REVIEW - 'The Lover's Dictionary', David Levithan (Fourth Estate, 2011)

How does one talk about love? Do we even have the right words to describe something that can be both utterly mundane and completely transcendent, pulling us out of our everyday lives and making us feel a part of something greater than ourselves? Taking a unique approach to this problem, the nameless narrator of David Levithan’s The Lover’s Dictionary has constructed the story of his relationship as a dictionary. Through these short entries, he provides an intimate window into the great events and quotidian trifles of being within a couple, giving us an indelible and deeply moving portrait of love in our time. (Synopsis from Goodreads)


I love a new storytelling device. As long as it works, mind. As long as it actually succeeds in telling the story effectively and is not just used so a writer can show off - 'LOOK AT MY TOP WRITING SKILLS, FOLKS. AMAZE'. And thankfully, this book falls into the former catagory. 'A love story in 185 definitions'. Well, that's it really, in a nutshell.


This is a quick read. Most of you should be able to breeze through this in a few hours - most pages only contain one short paragraph, some only one sentence. (For a number of reasons, my reading is moving at a bit of a snail's pace at the moment, but I am the exception, I think). There are some downsides to this method - for every profound entry, there is one that comes across as an obvious filler. Yes, all books have sections that meander somewhat, but when an author has opted for such a sparse technique, every word, every sentence is exposed, ripe for analysis and this makes the little faults here and there all the more obvious.


But when he gets it right, my word does he GET IT RIGHT. I have a tendency, like many, to dog-ear pages with my favourite quotes etc. on them. Well, I pity the poor bugger who gets my mangled copy of this library book once I have handed it in with my head hanging sheepishly low. I swear at one point, for about ten pages in a row, there were countless moments of genius.


Our apartment didn't have any good doors to slam. If you wanted to slam a door, you would either end up in the hallway or trapped in the bathroom. Those were the only options.


This book confused me a lot. I wasn't too sure how we' re supposed to feel about the 'lovers'. Is this the picture of a obviously doomed love affair? Or is this just holding a mirror up to every relationship and we're all teetering on the brink most of the time? And maybe that's the point. Love is a messy business. End of. 


This book got me a-pondering. Which is always the sign of a great book. When I started writing this review, I thought I didn't have a huge amount to say about it. But what the hell do I know?

Writing Workshops That Work For Me

I came to this creative writing business/madness quite late in the day. I never really had the confidence to put pen to paper, fingertip to keyboard until I hit thirty and had a proper good old think about want I wanted to achieve with the rest of my days. I had that image of me as a bitter old granny spitting out regret about what I could have done if I'd had the gumption. I then I realised it didn't matter if I failed, I just didn't want to be the bitter old trout that never tried in the first place.

Anyway, I digress slightly. When I started exploring the old childhood writing dream, it occurred to me on more than one occasion that I would love to complete an MA in Creative Writing. It also occurred to me on just as many occasions that I neither had the money or the time to set aside to undertake such an enormous task. I was aware I needed help and guidance but not quite sure where else to look for it.

When searching online for creative writing courses, many struck me as being a bit on the pricey side. If I had the dosh, I would be more than happy to fork our the funds for a post-graduate qualification, but $600 for a six week online beginners course with minimal contact from anybody who had the slightest inkling about what they're harping on about? *muffled cough* RIP OFF!

So, more searching required then...

At the time I was living in sunny Brisbane, Australia. After wasting a lot of time on the internet, I stumbled across a magnificent organisation right on my doorstep (or a short bus ride away). The Queensland Writers Centre helps develop and connect writers across the state. It is also the publisher of The Australian Writers' Marketplace (similar to The Writers' and Artists' Yearbook), so is therefore rather fantastic and brilliant and vital. I attended a number of courses here - they were all excellent and informative, and very importantly, from my perspective, bloody good value for money (ie. much cheaper than rip-off central mentioned above). An example of the quality of advice on offer - I attended a young adult workshop run by YA queen, Melina Marchetta. There you go.

When moving back to the UK, I searched for a similar organisation in London and found Spread The Word.  They provide workshops, networking and mentoring for writers of all levels, schools and community groups. I attended my first workshop them last week, a day focusing on first novels, run by newly-published author, the excellent Katy Darby. It was a mine of useful information and thoroughly entertaining. And, rather amazingly, it only cost me £20. And even more amazingly, it offers subsidies to those on lower incomes or benefits.

It is so wonderful to find these places that aim to provide access to expert tuition to everybody. Maybe one day I'll undertake that MA. But it's reassuring to know that support and encouragement is there, even if I don't.

Does anyone else know of any similar groups or organisations? I know there are other fantastic Australian ones in different states, but I would be interested to find other UK-based ones. Let me know below...it might be interesting to start up a database of good-value for money writing courses out there...

REVIEW - 'Swim The Fly', Don Calame (Templar, 2011)

Fifteen-year-old Matt Gratton and his two best friends, Coop and Sean, always set themselves a summertime goal. This year's? To see a real-live naked girl for the first time — quite a challenge, given that none of the guys has the nerve to even ask a girl out on a date. But catching a girl in the buff starts to look easy compared to Matt's other summertime aspiration: to swim the 100-yard butterfly (the hardest stroke known to God or man) as a way to impress Kelly West, the sizzling new star of the swim team. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

Can I just say, before I begin, if you're not a fan of American Pie, The Inbetweeners, toilet humour and knob jokes, then maybe this book might not be for you. If, like me, you're a big appreciator of all of the above, then I'm pretty sure that you'll get many a chuckle from Swim The Fly.

This is a book that boys will probably love. I say probably because I have never been a teenage boy, but it's a pretty safe assumption. The American Pie comparison tells you most of what you need to know about this  - it doesn't cut as close to the bone as this film, but the central premise, protagonist and comedy are very similar, and they both share very funny set pieces about loose bowels. I won't go into further detail.

What I loved the most about this was the glorious prose - so natural and with such a ring of truth about it. The whole effect is so effortless, which probably indicates the exact opposite - it takes a supreme skill to be able to pull off prose this good. Since I've started to read YA on a regular basis, I've come across so many stories where the author has attempted to find a convincing teenage voice, but has, instead managed to create something forced and slightly cringy. These characters bounce off each other and create snappy exchanges. The relationships here are just spot on  - 

'Sometimes I hate my brother. Like real, deep down, wish-I-could-beat-the-snot-out-of-him hate. It'll pass. It always does. He'll do something out-of-the-blue nice and all will be forgiven. But right now I want to push him down the stairs.'

Now, anyone who has a sibling can testify to the fact that this IS FACT. The man is a genius.

A key part to my enjoyment of this was Matt. He's a great narrator - likable, self-depricating, shy, funny, a bit of a doofus. Something there that most can identify with. Most of the (male) supporting characters are just as well-developed and believable. However, the two main female characters, object-of-affection, Kelly and her best friend, Valerie are a touch one-dimensional. Valerie is just, well, nice. And that's about it. There was never enough there for me to decide whether I liked her or not. Matt's Grandpa had to be my favourite though. Think George Constanza's Dad from Seinfeld. Pure comedy.

A couple of things stopped me from completely adoring this - maybe because so much of the prose had an authentic ring to it, many of the slightly contrived set-pieces stuck out for the wrong reasons - would three boys really think they could get away with cross-dressing to get into a girls changing room? Would this idea even occur to them? Again, I've never been a teenage boy, so I could be wrong.

Also, it could have done with being a bit shorter. The pace that was set in the first few chapters started to drag in the final third and once it was clear where Matt's story was going, the plot seemed to just drift towards it's natural conclusion with slightly less spark than it started out with.

Nevertheless, I would highly recommend this. But only if the phrase 'that's what she said' makes you chortle.

REVIEW - 'Finding Violet Park' (Harper Collins Childrens', 2007)

Sixteen-year-old Lucas Swain becomes intrigued by the urn of ashes left in a cab office. Convinced that its occupant -- Violet Park -- is communicating with him, he contrives to gain possession of the urn, little realising that his quest will take him on a voyage of self-discovery and identity, forcing him to finally confront what happened to his absent (and possibly dead) father. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

I completely adored this book. And what makes it all the more fantastic it that I wasn't expecting brilliance on this level. I was expecting a good read, yes. The only previous Jenny Valentine I'd read was the rather good 'The Double Life of Cassiel Roadnight'. I enjoyed it, yes. It was a clever, taught little mystery, intelligently written, with a convincing voice. BUT I had a few niggles with certain aspects and this cast a little bit of a downer on it all.

When I read the synopsis for this, I wasn't desperate to rip it from the shelves and devour there and then. (Although, to be fair, only a couple of books have has this effect on me thus far.) I was expecting quaint, twee adolescent learns valuable life lessons through talking to/learning about a dead lady, blah, blah, blah.

What I got, however, was an ingenious, skillfully layered, revealing only teeny tiny nuggets of information at precisely the right times. I did not have a bloody clue where this one was going, I just prayed that the build up would have a satisfying payout. And I was NOT disappointed. This plot is so bloody clever, it should be sparring with Stephen Fry. Even when I thought I knew what the hell was going on, it pulled another masterstroke and I was left sitting there with my mouth wide open in awe and wonder.

All the characters were just wonderful. As with Cassiel Roadnight, Valentine has given us an authentic male protagonist. The relationships were very convincing, particularly that between Lucas and his mother. And I loved Lucas's Nan. I had the image of Catherine Tate's sweary Nan every time she cropped up - very funny.

Only some very, very minor quibbles. Quibblettes, if you will. I would have liked a bit more of Lucas interacting with love interest, Martha. There exchanges rang a very truthful note, and for purely selfish reasons, I wanted just a little bit more. Also, I know this sounds a bit odd, considering the book was essentially all about her, but I would have enjoyed a little bit more Violet. Her appearances were too brief and felt a little rushed. Just needed a little bit MORE, because it was all so damn good and I'm greedy like that.

A beautiful depiction about how past events an cast a dark shadow over lives and how it can feel impossible to pull away from them, so the only way of coping is to bask in it and drink it in.

A fine, fine book.

REVIEW - 'A Monster Calls', Patrick Ness (Walker Books, 2011)

Lonely thirteen-year-old Conor is going though some more dramatic-than-usual upheavals for a teenage boy. When he is awoken one night by an unexpected visitor, he begins a painful journey. But can he face up to it's conclusion?

I yanked this book from the shelf of my local library with a giddy head - I've only completed the first third of Ness's Chaos Walking Trilogy (a more about my slow-coach reasoning later), but this one book was more than enough to get me mega-excited about this offering.

Based on an idea by the Carnegie-medal-winning author, Siobhan Dowd, Patrick Ness was asked to turn the idea into a novel after Dowd tragically died of cancer.

This book sat heavy on my heart. But in a good way, if that makes any sense whatsoever. Conor's long, often silent days of solitude, at home and at school are bleakly atomospheric. The gradual reveal of the reasons behind his suffering is skillfully done. He is not necessarily a lovable character - he is stubborn, his own worst enemy - but I just wanted to give him a great big bear hug. Probably exactly the sort of reaction that would repel him. You get the picture.

The structure builds up the tension magnificently - The arrival of the monster in the dead of the night kicks of the telling of three fables that lead up to the unveiling of Conor's own truth. The irony is, being a book filled with the most achingly beautiful monochrome illustrations, that nothing in this story is black and white. Everything serves to remind us of the complications and contradictions that are tangled up in the big decisions we have to make in life.

Ness uses his words to great effect - fully formed three dimensional characters leap from the page with just one line of dialogue. The monster, in particular, is like a prickly Dumbledore with twig fetish, if you can imagine such a thing.

One of the most important, most striking things about this book, is that it is a BOOK. 'Yes. I know' I hear you cry. 'This is a book blog, I am reading a book review, you silly mare. Of course it is a bloody book.' Now, I love my Kindle, I covert an iPad, but there is nothing like cradling a proper hardcover than relishes it's physical status. I mentioned Jim Kay's amazing illustrations earlier. They don't just compliment the story - but it would be half the book without (yes, apologies for stating the bleedin' obvious again). This aren't dainty pretty pictures by any means, but they are just perfect.

I mentioned my delay in reading the last two thirds of the Chaos Walking Trilogy. Well this also stems from beautiful book syndrome - I was fortunate enough to find a pristine hardcover copy of 'The Knife of Never Letting Go' in the second hand bookshop where I used to work. Now, I can't NOT buy equally pristine copies of the other two, but this shall have to wait until funds permit me to do so. Gosh darn it.

Why I Love Skins...(or where I go a bit fangirl on your ass)

First off, apologies to anyone reading this who

a) doesn't have the foggiest what this 'skins' thing I write about is
b) who hates skins with a passion (but I guess you wouldn't have clicked on the link anyway, so I'm addressing this one to thin air)

Well, Skins in a British TV show about a group of teenagers residing in the lovely city of Bristol. It contains mucho sex, drugs, general naughtiness and it goes without saying that I LOVE IT.  It started in 2007 and is now about to air it's 6th series. You can get a bit more of a back story here. Needless to say, it's pretty damn good and, in my opinion, essential viewing for anyone who writes/loves contemporary YA.

It's unique structure, in which the cast iS changed every two series, has been praised/critisised/attacked with crazed vitriol, but it has made sure it has stayed fresh and noticed.

For me, in the context of writing YA, well, I wouldn't be if it wasn't for this TV show. Some of the first stories I developed stemmed from me attempting to think up a new, hypothetical cast and story lines for the show. Everything about it, the writing (definitely the writing), the acting, the photography, the way it uses music, just send shivers down my spine.

Now, I may not be it's target audience. The great stand-up and occasional Skins supporting actor, Chris Addison, recently said that Skins is only for teenagers. As much as I think he's a bit of a dude in every other respect, I am living testament to the fact that he is wrong on this count. I'm sure I'm not the only *cough* early thirty-something *cough* who can't get enough of it. I'm certain the fact that I read and write YA is a clear indication that a small/large part of personality has clung onto the seventeen-year-old mentality and refused to shake it off. Why have I become so obsessed with this show? Well, my theory is that when the first series was broadcast, I had just given birth to my first born. I have vivid memories of being heavily pregnant and not being able to switch on the telly without 'Standing in the Way of Control' shouting out at me. And, consequently, me pouring scorn over trendy looking try-hard trailer in my overly-hormonal state.
Well, I missed the first episode. Probably something to do with new-baby-woolly-head (it's a recognised condition - look it up), BUT I was intrigued enough to tune into the next one, focusing on the troubled Cassie. And from the moment we see her drifting down the college corridor, walking her fingers along the handrail, I was properly, utterly HOOKED. I think realising that that stage of my life was well and truly over made me want to cling onto this fantasy version even more.

Well, enough of the cod-psychology bollocks. Here's my top things about SKINS -

THE MUSIC

I never come across a TV show that uses music to such brilliant dramatic effect. Not just in terms of a well chosen soundtrack, but inspired musical set-pieces that move the story along and make us love the characters even more. So many, many to choose from (Cook doing Barry Manilow, JJ and his Ukelele Orchestra), most, unfortunately not on YouTube, so I'll give you the classic climax to the first series...*hits massive gong* WARNING, SPOILERS!



THE CHARACTERS

SOOOOOOOO PRETTY.......

Yes, we all know the magnificence of YA rests on the shoulders of the characters and this is no different. And what set we've had. I won't go into details on all of them, but my faves have been (in no particular order) (actually, in a sort of chronological order) Sid, Chris, Effy, JJ, Naomi, Alo & Mini. BUT my all time, top Skins bloke has to be COOK. Because, well, HE'S COOK!
And most of them are pretty easy on the eye too.

THE WRITING

Ok, ok, so, it's not necessarily a completely realistic portrayl of teenage life. I, for one, never partook in a granny steeple chase or attacked my frenemy with a rock to the noggin. Or, ahem, other stuff. But what it does do is so completely articulate specific emotions without patronising, whether it be getting your heart blown into smithereens, falling for the wrong person or the acute pain of friendship. The unique structure of the series, where most episodes focus on a particular character make the viewing experience so much more intense. More favourites, this time episodes -

Series 1 - Chris, Effy, The Finale
Series 2 - Sid (Just one hour of some of the finest TV you will ever witness), Effy
Series 3 - Thomas, Naomi, JJ, The Finale
Series 4 - Emily, Freddie, JJ (I think this one has to be my top pick - it has everything)
Series 5 - Alo

I have to admit, I'm a Gen 2 girl. Series 3 was just brilliant. It finds it's feet - just a little bit more outrageous, intense and beautiful. Here's a great fan vid I found today that sums it up - *hits even bigger gong marked 'SPOILERS'*



Series 5 came under a bit of stick - I have to say, I thought it played it a bit safe, but it still had moments of genius, and Series 6 looks pretty bloody amazing. I will be tuning in in, oh, just under an hour. And I hope you will be too...

And on a more literary note, I'll be doing a double review of the Skins Gen 2 and Gen 3 novels at some point in the not too distant future. Watch this space...

Home is Where the Jaffa Cake Is...

You may or may not have noticed, there has been a substantial delay between now and my last post. I have not been a lazy heffer. Well, not all of the time. After just over two years of Australian living my brood and I have decided that a life Down Under what not what we want right now. We missed London. We missed seasonal weather. We missed Marks and Spencers. And Boots. (you UK peeps know what I'm talking about) We missed living in a cramped little flat in our little corner of West Laaarrnndon. Cramped, but close to everyone and everything we love. It's remarkable how you have to travel to the other side of the world to realise where your heart truly lies. And it turns out mine rests in the Hammersmith/Shepherds Bush borders.

Yes, you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone, the grass is always greener, blah blah blah. But what about the BOOKS, I hear you ask. Well, if you're not, it's what you should be asking. And if you're not that fussed, well then I'll tell you anyway.

Here's what might be turning up on this blog in 2012 -

I'm planning a couple of themed months in the next few, er, months. First up, seeing as I won't be doing much of it in the near future, I will henceforth be designating February (or possibly March, depending on how lazy I am) the MONTH OF TRAVEL. Seeing as it's a bit of a non-month in many respects, my aim will be to brighten your dark mornings and early evenings with tales from far-flung shores and some closer to home. I'll be reviewing a bit of a mix - some travel-themed YA (coz that's what I loves reading), travel biographies, some classic travel literature. Pretty much anything that takes my fancy.



I'm also planning to do a month of Young Adult Classics. I haven't always been a YA nut. This is only a fairly recent development. So I feel like I should be genning up on the genre. I'll be looking at some big, proper classics and stuff which I, personally, consider essential reading. And maybe some books that I read as a Young Adult (because those days are long gone).


Just a quick mention of another post I'll be doing in the next couple of weeks - in honour of the impending news series one of my favourite telly shows, the magnificent SKINS, I'll be telling you all exactly why I love it so much and why I wouldn't writing YA without it. And just a bit of an excuse to post of my top clips.

And as for me, I'm hoping 2012 will be the year I knuckle down with this whole writing lark. Seeing as I won't emigrating again any time soon, I plan to be penning more articles, finishing my novel (nearly done with first draft - exciting times!) and generally being a right bore about it all.

Anyway, I'll let you know how it goes. Toodles for now. xx