Graphic Novels

This week’s topic is Graphic Novels.  Graphic novels have been around for quite some time (thousands of years in some historians’ eyes).  It is only in the last decade or so that they have seen a surge in popularity, especially among young adults.  Why is this?  My theory is that technology has a great deal to do with it.  Young adults these days grow up using various forms of social media to communicate, spend countless hours browsing the Internet and are constantly bombarded with all types of advertisements.  These types of media often incorporate a mixture of images and text that allows the viewer/reader to quickly assimilate a great deal of information and art styles that ‘draw’ the reader into the story.  For that reason graphic novels (which do the same with panels of images and text) seem welcoming and non-threatening, especially to the reluctant reader.  Reluctant readers often are daunted by dense pages of text but graphic novel are less intimidating because while the text is still present it is ‘diluted’ with colorful (or in some cases black and white) images.  Despite what some critics say I think graphic novels also offer just as much as traditional novels.  They are just as rich in plot, character, setting and all the other trademarks that when done well make an excellent novel.  In light of this topic, I’ve decided to review the graphic novel Rapunzel’s Revenge by Dean and Shannon Hale.

Rapunzel’s Revenge

 

A young girl named Rapunzel discovers that Gothel, the rich and domineering woman she calls mother in fact kidnapped her and sentenced her real mother to a life of servitude.  She escapes but is soon captured and imprisoned in a giant tree for several years.  Rapunzel finally escapes and soon after finds herself in the company of a roguish thief named Jack.  In the company of Jack and his goose Goldy, she sets out to free her mother and put an end to Gothel’s tyranny over the surrounding countryside.  She and Jack have several adventures along the way including the rescue of a rancher’s daughter from a murderous band of outlaws and slaying a giant serpent to rescue a belligerent group of dwarves. 

The artwork in this graphic novel is excellent and works well with the text to ‘draw’ the reader into the story.  For example many of the illustrations incorporate the idea of subjective motion though this type of motion was once mostly associated with manga.  This means that the viewer/reader is made to feel that they ARE the object they are viewing rather than just an observer.  One example is a scene in which an outlaw is seen thundering down on the heroes with blurred background of streaking lines behind him. Coupled with Jack’s roguish wit and irreverent banter he engages in with Rapunzel, this creates a sense that the reader is truly a part of their world – something that is much more difficult to accomplish with text alone.

One of the more interesting aspects of this story is Rapunzel’s development as a person.  She begins the story as a naïve and troubled young woman who is unsure of both her origins and current identity.  Her life growing up in a secluded palace has left her unprepared for the harsh realities of an uncaring world.  She quickly develops a strong core of independence and a desire to help others as she journeys the vast wilderness with Jack.  Adventures such as the rescue of a small town from a pack of ravenous predators and band of dwarves from a bloodthirsty river serpent help foster this growth.  I think many teenagers could appreciate and be drawn to Rapunzel due to similar experiences (especially when traversing the dangerous world of High School).  Overall a great read that will thrill both accomplished and reluctant YA readers alike and which stands as a testament to how complex and engaging a graphic novel can be.    

Fantasy

The topic this week is Fantasy.  Fantasy as a genre has been around for decades and in the last twenty years has carved out a large niche in the YA market just as it had previously in the adult one.  Why is this genre so broad and appealing?  I think one reason the genre is so broad is that authors who write it face far fewer restrictions than many.  In fact I would go so far as to say that the only restriction a fantasy author faces is how far he/she can take their imagination.  Whereas a mystery writer must have some sort of crime or puzzle to solve or a writer of religious novels must include some aspect or issue pertaining to religion, a fantasy author faces no such constraints.  As a consequence there is literally something for everyone.  Do you like romance, adventure, grisly crimes, fantastical worlds, horror etc?  There is always a fantasy novel that incorporates at least one of these.  I myself read fantasy novels extensively as a teen (and still do) and can attest to this personally.  I see readers of fantasy as those who are naturally inquisitive, eager to explore new worlds and have the ability (and courage) to detach themselves from their reality and embrace a new one.   Since this describes many young adults, especially teenagers, it makes sense that they would be attracted to it.  For this topic I will discuss the novel Ravenwood by Andrew Peters.

 Ravenwood

The concept of this story is definitely imaginative so far as the setting goes.  It takes place on an island covered with giant trees, the planet’s last bastion against technology and pollution.  The people have carved out a society amongst the various levels of the trees with the noble leaders at the crown and the dark dwelling Rootshooters at the bottom.  Against this setting, the teenaged Ark struggles to save his world.  An unscrupulous noble, Grasp, schemes to sell out the kingdom to the empire of Maw which will use the trees as a resource to fuel their machines.  Ark is not alone as he is joined by fellow Plumber Mucum and other allies, including the deep-dwelling Rootshooters (in this society they are the lowest social class).  Ark and his allies face many obstacles along the way including a giant worm, the kidnapping of Ark’s sister and the full might of the Royal Army.  The only chance Ark has is to learn how to harness his hidden powers – powers which seem to have some sort of mysterious connection to the trees and their denizens.

Overall I thought this novel accomplished everything a good fantasy novel should.  The magic, of which there is not a great amount, is consistent and focuses on the animal denizens of the trees and their symbiotic nature with the world that gives them life.  I found it particularly interesting that the trees had ‘evolved’ to emit a crippling gas (except to the natives) that effectively warded the forest against ‘outside’ intruders.  The characters are all well done and show good development over the course of the story.  Mucum, protagonist Ark’s best friend, changes from someone with racist attitudes toward ‘mudgrubbing’ Rootshooters to someone who respects and admires them as equals.  I think curious and YA readers will find this equally interesting.  The only criticism I really have is that the author included far too many lame puns.  While the occasional good pun goes a long way I think too many bogs down a story and in this case sometimes ‘takes away’ the reader from his or her experience.  YA readers can also identify with Ark who must struggle against both those in authority (adults) and against the changes within his body (a struggle all teenagers go through). 

Dystopian and Post-Apocalyptic Novels

This week’s topic is Dystopian and Post-Apocalyptic novels.  Post-Apocalyptic novels deal with the end of civilization as we know it and the various situations the survivors must cope with while Dystopian novels feature alternative forms of civilization that have extreme imperfections which are the end result of current trends.  Why are these popular among teens?  I align myself with the views of Philip Reeve, a noted author and literary critic.  His views on Dystopian novels are fascinating.   He claims, for example, that it is because when children become teens they also become increasingly aware of the deep injustices that exist in the wider world.  Injustices like child laborers working in scrapyards or forced to serves as cannon fodder in a local despot’s war.  Such scenarios, when reflected in future versions of their own society within a novel, draw their interest.  Some also see themselves in the hero or heroine who survives by relying on his or her own resourcefulness and wit (traits that resonate with increasingly independent teenagers).  As for post-apocalyptic novels I have a few thoughts there as well.  One reason they are so popular is the characters.  Many of these are by necessity independent, ruthless and cunning individuals.  They capture that pioneer spirit that I think still resides in all of us.  The need to explore the unknown free of the restrictions placed on a law-abiding citizen.  Sometimes these characters tweak our ‘freedom’ nerve as they must struggle against a totalitarian regime that has arisen from the ashes of civilization.  Another is that many YA’s, as Reeves points out, chafe under the restrictions of what they view as an ‘Adult’ society.  Those who read such novels may take perverse pleasure in ‘seeing’ this ‘Adult’ society in ruins. 

EPIC

Epic is an entertaining tale the young teenager Erik and his friends who must struggle against the corruption of Central Allocations.  Over a hundred years ago settlers came from the Earth we know and created their own society on New Earth.  They created the global online fantasy game Epic as both a means of entertainment and communication.  However, Epic slowly came under the control of a small elite group, Central Allocations, who use it as an economical and intellectual control mechanism to enforce their rule over the populace.  Erik and his friends buck the traditional conventions surrounding the game in an effort to not only free Erik’s exiled parents but create a world in which the people are free to choose their own fate.

Teens should find a lot to like here.  The main character Erik is very independent and immediately shows it by creating a game character that bucks tradition.  Most players of Epic disdain appearance and ‘fun’ options when creating their characters, choosing instead on the basics such as strength and protection that will allow them to make steady gains in the economy.  Erik creates a beautiful female pirate that is as much entertainer as fighter and begins a series of events that result in the eventual destruction of this restrictive ‘adult creation’. 

Teens will also be exposed to some grim but important social issues that plague our reality as well.  For example, the age old question of who gets what in terms of resources (medical, food, entertainment etc).  Who gets to decide?  Why?  These types of question arose in my mind at least as I read about the many actions of Central Allocations.  For example the decision to cut the number of solar panels a community received due to a lower than expected output of olive oil.  Another decision involves forcing a community to grow a different crop, destroying decades of careful cultivation, simply because the new crop would be more profitable.  Overall, this story just might force its readers to think deeply about what freedom really means and the nature of power.

Steampunk and Other Blended Genres

The topic this week is Steampunk and Other Blended Genres.  What exactly is a ‘blended genre’?  Something that takes elements from many ‘traditional’ genres such as Fantasy, Science Fiction, Mystery, Historical Novels, Romance and others then forges them all into one cohesive story.  You can have a realistic story interspersed with elements of magic (Magical Realism), an urban setting where elves and other mystical creatures live side by side with humans (Urban Fantasy) and many more interesting combinations.   Blended genre novels are a positive element because they encourage readers to explore outside the genre they are most comfortable with.  For example, a History purist who normally disdains Science Fiction books may be drawn to a title such as 1632 which successfully blends detailed historical research with the science fiction staple of time travel.  I’ll be discussing The Painted Boy by Charles De Lint as a representative example of a blended genre novel.

 

The Painted Boy

This story follows the adventures of a young Asian teenager named Jay.  Though Jay appears normal on the surface he holds a great secret.  He has within him the powerful spirit of the ancient Chinese Yellow Dragons that once guarded those ancient lands emperors.  He arrives in the Arizona desert town of Santo del Vado Viejo on a quest to discover what it means to be a dragon and how he should use his new powers.  Jay is immediately targeted by the local gangs, or bandas, headed by the vicious El Tigre – who shares a common secret with Jay.  With the help of new friends, including the soft-hearted but determined Rosalie and blunt but loyal lead-singer Anna, he faces both the bandas and himself.

Santo del Vado Viejo serves as home to both normal humans (five-fingered ones) and Cousins (animal-spirits that appear human).  The realistic issue of bandas (gangs) plaguing a community is intertwined neatly with both Chinese and Native American myth (yellow dragons and medicine wheels) to form a strong cohesive whole.  I think it definitely makes for good literature as both the story and characters are well executed.  Jay, the main character, is a good example.  Initially shown as a kind, lost soul looking for a home he quickly displays a darker side when he kills a gang member in a fit of violent rage (using the powers of his dragon spirit).  As I mentioned before the myth and reality components are neatly intertwined and I seldom felt like one completely dominated the other.  Teens are likely to enjoy this book because it shows their peers struggling with many of the same issues they struggle with (how to make friends, how to deal with gangs, the loss of loved ones, what to do when you are different from everyone around you etc) although in this case they occur within a fantastical setting.

Angels, Demons & Dead People

This week’s topic Angels, Demons & Dead People is the close cousin of last week’s topic.  Also like vampires and other supernatural creatures angels, demons and the realm of death are very popular themes among YAs.  Why is this?  I think part of this popularity stems from the fact that novels about death give YAs and especially teens the chance to examine the phenomenon ‘at one remove’.  They don’t have to get too close in reality to something that may threaten their sense of immortality.  Or perhaps it is simply the chance to experience death from the perspective of the dying or deceased that is the main draw (who wouldn’t want to know what goes on in a zombie’s head?).  As for angels and demons I think the attraction is one of extremes.  Angel usually represent the extreme of divine justice and the defense of all that is good in the world while demons represent the extreme of pure evil and the spreading of such evil.  Of course there are also fallen angels and ‘good’ demons which only increase the fascination factor.  Since the topic of death is more popular (in my opinion) I’ll be discussing too such books – Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride and Token of Darkness by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes.  

 

Hold Me Closer, Necromancer

This tale is a very interesting and entertaining take on the concept of death that revolves around a fledgling teen necromancer named Samhaim (or Sam for short).  Sam is stuck is a college-dropout working in a dead-end fast-food job, the only bright spots in his life being his friends and fellow co-workers Ramon, Brooke and Frank.  His life becomes much more complicated when a local necromancer, the powerful and psychotic Douglas, discovers Sam has the same powers.  Thus begins a actions game in which Douglas takes increasingly deadly actions in an effort to turn Sam to his cause – the domination of the supernatural community.  This game starts to affect Sam’s friends and family as well with some meeting an untimely end.  Sam has to gain a deeper understanding of his nature and control his powers if he hopes to stand a chance.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can see how it would appeal to teens who want to gain a better understanding of death.  For example, one of the central characters, Brooke, suffers a tragic death early in the story.  She ‘lives’ on as a disembodied head which can still think and feel but is powerless to take action.  This may resonate with teens who also feel powerless and frightened of death because it represents the ultimate end of ‘true living’.  Brooke shows incredible courage in the face of her affliction, however, and by the end of the story has achieved a sort of inner peace and the desire to move on.  Ironically, though she is easily in the worst predicament of any other character, she still serves as Sam and Company’s moral plus emotional compass.

It is also interesting to view death through the eyes of those who control it – in other words necromancers.  Douglas and Sam have radically different views on the subject.  Sam initially sees death as something horrible but inevitable while Douglas sees it as an undesirable condition but one that is profitable to those who can exploit it.  Teens may benefit from the details revealed through both views as each exists in reality as well.  They may come to realize that there are nearly as many views on death as there are people and that death is not as frightening as they think it is.  On a more entertaining note there is something here for nearly every type of reader. Romance buffs will enjoy the somewhat forced but still entertaining romance between protagonist (and Necromancer) Sam and attractive were-hound girl Bridin.  Fans of Horror and gore are treated to several grisly murders including the early decapitation of a main character.  Supernatural followers and fans of the mythological are treated to an insightful look into werewolf culture and the everyday problems of a modern satyr.  Most of all I think teen readers would relate to Sam’s quest to unravel his true identity and discover his place in a world that has seemingly tried its best to ignore or reject him (all things many teens experience).

 

Token of Darkness

This particular story centers on the plight of ex-football player Cooper Blake.  Cooper has been keeping a secret – after a near-death experience in a massive car wreck he woke up in the hospital accompanied by a teenaged ghost named Samantha.  Samantha has no clue who she is other than her name, how she became a ghost or why Cooper can see her.  Cooper goes on a quest to discover these truths and along the way encounters a telepath named Brent, power-hungry witch (and high-school cheerleader) named Delilah and a powerful but arrogant sorcerer named Ryan.  He discovers that not only does he have powers as well but that Samantha may not truly be a ghost but something far more dangerous with an agenda that could put Cooper’s life at risk.

I wasn’t as impressed with this title as with the last.  For one matter the story concerned itself less with death and its meanings and more with personal responsibility.  This was explored using the power-hungry Delilah.  Once she had discovered Samantha’s true nature, Delilah attempted to take advantage of it and gain Samantha’s power for her own.  This nearly resulted in Delilah’s death along with those of Brent and Cooper.  The author’s message to YAs is clearly that they should take care of how their actions affect those around them and that seeking power for the sake of power often leads to disastrous consequences.

Samantha, though not truly a ghost, certainly acts like one for much of the novel.  She floats through solid surfaces, dissipates when touched and never eats.  Her obvious distress at not being able to touch or eat struck me as a reader.  How would I react if I lost those abilities?  Would I also place my desire to inhabit a new body above all else?  YAs who wonder about what happens after death will appreciate the lessons they learn from Samantha’s experiences.

Vampires and Beyond

This week’s theme is Vampires and Beyond.  The genre of vampires and other supernatural creatures like werewolves and especially zombies has grown increasing popular amongst YAs since the 90’s.  Why is this? Some believe that adolescents are fascinated with the concept of a vampire’s immortality – the ability to live forever as a young and energetic person.  I agree with this and think many teenagers (and adults as well) have a fear of ‘growing up’ and ‘getting old’.  They are reluctant to give up what they perceive as their ‘freedom’ for adult responsibility.  I also believe that YAs are attracted to the dark and forbidden nature of vampires – that they feel a sort of kinship with this creature since they too are prone to attempt the dangerous and forbidden.  This dark and forbidden theme extends to other creatures as well such as zombies and werewolves.  Overall I think the key attraction for all supernatural creatures is just that – they aren’t natural.  They represent a welcome escape from the sometimes crushing responsibilities and drudgery of ‘reality’.    Teens and other young adults can, for a time, pretend they are all powerful, can breathe underwater, fly with ease, move with the speed of lightening or have any number of other special abilities.  I’ll be discussing the novel, Department Nineteen by Will Hill in relation to this topic.

Department Nineteen  

This story revolves around the adventures of Jamie Carpenter as he attempts to track down and rescue his mother from the clutches of the deranged master vampire Alexandru who seeks revenge for the death of his wife at the hands of Jamie’s father.  Jamie is rescued from Alexandru’s surprise attack by none other than Frankenstein and subsequently thrust into a completely different world when he is taken to the clandestine headquarters of Department 19 – an organization dedicated to hunting down and eradicating vampires along with other supernatural menaces.  Jamie becomes a Department agent and along with Frankenstein, a troubled teenaged vampire girl named Larissa and a host of others hunts Alexandru.  In the process, he stumbles upon a much more dangerous plot to resurrect the greatest vampire of them all – Count Dracula.

This is a surprisingly well written story that has a number of draws for a YA audience.  There is the usual dark and forbidden theme that seems to go along with vampire novels.  One example of this is the romance that develops between Larissa and Jamie.  They must pursue their feelings in defiance of both humans and vampires who each see it as something dangerous and vile.  Another is the savage brutality of Alexandru who takes the evil and sadistic nature often associated with vampires to new extremes.  He massacres an entire fishing village simply as a means of luring Jamie into a confrontation, routinely skins innocent civilians to pass messages and turns Jamie’s mother as one more means of ‘getting under his skin’.  The theme of immortality is also present as most of the major vampire characters have been around for hundreds of years – still full of drive and energy.

I think my favorite aspect of the story is the way the author bucks traditional vampire lore.  Garlic has no effect, crucifixes are laughed at and holy ground is crossed with ease.  This allows several brutal but elaborate scenes to be constructed.  The best of these is the scene for the final confrontation between Jamie and Alexandru.  It takes place in a small monastery where the priests have been contemptuously murdered in a number of creative ways, including one unfortunate soul who has his own crucifix embedded in his forehead.  I also enjoyed the detailed backstory.  Any alternate world worth its salt must be especially well detailed, including the lore that holds it together.  Throughout the novel, Jamie’s story is interspersed with snippets from the past including the founding of Department 19 by Professor Van Helsing, the origins of Dracula and his three lieutenants and a host of others.  I recommend this title for anyone who wishes to dive into the oftimes dark and mysterious world of the supernatural.

Alternating Narrators

This week’s topic is “Alternating Narrators”.  Multiple narrators may discuss one event, tell a single story from different viewpoints or there may be multiple stories and perspectives that intertwine.  I think this particular format has multiple benefits for both authors and readers alike.  I think the benefit for authors is that they have a chance to fully develop more characters and keep the pace of the book quick and events fresh.  In my mind, characters are only fully realized when we as readers get to ‘hear’ their thoughts and ‘feel’ their emotions from a first person perspective.  Also telling the entirety of a story from the perspective of one character sometimes runs the risk of losing reader interest and leaving the story in a rut.  I believe teens like the multiple perspective format due to one of the primary reasons given in Melanie Koss’ article “Young Adult Novels with Multiple Narrative Perspectives” - the changing nature and use of technology.  As the author points out much communication between teens today occurs over multiple formats (texting, phone calls, Facebook, Twitter etc) and information is often received in multiple piece that must be pieced together into a coherent whole (anyone who has experienced  a teen chat room can relate).  Just to give one example of this – I caught my teenaged cousin yesterday using a phone to talk with one friend about an article he was reading while typing in a chat room and sending twitters to another friend about the same.  Teens are so use to shifting between multiple voices and putting them together that novels written in this format feel the closest to their everyday reality and thus more familiar.  I’ll be discussing two YA novels that fit within this category: Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan and Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan.

 

Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares

 

This story revolves around the romance between Dash and Lily – two New York teenagers with very different backgrounds.  Lily is the youngest in her very large and protective family and has been living in their shadow her entire life.  Her brother attempts to break her out of this mold and experience more life by placing a red notebook full of dares in a local bookstore with the attention of attracting a suitable boyfriend for Lily.  It is discovered by Dash who, while possessing a much more cynical and jaded view of the world than Lily (due to his troubled childhood and broken home life) is intrigued and begins to correspond with Lily through the journal.  Thus begins a strange and sometime comic romance in which each discover more about the other and themselves and have their lives completely changed in the process.

I found this story very easy to follow.  Books with multiple narrators often fall into the trap labeled “too much of a good thing”.  The authors of these works seem to believe that the more narrators they have the better their book is but this all too often devolves into an incoherent mess.  This novel avoids that problem by limiting the narrators to Dash and Lily.  The contrast between the cynical Dash and bubbly Lily’s take on events was refreshing in that it allowed me to see how too people from fundamentally different backgrounds saw the world.  For example, Lily sees Christmas as a joyous celebration of family ties and giving while Dash sees the same holiday as an empty celebration of mindless consumerism.

Though there were only two narrators, the story switched back and forth between Lily and Dash often enough that it remain fresh and read at a comfortably quick pace.  The only thing that slowed the story down were the frequent journal entries ‘written’ by Dash and Lily.  However, the journal entries did provide interesting ‘peeks’ into the inner workings of each character’s mind.  I only have one criticism of this book and that is the length.  Quick pace or no I think the authors dragged out the story just a little too much by including some (in my mind) unnecessary background such as the escapades of Lily’s grandfather who spent much of the story driving back and forth between New York and his lady friend in Florida.

 

Will Grayson, Will Grayson

 

This tale is and interesting foray into the world of homosexuality, friendship and teenage angst.  Will Grayson (referred to hereafter as Will 1) is a sentimental and weak teen who avoids committing to anything as this (in his mind) invariably leads to disaster.  The other Will Grayson (hereafter referred to as Will 2) is an angst ridden teen who struggles with his homosexual identity and belief that caring about anyone leads to disaster and that he is not worthy of love.  Will 1’s and Will 2’s lives intersect through a chance encounter at a porn shop and nothing is ever the same again.  Through their mutual association with flamboyant homosexual Tiny Cooper and his equally flamboyant musical play, they take short but sure steps towards realizing their own self-worth and the worth of a loving relationship – wether that be friendship or something more.

I think this story is one of the best examples out there in regards to the power of multiple narrators.  I was able to ‘see’ the issues of homosexuality and friendship through two very different pairs of eyes: the straight Will 1 and the gay Will 2.  Being straight myself I naturally emphasized with Will 1 more but also felt a connection with Will 2 as the authors’ did such an excellent job of presenting their message that gay teen experience the same issues as other teens through the medium of this character.  Both Wills struggled to find themselves and realize the strength of personal relationships just like teens everywhere.  I was at no point in the story confused over who was speaking or whose views were being expressed – another indicator of a good multiple narrator novel.  I recommend this book to anyone who wishes to experience the issue of homosexuality and friendships from multiple angles.