Redwall

Synopsis
The peaceful abbey of Redwall comes under threat from the fearsome Cluny the Scourge. Redwall's only hope may be young Matthias, a brave but inexperienced novice.

My thoughts
I had high hopes for this book because my brother devoured the series when we were kids. (Incidentally, this is the only way he reads—he rarely reads, but when he finds something he likes he doesn't come up for air until he's done.)

But. I just couldn't get into it. First, I'm not sold on the woodland creatures and their human-like civilization. Second, I couldn't connect with Matthias and his friends.

It probably didn't help that I dove into this book immediately after finishing Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, which highlighted Redwall's shortcomings. Redwall's plot seemed too simplistic. Matthias had a mission—to find the sword of Martin, the great warrior mouse—but there was never any suspense. I knew Matthias would encounter obstacles, but I knew he'd get past them. Matthias was meant to triumph because Matthias represented Good. The divide between Good and Evil in Redwall is comically cartoonish—the bad guys are pure evil and the good guys are righteous. Because of that, there was no character growth, no redemption, nothing that would make the storyline surprising or entertaining.

Finally, one minor quibble: old-fashioned gender stereotypes are in full force here. Matthias goes off on his quest while his underdeveloped potential love interest Cornflower packs some snacks for him and helps out in the kitchen. There is a brave female squirrel, a formidable female badger, and a sparrow queen who unites her clan—but none of them captures the heart of the hero. I guess that's what bothered me—the pervasive fiction that you get the guy by being pretty and demure (although I suppose being the same species helps somewhat in this world).

Bottom line
I won't be moving on to Mossflower or any of the other books in the series.

Fine print
Redwall, by Brian Jacques
Genre: Young adult fantasy/adventure
Photo from Goodreads
I bought this book at a local library book sale

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Synopsis
Book 3 in the Potter saga finds 13-year-old Harry plunged into greater danger than ever before. A mass murderer has escaped from the Alcatraz of the wizarding world and everyone is convinced he's on his way to Hogwarts to kill Harry.


My thoughts
This is my favorite and arguably the strongest of the Harry Potter series. The first two were fun to read, but this is the one that hooked me. It's nearly perfect—the friendships are well drawn, the humor is biting, and the action is perfectly paced. There are so many great little details and they all build to one of the best resolutions to any book I've ever read. Even though I've lost count of the number of times I've read it, I still have to block off a couple hours so I can read straight through the last hundred pages.

Azkaban introduces two of Rowling's most brilliant additions to Harry's world—the dementors and the Marauder's Map. The dementors are ingenious because of their stark simplicity. Rowling took the crushing despair of depression and made it literal, tangible, relatable—and terrifying. As for the Marauder's Map, I would like something similar to point out speed traps on the highway. (Who wouldn't?) But that's only half the reason I love it. Azkaban is full of reveals concerning Harry's parents and their friends from Hogwarts, and tying the Marauder's Map into that backstory was a truly nice touch. (Side note: The way Rowling manages to seamlessly blend her creations with existing mythological creatures and concepts is nothing short of magical. It's a real talent. Other authors take you out of the action while they beat you over the head with all the research they've done. Rowling has enough faith in her readers to trust them to keep up with her storytelling.)

Bottom line
I dare you to read this book and not fall completely in love with the Harry Potter series. If you can ... I'm not sure what that says about you, but it's not good.

Fine print
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, by J.K. Rowling
Genre: YA fiction
Photo from Amazon UK
I bought this book (three times—I lent the first copy to a friend and the dog used the second one as a chew toy)

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle

Synopsis
Charlotte Doyle sails from England to Rhode Island sans adult supervision. Adventure ensues.

My thoughts
"A truly great book should be read in youth, again in maturity, and once more in old age, as a fine building should be seen by morning light, at noon, and by moonlight."—Robertson Davies

My youth is over, so I'm working with a limited number of books here, but I've noticed remarkable differences in the books I've reread as an adult. When I first read Charlotte Doyle as an elementary schooler, I loved the historical setting and the strong character Charlotte became over the course of the book. Nearly 20 years later, that was about all I could remember. The details had completely escaped me.

As it turns out, Charlotte's growth from sheltered little miss to self-confident young woman is the most powerful part of the book, and I'm not surprised it resonated with my eleven-year-old self. This time around, I was struck by how well-researched the book is and how deftly Avi shares historical details and nautical expertise without pausing the action or being condescending. That alone would have made the book worth it, but the engrossing plot elevates it even further.

Charlotte Doyle was the Newbery Honor Book for 1991, and it richly deserved that award. I'd be curious to reread Jerry Spinelli's Maniac Magee, which won the top honor that year, because I remember loving that book too.

Bottom line
A truly great read in both youth and maturity. I'm willing to predict it will hold up for old age too.

Fine print
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, by Avi
Genre: Young adult historical fiction
Photo from Goodreads
I bought this book.
First read in 1992; reread October 2011