Review 266: The Spirit Photographer

The Spirit Photographer by Jon Michael Varese
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Review 265: The Hunt for Vulcan

The Hunt for Vulcan: . . . And How Albert Einstein Destroyed a Planet, Discovered Relativity, and Deciphered the Universe by Thomas Levenson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Review 264: Unwind

Unwind by Neal Shusterman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A dystopian world where a twisted solution to outlawing abortion, which would mean that between the ages of 13-18 the parents, or guardians, could elected to unwind the child. This means that teens become, not killed, but used for parts for other people, and all parts of their bodies. Someone has an issue with their eyes, well new eyes would come from an unwound. This has the solution of people being in good health, and the kids that don’t quite cut it, with behavior problems or whatever, then get parted out. The kids going to be unwound are told they are not dying, but living on in pieces with other people, so not to look at this as an end of life. Only those people growing up as a tithe to the church, who grow up knowing that at 13 they would become unwound as part of a spiritual offering look forward to this parted up way of being.

Naturally the story focuses on several kids that are told they are to be unwound. We follow their refusal, running away when given a small chance, and they take a tithe with them, who is not happy at this turn of events. There is an underground railroad that moves these kids who rebel to a place of safety, until it falls apart. 

It’s a fairly fast paced book, and I found it hard to put down, so read the book quickly. This is a gruesome premise and world, and this is the first in a series. This book sets up what would happen next fairly well. I listened to the audiobook which was well done narration.

Review 263: Mountains and Rivers Without End

Mountains and Rivers Without End by Gary Snyder
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars



Enjoyable poetry book. I could see myself returning to this, reading the poems again and again, getting something new with each reading. At first I felt distant from the text, but found in the back some background information on some of the poems. This helped, it grounded me further in, particularly those where my personal knowledge does not match Syder’s in regard to Japanese or Chinese culture and history. The poems I enjoyed the most conjured up imagery of the environment, mountains and trees, using specific language. And these were most since it is about mountains and rivers.

Review 262: The Spectacular

The Spectacular by Zoe Whittall
My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

The book did not live up to its name. It did start out strong but the second half of the book somewhat lost it for me. The premise was about three generations of women striving for real freedom. But what does that mean? In this book it came down to children.

The youngest is Missy, a musician who starts off the book on tour and definitely does not want kids, wants the same freedom of the male counterparts in her band. The doctors won’t tie her tubes, claiming later in life she may change her mind. And in the later part of the book she does, well…she’s on the fence. One day, yes, another day maybe.

One issue that bothered me was the transformation Missy undergoes from the first part of the book to the second. It was a jump in time, but also in her character. We never get the growth, how did it come to be this way?

We don't have much of the oldest generation, the grandma of either parent. Her mother we have some, but it is mostly Missy’s story here, which wasn't very strong throughout.

I got the sense the writer had an agenda with this book, and that made for a weaker read. Perhaps the real freedom wasn't the question of children but sexuality? If so, this book missed the mark on that aspect as well.

Thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.