YA horror & "7 Souls"

This is a very brief foray into the world of YA horror.

I've alway loved a good fright. I grew up on Christopher Pike (who I loved) and R L Stine (who was ok) as well as all of the Point Horror books. In my teenage years I loved to scare myself silly with horror movie marathons and even now I enjoy settling in for a good scare (provided that it's in the middle of the day in my own house with all the lights on, because I'm getting a little spineless as I get older you know?).

The reason that this post is only a brief foray into the genre is because my good friend and fellow ATW board member HJ Harkness runs a blog solely dedicated to YA horror! How ace is that? And she has ways of describing all things spooky that constantly amaze me with their ingenuity. You can check out her blog Spine Chills over at http://spinechills.blogspot.com/,

But I do still love a bit of horror, and it amazed me for a while that the genre dropped out of the market. Sure there was action and plenty of thrillers, but there wasn't anything downright scary. My feeling is that this is largely because horror really has specific ages that it's suitable for, as what is scary (and what is appropriate in schools/ libraries) changes so much from junior to middle school to senior school and finally adult.

Which brings me onto the book that began this post 7 Souls by Barnabas Miller & Jordan Orlando.

The blurb for this book doesn't give much away - which is great for a horror book, because suspense is half the fun! The fact that the book opens with a teenage girl hungover, naked, scratched, and unable to remember the events of the night before would no doubt make this book questionable for a lot of parents or librarians.

I'm all for books being able to address confronting issues, but this book contains a lot of drug use and underage drinking that do end up taking away a little bit from what is actually a cleverly constructed and entertaining thriller. I do think that 7 Souls is a step in the right direction for YA horror lovers, and as long as it's shelved in the 'senior' section will no doubt be an entertaining read for teenage thrill seekers but I'm not convinced that it totally hits the mark.

I would be interested in any feedback if anyone decides to read it!

What I'm reading now: A couple of books for review (the winner of the 2010 Text Prize included!) and about to start The Lovers Dictionary by David Levithan, which I will review as soon as I finish.

Top 10 YA Dystopian Reads (according to me)

In no particular order these are ten of my favourite dystopian reads for anyone new to the genre, or for anyone who loves dystopian fiction and hasn't made it to these titles yet. Series are included as one entry so that I can fit more in!

1. The Hunger Games (trilogy) by Suzanne Collins.
Gripping & dark, an absolute must for anyone who loves dystopia or a compelling read.

2. The Declaration (series) by Gemma Malley.
A fascinating series that explores the future of the world if death could be avoided.

3. Matched (series) by Ally Condie.
What if your life was planned, from your meals to your dreams? What if you dared to dream bigger?


4. Delirium by Lauren Oliver
If love was a disease that could be cured, would you choose peace or passion?


5. Chaos Walking (series) by Patrick Ness
Heartbreaking. A series that blurs all of the lines between good and evil.


6. Genesis by Bernard Beckett
A wonderful look at dystopia by a fantastic New Zealand author.


7. Gone (series) by Michael Grant
Most kids love the idea of a world without parents. But the kids in the Fayz soon discover that running a society isn't as easy as it seems.


8. Feed by M.T. Anderson
Life would be so much easier if we could just plug the internet straight into our brains. Feed looks at what life would be like if that connection was disrupted.


9. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Ok so this isn't YA, but I would recommend it to any advanced readers looking to expand their dystopian reading list.

10. Vulture's Gate by Kirsty Murray
This world isn't quite perfect, but shows the outcome of a rift in society when varying ideas of perfection clash.


And check out this fantastic article from the New Yorker - a fascinating look into the recent boom in YA dystopian fiction.
http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/atlarge/2010/06/14/100614crat_atlarge_miller

The (Not So) Perfect Future

Utopia suggests an ideal society where the issues of the past have been eradicated and people live in health and harmony.


Dystopia explores the idea that, for a society like this to exist, it is necessary for an authoritarian body to decide what the problems are, and be responsible for their eradication, using any means necessary. Including anyone who gets in the way of the 'perfection'.


I love dystopian fiction. The level of reality in good dystopian novels is enough that the premise is not only plausible, but all too likely, and feeds the existing fears and paranoias of the reader.


"Delirium" by Lauren Oliver is a dystopian love story, set in a world where love has been identified as the main source of the pain and suffering than humans endure. So on the day of the eighteenth birthday of every person, they are given the 'cure' which will stop the delirium and allow them to live happy, safe and productive lives.


Lena Haloway has spent her life looking forward to the cure. Love has brought her family nothing but pain and humiliation. But as the day that she will be cured draws near, Lena finds herself rebelling against the system, and worst of all, falling in love.


"Delirium" is an incredibly addictive read. A central love story is a compelling trail through any story. Plenty of young readers are getting bored with vampire romance, but are still looking for something with a bit of edge, so the resurgence of dystopian fiction, with a touch of romance couldn't have come at a better time.


Lauren Oliver has stormed the YA scene. The smash 2009 release "Before I Fall" touched readers who had previously enjoyed books like "The Lovely Bones" or "Before I Die". She seems to have her pulse on what issues matter to her readers, and a knack of writing in a variety of genres, which guarantees that her audience won't get bored. 


Lena is a wonderful character, because she is an unpredictable heroine. At first she is difficult to understand, as her eagerness to undertake a cure that will essentially sterilize her passion is probably alien to most readers. But that makes her choice to follow love all the more admirable and understandable. Her journey from the safety of her society and her family into the danger of the Wilds and her inevitable discovery of some painful truths is so human.  It is a book that will make readers question their values, and just how great the risks that they would take to protect them. 


Like Lena, love is a driving force behind Cassia, the lead character in Ally Condie's new novel, "Matched." Unlike Lena's society, Cassia lives in a Utopia that sees the values of love, and matches each citizen with their perfect partner. Citizens are monitored and their every move is predicted. They are fed, clothed, placed in jobs and relationships to achieve maximum success in their lives. On their 80th birthday, every person has their final banquet before dying at a healthy, respectable, predictable age.


Cassia has been dreaming of her match for as long as she can remember. When Officials first reveal the name of the boy that she will spend the rest of her life with, she is thrilled that everything has turned out so perfectly. But then unpredictable things start happening, and Cassia finds herself questioning the foundations of her whole society, and worse, questioning her own feelings.


"Matched" is the first book in a trilogy, and one that I feel will grow stronger as it continues. I wanted more fury and passion in Cassia earlier as she uncovers the lies and horror that her society is built on. The concept is strong though, and like all good dystopian fiction, make us question the sinister side to a government dictated society. Overall the characters had interesting reactions to the events that drive the novel which makes the overall outcome unpredictable. I imagine that book two and three have some pretty explosive surprises in store, and I think that readers will be thrilled to have a meaty new series to sink their teeth into.


If you want more dystopian fiction, keep your eye's peeled for my top 10 in YA Dystopia which I will pop up over the next few days.


Also to come, a review of Rebecca Stead's "First Light" and another of "7 Souls" by Barnabas Miller & Jordan Orlando.

A long time coming

Oh it has been a long time coming, this post.

So much has happened in the last few months that I have barely had time to catch my breath. And I'm afraid, for now, that I'm going to have to put a halt on my writing project with Jack, although I will hopefully come back to it in future.

The short version is that I left my full time job to become a freelance writer. And it has been whirlwind! I have been incredibly lucky to have been flat out with work from day one. I have written teachers notes, articles for publishers websites & co-written a series of junior readers with the lovely Lucy. Said series is being looked over by some wonderful people as we speak and I'm very excited to get their feedback.

I have also been recreating A Thousand Words - the festival that I founded in 2009 with the support and backing of The Little Bookroom. You can check out more on that over at www.athousandwordsfestival.com.au, but it is very exciting. I have a new group of wonderful board members who have dropped everything to help make the second year of this event even bigger and better than the first. We also have a mailing list, a monthly newsletter filled with news, reviews and industry info, and a fantastic group of speakers to see us through our TWO DAY 2011 event!! That's right, two days! I'm giddy.

And of course reading, reading, reading. Which is no good if I don't bother uploading any book thoughts for you to read. So from now on, I promise a review or book thought every fortnight. And if that's not enough, then sign up to the A Thousand Words mailing list, because there will be plenty more in there!

Ciao for now - review coming on Ally Condie's "Matched", Lauren Oliver's "Delerium" and my thoughts on the not so perfect dystopia.

Cheek by Jowl

Rather disturbing day. Lucy and I returned from our trip to the mountains to discover that our house had been re-let. The new chap was standing in our living room, in a shirt and suit pants, looking uncertainly at my collection of first edition TinTins. His partner was stocking our fridge with yoghurt.

Lucy and I retreated to our room for a discussion. These people certainly seemed pretty sure of themselves. I ventured out to take a look at their papers, which were scattered on the kitchen table. There was a rental agreement there, with our landlord's signature on.

Typical of our landlord. He's always sending people around without informing us. Plumbers, carpenters, tree removalists. Clearly this is a passive-aggressive attempt to evict us, in favour of a pair of 'Young Professionals'.

It's dreadfully awkward all round. From what I can see, Lucy and I really have nothing in common with these people at all. Still, we have no intention of leaving. This is our house, and we're paid up until at least the end of next month.

I went through some of the chap's boxes which were stacked in the living room. He has a whole box full of self-help guides. 'Six Steps to Becoming a Persuasive Speaker' and so forth. He clearly wasn't comfortable with me glancing through his things, but he apparently hasn't reached the Step of being able to handle confrontations yet. He busied himself hanging pictures in the study until I went back to the bedroom.

Dinner was uncomfortable. The four of us shared the table, Lucy in front of me and the other woman on my left. There was nothing to be said, so we simply treated our new housemates like a couple seated too close to us at a restaurant. I refuse to be pertubed by these people. I am a scholar, and my habits must not be disrupted.

They're moving their bed into our lounge room now. It looks like we might be in for a long haul here.

Cheek by jowl - a fiction project

Dear all,

Over the delightful task of creating a souffle or 'pouf-perraire' with friends tonight, we stumbled upon the conversation topic of landlords making changes to your house without telling you. From there we fell straight into the obscure rabbit hole that is to be this project. What if someone else moved into your house without telling you. And what if, feeling enourmously uncomfortable, you both just continued to live there completely ignoring each others presence. The diary entries associated with this project will all be under the heading "Cheek by Jowl" and are the fictionalised accounts of the two couples living in this awkward coexistance written by myself and the lovely Jack. It is an experiment and a bit of fun, so read and enjoy!

White Crow

Marcus Sedgwick is such a dark YA author, and I love that he writes books which give young adults credit for being able to read fiction that is of such a high standard, without talking down to the reader. The fact that he has such a large following proves to me that although readers do enjoy some light escapism, that they will read a wide range of fiction, and that people who underestimate the value of a good story rather than a gimmick, don't really understand their audience at all.

I always find that it takes me a while to pick up the latest Sedgwick, knowing that I will be in for an unsettling read. But not once have I been disappointed, and I always find that once I've started the book I am entirely unable to put it down. White Crow is no exception.

 "Supposing you wanted to prove something, something important. Supposing you wanted to prove, for argument's sake, that there is life after death."....."You might say that although you have not seen every crow in the whole world, every crow you have ever seen is black. Therefore the chances are very great that all crows are black. In fact, you have decided for a fact that all crows are black. Now of course, if someone could show you a while crow, everything would be overturned in a moment. But all crows are black. And in the same way, you conclude that no one lives after death. There is no 'other side'. There is no white crow. But, supposing I said I had seen a white crow? Just one. A single white crow. What then?" (an exert from White Crow)

This is a chilling concept, and a chilling narrative, which bounces from a gothic tale of religion and life after death, to an equally gothic contemporary story of two girls, who form an uneasy friendship which takes them to the very borders of existence. The setting for this book is a remote cliffside town, which, battered by the winds and the sea drops its borders into the sea without warning. Ferelith has grown up in the town, but has been an outside all her life. Rebecca is new, but feels equally alienated. She is seduced by Ferelith's strangeness, although she does sense an unease about her new friend. Taunted by her own demons, she follows Ferelith into the dark obsessions of her mind, linked to the horrific past of the town. 

A cover review says 'It's quite a horrible story. I love it.' And that's pretty much it. White Crow is horribly gothic. The characters are creepy and unsettling and generally quite unlikeable. But Sedgwick has such a way with words, that reading this book is like reading a Poe story. You know it will keep you awake later, but you just can't seem to put it down. I read it at home in an afternoon and felt as though the shadows were creeping in on me from all corners. The tale is intriguing and thought provoking, and ultimately a very clever look at human nature and how far we will go to justify our own existence.

Incidentally, I found a picture of a white crow.