Watch This! Once Upon A Time, Season 2 Micro-Review

A few notes, just to keep everyone informed:

Now that I've completed my Buffy series, I am planning on moving on to Angel. Hopefully that will be a more organized and comprehensive review series, now that I'm starting to grasp how I would like to structure those posts. I need some time, of course, to rewatch most of the episodes. Tentatively, I that series will start next Wednesday.

To continue that thought, it does look as though many of the Watch This Wednesday posts for the foreseeable future will be retrospectives of older/cancelled shows or shows that have a good number of seasons out already. This is do not only to the accessibility of those shows but also to the fact that I'll have the most to say about things with hours of content. So, if there is a show, mini-series, or movie series that you would like to discus  here, please feel free to drop your suggestions in the comments.

Today, though, I'm between retrospective posts, so it seems like a good time to go over what I though of Once Upon a Time, season 2. I started off the fall TV series watching tons of shows, but sadly Once was the only one I was able to keep up with (without sacrificing reading time). If you're wondering what I thought of Grimm, Arrow, Beauty and the Beast, or Supernatural...well, so am I. Hopefully I'll find an opportunity to catch up on those shows over the summer. In the meantime?

Once, season 2....

When season 1 ended, I felt that the writer's may have made the mistake of blowing the lid off of things too dramatically and too soon, and I worried about where they would go from that point on. One of the things I enjoyed about the show was the one episode retellings of individual fairytales, and seeing how they were reflected and fit into the Storybrooke world. Now that everyone remembers who they are, things are less episodic, more connected. This type of narrative can be problematic if the writers constantly have to find a way to one up themselves, to the point where the story loses it's natural flow. This season showed a struggle to not fall into that trap, managing to be enjoyable despite some stumbles along the way.

 

Henry is more of a plot moppet than ever. Always there to whine about people who want to kill the evil queen or just let her die,. Always there to be the motivation of the other characters, and to get in harm's way when the plot demands it. Poor kid is annoying as hell, and sadly one of the downsides to the show.

Emma, on the other hand, is the show's best attribute in a lot of ways. Interesting and respectable, as much as any fish-out-of-water/savior character can be. She's not vapid, she's decently developed, and she's not solely motivated by romance. Sadly, in the current TV climate that makes her a top shelf heroine.

But this show has an ensemble cast so...what about the rest of them? Well, they're a mixed bag. Snow and Charming are somehow less interesting this season, though I'm glad we're past all of the infidelity business. They tried to give Snow this conflict where she darkened her heart by killing Cora. It's a failure, both because Cora deserved to die and because Snow is all too quick to feel bad about her actions, negating any of the interest you usually get from dealing in moral gray areas. Mr. Gold remains the most interesting cast member, both because he actually does dabble in those moral gray areas and because he's given conflicts that are actual conflicts.

I'm going to leave off with a list of my favorite episodes for the season. These are the episodes that, if/when I do a top tend list, would be contenders.

Tallahassee (Episode 6)
Child of the Moon (Episode 7)
The Outsider (Episode 11)
Manhattan (Episode 14)
The Miller's Daughter (Episode 16)
Selfless, Brave and True (Episode 18)
Second Star to the Right (Episode 21)
And Straight on to Morning (Episode 22)

Happy Watching, everyone!

On Lunars: A Review of Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Cinder was my favorite book of 2013. I loved the sci-fi world, loved the very original style of fairy tale retelling. I was beyond eager to read Scarlet, and the bar was set very high.

This book alternates focus alternates between Cinder and the newly introduced Scarlet. Scarlet's grandmother has been taken by a mysterious gang, who believe she knows something about the Princess Selene. Scarlet is determined to get her back, so when former gang member Wolf offers to lead her to them, she goes with him willingly. Meanwhile, Cinder must escape from prison with Thorne,  a fellow convict who offers her a way out on his spaceship. She must decide where to go first--to Africa to find the doctor who provided her means of escape, or to find Scarlet's grandmother, who might have answers about the past Cinder can't remember.

What I liked about the first book, I continued to love about the second. The world building is brilliant, fun, and easy to immerse yourself in. It's the kind of science fiction that would appeal to readers that don't normally like science fiction. It's very accessible.

Cinder is an appealing character, with her intelligence, guts, and unusual skill set. In this book her Lunar powers start to grow in ways that even she doesn't fully understand. Thorne is a fun addition, sort of a wannabe bad boy with a great sense of humor. He and Cinder have great report, and they're entertaining, although I became nervous that the author would try to make him the third point in a love triangle. Please, God, no. But, as of now, that's not the case. Scarlet, meanwhile, is a farm girl with no remarkable talents to speak of. She's likeable, though, because of her determination to find her grandmother and her willingness to see Wolf's best side. I liked Wolf, a lot. He's less predictable than the other characters, in both personality and nature. I found myself very curious about what he actually is, as well as what his motivations were.

One of my disappointments with this book was how little time we spent with Emperor Kai. We mostly just experience his stress over ruling and dealing with Queen Levina, plus his conflicted feelings for Cinder. Not a lot in terms of insight or character development.

But the main issue with this story is the fact that the larger arc of the story does not progress as much as it could have. That's not to say that nothing happens, but...not as much as I would have though or liked. I got the impression that the big action was being saved for future books, and that this is just a bridge book. That's fine, I guess, I just wanted more--I'm greedy like that.

It's a very good, very entertaining book. It would never stand on it's own, and it raises more questions than it answers. However, I found it far above average in the page-turner category, and I highly recommend it. 4.5 stars.

Watch This! The Princess Bride

Our first movie of the month happens to rank among my all time favorite movies...ever. This is a movie which I can always watch, anytime, no matter my mood, and it will make me smile. Every time.

Like the book it was adapted from, the story of The Princess Bride is being told to a sick little boy by his Grandfather. The framing of the storybook gives you leave not to take the (rather absurd) story seriously, or at least not entirely seriously. Basically, Wesley is a farmhand who falls in love with Buttercup, a beautiful but air-headed girl. Wesley wants to make money for marriage, so he sets sail for distant lands, but his ship is captured along the way, and he is lost. And that is why Buttercup, concluding that she will never love again anyhow, becomes engaged to Prince Humperdinck, becoming the princess bride the title promised.

The delightfully silly story continues on with a kidnapping, sword fighting, battles of wit, and of course the infamous revenge story between Inigo Montoya and the six fingered man. The details make this movie the charming romp that it is, and of course you must watch it to appreciate that.

But since I'm including this in Romance Month, I am required to talk about the couple. Wesley and Buttercup have the simplest and most uncomplicated form of fairytale love there is to be had. They look at each other, and realize they're in love, and that's the end of that. Their journey to being together is fantastical in that it includes the overcoming of piracy and treachery and death. Most of the overcoming is done by Wesley, who is in all ways awesome--good at everything, persistent, and stubborn. Buttercup, on the otherhand, is intentionally useless. She is dumb and she is helpless, but she is pretty. He one credible trait is loyalty, and faith, in believing that Wesley will find a way to save her, always. And so, in this way, this is perhaps not my favorite story in terms of romance, despite the fact that it is a favorite movie.

I can't imagine there are that many people who haven't yet seen this movie--it's so much fun that it would be a crime not to see it.

Review of Fables Vol. 6 Homelands

Reviewing these is starting to feel redundant. What else can I possibly say to recommend this series, other than that it's awesome and you should read it. Graphic novel fans should read it. Fantasy fans should read it. Fairy tale fans should read it. Even if you don't think  you like fairy tales, you should read this--you might change your mind.

But, okay, what is this particular volume about? For one thing, it includes the all to amusing story of Jack, who leaves Fabletown and travels to Hollywood to make movies about himself. It's fun, and it's hilarious. I can't even say that I care for Jack as a character, but I think part of me enjoys his schemes, and enjoys seeing him suffer.

Then, as the title suggests, we take a detour to the Homelands, where Boy Blue has traveled to take down The Adversary. Boy Blue has, in fact, become one of my favorite characters within the series. He's surprisingly bad ass. This portion of the story is great, too, in that it took a turn that I did not entirely guess at.

Ultimately, I felt this was one of the strongest (if not the strongest) volume in the series that I've read thus far. It has action, adventure, and the most when written of the Fable characters right at the center of it all. I highly recommend it. 4.5 stars. 

Review: Fables Vol. 5: The Mean Seasons

The Mean Seasons, which chronicles what goes on in the Fable community after the attack of the wooden soldiers, is honestly something of a downer. Well written and well told, this transitional tale still left me wanting a lot more.

The volume begins with a tale of Bigby's exploits during World War II, which involved terrorizing Nazis among other things. If I'm being truly honest it comes off as entertaining but way out of place in the rest of the story arc.

We also learn that Cinderella (Cindy) is far more than what she seems--not just a bubbly socialite, but also a crafty spy.

The meat of the story, though, is devoted to the birth and first year of Snow and Bigby's children. Because most of them don't look human, Snow is forced to move to The Farm with them, and Bigby is not allowed there. The emotional impact of the separation is keen. I really felt for Snow as she grappled with her feelings and dealing with her very unusual brood. It struck me as highly odd, however, that there was no better solution to be had than her self imposed exile to The Farm. Bigby suggest that they go elsewhere, somewhere secluded, and Snow acts as though this would be a huge betrayal of Fabletown. I just can't understand why, and consequently the whole plot felt slightly forced.

Nonetheless, it was very cool to see the cubs in all of their oddness, and to learn about Bigby's father, The North Wind. It's interesting to see what bits of his nature have been passed down to the cubs.

Overall, it's not the strongest volume of the series, with so many logistical and motivational flaws. However, it wasn't so bad that I don't still want to see more from the series. 3.5 stars. 

Review of Fables, Vol. 4: March of the Wooden Soldiers

This volume of Fables marks a lot of changes for our fairy tale characters. We are, of course, familiar with the adversary and the fact that our characters are in exile in the mundane world because of the destruction that this mysterious enemy wrought. This, however, is the first time that we experience the adversary as an active threat in more than a flash-back capacity.

To begin with, I really enjoyed learning of Boy Blue's tragic and romantic back story. I think what makes Fables special is it's ability to take characters who most of us feel that we know, since we've heard since childhood, and cast them in an entirely different light--for better or worse. So seeing a romance for  Boy Blue and Red Riding Hood.

Snow White is continuously fantastic. She basically organizes a defense against an army that marches on Fabletown, and she does so while pregnant and piled down with worries. I'm deeply invested in he story, at this point, and I would love for her and Bigby to find some shred of happiness.

I thought the wooden soldiers, and the way that they are introduced with their connection to Pinocchio, were very clever indeed. They're very much like the Mr. Smiths of the Matrix, with their frightening one track minds and utter disposability. But more importantly, they seem to represent a larger danger that I'm sure we'll see more of in future books.

Finally, in this book we begin to see Prince Charming campaigning for mayor against King Cole. This entire subplot is pathetically hilarious, with the prince making ridiculous promises that you know will land him far in over his head. When I actually read this, the US was in the midst of our election and...it definitely reflected reality.

My final conclusion on this book is that, it is perhaps not my favorite story arc yet, but it was still quite strong. I didn't feel that it had the emotional impact of some of the previous installments, but it had a lot of cleverness and humor that left me wanting more. 4 stars.

Misc. Monday: Wreck It Ralph

Another week has just begun, folks. There are a lot of great reviews coming up this week, but for today I'm just going to share a few brief updates and a short movie review.

I Watch TV Now! Sometimes...

 

This season probably sets the record for the most shows that I've actively tried to follow at once. It used to be one. Now it's...five? I think there are five. Holy cow.

ABC's Once Upon a Time is probably the one that I look forward to the most right now. So far, I really like season 2. I appreciate the fact that it's gone in a different direction from season 1, that it hasn't started to feel formulaic. I really like most of the characters, and I like that the world feels big and it seems like they have loads of stories to tell. Is it kind of BS to have characters like Lancelot or Mulan or, God help me, Frankenstein in a fairy tale world? Yes, yes it is. But on some level, I don't care, because the show amuses me. That is all.

Supernatural is the stale bread of TV shows right now. It is no longer, and will never be as awesome as it once was...but it's still consumable. I've found season 8 at least passably entertaining, even though the overarching plot--Sam's normal relationship, Dean having been gone, blah blah--to be redundant of things hashed out in previous seasons, and just uninteresting overall, there are other things about it that I do like. I just hope they wrap up the show before it molds over completely.

Those of you who've been with me since last fall will remember that I had mixed feelings about Fox's Grimm. I still have mixed feelings. Some episodes are good, but some are far too procedural cop show for my tastes. But I like Monroe. And I'm intrigued by the royals, or whatever they are...

Speaking of procedural cop shows, masquerading as something more interesting...Beauty and The Beast is a thing now, again. The "Beast" is a guy who was given adrenaline based super soldier powers by the military, and is now in hiding. Beauty is a detective, but doesn't seem to be great at her job. It's honestly a bit of a train wreck, and boy is it cheese-tastic, but I'm going to keep watching it.

I've been watching Arrow, and it is also full of the cheese, but I do like it. It's basically a typical superhero story, but I like that sort of thing. Umm, the acting is kind of bad though.

Movie Review! Wreck It Ralph

 

Hubby and I knew we wanted to see this the minute we saw the previews. In sum, it's a story about video game characters, specifically Ralph, who is a bad guy that wants to be a good guy. So he leaves his game and goes to other games with the goal of winning a medal that will earn him respect and so forth...

What Worked In This Movie...

 

Ralph is likeable. The premise is likeable. You sympathize with his and you get emotionally invested in his desire for a less miserable life.

It was a lot of fun to see cameos from games that we know and love--Sonic the Hedgehog, Pac-man, and so forth. The references were fun. I got the feeling that the writers know and feel affection for video games, and for arcades, and for the era when such things were at their peak. I loved the attention to detail.

It's just a really happy movie. It made me smile. But, I mean, it's a kids movie, it ought to make you smile.

Except this part. Homelessness is a bummer.

 What Didn't Work

 

If I had to name a disappointment, it would be the amount of time they spend in the race game "Sugar Rush", with the little girl character, Vanelope (sp??). Yeah, she's cute, but I wanted to see more, different games. She kind of takes over the plot. It's not bad, but I can't help but feel that this movie would be so much better with less of her.

Recommendation

As such things go, I would recommend this movie. That is, if you like children's/family movies, this is a good one. I like gamers in particular will get a kick out of it.

That's all for now, fellow penguins. What have you been watching lately?

Review of Fables, Vol. 2: Animal Farm, by Bill Willingham

Today I continue my discussion the Fables series with a brief review of Volume 2, which is the story arc known as Animal Farm.

To briefly recap volume one, we had all of our fairy tale characters living in a secret community in New York City, after they were forced to flee their homelands centuries ago. Snow White is essentially in charge, Bigby (the wolf) is now in human form and is sheriff. Snow White's lesser known sister, Rose Red, fakes her own death and is now (in volume 2) being punished with community service. Snow drags Rose with her on a trip to the farm, an upstate chunk of land where non-human looking fables hide from the mundane world. There they find discontent among the farms inhabitants, with a revolution being plotted against the human fables, perceived now as jailors and overlords.

Positive Comments

Now, at no time in my academic career was I actually made to read Animal Farm by George Orwell. At one point, we did read a summary and watch part of the movie for the purpose of knowing something about it, should it show up on one of our AP tests. I know the general idea, but not necessarily the details. However, I did find recognizable and humorous nods to the original story in this book, and I felt that was very smart.

I found the entire plot of the book engaging. It seemed realistic to me that the farm dwellers would ultimately feel underprivileged and restless, and that this might lead to violence. The real kicker for me was when Goldilocks turns up as a vocal ring leader on the side of the rebellion, she being sympathetic to the animals in light of her history. It was so shocking and so hilarious to see her grown up and wielding a gun--a serious stroke of genius.

We are given more ideas on what it is that makes fables tick, in terms of immortality and power. We are basically told that human belief helps to keep them alive. Not a new idea in the fantasy realm, but still one worth exploring in this world.

Critical Comments

 

Once the revolution comes to it's conclusion, we become removed from the story as it's now told second hand. I was a little disappointed, as I thought they could have shown a lot more in terms of the aftermath. It would have provided an opportunity to see more of the nonhuman fables, many of whom were glossed over so very briefly.

Recommendation

 

All I can really say is that you have to try the series to know if you'll like it. It's a great take on twisted fairy tales, and it's a lot of fun--it's humorous, smart, and quirky. I liked the plot of volume 2 perhaps a hair more than that of volume 1, which was more of a murder mystery and therefor not my cup of tea. So I will say that if you've read the first installment and felt kind of "meh" about it, it's worth trying this one to know for sure. 4 stars.  

On Apples: A Review of Snow Spell by Sonia Pereira Murphy

Okay folks, I'm just going to do a mini review for this one, as there isn't a lot to say about it. It's not long, and a normal detailed review is going to give too much away, so...

Snow Spell is a modern day(ish?) retelling of Snow White told in poetry and set in Paris. I agreed to read it at the request of the author, because I thought that whole premise sounded really, fantastically different. Whenever someone sends me something that's not just another angsty, vaguely paranormal YA, I'm all over it. Yes, please.

Positive Comments

 

The upside of this version of Snow White is that it is indeed different, and I think readers might even be a tad surprised at points. We have a love interest that actually interacts with Neve (Snow), for example, and the relationship is more layered and complex than you might expect. We also have the addition of magic, where we see that not only the evil stepmother has magic--Neve is a witch as well. Very cool. All of this, combined with the unusual style of writing makes it a winning story. I can tell you that I'm not normally a poetry fan, but I found that it worked well with the tone of this story.

Critical Comments

 

The biggest problem with this story is that it's short. It was only after I finished it that I realized that it actually breaks me rule on the length of stories I'm willing to accept for review--my policy specifically states that I don't accept anything under 100 pages, and Amazon estimates this one at 78. Oops. That policy is in place because I'm not good with short stories, I don't prefer them, and I find that they make for inadequate reviews. But, here we are. The reason that I complain about the length with this one is that I really do feel that there could have been more to this story, both in terms of depth and breadth. I would have liked to see more pages dedicated to character development, particularly with regard to Neve and her love interest. I would have liked to know more about magic and witches and how all of that works. Perhaps we are limited by format here, I can imagine that it's not easy to write a novel in prose poems, but my criticism stands.

Recommendation

 

Yes to this book if you are a fairy tale fan and you don't mind short stories. If your leery of the poetry aspect, I can say as a non-poetry fan that you should try it anyway--you won't really notice it that much. The only reason I would not recommend this is if your a stickler for detail and you like a lot of heavy development. Otherwise, it's a far story to spend an hour or two on. 3.5 stars.

A Review of Fables Vol. 1: Legends in Exile by Bill Willingham

Fairytale retellings are big these days. They are literally all over the book market, and I couldn't be happier about that. The only downside is that, with so many, it's really difficult to sniff out the good from the bad. And so I rely on recommendations...and so I decided to try Fables, even though I rarely go for graphic novels.

The basic premise is that the fairy tale characters we're all familiar with (Snow White, Jack the Giant Killer, The Big Bad Wolf, and so forth), were forced to flee their homelands when they were attacked by a mysterious and vicious adversary. Now they reside in New York City, under a secret government with Snow White as the Deputy Mayor. This book is mostly a murder mystery, when Rose Red (Snow White's sister), goes missing amidst a great deal of blood. Bigby (the once Big Bad Wolf), is the detective in charge of solving the mystery.

Positive Comments

I liked the twisted, jaded view of these characters. Snow White is divorced from Prince Charming, who is shown to be quite the tool. Jack is full of get rich quick schemes. Bigby is portrayed as sort of werewolfish, but is also very smart and awkwardly charming. This is a world with a big cast and a lot of potential, and it knows how to use it's characters in a twisted and amusing way.

Critical Comments

As far as the actual story goes, it's a little meh. I'm not big on mysteries, so I wasn't that invested. I wasn't bored, because it was amusing enough just to watch these characters exist and interact in our world. But the plot by itself? Not so fantastic.

Recommendation

Fairytale fans, this one is for you. It's clever, unusual, and just plain fun. Even if you don't normally read graphic novels, I'd recommend this one. 4.5 stars.

On Girl Power: A Review of The Stepsister Scheme by Jim C. Hines

I'm a big, big fan of fairy tale retellings and sequels and so forth. So when I stumbled upon this fantasy series by Jim C. Hines I knew it was for me.

The Stepsister Scheme tells the story of what happens AFTER the so called happy ending of Cinderella's (named Danielle in this one) story. Danielle is still struggling to adapt to her new life as a princess, when her beloved husband is kidnapped and taken to Fairytown. Knowing that her stepsisters are behind his disappearance, Danielle is determined to rescue him personally. She teams up with Snow White (a sorceress) and Talia, aka Sleeping Beauty, and embarks on a journey to take back her happily ever after.

Positive Comments

Easily the most appealing aspect of this book is the girl power factor. Snow has some heavy duty magic, Talia is a fighting and weapons expert, and Danielle is no shrinking violet either. I enjoyed seeing Danielle try to come into her own, and learn not to be a helpless victim.

Hines implements plenty of whimsy, so this actually feels like a fairy story. There's sword fighting and curses, but there's also little gnomes and horses with wings. It's light and adorable, without being childish. At the same time, the tone of the story remains suspenseful, and has some grim moments as well. This isn't an easy balance to achieve, but I felt Hines pulled it off well.

Critical Comments

This is what I would call a plot driven adventure novel. The one downside is that there's a certain lack of emotional connection. Even as Danielle was searching for the love of her life, the most powerful emotion I ever felt from her was determination. When emotional moments are attempted, they fall short, in my opinion.

Recommendation

If you like twisted fairy tales, or fantasy in general, I would definitely recommend this own. It's light, fun, and entertaining. 4 stars.  

Reading Penguin Goes to the Movies: Snow White and the Huntsman

Such mixed feelings going into this movie...I love fairy tales, and I love when books and movies do dark twisted things with them, and it had Chris Hemsworth who is so sexy and just the right amount of talented...but it also had Kristen Stewart. To be fair, the only other thing I'd seen her do was Twilight, and I hated those movies on a level where everything in them seemed comically bad.

The truth is, this movie was really quite good. It tells the traditional Snow White story with the evil stepmother and the dwarfs and the apple--but it does so in a tone that sets it apart from other versions. First, we have the huntsman as a dominate character with a back story--who ultimately becomes a love interest. Such and awesome concept. But if you're about to write this movie off because you think it's a romance and you don't like romance, don't. More than anything else this is a fantasy, with magic that ranges from enchanting to creepy as hell.

The Good Stuff:

• Kristen Stewart, I owe you half an apology. You were not as terrible in this as I expected. Is she a great actress? No, not by any means. She can't do quiet moments effectively and she can't sell a romance worth dung. But surprisingly, she does anger, passion, fear, and determination very well. Near the end, she gives this "stand up and fight" speech that was tremendously engrossing. I was so happy to see a movie that put a princess in battle armor.
• Chris Hemsworth--I want to have your babies. Or the Huntsman's babies. Or possibly Thor's. I don't know. But please call me. He was perfect in this part. So surly and drunk, but also likeable and sympathetic. I thought he was a bit underused, an I would have liked to see more of him.
• The look of the movie. I liked that it had gross moments and dirty scenes and an overall gritty atmosphere. That offset very well parts such as the fairy forest, which was beautiful. At first, I saw CGI birds and bunnies and started laughing, but as I got into the scene I found myself really taken with it--mushrooms with eyes and turtles covered in moss and pixie things everywhere. 
• The dwarfs were awesome. Funny, gruff, and very useful. They add humor without being reduced to dumb comedy relief. 

The "Meh" Stuff:

• Evil queens are evil. Do I care about their back stories or why they are evil? No, not really. In the context of a book, yes, but in the context of a movie where time is limited--no. I felt that too much time was given to the queen that could have been better used elsewhere. Though to her credit, she is appropriately frightening.
• William is the most unnecessary character ever. He's Snow's childhood friend, and for awhile I worried he was there for love triangle purposes. He really isn't, thank God, but then what the hell is he doing here? No offense to the actor--I just didn't see a place for him. 

Side Note: Our audience this time contained a mother and her very small child (maybe 4 years old?). It's a PG-13 movie so...yeah. Just because it has "Snow White" in the title does not mean it's appropriate for little ones.  A while in, we heard the little girl ask her mother if they could leave, and they did, but not before the part where the evil queen eats a small bird's bloody heart. So a note of caution to parents out there: exercise some judgement with this movie.

Overall, though, I do recommend it. As fairy tale retellings go, this is great. It's deep and twisted, tells a great story, and keeps you entertained with action and emotion. Happy watching!

On Cyborgs: A Review of Cinder by Marissa Meyer

The second I saw the cover art, I knew that Cinder was going to be a must read for me. Not only is it a fairy tale retelling, which I consider one of my personal specialties, it also happens to be a futuristic sci-fi novel. Two of my preferred genres in one? Yes, please.

The story is exactly what the cover hints at. It's the story of Cinderella, retold in a futuristic setting, in which Cinder is a cyborg. And a mechanic, among other things. She first meets the prince when he asks her to fix his android, and the two form an instant connection (not Disney instant...romance novel instant, which is a step up). The prince, Kai, is literally plagued with problems. His father is dieing, and he will soon be taking over as emperor of the Eastern Commonwealth (most of Asia, I believe). The kingdom suffers from an incurable disease, and the political threats from the Lunars. Cinder's own family is touched by the disease, and she soon becomes wrapped up in the search for a cure. Amidst all of this, a romance blossoms, and Cinder secretly wants more than anything to dance with the prince at his ball.

Positive Comments

Awesome characters. Cinder has a lot of the traditional Cinderella traits--the dedication to hard work, patience, kindness, and humility--but she also has a bit of an attitude. She has a barely suppressed rebellious streak. And unlike traditional Cinderella, she takes actions to try to change her lot in life. I like that. Kai is a great match for her. He's charming and caring, just as we would expect, but he also shows signs of flaws and doubts. He has a huge weight on his shoulders, and he shows that strain. He puts his country and his people first. All of this has really just made me want to see them together more.

The plots and subplots are incredibly vivid and interesting. I liked the concept of cyborgs, and the idea that people would be prejudice against them felt realistic to me. I also liked that this gave Cinder's stepmother and sister a reason to hate and mistreat her, other than "I don't like you and your father is dead, so suck it." I liked the disease plot, and the teeny bit of science that went with that. I liked the political drama. I harbor a secret fondness for political drama in novels, when delivered in small doses. I like the the politics in the Kushiel's Legacy books, for example. Moving on...

The world building is simply enthralling. I want it to be a show or a video game or for there to be about 12 more books so that I can immerse myself in this world for days on end. I want to know more about the Lunars and their abilities, I want to understand the Earthen politics, I want to know more about the plague and all of the people it's affected. I want to meet more cyborgs. I want to understand all the technology, and I want to know how it is that the robots seem to feel emotion.

Critical Comments

Ok, I know what your thinking: She's about to name something really trivial just to be contrary. Just so she doesn't have to hand out the rare and much coveted 5 star rating. Yeah that's...kind of true. But this is a real flaw, if a small one. The plot is predictable. The big reveal at the end? Not much of a reveal. I don't think the author meant it to be, though. I think we were meant to figure the mystery out long before the characters do. But the point still stands.

Recommendation

This book is a YA, so if you really hate teen oriented books I guess this one is out for you. But otherwise, I seriously recommend giving it a try. If you're a sci-fi fan, a fairy tale fan, or even a romance fan, you'll like this book. 4.5 stars.

On Dancing: A Review of Entwined by Heather Dixon

I think you're all vividly aware by now that I love fairy tale re-tellings. Well, Entwined is exactly that: a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. That wasn't a fairytale I was too familiar with, so I was really excited to read this one.

Azalea and her eleven sisters are miserable in mourning following their mother's death. They must stay inside, dress in black, and worst of all they are not permitted to dance. When they discover a secret passage in the castle, guarded by a man known as the Keeper, they are delighted at the opportunity to sneak away in the night to dance. But Azalea soon realizes that Keeper is more than what he seems, and starts to suspect that their secret might be a very dangerous one.

Positive Comments

Dixon nailed the big family atmosphere, spot on. I love how the sisters interact in this book, and the feeling of closeness between them. I really like how she portrayed their father, the King. He reminded me of the father from The Sound of Music--he's strict and seems cold, but it's only because he can't get past the pain of his wife's death. And he really likes rules and order. So the girls treat him more like their dictator than a beloved father. Watching him deal with that was pretty touching.

The mythology is well put together. It's darker than you might expect based on the blurb and cover, but to me that was a good thing. There are a lot of beautiful moments and several dark and scary moments. It's well balanced and well paced.

I loved the villain. He had dimension, development, and motivation: one of the more well written villains that I've seen.

Critical Comments

The characters blurred together for me. Azalea felt indistinct. She isn't extraordinarily clever or brave or smart or funny. He most defining traits are her love of dance and her responsibilities as an older sister. Her character development consists of trying to be more and more like her dearly departed mother, which is perfectly understandable. I guess I wish she had discovered a little more about herself while she was at it. The other sisters have very simple personalities that you can define in one or two words each--Bramble is snarky, Clover is shy, Delphinium is dramatic, Ivy is gluttonous...and I honestly can't remember anything about the others. In the authors defense, I don't think I could reasonably expect her to develop twelve daughters in one book. But I wish the older girls were more memorable.

The romance(s) are very simplified. It's a fairytale, so I can mostly excuse that. And the couples in question do at least spend time together prior to declaring everlasting love--it isn't quite Disney circa Snow White level of simplicity. I would have liked a bit more, though.

Recommendation

If you love fairytale re-tellings, this one is worth reading. As a fantasy book it's decent. As a romance it's mediocre. But if a family oriented fairytale is what you want, this is for you. 3 stars.

On Glass Slippers: A Review of A Kiss at Midnight by Eloisa James

A Kiss at Midnight is a Cinderella retelling set in Regency England. I'm going to come at this review from the approach of comparing it to other versions of Cinderella that I've read seen (a good handful), tell you what changes were made, what was kept the same, and whether the book was better off because of it. If I graded this as a plain old historical romance, I suspect the grade would come out very different (not necessarily better).

Positive Comments:

Kate is our Cinderella figure. She lives with her stepmother and stepsister, her parents are dead, and she's pretty much a maid--the usual drill. Most Cinderella's that I've seen are passive heroines--patient, kind, and hard working. Kate has significantly more backbone. She stays in the maid role not because she can't get out, but because she wants to protect the other servants and tenants from her stepmother's inept employment. I like strong heroines, and even though I didn't agree with all of Kate's decisions, I liked her.

Instead of meeting the prince at a ball, Kate spends a good amount of time in his castle (4 or 5 days, I believe). That means that, unlike in the original fairy tale they actually get to talk and get to know each other. A bit. It's not perfect, but the effort was made to actually build up the romance, and that's a good thing.

The stepsister, Victoria, is not evil, just kind of dim. Victoria isn't a rival for the prince's affections, because she's already in love and engaged. Kate and Victoria have a fairly typical sister-sister relationship that allows for some affection in the end, and I prefer that to hateful rivalry.

The mice are replaced with three small dogs with unique personalities. They didn't really serve a purpose in the story, except for one of them being a plot catalyst, but I thought they made cute sidekicks.

Critical Comments:

Kate has Daddy Issues. In the original story, Mom dies, and Dad remarries so that Cinderella will have a mother figure. In this version, Dad marries his mistress, who he's kept for years. It's revealed fairly early on that the stepmother's daughter, Victoria, is biologically his. Naturally Kate is upset by her father's infidelity (I can relate). There are some really uncomfortable themes that spring out of this, though. First, Kate repeatedly says that she want's someone just like Daddy, minus the cheating...Really Kate? Must you be such a cliche? I guess it's good that she's self aware about the whole thing.

Anyway, Kate meets Prince Gabriel and after some verbal bantering she starts to get the hots for him. It's revealed that he's had his way with his share of the ladies--he has a wondering eye, just like Daddy! And then we learn that Daddy once gave up on a marriage to a girl he loved in favor of one with buckets of money. Guess what the prince is doing? Marrying a girl with a big dowry! These parallels are drawn intentionally, and it's supposed to help build up tension so that we want Gabriel to do the right thing and NOT end up like Kate's father. Honestly though, it kind of killed the romantic glow for me. I really felt like her attraction to him had some deep rooted psychological implications that I'd rather not see creep into my fairy tale romance, thank you very much.

I felt like the romance between Kate and Gabriel was only just passable. They have chemistry, but it seems incomplete to me.  They spend a ton of page time apart. Even their first sex scene together is interrupted. So yes, it's more than you usually see in the Cinderella fairytale, but it still isn't enough.

Lastly, instead of a fairy godmother, we get a regular godmother named Henry. This is a personal opinion, not any flaw in the writing, but I just didn't care for Henry. She's kind of brash and worldly, when I would have preferred someone a bit more maternal. But this is a small flaw.

Does this book work as a fairytale? It's ok. It's trying way to hard to be cynical and realistic, and that takes the fairytale feel out of the equation. As retellings go, it isn't the worst I've seen. I would definitely recommend it more to historical romance fans than fairytale fans. 3 stars.

Miscellaneous Mondays: Thanksgiving and The Muppets

In this week's Misc. Monday I'm going to share with you some of the things I did/watched over break, when I wasn't doing family things. I hope everyone's week was as relaxing as mine!

The Muppets

 Josh had been looking forward to this new Muppet movie for months. The Muppets were a huge part of his childhood, so the nostalgic value was up there with how I feel for Beauty and the Beast. For me, I didn't see most of the movies until a bit later in my life, with the exception of The Muppet Christmas Carol which I love. I enjoy them, but I'm not the fan that Josh is. So I went in expecting to feel pretty apathetic. Well...I cried. It was the Rainbow Connection number that did me in, and I'm a weepy person in general. Nonetheless, I cried at a Muppet movie, and I laughed a lot too. Overall, it's about as good as you can ask for from a family movie, so I highly recommend it.

How to Train Your Dragon

I rented a ton of movies, and this was probably the one I enjoyed the most. Obviously I love fantasy books and movies. And, damn it, there just aren't enough dragons in movies these days. It has a cliched plot with a geeky son who's warlord father can't accept him. The son befriends a dragon that he's supposed to kill...it's pretty predictable. But it's also funny and clever in some respects, and it gave me my dragon fix so it was a winner in my book.

Beastly

This was the other notable rental for the week. I've been on this whole fairy tale kick, so I picked this one up even though I sort of knew it wouldn't be very good. And it was pretty awful. The dialogue was awkward, the acting was terrible for the most part, and the romance felt lukewarm. There were some cool or at least interesting ideas, like the tree tattoo on Kyle/Hunter that changes with the seasons. There were moments where I really wanted to like it. I really think that modernizations or re-imaginings of fairy tales can work, but it has to be done with thought as subtly. This movie is anything but subtle about everything from it's character personalities to it's overall message, and that more than anything is why it was a fail for me.

Lego Harry Potter (Part 2)

Yet another indulgence for my inner child. Josh and I played the first game and loved it, so I went ahead and got him the second one for his birthday. The Lego games are great for me because they're fun, easy, and low pressure. When you die, you lose coins, but you pop right back up on the screen. That's good because in video games I'm extremely death prone. I didn't play any when I was growing up, so it just isn't a skill that I've acquired. In any case, I really enjoy playing as my favorite Harry Potter characters--Tonks! Luna! Snape!




Poll Results!

Time Machine was the favorite of the mad scientist inventions. I think it's best, however, that this one never be invented. Think of all of the paradoxes we'd cause just trying to go back in time to kill Hitler or forward in time to memorize lottery numbers. The world would be a mess! It's a lovely thought though.
This week, since I shared with you my love of dragons, I'm asking what classic fantasy creature is your favorite! Take a second to vote in the poll on the right side of your screen! Thanks a bunch, and Happy Reading!

Miscellaneous Mondays: Celebrating the Supernatural!

Welcome to Miscellaneous Mondays! Happy Halloween! As you might guess, Halloween is probably my favorite holiday. Unfortunately, I'm not doing much to celebrate this year due to time and money constraints. But, in place of the costumes and candy deal, I'm going to talk about some of the creepy/cute/fun supernatural stuff in my life!

Monsters!

This week's Supernatural revisited another classic motif of the show: The bad guys pretending to be our heroes, and thus getting them in a ton of trouble. Personally I think shapeshifters that have the ability to look like anyone are freaking terrifying. Hunting monsters that look like monsters would be bad enough. Hunting monsters that might look like your brother or your best friend or your grandmother? That seems impossible.

In other monster news, here is my updated Monster High doll collection.

The three new dolls are Draculaura, Clawd, and Holt Hyde. All were birthday presents from Josh.

Fairy Tales!

Watching the premier of Once Upon a Time kind of got me on a fairy tale kick. It appears to be a show that's going to mix fairy tales with contemporary drama. It remains to be seen how successful the blend will be, but I love the concept.

I also watched the premier of Grimm online, since it's on at the same time as Supernatural. This one seems to be a crime show mixed with fairy tale characters. Again, I love the concept, but I have no idea if it will be something that the writers and cast can continue to make interesting week after week.

All of this called back to mind one of my favorite obscure shows--The Tenth Kingdom. This was a miniseries that aired back in 2000. It's basically about young woman named Virginia who, along with her father, gets sucked into a world where fairy tales are real. It was a fun show that didn't take itself too seriously--it's delightfully awkward and cheesy. It is also, unfortunately, very hard to actually find. If you can track it down online to watch it, it's totally worth it. I introduced it to Josh, who enjoyed it quite a bit. We're both bummed that there was no sequel or follow up of any kind.

Weekly Poll Results: Beauty and the Beast Wins!

I chose this poll because of my aforementioned fairy tale kick. Here's what the results look like in pie form!






It was a pretty close race between Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid, but in the end Beast prevailed. I love all fair tales, but yes, Beauty and the Beast is my favorite too...

See, I have evidence!

  ...This is from last Halloween. Yep, you never quite outgrow the awesomeness that is Beauty and the Beast. And yes, before anyone seeks to educate me in this matter, I realize that all fairy tales have been around long before Disney came along and sanitized the hell out of them. But it was the Disney version that I saw first, so that's what started my affection for it.

Leaving aside cartoons for a moment, beauty/beast stories are used pretty frequently in romance novels. Sometimes it's as a deliberate  retelling, such as in When Beauty Tamed the Beast. But in other cases, it's a subtler thing. One of my favorite examples is J.R. Ward's Lover Awakened. You have a hero who is horribly and permanently scarred, and has zero social skills. The heroine, seemingly his opposite in every way, has a herculean task in even getting him to trust her. In the end, the story is surprisingly touching. Do you have a favorite beauty/beast book? Do share!

In keeping with the fairy tale theme, this weeks poll is Favorite Disney Heroine. Please take a second to vote, on the right of your screen. Happy Reading!

Ten Stuck-In-My-Head Books

I've always been a big reader, and I've always sort of read within the same genres you see on this blog. The earliest books I can remember choosing on my own were R.L Stine's Goosebumps  and the American Girl books. Fantasy, horror, history, and romance. There are a few specific books/series from my childhood/early teens that I want to pay tribute to, because of their marked influence on my current reading habits. I'm sure there are plenty of wonderful books that I read and then forgot about, which is unfortunate. But these are the ones that stuck with me, so they really matter. Here we go, in no particular order (ranking things is not one of my strong suites).

Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling: I talked about the awesome nostalgic power of the Harry Potter books in a previous post, but they deserve another brief mention.  They were my introduction to full sized novels and the very first time I came across many classic fantasy elements. I feel like I learned a lot from Harry Potter, about following an intricate plot, spotting foreshadowing, keeping track of details, and analyzing complex characters. As an adult, I recognize that it isn't the most original series in the world, but I'll always have a soft spot for it.

The Raging Quiet by Sherryl Jordan: In this historical novel, a young woman named Marnie befriends an outcast, Raver. Everyone thinks he's mad, but it turns out he's simply deaf--and Marnie is the first person to have the compassion and patience to try to communicate with him. I read this book in my very early teens and I've always remembered it as incredibly sweet and romantic. Not to mention hopeful. I think it was one of the first books to make me see the power of happy endings, which is what romance novels are all about.

Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause: This is not one of the happier books I've ever read, but it is incredibly compelling. This was my very first werewolf/shape-shifter book. The heroine, Vivian, is a werewolf who is just coming into her womanhood. She struggles between falling in love with a human, Aiden, who is so very different from her, and giving into her wolf heritage to mate within her pack. That's a dilemma that many shape-shifter books deal with, and in my opinion this little book addresses it as thoroughly and provocatively as you'll ever see.

The Princess Bride by William Goldman: A lot of people seem to forget that this was a book before it was a movie. I read it it all in one day when I had a particularly contagious flu--coincidental, because Goldman's narration features him being read to as a sick child. It's a fun romp of a fairytale in which Buttercup is rescued from marriage to the dastardly Prince Humperdink, and ultimately finds true love. It's one of the most memorable and quotable stories you will ever encounter.

Tithe by Holly Black: This gritty and slightly mad tale is probably what sparked my interest in urban fantasy. Kaye is a changeling, and she rescues Roiben (a fae knight). As Kaye is introduced to the fae world, readers are treated to dark and surreal themes and imagery. I can't help but recall this book whenever I read Seanan McGuire, Karen Marie Moning, or Julie Kagawa. It's set the standard for me when it comes to fairy books.

The Angels Trilogy by Lurlene Mcdaniel: These are what one might call "inspirational" books--not something I read too often, but not something I specifically avoid either. Leah, the heroine, is forced to stay in the hospital by herself. There she meets an Amish family, and forms an attraction to one of their sons--Ethan. Ethan's family and upbringing, and most of all his religion, place him at odds with his growing feelings toward Leah. It's a slightly melancholy, but still uplifting, story about self discovery and making painful choices as you mature.

The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede: Slightly skewed fairy tales, written for preteen/early teen readers. In starts out with the slightly tomboy-like Princess Cimorene, and continues through her trials and adventures, later following her son. I really enjoyed that concept. It's an excellent set of books if you like slightly humorous fantasy.

Summers at Castle Auburn by Sharon Shinn: Maybe this isn't technically a young adult, but it's a wonderful book from a really brilliant author. Corie is the illegitimate daughter of a noble lord, and she serves as an apprentice to her healer grandmother. Along the way, Corie follows her uncle on his journey to find the fairy folk. The book is full of romance, drama, court politics, and character development. Sharon Shinn remains one of my favorite fantasy writers.

The Spirit Window by Joyce Sweeney: In this atmospheric story about relationships and personal connections, Miranda visits her grandmother. There she meets Adam, a part Cherokee boy who she quickly falls in love with. I remember this story not just for the youthful spirit of romance that it presents, but also for it's message of reverence toward nature.

The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci: In this book, the class outcast and frequent victim of bullying goes missing. The incident makes Torey Adams, a popular guy, look at his friends and his life a lot differently. He tries to solve the case of the missing boy, and along the way transforms into a more mature and somewhat jaded person. I liked this book because it's slightly dark, the story is three dimensional and realistic, and it sparked my interest in suspense novels.

And there it is, my top ten most memorable books from long ago (well, not that long ago). Happy Reading!