Reading has slowed way down. That happens when school starts. Life takes on a different shape. I was reading a book that I bought for Sparkly Seacow a while back: Un Lun Dun by China Mieville. It had an interesting premise. Two adolescent girls living in London find a portal to a place called Un Lun Dun. Un Lun Dun is kind of like London through Alice's looking glass; things are the same, but definitely not the same. Un Lun Dun is in dire trouble, and it has been prophesied in a sacred book that a young girl will save it.Here's what I really liked about the book: Plot twists. Word play. Fantastic characters. (My favorite was a cute little milk carton named "Curdle.") A heroic young girl. Fairly obvious references to these times we're living in.
Here's what I didn't like: I bogged down in the story after a while. That may have less to do with the quality of the book, than with the fact that fantasy is not a genre I find particularly compelling. I am also very tired of war as the dominant paradigm for defeating "evil" -- even storybook evil.
Overall, I don't regret buying this book for my daughter (she liked it quite a bit) nor do I regret reading it. If you know a kid in the 10-13 range who likes fantasy, this is a highly original and well written book. (I thought that the style was reminiscent of The Phantom Tollbooth. Other reviewers compared it to Neil Gaiman's books.)
However, I am now looking forward to reading something else.
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