If on a Winter's Night a Traveller

More like books than book, this collection by Italo Calvino parodies books, readers, publishing, ideas and his own works, all at the same time. The Reader picks up his book – discovers in a printing error he’s reading a different book – goes to correct the error at the bookshop, university, publishing house, more and more places, each time being given a completely different book, and each time wanting to read it but being thwarted. He meets a fellow Reader – the Other Reader, Ludmilla – and a cast of other odd characters including writers and ghost-writers and professors and critics – and in the end the Reader, you, finally end the book, even if it’s not the one you started with – although of course it is, because it’s his book.

The Last Days

This is a YA novel by Scott Westerfield, and it’s a sequel to Peeps which I reviewed earlier. Set nowish in NY, more people have caught the vampire virus, and there are more signs of the underground worms who are going to eat everyone. A couple of young people put a band together, and get signed up to play at a massive concert. Their unique sound not only draws a crowd, but calls up the worms, too. They end up going round the world calling worms out of the ground so everyone can kill them. Obviously, it’s an end of the world novel, but it focuses on a small bunch of people and while it’s simple, it’s not simplistic. It’s slightly depressing, although the obvious fantasy element does engender enough disbelief to stop the reader wallowing in it. The author introduces some basic ideas about viruses and civilisation, in a less complex way than in his previous book, which is food for thought, even if he doesn’t elaborate on it.

Talyn

This tale by Holly Lisle is one of those thick fantasy books, with the usual fantasy-lands, violent action, great heroes doing deeds that at first everyone reviles them for but in the end rewards and cheers them on, magic and magicians, and very nice horses. Talyn is a magical soldier in a permanent war; when the ceasefire is declared, she’s suspicious. She gets involved with one of the Peacekeeper race, finds out they’re bent on mind control and destroying everyone, and joins up with a former enemy to take them down. It reminded me a lot of Farscape, and also of a sort of justification for xenophobia and the US imperialist policy. Better the war you know than the peace you don’t, is the theme; but there’s also the idea that while you’re fighting the familiar enemy, several more unfamiliar ones are lining up unexpectedly at your border. It was fairly well-written and made me want to read to the end, but without that real depth that would lead me to seek out more by the same author.

The Last Summer (of you and me)

Ann Brashares really does have her finger on character, which is why I like this YA book. It’s unusual, in that she’s taken a real place, and a real place she really loves (an island called Fire Island off NY where rich people spend summers) and weaves a story about it which isn’t entirely happy. Alice and Riley are sisters, and have spent every summer on Fire Island; now they’re in the early twenties and embarking on life. Paul’s the guy next door who has spent every summer with them. This is the last summer of the three of them because Paul and Alice fall in love, and because Riley gets sick (and eventually dies).

The first half of the novel was great, and I really enjoyed it, but I wasn’t so sure about the second half. The idea of the young person not entirely engaged in life dying – and she brings it on herself, like a Peter Pan refusing to age – doesn’t sit too well with me as something real – it’s more like a cop-out, a way for it to be not so bad. The first half was slowed down, really analysing character; the second half sped up and went many places. It was still enjoyable, but if the novel had just been the first half, it would’ve been just as good. Brashares reminds me of Melina Marchetta, with a real feel for that coming of age period. It’s a very good book, perhaps even better than her Sisterhood series.

Terrier

I’m never sure with Tamora Pierce, because some of her books are dull; but this, like her Trickster series, was great. Beka is a “puppy”, which is a trainee police officer in this alternate world; she’s got to survive the streets of the Low City, which is ruled by slavers, thieves and child-killers. She also has to deal with the way her family sees the low status of her job, the new relationships she’s forming, and the ghosts that she hears in dust-devils and pigeons.

Pierce has got a good feel for the messiness of life. The job isn’t perfect, the relationships are untidy, and the way things pan out isn’t going to suit everyone. Yes, Beka’s a hero, but she does make mistakes. The “dogs” take bribes, and the man she likes is a Rogue, which is something like a thieves’ guild (I think – it wasn’t so clear to me). The writing was fast-paced and full of fun Aiken-like language, and the world was believable. This is one of her best, and I’m hoping there’ll be a sequel.