Gallego Garcia, Laura. The Valley of the Wolves. Arthur A. Levine Books, 2006. 247 p. $16.99. 0-439-58553-8.
*translated into English by Margaret Sayers Peden
Dana has grown up on a farm with a very large family, and yet has always felt very alone. Her strange friendship with a boy that only she can see has prevented her from forming relationships with those around her. Still, with Kai, her unusual friend, by her side, she is happy enough with her lot in life. However, when it becomes apparent that Dana has an aptitude for magic, she is whisked away to a faraway academy of sorcery known as The Tower, and begins her training to become a maga. She moves through her lessons with grace, and she steadily gains confidence in her talents. The mystery of Kai's origins still elude her, and she becomes even more curious when she is visited by the image of a powerful female sorcerer who comes to her with a request. In her efforts to learn more about her visions, she may find out more than she originally bargained for.
The Valley of the Wolves is a fast-paced tale of magic with a strong focus on friendship, the love we have for those closest to us, and what we will do to protect them. There are few typographical inconsistencies in an otherwise smooth translation, but readers will nonetheless wait with anticipation to find out Kai's secret origins, Dana's true magical ability, and the loyalties of the mysterious Maestro and Fenris, her fellow student of sorcery. The magical atmosphere is not alarmingly present in the text, but those looking for a Hogwartsian setting may be pleasantly surprised.
Title: Looking for Alaska
Author: John Green
ISBN#: 9780525475064 (hardcover)
I made a mental note to check out one of John Green's books after I started watching vlogbrothers (a collaborative video project between John and his brother Hank). I finally followed through on this plan during a recent trip to the library. His name just popped into my mind, and so I searched for Looking for Alaska, his first novel.
Looking for Alaska takes place at a boarding school in Alabama where Miles, the narrator, goes to in search of the "Great Perhaps." He isn't exactly sure of what that is, but he feels compelled to go after it. After all, he doesn't have much to lose, but everything to gain. Once he arrives at Culver Creek, he meets his roommate (Chip, or, the Colonel), gets a nickname (Pudge), and meets Alaska (no... that really is her name).
It's safe to say that Pudge goes through a lot of changes at Culver Creek. He didn't have very close friends back home in Florida, first of all, and he'd certainly never met anyone like Alaska. He finds her instantly intriguing, and, with all of her characteristics and mannerisms, I found myself sympathetic to that. She is, without a doubt, interesting.
It's hard for me to write this review without attempting to sum it up, but this isn't a book that you can just describe to someone else (therefore I won't even try, which is probably better).I really enjoyed reading from Pudge's perspective--seeing him change during his stay in Alabama, realize his feelings for Alaska (whatever they are), and even eating bufriedos.Everyone in Pudge's immediate circle of friends has some unusual talent or quirk (one memorizes countries and their capitals, another can rap on the spot... etc.), and they're all very intelligent.
John Green's writing style is incredibly poetic, even when describing the simplest of things.I could just hear his voice as I was reading, almost as if it was actually John talking to me--and I mean that in the best of ways.I also wondered just how much of Looking for Alaska was autobiographical.That made the book, which already had a certain amount of mystery, even more mysterious.How much of it actually happened?
If you're looking for something very thoughtful, witty, or just plain well executed, try Looking for Alaska.It's definitely made me more of a John Green fan.On a side-note, reading his novel made a lot of the little references that he makes in his video blogs with Hank a lot clearer--so there's also that to look forward to!I will certainly be reading more of his works in the future.
And here is a video from John Green, which pretty much covers what I was trying to get at with the autobiographical thing:
Title: Knightley Academy Author: Violet Haberdasher ISBN #: 1416991433
Today, for my first review (ever!) ... Knightley Academy! I hope I do it justice; please remember that I am new at this!
I will start off by saying that Knightley Academy (KA) was a nice change of pace. While I do love magic and I can tolerate vampires, it was good to read something that focused on a different subject. Although we do come across some familiar elements, it is still quite refreshing and entertaining.
KA tells the story of Henry Grim, an orphan working as a servant at the Midsummer School for Boys, and he's not too thrilled about it. He's treated poorly by those he works with, and is the recipient of a lot of negativity from the students with wealthier upbringings. What keeps him going are his secret lessons with Professor Stratford--which are actually preparation for an exam for the school for knights, Knightley Academy. The thing is, no one has passed the entrance exam for years--but wait; Henry isn't even a student! Through a little loophole in the exam rules (anyone that resides at the Midsummer school may participate), Henry is allowed to sit the exam. He is accepted after getting spectacular marks, but he's the only one at the school to pass--and a commoner, nonetheless! His acceptance causes quite a stir not just at the Midsummer School, but across the country as well.
Things get a little crazier once Henry is actually at the academy. He meets Frankie (the tomboy daughter of the headmaster) and his roommates, Adam and Rohan, who are also not your typical students. Their presence causes some controversey, and they are the targets of many a prank--some from Henry's rival, Valmont, and others much more mysterious and even sinister. Who is behind it all? The answer may surprise you... but I'm not telling!
The narration of the story is what really got me. It's witty without being overdone, and just gripping enough to make you want to sit there and read. I laughed at the little things and really sympathized with Henry and his friends, who were only trying to get used to their new surroundings. Adam, a Jewish boy, has only ever known a life of inevitable boredom--his family is full of accountants. Going to Knightley was, without a doubt, a much more preferable option for him, and was surprised to get in. Rohan (who is Indian), on the other hand, had a more privileged upbringing, but shares his struggles with the other boys. I also found a lot of amusement in Valmont, Henry's rival from the Midsummer School. After forcing his way into the school via his uncle, the disgruntled history professor, he and Henry face each other on a number of occasions and sometimes you don't know whether to love him or hate him.
There is, of course, that little familiarity I was talking about earlier... At times I felt like I would soon be walking the halls of Hogwarts, but the interesting thing about that is that Haberdasher acknowledges it (hence my favorite quote: "What do you think this is, magic school?"). There isn't a dull moment that I can recall. The plot is extremely imaginative, and I give the author a lot of credit for coming up with something as unique as Knightley Academy, because, really--sword fights? Mysterious goings-on in a Victorian setting? Competitions and something unusual brewing just underneath the surface? It's so exciting and fun!
I would recommend Knightley Academy to anyone looking for adventure, mystery, or even just something to try after reading all of the Harry Potter books. I am very much looking forward to the sequel!
For some added fun, here is a YouTube video of the author herself reading the first part of chapter 1:
(I hope that wasn't too much summary...! As I said, I'm a newbie!)
