Readers United Book Reviews | Sophie's World and Dawn

Ava Hathaway Hacker '18 returns with two thought-provoking novels sure to keep you reading until the end. 

Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder

"The only thing that we require to be good philosophers is the faculty of wonder."

In Jostein Gaarder’s novel, Sophie’s World, Sophie Amundsen returns home from school one day to find two mysterious notes in her mailbox. Each notes has one question: “Who are you?” and “Where do we come from?” This begins a series of lessons between Sophie and her  teacher, Albert Knox, as the novel continues to, with Sophie’s own learning, explore the history of philosophy in a new and enlightening way: through the eyes of a fourteen-year-old girl.

Sophie’s World tracks the evolution of mankind’s philosophical thought, and, within that, makes the reader ask the same theoretical questions of themselves. Though the plot involving Sophie and her philosophy teacher Albert Knox, as well as well as other characters introduced later, grows more and more complex as the novel advances, part of the excitement of the story is not truly understanding everything, both about the characters and also about the lessons they are teaching. The realizations later in the novel about the nature of Sophie and her teacher themselves twists the book further from a straightforward story.

Sophie’s World is a compelling read. Though not a dramatic page-turner, it presents enough mystery and speculation to keep the reader interested. It is carefully written and the pieces fit seamlessly together. While some of the concepts of Sophie’s story might be complex, the writing is clear and simple.

Verdict: I would recommend this novel to anyone interested in philosophy and philosophical exploration who does not shy away from long reads.

Dawn by Octavia Butler

Octavia Butler's, Dawn, the first book in the Xenogenesis trilogy, tells the story of a Woman named Lilith who wakes up in an isolated compartment on a spaceship to learn that she has been in suspended animation for hundreds of years, ever since nuclear war destroyed life on Earth. She meets the Oankali, the alien race that has rescued her, and a few other humans, from the destruction. 

The Oankali are frightening in appearance, lacking facial features and sporting tentacles. They possess the power of genetic manipulation and there are three, rather than two, genders: male, female, and Ooloi. Though they have saved some remnants of humanity, it is not for unselfish reasons. They want to repopulate earth with a new phase of life, Oankali -human hybrid children.

Lilith is given the responsibility of training the other rescued humans, though she herself is disgusted by both the Oanlaki themselves and their plans for humanities future. The novel explores multitudes of complex themes: colonization, xenophobia, consent, sexuality, gender, human nature, race, and many more. 

Dawn is far from an easy read, it is complex and frightening, and, at times, graphic. However, for the readers who can handle the disturbing aspects, Dawn is one of the most compelling and thought-provoking examples of sci-fi speculative fictions of all time. Octavia Butler creates a story that will shock and amaze the reader. Truly, there are few books like it.

Verdict: For readers who can handle hard themes and sometimes disturbing scenes, Dawn is a fascinating novel from one of the greatest sci-fi writers of all time. The world that Octavia Butler has created will keep the reader on the edge of their seat, anxious to read the next page.

Readers United Books Reviews | Kindred and The Handmaid's Tale

In this installment, Ava Hathaway-Hacker '18 writes reviews about two provocative science fiction books.

Kindred by Octavia Butler

Part historical drama, part science fiction, and part slave memoir, Kindred by Octavia Butler is a story with a narrative that transcends time as much as its protagonist. The novel has a non-linear structure and begins at the very end of the story, with a first line full of the straightforward truthfulness that characterizes the novel as a whole: “I lost an arm on my last trip home. My left arm.”

The story centers on Edana Franklin (Dana), a twenty-six year old black woman living in California in 1976 with her white husband, Kevin. She faints while moving into her new house and finds herself thrust back in time to the antebellum period where she saves a young boy, Rufus, from drowning. Rufus is, though she doesn’t know it yet, her ancestor. From there, she finds herself jumping back and forth in time, watching Rufus, a wealthy slave-owner’s son and heir, grow into a cruel and selfish man. Called back time and time again to save his life and preserve her own, she can only return to her former life when she herself is in danger. Though the story is full of time-travel and the characters and situation are, of course, fictional, the novel realistically depicts the numerous horrors and struggles of slavery in the antebellum period, as well as the racial prejudices that reach far beyond the past.

With a rich and gripping plot as well as a powerful historical narrative, Kindred delivers a thought-provoking message on race, control, identity, and human capacity for cruelty and selfish ignorance. Many of questions that arise at the beginning of the novel leave the reader in suspense until the very end. The strong first-person narration brings the reader with Dana on her many travels back and forth in time, and makes the horrible scenes of brutality all the more disturbing. With powerful prose and a suspenseful and artfully woven plot, Kindred is a novel well worth a read.

Verdict: Fans of historical fiction and sci-fi time travel, who enjoy novels that explore complex and important topics, will love this powerful novel. Even those who do not normally enjoy these genres should give this book a chance.

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

Set in the fictional Republic of Gilead in a New England of the relatively near future, The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood, is a gripping and horrifying vision of a dystopian world where women have been stripped of all human rights. Atwood’s powerful writing and disturbing insights elevate and deepen the impact and strength of the novel. Especially in times when some question just how far we truly are from such a future, The Handmaid’s Tale provides a thought-provoking dive into a bleak world.

The premise of the novel centers around an overthrow of the previous government by a movement known as the “Sons of Jacob,” who destroy Congress, suspend the Constitution, and quickly move to remove women’s rights piece by piece. The conservative Christian movement reduces society to the strict hierarchy of the Old Testament and puts in place many other severe regulations that strip away power from women in all aspects, from reading to raising families. A group of women, known as the handmaids, are used as reproductive machines for the high-ranking men of the Republic. The novel focuses primarily on one of these women, Offred, whose name, like all of the other handmaids, refers to the man who controls her, known as “The Commander.” Offred remembers the time before the Republic began, her husband and daughter she has not seen since a failed escape attempt to Canada. Her assignment to the Commander brings a set of complications and put her in contact with a variety of characters, who are themselves mere pieces in the horrifying puzzle of this new world.

Atwood’s writing is detailed yet reserved, every word chosen deliberately and carefully as she paints a vivid and terrifying image of a society built on oppression. What would it feel like, she asks, to have everything you have ever known or ever had taken away from you? Full of meaningful, horrifying, symbolic, and disturbing images, events, and characters, The Handmaid’s Tale is a life-changing novel. Once you read it, you will find it near to impossible to look at the world as you once did.

Verdict: A gripping and disturbing tale of a dystopian future that feels far from impossible, The Handmaid's Tale will leave you restless and, like the best works for fiction, will cause you to see the world around you differently. Highly recommended for all, though be warned that the novel can be disturbing.

Readers United Book Reviews | The Collector and The The Miniaturist

In this installment, Ava Hathaway-Hacker '18 returns to share some deeply thought-provoking stories with convoluted themes and plots.

  

The Collector

John Fowles’s The Collector, often hailed as the first modern psychological thriller, explores the frightening product of one man’s obsession. Frederick Clegg is a lonely, uneducated, and antisocial man whose one true passion is his butterfly collection. Lacking social skills, Clegg has little interaction with others and is isolated and removed from the rest of the world. When Miranda, a beautiful middle-class art student catches his eye, he quickly becomes obsessed, unable to approach her and yet desperate to be with her. After winning a large sum of money in the lottery, he constructs an elaborate plan to collect her. He buys an isolated house in the English countryside and, in a way that feels emotionless and even involuntary on his part, kidnaps and keeps her in his carefully prepared cellar. There, Miranda becomes a part of his collection.

The story is told in three parts: The first from the point of view of Clegg, the second from the diary entries of Miranda, and the third again from Clegg’s point of view. Throughout the gripping and disturbing novel, the most unsettling aspect is the way in which Clegg tells it. Removed, cold, and sociopathic, Clegg never realizes that what he has done is wrong. He understands his collections, but not human emotions, and he tells his portion of the story in a detached voice. He seeks to capture the beauty that he is unable to appreciate and collect that which he cannot ever truly possess.

This is a gruesome novel, not in gore or violence, but in its stark exploration of the darkness and coldness of one man’s soul. Clegg is broken and unhinged, and while it is impossible not to despise him, it is also difficult not to pity the harsh and unfeeling way in which he views life. The ending is devastating, taking the story to a whole new level. Dark, sinister, and troubling, this novel will likely haunt you long after you put it down.

Verdict: Fans of psychological thrillers who can stomach a bit of horror will appreciate the gripping narrative and deeply complex characters.

The Miniaturist

Set in 1686, The Miniaturist, by Jessie Burton, tells the story of 18-year-old Nella Oortman, who moves to Amsterdam after being married off to a wealthy and much older businessman, Johannes Brandt. In the Brandt house, where Nella rarely sees her husband, Johannes Brandt’s cold and strict sister, Marin, commands the household. For her wedding, Nella receives an intricate replica of her new home, with tiny miniatures that match almost every aspect of the house. Nella begins requesting replicas of people and things from the elusive miniaturist. But things are hiding under the surface of the Brandts’ life in Amsterdam, and secrets seem to swirl in every corner of Nella’s new life. When they finally come to light, the revelations are shocking.

A detailed work of historical fiction, The Miniaturist tells a complex and interesting story. Yet, despite its intrigue, some aspects of the story fall flat. The beginning of the novel is fast-paced and exciting, but the plot begins to devolve as the novel progresses. The characters are strong and wonderfully developed, yet the title character, the miniaturist, remains a mystery that the story never seems to truly solve.

Despite its flaws, The Miniaturist manages to touch on multiple intriguing topics: racism, sexism, sexuality, societal repression, greed, and many other themes that transcend the story being told. In addition, the writing is beautiful and evocative. Barton tells a captivating story, if not a perfect one.

Verdict: Historical fiction set in the rich and captivating city of 17th century Amsterdam, this novel is easy to get into, yet slows as the story progresses. Those who love to examine the intricacies of society through literature will love the complex themes the author explores throughout this book.

Readers United Book Reviews | Mists of Avalon and Night Circus

Have you been reminiscing about the days spent pretending to be swashbuckling dragon-slayers or mystical magicians lately? Ava Hathaway-Hacker ’18 offers her sharp, insightful observations on books that can potentially let you immerse yourself in these fantasy worlds—perfect for those rainy days which we’ve been having this week, when all you want to do is curl up in bed and let the world around you melt away as you bury yourself in a book.

Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley

“In my time I have been called many things: sister, lover, priestess, wise woman, queen.”

From the first words, The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, turns a well-known tale on its head. The Arthurian legends have been retold time and time again, yet never quite like this. The novel is divided into four parts: Book One: Mistress of Magic; Book Two: The High Queen; Book Three: The King Stag; and Book Four: The Prisoner in the Oak. Told from the often-overlooked perspective of the female characters, principally Morgaine (Morgan le Fay), Bradley’s story twists the narrative, drawing the principal protagonist Morgaine, the half sister of King Arthur, as a Druidic priestess defending her pagan religion against Christianity, a depiction far from the villainous enchantress of the original legends. The book follows Morgaine’s path from her separation from Arthur at the age of eleven years old to her rise to priesthood on the spiritual island of Avalon to her eventual departure. The story also focuses on the female characters of Gwenhwyfar (Guinevere), Viviane, Morgause, and Igraine.

An epic novel spanning generations, The Mists of Avalon is more than the story of a few women toiling in a changing time. It is a story of religions clashing, beliefs challenged, and truths grasped. The Christian religion wars with the ancient religion of Avalon, promises are broken, birthrights are claimed, romance is sought, and revenge is enacted. This book is full of adventure and suffering, and it keeps readers in suspense from the first page to the last. The characters are rich and multi-faceted, and the original twist on the legends makes the book much more than yet another King Arthur story.

Be warned: if you’re looking for a quick read, this book is not for you. It may take you days, even weeks, to get through the 876 pages. Yet even though parts of it do inevitably drag on, most of the time you will find it impossible to put down. Bradley spins a tale of intrigue, romance, adventure, religion, magic, mythology, and war into a dramatic web that sings throughout the many pages. Though the reading is not especially difficult, the careful language will make you feel transported to a different time. Fans of Tolkein, Game of Thrones, and the other fantasy epics will find themselves at home in this mystical story that artfully weaves fantasy with mythology. Those who have struggled to see themselves in the often male-dominated mythology and literature will find a host of powerful women to respect and be inspired by.

Verdict: Though this book may be long, fans of high fantasy and mythology will love this intriguing and mystical story.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Open The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, and enter a world unlike any you have experienced before. A mysterious circus that appears and disappears around the world without a trace acts as the magical anchor for this story. Le Cirque Des Rêves, (The Circus of Dreams) is like no other, and devotees (who call themselves “reveurs”) even wear the colors of the circus to prove their devotion. But all is not as it seems. Behind this bright circus, a slow battle rages. Two magicians train their protégées in the art of magic, a training that will eventually culminate in a deadly dual. Celia Bowen, a talented young girl, is taught by her recently discovered father, Prospero “the Enchanter” in the art of illusions, the ability to manipulate the universe. Marco Alistair, an orphan, is trained by the mysterious Mr. A.H to be her rival. Both grow up with no knowledge of the rules or awareness of their future opponent.

Once the game becomes clear to them, the two compete to outdo one another, with the circus serving as the chessboard for their dangerous game. That game becomes even more deadly when the two begin to fall in love. What follows will change their world, and the world of all around them, forever.

Do not be deceived by the “battle” described, this book is far from an action novel. Instead of quick movement and flashy fight scenes, The Night Circus takes time to focus on imagery and careful prose. This is not a fast-paced book; indeed, its careful attention to detail is what makes it so fantastic. Instead of constant action, Morgenstern’s greatest skill is her imagery, her ability to bring the circus, and all its spectacles to life. Though there are many characters, the circus itself seems to be the most important, a setting so real and vibrant it almost seems alive. Indeed, Morgenstern spends far more time developing the circus than she does most of her characters. The result is an incredibly vivid and magical setting for the story that plays out.

The Night Circus is a carefully spun web of colorful threads. Different points of view, times, locations, mysteries, all come together to create a beautiful and complex story. Though the points of view can get confusing and complicated at times, the narrator remains the same, an omniscient, god-like voice that at times speaks directly to the reader. In fact, some parts of the story are written as if the reader themselves are walking through the circus. The narrative jumps around in time, but it remains tethered in the late 19th and early 20th century.

The writing of The Night Circus is beyond beautiful; it is rich, deep, vivid, and moving. It makes you feel exactly as the circus makes its visitors feel:

“You think, as you walk away from Le Cirque des Rêves and into the creeping dawn, that you felt more awake within the confines of the circus.

You are no longer quite certain which side of the fence is the dream.”

Verdict: The Night Circus combines beautiful imagery, prose, romance, and magic in a unique and amazing way. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys magical realism and doesn’t rely on fast-paced action to stay interested in a book.