Magnolia transforms into . . . the Princess in Black! She dons a black mask and rides her unicorn-turned-horse to the entrance to Monster Land and puts a quick end to his hungry plans. She makes it back to tea but not without making the duchess a little suspicious.

Those who have compared it to Mercy Watson are exactly right--the full-color pictures on every page, the short chapters, the funny action reminded me of our beloved Mercy in all the right ways. And there are several more books to come! That makes me pretty happy.

Now that you know all about Princess Magnolia, you might wonder how my boys reacted to her. Because, as some of you know, they pretty much balk at anything with ribbons or lace. But I'm happy to tell you that even though this book is about a princess, it is one that girls and boys will enjoy. They eyed it warily but were immediately pulled into the story: there's action and danger, a noble horse, and an awesome goat boy . . . and also, the princess in black, who is pretty awesome herself.

Anyway, back to the author event.

The boys wore masks and tied black scarves around their heads to get into the appropriate mood.

Don't let the empty chairs fool you. We were the first ones to arrive (since I was juggling all four kids by myself, I wanted to make sure we had plenty of wiggle room).

The Hales made a dramatic entrance:

 

And then they talked about and read from their new book. (When they started, everyone was wearing masks, and they said something like, "We were hoping there would be some people we knew here, but we don't recognize anyone!" At which cue, Bradley whipped off his. They both acted appropriately surprised and said, "Oh, it's you! You could have been anyone under there: a monkey, a man, anyone!" Bradley reveled in the attention.) They kept it all fast-paced and entertaining so that even Bradley stayed interested the entire time (unfortunately, not Clark, but I'll reserve those details for the aforementioned post for another day).

 

Afterwards we waited in line to have our book signed. The Hales were personable and friendly. I was so impressed with how truly interested they were in every child in attendance, taking their questions seriously and acting thrilled to have them there.

A few days later, I saw a picture like the one below in this article from Publishers Weekly. I think I recognize three of those ninjas.

P.S. If you'd like to read more about what Shannon Hale herself thinks about this latest book, see "Like every superhero, every book has an origin story."

Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale

I fully anticipated reading this book as soon as it came out. I had anxiously awaited its publication, re-read Princess Academy in preparation, and even went to a signing with Shannon Hale. But then, other books crowded for my attention, and it kept getting pushed aside--until this week when I was visiting my family, and my mom's copy was ready and waiting, and I was very much available.

All my waiting was not in vain because Palace of Stone did not disappoint. Not one bit.

The story begins several months (maybe even a full year?) after Princess Academy ended. Miri has received letters from Katar and Britta in Asland, inviting her, as well as several of the other academy graduates, to come stay for a year. Miri has the opportunity to attend the Queen's Castle, the prestigious university where she can continue her studies. The other girls will help Britta prepare for her upcoming wedding. Peder gets to come, too, and apprentice a stone sculptor. But once Miri arrives in Asland, she encounters political unrest, traitorous plots, an intelligent, good-looking boy, and a wealth of knowledge--all things she was not expecting.

I didn't read too many reviews ahead of time, but from what I did read, the general feeling seemed to be one of satisfaction but not adoration. People said it was fine but not as good as Princess Academy.

This was not my feeling at all.

In fact, if I had to put one over the other (which I would hate to do since I loved them both), I would surely say that I liked Palace of Stone more.

First of all, it didn't take away any of the things I loved about Princess Academy. Miri is still her intelligent, kind, and strong-willed self. Linder and quarry-speaking still play a huge part in the story. Peder is still there, quiet and strong. Miri and her friends still pull together to solve many of the problems. (I was so glad there were a couple of instances in this book where they all told a story together, each taking up where the other one left off, just like in Princess Academy.) Doter's bits of wisdom are still sprinkled throughout. And it still has some exciting, nail-biting moments.

But then on top of all the things I already loved, it also added some depth and dimension that I didn't find in the first story.

For example, the threatened revolution provides a lot of parallels to actual historical events (such as the French Revolution) and also raises a lot of moral and ethical questions. As a smaller example, linder is explained in greater detail and Miri learns how quarry-speaking is possible and how the linder stone can affect even those who did not grow up cutting it out of the mountain. And then, even deeper than those two examples is Miri's own personal growth as she asks herself difficult questions and decides what she really wants in life. I also thought that life on Mount Eskel and life in Asland contrasted and intertwined and complemented each other in a beautiful way.

One of the big questions Miri asks herself is whether or not she should return to Mount Eskel and the life she left behind. At first, she thinks she should because Mount Eskel has always defined who she is and what she can do. But then a friend tells her, "You are not bound by your birth. You can be who you will." And then Miri thinks: "Is that true? I am not simply Laren's daughter or Marda's sister or the girl my mother held for a week before she died. I am not formed from the mountain alone. I am the girl who left the mountain. I am the face in the mirror, the thoughts in my head. I am not made of them. I am me." I thought this really captured so well the essence of Miri's growing maturity throughout the story.

I didn't know if I was going to like a book about revolution, but I did, and I think the main reason it worked for me was because Shannon Hale took this large event that was affecting thousands of people and brought it down to the level of one. There is a moment in the story where Miri is thinking about how some things can never be replaced. She thinks of an ancient king's diary and the history of Mount Eskel (tying the two places together and also contrasting one person to many over the generations). And then she thinks of her mother and Esa's fat-cheeked baby brother, who both died, and I think at that moment she really begins to realize that you can't measure the value or worth of something based solely on how far their influence reaches. Not all authors can pull a story together so neatly and perfectly. But Shannon Hale did in this one.

I also liked Peder's more active role in this story. I liked having him in the same city as Miri where she could stop by and visit him and watch him in his work. I liked watching their sweet friendship and romance. And I liked adding Timon, another Queen's Castle scholar, into the picture and creating a little love triangle, at least for a short time.

And of course, as always, I loved Shannon Hale's beautiful language. Here is one of my favorite descriptions: "And the strange spring snow fell only in that golden moment of dawn, the turning of the page between night and day." Beautiful.

From the reviews I read, it seems like some readers don't think this has any Newbery potential, and I don't understand that. It seems like an exceptional contribution to children's literature. It is not only beautifully written but really shows how different cultures and people and classes can come together.

I don't want to spoil the ending for anyone (so stop reading now if you haven't read the book), but I loved the way the book ended. After Miri decides her life does not have to be comprised of constantly choosing between two different things she loves, she realizes she can choose both. She takes Peder's hand and the book says they "walked toward home." Since she is walking in the direction of Asland, and if she kept going she would also reach Mount Eskel, the word "home" can literally mean both of those places. What a perfect way to end a perfect story.

In Which I Meet One of My Very Favorite Authors

It was the summer of 2006, and I had just finished a busy and stressful spring term at BYU. (A little redundant since I didn't have a semester that wasn't busy and stressful...it's in my personality to make all productivity stressful.) I was looking for some blissful rest and relaxation.

One day I was talking to my dear friend, Rachel (who also happens to be Mike's cousin), and she couldn't stop raving about her new favorite book, The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale. The thought suddenly occurred to me, Hey, in my life before school, I used to like to read! And so I decided to pick it up. (And Rachel generously loaned me her copy, which I found out later was the ultimate bestowal of trust since she keeps her books in mint condition. She later got that copy signed and told me that she would never loan it out ever again.)

Reading The Goose Girl was the best experience I had had with books in a long time. I read it out loud to Mike, and I can remember literally squealing in anticipation when we got to the climax. (Mike, in case you were wondering, did NOT squeal...but he did laugh at me.)

And that is how I fell in love with Shannon Hale.

Now, six years later and having read practically everything written by her, you can imagine my excitement when I saw that she would be at The King's English with her brand-new book, Palace of Stone, the sequel to Princess Academy. I persuaded my good friend, Holli, to come with me, and it was, to wax a bit cheesy, everything I could have hoped for.

I have never heard Shannon Hale speak before, but I am an avid reader of her blog (and of course, her books), and so I was hoping she'd be as entertaining and personable in real life, and she was. Her editor spoke with her for part of the time, and they complemented each other very well. (And as a side note, as I listened to Shannon talk about writing, I didn't feel the desire to become a writer, but as I listened to Victoria, the editor, speak, I thought that maybe, in another life, I would have liked to do some editing.)

After they finished speaking (or rather, were told to stop speaking...I think they and the audience could have kept going for hours), Shannon signed copies of her books. Even standing in line was fun because I had a friend to talk to and new books to browse through. So yes, all in all, a very fun night out.

And in case you want a little more, these were some of my first impressions of Shannon Hale in real life: She is funny and witty with great comedic timing; she is mindful of her audience; she knows how to put a person at ease;  I would love to have her as a friend; she doesn't brush aside questions that she's probably had hundreds of times (i.e., questions about publishing and her writing process); she tries to make a personal connection with each person she meets (much to the frustration of The King's English employees who tried in vain to move along the signing line); her love of writing and telling stories is obvious and real; she is kind and sincere (I especially noticed the extra-special attention she paid to the 8-14-year-old crowd. They'll remember that forever.); she is humble and seems genuinely grateful for every one of her readers.

And as photographic proof of my star-struck evening:

A little blurry, but perfect just the same. 

(Now just imagine a King's English employee glaring at me from the side at this uncalled for holdup to the line.)

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

Have you heard? Shannon Hale's latest book, Palace of Stone, is coming out in August! I am just a little bit excited. (And if I were 12 instead of 27, I could admit to being a lot excited.)

Palace of Stone is the sequel to Princess Academy, which won a Newbery Honor in 2006. It's been several years since I read it, but no one had to twist my arm to get me to read it again.

Miri lives on Mount Eskel, a remote territory of Danland where the only source of industry comes from mining linder stone. (Incidentally, from my limited research, it looks like linder stone is not a legitimate natural resource, but you could have fooled me.) Miri wants nothing more than to help in the quarry but is forbidden by her father. One day, the chief delegate of Danland arrives with the news that the priests have divined that the future princess will come from Mount Eskel, and so an academy is set up to prepare all the eligible young women to meet the prince. Miri is smart and determined but also struggles with feelings of self-worth, and so the story is as much about her discovering her potential as it is about impressing the prince.

If that summary sounds a bit dry, let me just add that there's also corporal punishment, dangerous bloodthirsty bandits, a little bit of romance (go Peder!), and a surprise twist at the end. See? Definitely not boring.

The villagers use "quarry speech," a method of communication where they basically send messages through the linder stone. They use it mainly to convey warnings and instructions while working in the noisy quarry, but Miri discovers that it can be used for other purposes. This detail gives the story a faint taste of fantasy without being over the top. As with the Books of Bayern, it is one little fantastical element that is so well described as to make it completely believable, making it the best kind of fantasy in my opinion.

If you've read anything by Shannon Hale, you know she has a way with words. Without being overly flowery or descriptive, she comes up with the perfect way to describe emotions, places, and actions. For example, when Miri is wrestling with how much she likes Peder but also how much she desires the changes in lifestyle the prince would offer her, it says, "Her mind and heart tangled." That's it. One little sentence, but instantly I related to how she felt.

At the beginning of every chapter, there is a little poem, what is supposed to be a song from the quarry. I absolutely loved these. They were all different, using rhymes and meters in different ways. My favorite one was: No wolf falters before the bite/ So strike/ No hawk wavers before the dive/ Just strike. Not only could I practically hear the quarry workers singing this song to help maintain the rhythm of their mallets, but Miri applied the song in a couple of other ways outside the quarry, and I thought it tied bits of the story together very nicely.

This might be considered a spoiler, so skip the next paragraph if you're worried:

I was so grateful that none of the girls or villagers died in the face-off between them and the bandits. Not even a minor character. Shannon Hale could have easily had one of the nameless characters die to add gravity to the situation, but somehow it would have felt so wrong to me. I read plenty of books where characters die (even important ones), but in this case, I felt like it was right to keep everyone alive (except for Dan, but he had it coming...).

The only thing I didn't love was the little twist at the end. I loved that it happened, but the details never settled for me, and it all happened too quickly. (What?! The prince just left after one night without asking any questions of Olana? What?! All of the girls are happy with the prince's selection and merrily traipse back to Mount Eskel?) I know I'm being vague, but I don't want to give anything away. If you've read it, I'm interested to know if you agree/disagree.

My only regret is that I wish I would have waited to re-read this book. Palace of Stone doesn't come out for two months. That's too long to wait...because, confession: regardless of whether I'm 12 or 27, I really am a LOT excited.

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

I read this book several years ago, and recently, I've wanted to read the other books in the series, but I couldn't remember this one well enough without re-reading it. I listened to the audio version this time. I still loved the story, but the audio was annoying. It was a full cast recording, so it had a different voice for every character. In my opinion, either dramatize it or read it, but don't try to do both. I would have much preferred one reader for the whole book.

Overall, I love Shannon Hale's writing style. She uses simple, vivid descriptions. I felt like the plot slowed a little in the middle of the book but picked up pace again at the end.

One of the things I loved in particular about this book was that she had me actually believing that Ani could communicate with horse, birds, and the wind. Unlike some fantasy novels that just seem a little over the top, this one just contains a few magical elements...just enough to make the impossible believable.

I wrote this review before I created this blog.

Enna Burning by Shannon Hale

I ended up liking this book way more than I thought I was going to during the first few chapters. At first it was just a little too weird for me. It also seemed quite a bit more sad and hopeless. However, as the book progressed, Shannon Hale's writing style grew more and more captivating, and I felt very invested in the main characters. If anything, Shannon Hale's writing style only improved with this book, and her descriptions of the fire language were so easy to believe and picture and feel. Sometimes, as she described Enna's relationship with fire, they were almost a little too real as it seemed almost like what some people experience with addictions.

Beyond that, I thought it was a beautiful tale of friendship...Enna and Isi each helping one another and giving something of themselves to the other.

The part where Finn magically shows up just in the nick of time to help save Enna and Isi was eye-rollingly unbelievable, but of course I loved it, and that's just what I wanted to happen.

In the end, I loved it, and I'm looking forward to River Secrets.

I wrote this review before creating this blog.

River Secrets by Shannon Hale

Out of all Shannon Hale's books, this one seems to get the least praise and the most criticism. Knowing that, I was prepared not to like it. Maybe my expectations were too low, but I was very pleasantly surprised. I liked it just as much as The Goose Girl and Enna Burning.

I don't know if Shannon Hale pulled off the male protagonist quite as successfully as the heroines in her other books. However, Razo is such a fun-loving character, it was impossible not to love him. I liked him in the other books, so I was really interested to get more details and see his character developed more fully.

While I was listening to this book, I caught myself thinking (again and again), "I wish I could write like Shannon Hale." There is something about her style that totally captivates me; whether it is her simplistic descriptions or capturing the perfect metaphor, I don't know, but I love it. It's all so fresh and original. You don't hear the same phrases and descriptions that have been used a thousand times by a hundred authors.

I'm so sad I don't have Forest Born yet because I would much rather read that than the next book I have in line.

I wrote this review before the birth of this blog.

Forest Born by Shannon Hale

This review reveals some important plot details. Proceed with caution.

 I feel a little disloyal for not absolutely loving something by Shannon Hale, but the truth is I was disappointed with this book...not disappointed like I-wish-I-hadn't-read-it, more just disappointed with the overall pace and writing.

I wasn't very impressed with her descriptions; she reused the same ones over and over again, which is so unusual for Shannon Hale. Plus, the middle of the book was so slow. Rin had the same thoughts, the same emotions so many times. Was it really necessary for the development of Rin's character? Maybe.

Because with all my complaining about lack of pace, I really felt that Rin's discovery of her ability to people-speak was set up beautifully. For the first half of the book, I thought all she had was tree-speaking, and then all of a sudden things started to click and fall into place. Could the discovery of this gift have been so believable if the pace had been faster? I don't know. It's a paradox.

Also, I liked the ending, as everything wrapped up quite satisfactorily, but again, it just seemed rather slow and drawn out...a few too many "Aren't we amazing?" conversations between the fire sisters. However, it really was a better ending to the series than River Secrets would have been.

And I still love the characters. In fact, I think Rin might be my favorite out of all Shannon Hale's heroines (though Dashti would still be a very close second). She was so honest and had such a real problem...fighting her own natural desires/wants/passions with the type of person she wanted to become (kind/selfless/helpful/good).

Oh, and I just have to say that I think Selia is truly a despicable villainess. Don't you just loathe her? But then to realize that she was the villain in not only Goose Girl and Forest Born, but the sub-villain in Enna Burning and River Secrets...GENIUS! And it really helped tie all the books together.

So, yes, I was disappointed, but you can tell I still enjoyed it, and you definitely don't want to skip this book if you've read the other three.

This review was written before the birth of this blog.