March Reads.
Silver Screen by Justina Robson
By the author of Natural History which totally rocked my world. This book is not a new book -- first published in the UK in 1999, but only released in the US in 2005 -- and neither are the questions it raises. However, it is a very good book and well worth reading. Like Natural History, it's the kind of book whose ideas stick with me and skew my interpretation of the world for weeks (if not months) after reading.
Nurse Matilda by Christianna Brand (illus. by Edward Ardizzone)
I wouldn't give this to a child who liked the film without some explanation of the differences between the stories and the movie as the two are only loosely related. Stories are mostly amusing with lots of British-isms (obviously), but are also extremely repetitious.
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Exquisite. I'm not usually keen on vampire stories, but this book was so well written with relatable characters who behave in very realistic ways and fantasy elements that were approached so originally that I find I'd like to read it again. I'd happily put this right up there with McKinley's Sunshine.
Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury (read by Paul Hecht)
The Illustrated Man was the first Bradbury book I ever read. Yes, way back in seventh grade, it knocked my socks off. While the stories don't move me as much as the used to (many are a lot less terrifying and the gender roles depicted in most of the stories simply annoy the bejeesus out of me), listening to them was still a good way to pass the commute.
Animals in Translation by Temple Grandin & Catherine Johnson (read by Shelly Frasier)
Stunning. I learned far more about animal (and human) behavior listening to this book than I ever learned in a lecture hall. It is one of those books that permanently alter your view of the world. Everyone should read or listen to this book.
Shelly Frasier and Tantor also did a bang up job producing this audiobook. I look forward to listening other Tantor products and hope Frasier's other recordings are as good.
The Magician's Nephew by CS Lewis (read by Kenneth Branagh)
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis (read by Michael York)
As a child, I read the Narnia books in the order they were written -- not the order in which they were set. As an adult, I'm listening to them in the order they are set and discovering that is not a good idea. After listening to The Magician's Nephew, Wardrobe seemed much less magical and surprising. However, I always loathed the Pevensies so maybe that's just personal bias kicking in. Will skip ahead to The Silver Chair, I think.
The boxed set is physically very attractive. It's by Harper Collins and consists of a laminated box with slipcase and seven CD books nestled in their own individual slipcases. Everything (including the CDs) are decorated with illustrations from the books and are just delightful to look at and use. However, the readers haven't been all that great so far. As the narrator of Wardrobe, Michael York's tone is almost one of condensation and his Aslan just makes me wince.
Mortal Engines (Hungry City Chronicles, Book One) by Philip Reeve
Winner of the Nestle Smarties Award. Shortlisted for the Whitbread Children's Book of the Year. 2003 Blue Peter Book of the Year. 2006 Nutmeg Children's Book Award nominee. And seriously good. Brilliant, even.
Daniel, Half Human: and the Good Nazi by David Chotjewitz (trans. by Doris Orgel)
A Batchelder Honor Book. Moving novel about Daniel, a boy from a well-to-do family, who makes friends with Armin, a working-class boy, who is as enthusiastic about the Nazis party and Hitler as Daniel. Alas, it is discovered Daniel is half-Jewish (hence, half-human) and what happens with Armin is both horrible and unsurprising. Not a book for people who like happy endings.
Eat Cake written & read by Jeanne Ray
Mostly amusing story about a family in crisis and how a middle-aged Minneapolis housewife reinvents herself through ... cake ... in order to save her family. Luscious foodie talk and lots of interesting characters. Audiobook quality was, sadly, not good. Ray makes a lot of mistakes in her reading and those mistakes where not edited out by the fine people at Brilliance Audio so the flow and rhythm of the story is marred.