2 posts tagged “fantasy”

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For those who have been enjoying the Twilight books ...

Nov 24, 2008
34 comments

but would prefer something a bit more well written, try this Carnegie Award winning novel by New Zealand writer, Margaret Mahy. It is really fantastic and just a taste of what this writer has to offer.

The Changeover (Collins Modern Classics)

Margaret Mahy

From the Amazon website:

Product Description
"When three-year-old Jacko is stricken with a baffling illness, his teenage sister Laura, a 'sensitive,' is the only one to recognize that demonic possession is the true cause of his malady. . . . The beautiful characters grow with readers and the style is beautiful but ornate. An extraordinarily rich and sensitive novel."--School Library Journal, starred review. Winner of the Carnegie Medal; ALA Notable Book; ALA Best Book for Young Adults; School Library Journal Best Book of the Year; Booklist Editor's Choice.

The relationships also really nice in this, ie, between Laura and her brother, Laura and her mother etc. It just has a more grounded feel than the Twilight books, I think, and doesn't leave you feeling empty at the end. I also loved the New Zealand setting.

What I am reading

Jul 10, 2008
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Uglies (Uglies Trilogy, Book 1)

Scott Westerfeld

This is a futuristic fantasy for young adult readers. I am not very far into it but really enjoying it so far - much more so than this other one that I read recently. Fearless had similar themes (ie, about girls in a brave new world where things not as they seem) but was more allegorical so I found it harder to relate to and sympathise with the characters.

Fearless

Tim Lott

I will write a more detailed review of Uglies when I have finished it. I think it has interesting potential to explore body image issues and other concerns facing young women today.