I enjoyed the YA novel The white darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean during the week (thanks philia_fan for the rec!). This story is narrated by the socially inept 14-year-old Sym, whose world is turned upside down after a short family holiday turns into something much more. It’s hard to talk about the plot without giving too much away, but it involves lots of action. At one stage I had to put the book down and read something else for a while as the tension became too great. The action doesn’t just take place in Sym’s life but also in her mind. We get to observe as she struggles to reinterpret her family’s past and determine what is real in her life and what is not. I loved watching her sense of self strengthen throughout the story.

But this isn't your ordinary coming of age tale. One of the main characters is dead. Titus Oates, Antarctic explorer, lives as Sym's friend in her mind. His character is convincingly portrayed and I'm sure I can't be the only reader who fell in love with him. I went through a period of reading about Antarctic exloration at one time and came away with the impression that the explorers must have been slightly mad (sorry, Titus). And the descriptions in this book confirm that impression – McCaughrean does an excellent job of conveying the sheer size and ferocity of the continent.

Readers who are interested in the role of the imagination in dealing with real life troubles will particularly enjoy this book, as will people who enjoy fast-paced adventure stories.

Tags: adventure, books, mccaughrean, young adult

I just finished reading Dzur, Steven Brust's new Vlad Taltos novel, about an hour ago so I haven't exactly sat down and thought much about it yet. But it was great. It reminded how much I love Brust's writing and how much I'd missed a new book in this series (it's been five years! Not that I didn't love the Viscount of Adrilankha books. I just like Vlad too). It was classic Brust. A different and clever set-up. Lots of laugh out loud moments. Sly allusions to his previous books. So much talk of yummy food that it makes you sure you'd like to have dinner with Brust. Well paced. Adventure, magic, assassinations and other excitement. And only some mention of Vlad's personal situation, but enough to make you feel anxious and impatient for the next book. Plus I want to know more about Lady Teldra!

I'm not sure if many (or indeed any) of my flist reads Brust, but you'll be doing yourself a favour if you do. He's an acquired taste I think. I only loved the Taltos books on my second, more patient read through. Although they can be read independently of each other, they're more fun read in publication order.

In other book news, I read and loved Shannon Hale's Goose girl. I liked it a lot more than Enna burning, perhaps because of the fairytale set up and the reasons lady_schrapnell suggested recently, such as the more sympathetic characters (and definitely the less saintly Isi). After also enjoying Princess academy I'll definitely keep my eye out for more Hale (her blog, linked to on the left, is also very good).

And I've been meaning to mention that I've been reading and loving Hilary McKay's Exile books. They're fantastic! I think I might like them even more thant the Casson books. The latter might be better written and funnier, but I think the Exiles are more believable. What a great author.

Tags: adventure, books, brust, children's, fantasy, hale, humour, mckay

I finally read How I live now by Meg Rosoff, a book which our excellent library inexplicably doesn't own and I kept forgetting at the bookshop. Writing my birthday book list jogged my memory, and I'm glad it did! When I first started reading this book I was uncomfortable about the style and nervous I had used my book voucher poorly. But within a very short time I was completely sucked into the story and actually ended up staying up late to finish it, which is unusual for sleep loving me. For the (I expect) few of you who haven't read How I live now, it's the story of Daisy who is sent to live with her relatives in England and is caught up in a war that only gradually has an impact on her otherwise joyful life in the countryside. The descriptions of Daisy's family, their house and the surrounding countryside are wonderful, and both the happy and tragic parts of the book are well done. I shall mention what I didn't like in a separate post to avoid spoilers.

Another book of note was Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow City by Kirsten Miller. This is a YA thriller that follows the adventures of a group of intrepid teens exploring a hidden city under New York. It's a really fun book that includes hints for young detectives at the end of each chapter. And it's another book that speaks lovingly of New York (other ones I've read this year include Code orange and Peeps). I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected and will keep my eyes out for any sequels.

Tags: adventure, books, miller, romance, rosoff, young adult