Before I Fall, Lauren Oliver

Synopsis: High school senior Samantha Kingston has the perfect life. She’s incredibly popular, has a ton of friends, and a popular, handsome boyfriend. Her life seems too bood to be true – until February 12^th, when Sam and her three best friends get into a fatal car accident. Only for Sam, it’s not quite fatal. She wakes up the next morning, reliving the last day of her life seven times, trying to find a way to put things right.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Discussion Points: The thing that struck me the most while reading this novel is the way Oliver characterizes her protagonist. It’s kind of a Lit 101 thought, but the protagonist doesn’t have to be likeable and, in fact, some of the most interesting novels I’ve read follow a distinctly unlikeable protagonist. Sam isn’t exactly unlikeable, but she definitely isn’t a “good” person, which I thought was a really interesting approach for Oliver to take, especially since she uses Sam as a first person narrator. It’s a lot easier for a reader to deal with an unlikeable protagonist in the third person, especially since the third person narrator often helps shape your opinion of the protagonist. Take Eddie in The Dark Tower, for example. I’m not crazy about him as a character (which makes me glad that he’s not the only protagonist through which King focalizes), but he’s a lot easier to deal with since I’m not directly in his head. When you’re completely within a character through first person narration, the reader has to work a lot harder to view their actions objectively and form your own opinion.

            Which brings me to Sam’s character. At the start of the novel, she’s not a very likeable person. After all, she’s a “mean girl” – a rule-breaking, smoking, drinking, bullying bitch. Granted, Lindsay, Sam’s best friend, is worse, but Sam isn’t blameless. As much as she wants to see herself as a good person, she still has plenty of faults. However, I think that in giving us a protagonist that isn’t even close to perfect, Oliver created someone a whole lot more relatable to teenage readers. If the lesson that Oliver wants to drive home is that change and redemption are possible, no matter what mistakes you’ve made, then starting with a perfect protagonist wouldn’t work. Oliver needs to make Sam a little dirtier – a little more like “us” – to make her eventual redemption all that more powerful.

            Across the novel, Sam grows and changes so much, and opens herself up to seeing the bigger picture. For so long, she’s fixated on trying to save herself, that she looses sight of what’s most important – it’s not always about her. Sam thinks that if she can put everything “just right” by making all the right choices and keeping everyone safe, that she’ll be granted a reprieve and get to continue on with her life. In the end, though, Sam realizes that it was never about saving herself. This whole journey was about leaving behind a better world for her friends. Reliving that last day of her life, Sam begins to appreciate the things she never noticed before, and realizes that those people she thought were “beneath” her were really the heroes all along. Samantha Kingston proves that you can always make amends, even if it means giving up your own selfish desires. Of course, Oliver’s point isn’t that you should jump in front of a moving car to save the unpopular kids, but that you should be willing enough to step outside of yourself and consider others instead of putting yourself first.

Mischief Managed,

Slim Pearl Silver-Feather

Currently Reading: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Books Read in 2012: 21

Top 5 Tuesday: Characters I Hate (from things I love)

I love a lot of things – almost like my heart pumps love instead of blood. And the things I love, well, I love them a lot, which results in me getting a tad bit…obsessive...over some things. But even though I’m walking around with this huge love-heart bursting with happiness over my favorite things, you just can’t like everyone you meet. Which brings me to today’s Top 5 Tuesday – characters I hate from things I love.

Before I get started, here’s a (hopefully) brief explanation of the criteria I used in making my selections. None of these characters are “bad guys”. In fact, they’re all protagonists, even if they’re not the lead character in their work. Also, I couldn’t just limit myself to books with this one, because my dislike of certain characters doesn’t respect boundaries between fictional media. Oh, and I ought to mention that for all of these characters, my dislike is fairly irrational (or, according to my loving husband, completely irrational and I’m certifiably insane).

So, intrepid explorers, read on to discover who I hate!

1.     Peeta Mellark (from The Hunger Games)

Yes, you read that right, folks. The character I dislike the most out of all the (otherwise totally normal and likeable) fictional characters is Peeta. Seriously, though, I just can’t wrap my head around a 16-year old kid that is so in love with a girl (that he’s too afraid to talk to!) that he’s willing to risk his life for her. I just can’t do it. I don’t care that he appears to be sincere, I just don’t believe it. I do feel bad for him – the Capitol did make his brain their very own neural playground, after all, but that doesn’t mean I have to like him. From the very beginning, I wasn’t a Peeta fan at all, which no one apparently understands. I don’t think he’s right for Katniss (actually, I don’t think anyone’s right for Katniss, but that’s a story for another day), and I don’t understand people holding up to this ideal of what you should look for in a boyfriend. Sorry, but I don’t want someone willing to lay down their life for me. I want someone willing to listen to me (which Peeta doesn’t do) and be my friend (which Peeta definitely is not).

2.     Ron Weasley (from Harry Potter)

Peeta just barely edged Ron out on this one, because I really, really dislike Ron Weasley. I think he’s annoying, useless, and an incredibly horrible friend. Look, I understand why Ron is the way he is – you definitely get enough of the Weasley family dynamic to understand that Molly and Arthur had more kids than they were able to pay attention to – but I’m still annoyed by him. What does Ron really bring to the “golden trio”? Not a whole lot, if we’re being honest. He isn’t the best at spells (that’s Hermione), the smartest (Hermione again), or bravest (Harry, this time). He’s not really good at anything, which isn’t a problem by itself. On Buffy, for example, Xander is pretty useless, but he’s at least a supportive ally. Ron completely abandons Harry – twice! – for stupid, selfish, jealous reasons. I mean, he leaves Harry and Hermione in Deathly Hallows because he basically misunderstands the mission (yes, I KNOW there was a Horcrux involved, but really, it just amplified Ron’s already crappy feelings). Ok, stopping there, because my Ron-fueled anger could rage for days.

3.     Vala Mal Doran (from Stargate)

Here’s the thing - I really wanted to like Vala. I think she’s hilarious in Prometheus Unbound and I LOVE Claudia Black (I’m one of perhaps 18 people that adored Farscape), but when Vala became a series regular, I just hated her. Honestly, I would almost have a physical reaction every time she was on screen. It’s not that I don’t feel bad for the things she’s gone through, but there’s just something about her that really bugs the hell out of me. To be sure, she does grow a lot over the course of her stay on SG1, and she becomes a much better person because of her time at the SGC. However, you don’t have to like someone to recognize an excellent character arc, and I think Vala’s got to be one of those cases for me.

4.     Rory (Williams) Pond (from Doctor Who)

You know, Rory is genuinely likeable. He’s funny, loyal, and really cares about looking out for Amy’s safety. However, kind of like with Vala, there’s just something about him that I don’t particularly care for. He’s like a puppy, a sad, sad, puppy who wants to go for a walk (i.e. travel with Amy and the Doctor), but when he gets outside, he realizes that the world is really scary. The end of series 6 has started to change my opinion (a bit) about him, but I don’t know that Rory really fits in as a companion. And, for that matter, I don’t know that he’s a good fit for Amy. They do balance each other out quite a bit, but something about that dynamic just doesn’t work for me.

5.     Eddie Dean (from The Dark Tower)

This is the only character on this list that I truly have no explanation for disliking. Sure, he starts off as kind of a bastard, but by the end of the series, Eddie Dean has really matured into a hero. Roland even trusts him more than the rest of the ka-tet, saying more than once that if he (Roland) should fall, Eddie would be the one to lead Susannah, Jake, and Oy on towards the Tower. He loves his wife, wants to protect the other members of his ka-tet, and really comes to believe in Roland’s quest. All around, he’s a pretty great guy. However, I just can’t get into him as a character. He just really bothers me.

Ok, there you have it. Characters that are otherwise likeable that I just can’t stand. Disagree with me? That’s totally fine (but please be prepared to provide examples of why I should care about Peeta or Ron).

Mischief Managed,

Slim Pearl Silver-Feather

Currently Reading: Blood Promise, Richelle Mead (I’m kind of slow these days, aren’t I?)

Books Read in 2012: 21

Top 5 Tuesday: Female Characters

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Hopefully this week I’ll get back to posting book reviews (I have three that are done), but I’ve been forgetting the last few weeks, so we’ll see how that goes.

For this week’s Top 5 Tuesday, I decided to do a spin-off of last week’s. A bunch of people gave me some flack about making my top 5 characters all male, so this week I’m going to show my love for the ladies with my 5 favorite female characters!

1.     Hermione Granger (from the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling)

Hermione is one of those characters that reminds me so much of myself it’s almost frightening. Each time I re-read the series, I find myself identifying more and more with the shy, intelligent, ultra-organized, slightly neurotic bookworm. We both love libraries, studying, and learning. She got a Time Turner her third year to take more classes – something I TOTALLY would have done! I mean, this is the girl who’s boggart in her third year Defense Against the Dark Arts Final was Professor McGonagall telling her she’d failed everything (I still have “oh my God it’s the final and I forgot to go to class all semester” dreams three years out of college). She’s also an incredibly strong person, standing up for what she believes in with little regard to other people’s opinions (SPEW is an excellent example). Her devotion to Harry – especially during Deathly Hallows when she has to choose between Ron and her mission – is phenomenal.

2.     Rose Hathaway (from the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead)

I like Rose so much because she, like Hermione, reminds me of myself, only to a lesser extent. I’ve definitely been known to take the “punch first, ask questions later” approach to problem solving, though not as much as I’ve grown older (thankfully!). Rose is also incredibly protective of Lissa, and reading through the series for the first time, their relationship reminded me a lot of my relationship with my best friend. Though, obviously, I don’t have a direct connection into her mind. And Alyssa’s not a vampire, but I digress. The point is that I admire how far Rose is willing to go to protect those she loves like Lissa and Dimitri. And it takes an exceptionally strong person to have gone through some of the things Rose has (let’s take all of Blood Promise as one big example), a kind of emotional strength I can’t help but admire.

3.     Katniss Everdeen (from The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins)

Katniss is so great because she is an incredibly strong female role model, even though she definitely has her weaknesses. But she’s not great despite those flaws, but because of them. Having flaws – being emotionally unavailable, for one – makes her much more realistic and more relatable. She’s not perfect, but she is the picture of strength and survival, whatever the cost (almost, anyway). Despite what most people think, The Hunger Games isn’t about whether Katniss should choose Peeta or Gale. It’s about people standing up for what is right and choosing to fight back rather than to accept the lot they’re dealt. When Katniss forces the Capitol to accept two victors, she may not mean to, but she starts a revolution. What Katniss does sparks something in people – it makes them realize that they deserve better.

4.     Éowyn (from the Lord of the Rings series by JRR Tolkien)

Éowyn is one of those characters that is easy to overlook, which is a specialty of mine when it comes to liking characters (take Walter from Stargate for example – mega bonus points if you can even tell me who he is). She, like the other women that made this list is incredibly strong and principled, two traits I admire in both real people and fictional characters. Éowyn definitely takes her heritage seriously, but she also feels that she has more to offer her uncle, King Theoden, and the people of Rohan than a life at Edoras can give her. She longs to go into battle – so much so that she disguises herself as a man in order to fight. And once she gets to the battle, she’s a total badass, killing (with Merry’s help) the Witch-king and his scary dragon-horse. I love, also, that Éowyn’s is, ultimately, a love story, but she doesn’t meet her prince (literally and figuratively) until her badassery is over and done with. Éowyn didn’t ride into battle for the love of a man, but because she felt she owed it to her people, which makes her even more awesome in my eyes.

5.     Professor Minerva McGonagall (from the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling)

I love Minerva McGonagall so much. There are so many great qualities about her – she’s an amazing teacher, a spectacularly talented witch, and cares so much for the students in Gryffindor house. I admired her throughout much of the Harry Potter series, but she kills me in Deathly Hallows every time. Everything she says to Harry after his return to Hogwarts at the end is just so perfect, and I love that she’s the one who cries out the loudest at Harry’s “death”. Minerva McGonagall isn’t just a teacher – she’s an incredibly kind and caring woman. Also, Dame Maggie Smith’s portrayal of her is so spot-on I almost can’t handle it.

So there you have it – proof that I swing both ways when it comes to characters I like. Granted, I like the dudes I listed last week more, but these women have a lot to offer as well. And, on the whole, they’re probably better people than my actual favorites, so what does that say about me?

Mischief Managed,

Slim Pearl Silver-Feather

Currently Reading: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Books Read in 2012: 20

Top 5 Tuesday: Favorite Characters

For this week’s Top 5 Tuesday, I let Justin pick again. I think he’s out to get me, though, since he doesn’t think I can keep this short and sweet. I’ll show him, though!

Alright folks, this week I bring you my Top 5 Favorite Characters! I’m going to try and do this spoiler free…We’ll see how that goes!

1.     Sirius Black (Harry Potter)

Say what you want about him, but I LOVE Sirius Black. He is, without a doubt, my all-time favorite fictional character. Sirius was really the first character that made a long-lasting personal impact on me. I get way too invested in fiction, for sure, but Sirius was my “first love” of fiction, in a lot of ways. He was the first character to really stick with me, and the things that happened to him (especially in Order of the Phoenix) affected me more strongly than anything I’d read up to that point. I could spend days telling you why Sirius Black is amazing, but I’ll break it down for you to one very simple trait – his heart. While Sirius might not be the best all-around person, you’re very hard-pressed to find someone more dedicated to doing what needs to be done to help those he loves. Actually, you could sum my love for Sirius up with this line, from Order of the Phoenix: “Sirius had never kept him waiting before.... Sirius had risked everything, always, to see Harry, to help him”.

2.     Roland Deschain (The Dark Tower)

Sometimes, when I think about Roland, all I can do is sigh. If I’d gotten to know him first, I think I could love him more than Sirius. However, my first attempt at The Dark Tower wasn’t successful, and I’ve only come to know and love Roland son of Steven in the last several years. There’s something about being the last one of your people on an impossible quest to save the world (or maybe to destroy it) that is endearing, especially to me. But then I got to Wizard and Glass. Finishing that book (which delves deeply into Roland’s backstory) broke something inside of me and made me realize just how amazing Roland is as a character. Again, I could expound on Roland for days, but I’ll stick to the one thing I love the most. Roland Deschain is not a good person, but he has the nerve to do what needs to be done, no matter how distasteful. Roland is so focused on his purpose – reaching the Tower – that he is willing to put aside everything else (well, almost everything – his ka-tet do help change him along the way) to reach that goal. Also, if you’ve read to the end of the series, you’ll understand what it is about Roland that I just can’t quit.

3.     Dimitri Belikov (Vampire Academy)

Dimitri is the character on this list that has most recently entered my “inner sanctum” of characters I adore. Reading this series sent my heart all aflutter for Dimitri in a way only matched by Sirius, Roland, and Daniel (see “Honorable Mention”). I know I said this in my posts on the series, but it’s like Mead took the things I love most about those three characters and rolled them into one. Like Sirius, Dimitri is fiercely loyal to his loved ones and incredibly brave, throwing himself into countless dangerous situations to protect those closest to him. At the same time, Dimitri has an incredibly strong sense of purpose and fairness (in the sense that he’s fair and balanced, no matter the circumstances), like Roland. Plus, he wears a duster and reads westerns, so he practically is a gunslinger. Finally, like Daniel, Dimitri places an incredible amount of his self-worth on honor and is very passionate about everything in his life. Basically, Dimitri is my perfect man (sorry, Justin!).

4.     Sam Vimes (Discworld)

So, by now, you may have noticed that I have a think for “bad boys”. Well, not bad, per se, but I do like characters that aren’t necessarily good people, but have some other redeeming characteristic that elevates them, at least in my mind. Sam Vimes is another one of those characters. City Watch Commander Vimes is a little gritty, a little rough around the edges, but he is the kind of man who can get the job done. At his heart, Vimes is an idealist, believing unflinchingly in justice. At the same time, he’s deeply cynical, and it’s that disconnect between the good he believes he can bring to Ankh-Morpork and the crime and depravity he sees that makes him such an interesting character.

5.     Gale Hawthorne (The Hunger Games)

Gale is kind of a divisive character among Hunger Games fans, in that you either hate him or love him. While most of my other friends were fawning over Peeta (who everyone – except me – likes), I was falling in love with Gale. I admire principle and dedication, and Gale certainly exemplifies those qualities. He is incredibly dedicated to his cause – so dedicated, in fact, that people he cares about are pushed away from him. I think a lot of readers can’t get into that kind of character. Peeta is a lot more welcoming, which is why so many people love the boy with the bread. I, on the other hand, am really drawn in by Gale’s dedication. Also, it helps his case that I couldn’t stop thinking about how sad he must have been watching Katniss and Peeta “fall in love” during the Games. And, I’d like to leave you with my strongest opinion about Gale (mostly because this is what people fight me the most on when I say how much I love him). Blaming Gale for what happens at the end of Mockingjay is like blaming Einstein for Hiroshima. Yes, it was his idea, but he didn’t pull the trigger (nor did he have any way of knowing his idea was going to be used in that way). Gale is awesome, and Peeta sucks. The end.

Honorable Mention: Daniel Jackson (Stargate)

Yes, I know, it’s a Top 5. BUT, Daniel deserves this. Besides, I’m limiting myself strictly to the written word in the Top 5, and while Daniel has been in Stargate books, he’s from the television. Also, I wanted to prove that I can love good men, and Daniel is definitely a good man. There are only two moments that I can think of in all of SG:1 that make me angry at Daniel (Past and Present and Undending, if you were wondering), and even then, I can understand where he’s coming from. Basically, if Daniel Jackson were a real-live person, I would leave my husband for him, no questions asked.

Mischief Managed,

Slim Pearl Silver-Feather

Currently Reading: Bloodlines, Richelle Mead (I know I’m on “hiatus”, but I’m blaming Sierra for lending me the first book in this Vampire Academy spinoff series.

Books Read in 2012: 20