Animal Death in Fiction: Is it a deal breaker for you?

We all have our deal breakers when it comes to fiction, and mine is clearly the death of animals.  It's why I avoid obvious tearjerkers like OLD YELLER or MARLEY AND ME or WHERE THE RED FERN GROWS (hint: if the animal is on the cover, it's probably going to die). But sometimes, even if you do your best to pick books that seem to have nothing to do with furry creatures, you'll encounter the tragic death of an animal anyway. And the thing is - sometimes these deaths seem gratuitous - a shortcut for the author to show that a character is deranged or a cheap trick to wrangle some emotion out of the reader.  And that's when I'm compelled to exit.

Recently, I was reading AMITY & SORROW, an adult novel about a mother and a pair of sisters fleeing a cult. With spare and haunting prose, Author Peggy Riley shows us the horrors these women have lived through and how difficult it can be to escape our pasts.  She also shows how warped Sorrow has become, detailing her increasingly erratic and destructive behavior. But then Sorrow kills a kitten - and I had to put down the book forever.

Perhaps I'm overly sensitive, but that act seemed unnecessary.  I already knew that Sorrow was seriously messed up - wasn't there another way to illustrate how far she'd go?  Anything other than killing a newborn kitten?

There are other books that have shocked me with their cat and dog killing ways.  One of my biggest hurdles to liking fan favorite JELLICOE ROAD by Melina Marchetta is that Taylor drowns a cat - and once she did that, it was very difficult for me to sympathize with her (though I did finish the book). I had to skip a whole chapter in Tiffany Schmidt's SEND ME A SIGN because of a dying pet, and gritted my teeth together when Jerome reveals that he used to kill cats in Martha Brockenbrough's DEVINE INTERVENTION (though this is admittedly a good reason for Jerome to worry he might end up in hell).

There are times, too, that I'll avoid books entirely because other readers have warned me about animals dying within (such as BLACK CITY by Elizabeth Richards and ORIGIN by Jessica Khoury - as much as I find the premises of these books appealing, I just can't go there right now).

That is not to say I don't think there is a legitimate place for animal deaths in some stories.  For example, I thought the way KM Walton handled it in CRACKED was justifiable and moving. See, Victor is friendless, hopeless, and plagued with suicidal thoughts. The family's elderly poodle is Victor's only reason for living - so when he dies, it's the final straw. (Note: I think it was wise that Walton stressed that the poodle lived a full and happy life.)  And Megan Shepherd's THE MADMAN'S DAUGHTER would have hardly worked as a retelling of THE ISLAND OF DR MOREAU without being true to the original's animal experimentation plotline.

If animal deaths are also a deal breaker for you, you might want to check out this list of books where the dog dies (sadly I couldn't find a similar list for cats) and this website which covers all animal deaths in movies.

(Speaking of movies, I was beside myself with worry for the cat in MOONRISE KINGDOM, and then *pow* the poor dog bites it.)

What's your take? When is it acceptable to portray animal deaths in fiction - if ever? 

Let's Talk About ARCs

The blogosphere is all atwitter about ARCs (advance reader copies) lately. Who should get them, what they're for, how far in advanced should they be reviewed, where are they used most effectively and why is everyone in such a tizzy?

I'm not going to talk about any of those questions though.

What's on my mind at the moment is the quality of a reading experience. As most of us know, ARCs are uncorrected copies, created usually after the first round of copyedits (but sometimes even before). There are errors which may be mistakes made by the author (and not caught), mistakes made by the copyeditor (and not "stet"ed), or mistakes by the person responsible for keying in all the changes (my copyedits were done on paper).

The author also has the chance to make changes after copyedits. In some cases, the author may make pretty big changes, like reworking the whole ending. But even if the changes are more subtle - a transition smoothed here or a phrase added there - it's no question that the finished copy is going to be better.

I've read posts by other authors about this subject (which I cannot find at the moment - you try googling ARC + an author's name and see what you find = not posts about their thoughts on ARCs), but I never really GOT it until I read through my own first pass pages for LEVEL 2 (same draft as my ARC). It's not bad by any means, but there are words missing, typos, and even a place where two sentences mysteriously disappeared.

Now I read a lot of ARCs. In fact, of the 47 books I've read so far this year, 42 of those were ARCs. Out of the 42, I bought 10 when they came out (and plan to buy more) but I won't likely be rereading them again in their entirety anytime soon. Did I cheat myself out of the best reading experience I could have had of those books?  Might I have enjoyed them even more had I read every word as it was intended to be?

Probably. But the other side of the coin was that by reading these books early, I got to be a part of building buzz, of starting the conversation - something which is valuable for both authors and bloggers. And of course I got the thrill of reading a coveted book before (most of) the rest of the world.

Is it a fair trade-off? What do you think?

Oh, and if you're an author, how different is your ARC from your finished copy?

ETA: Author Elizabeth Fama wants you to kill her ARC.

Author Diana Peterfreund warns that the ending of FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS is different in the ARC.

(Point me to other links if you have them!)

On Authors Reviewing Books

Not every book is for everyone, but every book is for someone.

This mantra is always what’s in the back of my head when I sit down to write a book review.  How can I write a review in such a way that the people who are going to love this book will consider reading it (even if I personally didn’t especially like it)?  I’ve tried to be honest in a generally positive way.  I’ve resisted the snark. I encourage my readers to make up their own minds.

Via my reviewing, I’ve both learned a lot about writing as well as built up a platform with an engaged book-loving audience. But now, I may have to give it up.

You might recall the brouhaha earlier this year concerning aspiring authors vs the YA mafia. Supposedly, the YA mafia had the power to blacklist a writer who dared to write critical reviews. Not only that, mafia members could singlehandedly quash writers’ dreams of ever getting traditionally published. 

When I got my book deal this spring, lots of people used me as an example against the myth of the YA mafia, and I didn’t hear much about it on the web after that.  My publisher didn’t suggest I should stop reviewing. Most of my fellow bloggers saw no reason for me to quit. For a time, I thought maybe I could do both.

However, over the past few months, I have gotten a lot of conflicting advice from fellow authors about my reviewing:

“Stop reviewing immediately. You have to choose whether you want to be an author or a book reviewer.”

“You write constructive, thoughtful reviews, and if you want to continue, you should.”

“Authors will hold a grudge against you – some already do.”

“It would be a loss for the whole YA community if you gave up book reviewing, but I can totally understand why you would.”

I’ve kind of been agonizing over this.  Is there a way to keep reviewing without alienating authors/peers/people I might sit on panels with in the future? What if I only write positive reviews? But if I do that, will I lose my credibility with my audience – readers who expect me to be honest with them?  Maybe I should only review books whose authors are dead/technologically illiterate/too famous to care?!

Phoebe North gave me a lot of food for thought in her post On Honest Reviewing. She writes about the "utter subjectiveness of opinion" and that a "good review will be thorough enough that you should be able to get an inkling of where the reviewer’s tastes lie in relation to your own."  Many readers (and authors) extol the virtues of a well-reasoned critical review. Beth Revis even said on Twitter that there's a certain reviewer whose tastes run exactly opposite of hers, and she knows if the reviewer pans a book, she'll love it. (And no, it's not me. I asked.)

When I brought up these points with an author friend, she said she agrees that honesty and critical examination of books is 100% necessary - but that it doesn't need to come from me. 

One thing is certain. This blog WILL be going through some changes over the next year as I transition to being a published author.  You’ll definitely be hearing more about LEVEL 2 and CHICK-O-SAURUS REX.  I will continue to interview authors, offer giveaways, join blog tours, and spotlight books (maybe even under the heading of book reviews).

I am also starting a new feature to highlight 2012 debut books from my fellow Apocalypsies.  It’s called Apocalypsies Love and both the author and I will let you know what we think there is to love about his/her novel.

Because even if you don’t love everything about a book, there is something to love in every book.  Or at least, something that somebody will love. 

I'd love to hear what you think about authors reviewing books. Should they do it? Not? Do you as a reader put any stock in a reviewer (author or not) who never has anything critical to say about books? Do you as an author still rate books less than 5 stars - or do you feel the pressure to be publicly positive all the time?

Hot Topic: Does a YA novel have to be accessible?

Not long ago, I reviewed JELLICOE ROAD by Melina Marchetta. I had an unpleasant reading experience the first time around because of a problem I personally had with the structure, although I enjoyed my second reading much more. I mused in my review:

"I think a book is fundamentally flawed if you have to read it twice before you can really get into it. I’d have been more impressed if Marchetta had found a way into the story that retained some of the cryptic, tragic character, but in way that made me care from the beginning."

Adele of Persnickety Snark wrote a reaction piece to my review on her blog When You Find Yourself Stumped, sad and perplexed that I didn’t love the novel as much as she did.

Her post brought up some thought provoking points about how we react to negative reviews of books we loved and it is well worth checking out. But what prompted me to write this post today is a comment that the author, Melina Marchetta, left on Adele’s post about my review:

"Although I disagree passionately with Lenore when she states that a book is fundamentally flawed if it has to be read twice, I will own up to the fact that Taylor is difficult and, at times, a very unlikeable protagonist."

Now I don’t at all consider this a case of an author arguing with a review, especially as she states:

"I think an important thing for us writers is that there is intelligent dialogue about our work, regardless of whether a blogger likes our books or not. The reviews written by yourself and Lenore are intelligent, if not sometimes harsh. But I like the world of harsh intelligent reviews better than a world of no reviews at all."

But it did get me thinking about my statement. Because OF COURSE there are books that we have to read twice (or more) to really get into. I don’t think many people start reading ULYSSES by James Joyce thinking that they are going to understand everything the first time around. And the same goes for a great many books (the so-called “classics” especially), which become richer and deeper to us the more we spend time with them.

I realize now that my statement above stems from my expectations of what a YA novel in particular should be. One of the reasons I enjoy reading YA so much, and read so much of it, is because of how accessible it is. In general, writers for children and teens spend a lot of time crafting novels with an immediate hook to capture reluctant readers, tight pacing to keep them interested, and a clear structure to keep them from getting confused.

JELLICOE ROAD is not so accessible. But does its’ lack of accessibility mean it is flawed? Can’t YA aspire to something more? Something, that like a classic, benefits from multiple readings? Obviously the Printz committee thought so when they named JELLICOE ROAD the best book of 2009.

Indeed, I think it's about time to adjust my own expectations. Obviously, less accessible YA is not going to work for everyone (especially reluctant readers), but I'll certainly be reading YA with a more open mind in the future.  Even if I have to read a book twice.

What do you think?

Book Blogger Appreciation Week: All Posts in One

I've been crazy traveling this week, so haven't gotten to participate in BBAW beyond hugging bloggers at the Brooklyn Book Festival (Jaime of The Perpetual Page Turner, Lori of the The Next Best Book Club, Erica of The Olive Reader, Allie of Hist-Fic Chick, and Nicole of Linus' Blanket, among others), doing an interview swap and celebrating mightily when I heard that I had won both Best YA Blog and Best Author Interviews (I still can't quite believe it! Thank You!).

So I am making up for that now, with a POWER BBAW post!

First up: First Treasure

Since last year's BEA I've discovered a ton of fab new book blogs, but two of my favorites are blogs that were also shortlisted for Best YA Blog this year: Forever Young Adult and Angieville.

I was in absolute heaven when I got to hang with Sarah of FYA and Angie of Angieville at Book Blogger Con this year.  So. Much. Fun. 

Sarah and her 3 FYA partners in crime always amuse on their irreverent blog.  I love the format of their book reviews - especially the bonus factors.  My dream is to one day be invited to a FYA slumber party and play the Sweet Valley High board game with them (I'd even play Elizabeth *gasp*).  I would of course also insist that Angie attend.

Angie is so passionate about the books she reads, she makes me want to ditch my current read to pick up immediately whatever she's pushing.  She's the one who got me (and many, many others) hooked on Gen (from Megan Whalen Turner's The Thief series). She even had the power to make me think more positively about Mockingjay, which let's face it, was a letdown.

Keep on blogging!  Lylas, Lenore

And now: Unexpected Treasure

One of the best things about reading a lot of book blogs is being exposed to so many different kinds of books and genres.  Earlier this year, I become aware that I wasn't reading that many books with POC characters - thanks to blogs such as Reading in Color, Color Online and Steph Su Reads.  I looked around in my huge TBR and dug out Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves.  That has been one of my most interesting reading experiences of the year (read my review), and I owe it all to book bloggers.

And also: Forgotten Treasure

In my last post, I introduced the Nerds Heart YA finalists and picked a winner.  Both of those books, Say the Word by Jeannine Garsee and Last Night I Sang to the Monster by Benjamin Aline Saenz deserve much wider audiences.  I nommed another book which didn't make it so far into the tournament, but was one I just loved: The Blonde of the Joke by Bennett Madison (read my review).  It's a brilliant portrait of a complex, messy character. 

And finally: Future Treasure

Goals? I gotta have goals?  I guess my main goal for Presenting Lenore is to keep up my current level of quality while possibly spending less time on the blog and more time on my writing.  I want to be able to abandon books more easily and not feel so guilty about doing so.  I want to be more consistent about commenting, especially to encourage new bloggers.  And most of all, I want to keep having fun, discovering new books, and sharing my love for literature.

A huge thanks goes out to My Friend Amy and the rest of the BBAW team!

Dystopian Reader Views - Other Dystopian Titles to Check Out

I know I focused on very new/upcoming titles (mostly YA) this month, so I asked my dystopian reader panel for some recommendations of older/more obscure/adult dystopian works.

Diana Peterfreund recommends:
I really love Marianne Mancusi's RAZOR GIRL. I don't know if it's still in print. It's a zombie book with all kinds of cyberpunk shout-outs and it's told half before and half after the zombie apocalypse, from the point of view of a girl who has been turned into a weapon by her father in preparation for the coming plague. Also, seriously, FEED, by MT Anderson, though that was an LA Times notable book when it came out, so I don't know how "obscure" it is. But it's amazing. It's set in a very scary, very realistic near future in which everyone has the internet in their brains, and it shows how society and language and even thought can break down if that's the case. And finally, there's an adult novel by Shawn Klomparens called JESSICA Z that I really enjoyed. It's extremely subtle. It's set in our world, our time, except with terrorism being an everyday occurrence in America. Ooh, and Robin Wasserman's SKINNED series. It's about robots. And an oldie but a goodie: EVA, by Peter Dickinson, about a girl who gets "downloaded" into the body of a chimp. SKINNED and EVA are actually great books to read side by side.

Julie recommends:
THE SILENCED by James DeVita (from 2007) is the best I could recommend here. It is most likely not considered obscure but overall it was an amazing read to me. It is Marena’s journey at a time that the Zero Tolerance Party has complete control of their world which engages its citizens in heavy restrictions like no reading or writing. Not only did it help me investigate dystopian lit to read more but it also encouraged me in learning more about WWII and the events surrounding the symbolism and significance behind “The White Rose” during that time period in our world’s history. It helped me give me perspective into the very depths of identity and integrity as well.

Alyce recommends:
THE GATE TO WOMEN'S COUNTRY by Sheri S. Tepper because most people haven't heard of it, and I think it's an excellent book. It's not obvious that it's a dystopian book from the beginning, but sometimes I think those that surprise are the best (kind of like the ending of The Planet of the Apes movie).

Amy H. Sturgis recommends:
I think MARY'S COUNTRY by Harold Mead (1957) deserves to be much more widely read than it is. My understanding is that it came out too soon after both 1984 and LORD OF THE FLIES, and thus became characterized as a mixture of the two, although that's a gross oversimplification of this haunting and sensitive novel. This is the story of what happens to the isolated young people who were being groomed for leadership roles in a totalitarian regime, when their country is hit by the enemy's devastating biological weapons and the children are free to flee on their own. It is a chilling and beautiful story about what makes us human and what gives us hope.

Heather Trese recommends:
AFTER DACHAU by Daniel Quinn. It's an adult title, and so, so powerful. I didn't really know anything about it going into it, which really made my reading of it even more enjoyable because there's a twist and I was totally blind-sided when it happened.

Rosaline recommends:
The Y: THE LAST MAN graphic novel series is incredible, and I’d call it both post-apocalyptic and dystopian. One day, for no apparent reason, all the males in the world (human and animal variety) die at the exact same moment – except two, Yorick Brown and his monkey. It’s funny and cynical and fascinating and heartbreaking all at once.

Sya recommends:

SPARES by Michael Marshall Smith. I think that some people may shelve this with sci-fi but it has always seemed pretty dystopic to me - based in a world where people are cloned for spare body parts. I am also always amazed at how many people haven't read PD James THE CHILDREN OF MEN - particularly after the success of the movie a few years ago.

Steph Su recommends:
BATTLE ROYALE by Koushun Takami. It's like the Rated R version of The Hunger Games. Terrifyingly visceral, incredible character development, only to have the characters killed as soon as we start to care for them. Yiiiikes!

Celia Larson recommends:
SHADE'S CHILDREN by Garth Nix. It was published back before dystopian lit hit big, and it's VERY good. Everything Nix writes is fantastic, really.

Have you read any of these?  What did you think?  What are some other dystopian titles you'd recommend?

Dystopian Reader Views - What would you miss the most?

A few months ago, I was watching a season one episode of the the TV series DOLLHOUSE (very dystopian by the way - check it out) in which we jump to a future date in a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles. The characters happen upon the dollhouse (which was designed as a self-contained building underground) and discover not only does everything work, there are even hot showers.  This is too much for one of the characters to resist and she indulges, with predictably dire consequences.

That of course got me thinking that if I were her, I probably would've done the same thing.  Because long, hot showers are something I'd miss very much if I lived in a dystopian/post-apocalyptic world (unless, of course, I lived in one where you still could take hot showers, but I digress...)

I asked my dystopian reader panel what things they'd miss the most.

Diana Peterfreund said
I think that depends on what kind of post-apocalyptic world you're talking about. If I lived in the world of UGLIES, I'd probably be a bubble head, so I wouldn't miss much. (Though if I lived in the world of EXTRAS, I'd probably miss any ability to maintain my privacy!) If I lived in THE ROAD, um, I'd miss food, sunlight, my home, you name it! In the world of the Hunger Games, I suppose it would depends if I lived in the Capitol or not (and general freedom, of course). In Farenheit, I'd miss BOOKS! And so on...

Swapna Krishna said
Blogging! and being able to cook meat without having to catch/kill/skin animals. That would really be a bummer.

@marie_linda said
Electricity. I don't think I can live without an ice-cold water and the air conditioning. Those two things are a must when you live in the Caribbean and the temperature sometimes can be 100 degrees.

Julie said
I would miss having my favorite things all around me. I would imagine that life would be very simple as in this example below from THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX by Mary E. Pearson:  "There is not much to clean. My room is still sparse. "It is life near the bone where it is the sweetest, " I say to the walls. I amuse myself with my cleverness. I run a cloth over my desk and chair and I am done." pg. 192

Jen Arnold said
I can’t say that I would miss safety or predictability, because a lot of dystopian lit has more ritual, safety, safeguards than our world does now. I would probably miss being able to read dystopian fiction in that oblivious, fantasy way that we all do now...I don’t know if this genre would be quite as enjoyable if one of these stories came true!

Anna Horner said
Easy access to food, my freedom, and books. I suppose when you're fighting to survive, there's not much free time for reading.


Heather Figearo said
Well, if I lived in the world that the characters of NEVER LET ME GO live in, I would probably miss all the freedoms big and small of a normal life. I would probably be trained to be docile and uncomplaining, but I think some part of me, like the main character, would miss those things deep inside and not be able to explain them.

Amy Riley said
Air conditioning. Clean water. Ice for my diet coke. Getting around in my car.

Emily Ellsworth said
Chocolate Chips (from LIFE AS WE KNEW IT). There is a very poignant scene where Miranda eats all the chocolate chips in the pantry just because she is so sick of rationing food. It was a real turning point for her character. I know I’d miss chocolate and probably sugar in general. Other things I’d miss include: soap, toothpaste, ice cream, toilet paper, and pencils.

Amy H. Sturgis said
I don't know if this counts as a little thing, but I'd miss most of all having my personal space. Whether privacy's gone because Big Brother is keeping me under surveillance (1984), or because the world is vastly overcrowded (MAKE ROOM! MAKE ROOM!), or because the audience is watching my life like a reality show (SURVIVING ANTARTICA: REALITY TV 2083), I would miss terribly the opportunity to be truly by myself.  Oh yes - and toilet paper, shampoo, and soap! (Susan Beth Pfeffer's novels make me want to hoard all those bathroom items in vast quantities.)

Heather Trese said
It's hard to say, because every post-apocalyptic world is different. If chocolate were taken away I'm pretty sure I'd be devastated. The books that are always scariest to me though are the ones that restrict feelings, thoughts, or emotions, etc. And, of course, I would absolutely hate censoring books of any kind (whether all books were wiped out or only certain ones.) But on the other end something I always thought would be kind of fun to have in my house was one of those things that pops out whatever you needed/wanted, like in Scott Westerfeld's Uglies series. To just be able to describe the event I was going to and have the perfect outfit come out of my wall? OK, maybe that's one part of a post-apocalyptic world I can live with.

So tell us, what would YOU miss the most?

Mockingjay 13 District Blog Tour: District 10!

Welcome to District 10!  Even though Katniss didn't think much of our tributes dressed up as cows with flaming belts (she called them pathetic), we're still 100% behind Katniss, our symbol of hope.

Now if you know livestock farmers at all, you know that we all really enjoy putting together playlists. We love the Hunger Games Survival Mix Forever Young Adult put together for Katniss to prepare for the games. Yep, Another One Bites the Dust by Queen never fails to get us pumped up.  It makes a nice change to the cacophony of cowbells and rooster crowing.

In any case, I wanted to take it one step further and make individual playlists for each of the Hunger Games triology main characters.  These are songs that I either thought of when reading particular scenes featuring the character or that I think describes the character well.

As the symbol of the revolution, it is fitting that Katniss get some 'protest' songs.

1. Tori Amos "Iieee" 
We scream in cathedrals, why can't that be beautiful? Why does there gotta be a sacrifice?
This is a line that always goes through my head when I think of Katniss taking Prim's place.

2. Bat for Lashes "Glass"
Sew a cape of red and gold, Stifle up the beam, With the perfect armor, With the perfect dream, When two suns are shining, The battle becomes blinding.
Makes me think of Cinna dressing Katniss for the games.

3. Rage Against the Machine "Darkness"
We’ll strike a match and it’ll catch, And spread the insight we need, A tiny fire burning bright, Shedding light on the darkness of greed.
This is what Katniss is to our revolution - a tiny fire burning bright.

4. Muse "Unnatural Selection"
They'll laugh as they watch us fall, The lucky don't care at all, I'm hungry for some unrest, I want to push this beyond a peaceful protest, I wanna speak in a language that they'll understand.
Self explanatory, I think!

5. Hard-Fi "Stronger"
You dish it out, I'll take it in, I can only grow from the lies you spin, If you're not scared then you should be, Nothin' in the world will keep you from me.
All I can say is that President Snow better watch his back.

6. Placebo "Every You, Every Me"
Pucker up for heaven’s sake. There's never been so much at stake.
This is what I imagine Haymitch yelling at Katniss before the broth/cave scene in book 1.
 
Listen to Katniss' playlist

So Peeta, he's a particular favorite of mine, and a lot of how we know him is in his relationship with Katniss. And of course we know he's a great painter and bakes beautiful, tasty cakes.
 
1. Tori Amos "Baker, Baker"
Baker Baker baking a cake, Make me a day, Make me whole again, And I wonder what's in a day, What's in your cake this time?
This is probably something Katniss sings to Peeta often.

2. The Rentals "Sweetness & Tenderness"
I need to figure this out, And find where my place is, I don't mean to threaten anyone, No need to get so defensive, You say you're with me, I know you don't care.
Something Peeta probably sings to Katniss often.

3. Stars "Take Me to the Riot"
Let's do that, just feed me, I hate when I have to get to sleep, You despise me and I love you, It's not much but it's just enough to keep.
Yes, the broth/cave scene again, this time from Peeta's point of view.

4. Coldplay "Spies"
I awake to see that no one is free. We're all fugitives - look at the way we live. Down here, I cannot sleep from fear. no.
Peeta and his nightmares.  Yes, The Capitol is indeed spying on you.

5. Placebo "The Bitter End"
Reminds me that it's killing time, On this fateful day. See you at the bitter end.
Something Peeta might say to Katniss before going into the arena.

6. No Doubt "Running"
Running, running as fast as we can. I really hope we make it. Do you think we’ll make it? We’re running, keep holding my hand, so we don’t get separated.
Towards the end of the first games, this one was going through my head.
 
Listen to Peeta's playlist!

And then we've got Gale, Katniss' best friend, and the one she might have married had Prim not been chosen at the reaping. You'll probably notice by my song choice that I am not #teamgale.
 
1. Tori Amos "Toast"
Lately you've been on my mind,You showed me the ropes, Ropes to climb, Over mountains, And to pull myself, Out of a landslide.
Something Katniss might sing to Gale. After all, he's her rock - the one who helped teach her how to survive.

2. Bjork "Hunter"
I'm going hunting, I'm the hunter, I'm the hunter, I'm going hunting.
Couldn't resist!
 
3. Rilo Kiley "Dreamworld"
See, I'm a man with a plan to use my hands. I'm touching yours, you're the girl who wanted more.
Probably what Gale was thinking before *that kiss* and going off to his job at the coal mine.

4. The Cure "Letter for Elise"
It doesn't matter what you say, I just can't stay here every yesterday, like keep on acting out the same, the way we act out, every way to smile, forget, and make-believe we never needed, any more than this.
Gale's letter to Katniss.

5. The Decemberists "Crane Wife 1+2"
I am a poor man, I haven't wealth nor fame, I have my two hands, And a house to my name, And the winter's so, And the winter's so long.
Describes Gale well, I think.

6. Sea Wolf "Orion & Dog"
Orion said I’m just a humble hunter, the dog the only company I keep.
How I picture Gale's future. ;)

Listen to Gale's playlist

When I think of Haymitch, I can't help but think of a lot of drinking songs...Margaritaville, Whisky in the Jar, Red, Red Wine, and I'm sure a ton of country songs (but I don't listen to country when I can help it). But he's also quite sly...

1. Tori Amos "Concertina"
I know the truth lies in between the 1st and the 40th drink.
We're never quite sure what Haymitch is really up to.

2. The Doors "Whisky Bar"
Show me the way to the next whisky bar. Oh, don’t ask why. Oh, don’t ask why.
Anyone else think Haymitch is drinking to forget?

3. Weezer "Say It Ain't So"
Say it ain’t so, Your drug is a heart-breaker, Say it aint so, My love is a life-taker.
The classic alcoholic regret.

4. Bush "Machinehead"
Blood is like wine, Unconscious all the time, If I had it all again, I'd change it all.
Feeling a bit guilty about what happened to Maysilee at the 50th Hunger Games?

5. Morrisey "Our Frank"
The world may be ending, But look, I'm only human, So, give us a drink, And make it quick.
Ever the practical one, that Haymitch.

6. The Police "Wrapped Around Your Finger"
I will turn your face to alabaster, When you will find your servant is your master.
You tell 'em Haymitch!  This is such a song for the end of Catching Fire.

Listen to Haymitch's playlist

Yes, The Capitol gets a playlist too.  And by The Capitol, I mean more the general population of The Capitol.

1. Tori Amos "Yes, Anastasia"
We’ll see how brave you are, We’ll see how fast you’ll be running.
I always picture the people singing this to the tributes as they enter the arena every year. (And why yes, it does look like I found a way to work a Tori Amos song onto every playlist!)

2. The Killers "Human"
Are we human? Or are we dancer?
Seriously! How can you all sit back and enjoy watching kids battle to the death?!


3. Iggy Pop "TV Screen"
No one wants to give a damn, Or even hear a thought, They rush from one fad to the next, You talk and it has no effect.
Sounds like a good description of those frivolous capitol citizens.

4. Aqua "Barbie Girl"
I'm a barbie girl, in the barbie world, Life in plastic, it's fantastic! You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere, Imagination, life is your creation. Come on Barbie, let's go party!
Which brings me to the most frivolous, bubblehead song I can think of, for people whose biggest regret is having feathered costumes at their birthday party.

5. Bow Wow Wow "I Want Candy"
I want candy. I want candy.
This is the song that's running through my head during the banquet scenes, mainly because of the scene in the movie Marie Antoinette.

6. Company of Thieves "Oscar Wilde"
Porcelain teacups decorate, Tables and the conversation, Beauty pageants, all the time, Is running out, the time is running out.
I think the frivolous times of the capitol are about to come to an end.  What about you?

Listen to The Capitol's playlist

We're going to find out soon, y'all, because tomorrow is Mockingjay release day (FINALLY!)

I know a lot of you are going to release parties tonight (envious!), but please remember, DO NOT post spoilers until we all have a chance to read it. Since I'm in Germany at the moment, I don't know when I'll be able to get my hands on a copy. But, oh, if you happen to be in Berlin, Germany on the 28th, there's a special Mockingjay party from 12-2 pm at Storytime Books.

But now on to my epic giveaway.  You do need a place to play all these playlists I've prepared for you, and that's where this 8 GB iPod touch engraved with a Mockingjay logo comes in. That will be one lucky winner!

To enter to win this amazing prize (US only - provided by a publicity company on behalf of Scholastic), you must fill out this HUNGER GAMES iPOD TOUCH GIVEAWAY ENTRY FORM.


And if you want to read more things Hunger Games, be sure to check out the official Facebook page, and head over to the District 11 stop at Mundie Moms on Wednesday.  Also, if you love dystopian fiction, I am currently smack in the middle of a whole theme month celebrating dystopias. Check it out and join in the fun!

Special thanks go to Daniel Jennewein (for designing my graphics),  Steph Su (who will have more playlists on her blog this week), Kristen M, and Michelle F. for song suggestions, and Michelle Erin for the playlist links.


 Go ahead! Tell me in the comments which character specific songs you'd put on your Hunger Games playlist.  Got a song for President Snow? Or for Cinna? How about Rue?

Dystopian Reader Views - Kick A$$ Characters on your Side

A question I often ask myself when reading a dystopian or post apocalyptic novel is: would I survive?  I always think it would certainly help if I had some kick a$$ characters on my side.  Naturally, no single character has the universal skills it takes to survive the wide range of world ending scenarios authors have thought up over the years, so it is essential to pick a good team.

So here's who'd I pick:
Peeta from The Hunger Games just because I love him
Lena from Gone because she's a healer and you can always use that
Elspeth from Obernewtyn because she can farspeak (telepathy), beastspeak, and has the power of coercion
Tool from Shipbreaker as my muscle
Topher from Dollhouse as my computer genius


I asked my dystopian reader panel who'd they want on their team (up to 5 characters from the genre) if they had to face down a villainous dystopian society. 

Diana Peterfreund's Team:

I think it would depend on the nature of the villains. I don't know how much use someone like even Katniss Everdeen would be if my dystopian society were powered by evil master computers. I think then I'd rather have someone from Cory Doctorow's Little Brother, or Crake or, you know, Neo. But if it were a low-tech kind of society, someplace where I might be attacked by a zombie around any corner, Katniss and her fighting skills would be a huge asset.

 Swapna Krishna's Team:

Gale from The Hunger Games (because he could hunt so I didn't have to)
V from V for Vendetta (because he'd kill everyone)
Shogo from Battle Royale (because he's smart and I'd assume he knew what was going on since he did in the book),
The main character from Anthem by Ayn Rand (because he figured out how to invent a light bulb, and I figure that would be useful)
Mary from The Dead-Tossed Waves (because I'd need someone to talk to - NOT the whiny version from The Forest of Hands and Teeth)

Julie 's Team

Marena from The Silenced because she is clever and thoughtful. Often she makes rushed decisions and trusts too easily but that is what makes her an endearing character. I need someone that I could feel comfortable making mistakes around and then coming up with a solution to get out of a problem.
Tally and Zane from Uglies. Tally’s skills on a hooverboard and her exemplary courage even through her dreaded doubts pretty much say it all. Zane’s amazing endurance and classy characterization make him an unforgettable choice.
Thresh and Rue from The Hunger Games. It just seems like Thresh was a strong character that was misunderstood & underrated. Rue’s ability to make herself hidden, her ability to forage and last as long as she did is what I’d want on my team.

Jen Arnold's Team

Tally Youngblood from the Uglies series...need I say more? Tally is bad-ass. Everytime I’m on a snowboard I imagine I’m Tally on her way to the Smoke.
Snowball from Oryx and Crake. Such a resourceful beach dweller.
The little boy from The Road. Tough kid.

Michelle Millet's Team

Katniss from the Hunger Games cause the girl uses a bow with skill, can kill when she needs to and dang it, but she needs a good girlfriend.
Tom from Mortal Engines because he is intelligent and handy in a fight. Good qualities both.
The Dad from The Road because sometimes you need someone willing to sacrifice themselves for the group.
Sam from Gone: It'd be very handy to have someone with his supernatural powers floating around for a big battle.
Manchee from Chaos Walking because I'd need a loyal companion when things really started to get dark - and he'd provide humor, which is a must.
 
Michelle Franz' Team
 
Katniss from The Hunger Games. That girl is like a cat she's got so many lives, smart and strong to boot!
Harper Adams from Veracity. She's got the ability to read people's aura's (maybe even a bit of ESP), she's a government agent/spy, and has critical thinking skills like nobody's business.
Alex from Delirium because he's super swoon-worthy and what girl doesn't want a guy who does the types of things he does (which I won't spoil because the book isn't out yet) for her?
 
Angela Mann's Team
 
Katniss from The Hunger Games, because she is fierce, politically astute, does whatever is needed.
Thomas from The Maze Runner as he is wily and tenacious and knows more than he thinks, cares for those around him
 
Sya's Team
 
Todd and Viola from Chaos Walking - because they have totally got it down.
Peeta from The Hunger Games - because I like cake.
Ethan from The Adoration of Jenna Fox - because I like Walden.
Boy from The Road - because I like hope

Beth Revis's Team

Katniss, because she is awesome at surviving and will hopefully help me survive, too
Mary from Forest of Hands and Teeth because she's pretty smart at getting out of trouble
Tally from Uglies because she can get out of scrapes well
Captain Mal from Firefly because he has no trouble shooting people and is very hot naked
Cinna from Hunger Games because then he can dress me and I'll look pretty for Captain Mal...

Jennifer Reeder's Team

Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games because she’s a survivalist who not only knows how to hunt but who survived two Hunger Games and inadvertently started a rebellion;
Guy Montag from Fahrenheit 451 because he can wield a flamethrower and recite poetry;
Ender Wiggins from Ender’s Game because he is the king of strategy
Manchee from The Knife of Never Letting Go because he’s a talking dog, and who would suspect a talking dog?

Gail's Team

Katniss from Hunger Games that girl can kick some serious ass, so yeah I'd want her on my side.
Peeta from Hunger Games because not only can he kick butt when need be but he's also got a very valuable skill. he can cook...and food is as essential to survival as facing down villainous dystopians.
Tally Youngblood from Uglies the girl is smart and can think fast which is a valuable assesst when being hunted - be it by crazy power hunger adults or by the zombie horde.
Dr Eph Goodweather from The Strain because he's a doctor. He's an expert for the CDC and so knows all about illness and disease and patching people up. Which is always needed in a battle.
Mary from Forest of Hands and Teeth because when the going gets tough and you need a sacrifice I can totes pitch her to the hordes for that purpose. Does that make me mean and heartless? maybe....but man, that girl just annoys me. lol

 
Looks like that Katniss is spreading herself pretty thin!  So tell me, who would be on your team and why?  And which of my panel members picked the best team in your opinion?

Dystopian Reader Views - Mockingjay Predictions

Only one more week to wait! *squee*

I do have to say, though, the couple of book leaks I have seen make me nervous.  Because I do NOT want spoilers.  I don't even want to hear vague statements like "It ends badly" or "I love the way the ended!".  I may have to go into lockdown mode.  No twitter, no Facebook, no blog reading until I've read Mockingjay for myself.  Unless people keep their spoilers to themselves.  Let's revisit Suzanne Collins' statement shall we?

One of the most important things to me is that everyone in the world is going to be able to experience the final book of The Hunger Games all at the same time, and be able to discover what happens in the book without hearing about it elsewhere first. Word will certainly travel fast, but I urge you – before or immediately after August 24th – to please respect the other Hunger Games fans worldwide and avoid sharing any spoilers, so that the conclusion of Katniss’s story can unfold for each reader the way it was meant to unfold.

Meanwhile, I am loving the #fakemockinjayspoilers thread on twitter.

And I asked dystopian readers - Hunger Games lovers all - for their own predictions of how it's going to go down. As for me? I have no idea.  But I am sure it will be magic. (NOTE: Since this is my blog, I refuse to publish any predictions of Peeta dying. Better. Not. Happen.)

I hope Katniss goes back into the arena. I think Katniss and Gale will take over District 13 and overtake the Capitol. Most of all, I hope Mockingjay is alot more inventive than anything I can come up with. - Jen Arnold @littlejennywren

I hope that the revolution is successful and that they replace the government with a kinder one, but I also see Katniss alone...much like Haymitch...standing on her own...despite the Peeta-Gale debate.  - Serena  @SavvyVerseWit

I have a strange feeling that either [name redacted] or Gale is going to die heroically, because I can't see any other way that triangle is going to be solved. And I'm hoping for a happy ending... maybe the downfall of the Capitol and the independence of the districts... but I don't know if Suzanne Collins will wrap everything up that neatly. Priya

Hopefully, Suzanne Collins will recognize the need for many, many hard endings for most of her characters. In such a world as she has developed for Katniss, I really can't see Katniss enjoying a glowing HEA with the man of her dreams (be he Peeta or Gale or even Cinna). She's a tough woman and I could see her becoming one of the new national leaders (even tho she'd hate it) or even just running away to sorta fade off, while she lives off the land - pretty solitary like. Not the most dramatic thing, but who knows. I just know I'll be right along with everyone else waiting for the big reveal. - Michelle



I haven't the foggiest, since I don't even know how it plans to start. I like how in Catching Fire, you began to see that there were people in the Capitol who hadn't drunk the Kool-Aid and would be willing to fight. There's a bigger world out there, and Katniss has more allies than she thinks. I guess I just hope the world changes.    - Diana Peterfreund, Author

With me crying because my most favorite books of all time will be officially done? Yea, I'm thinking it's going to end with a whole lotta sobbin'. On a more serious note, I do think there will be lots and lots of death. I won't be surprised to see Katniss as the last one standing (as it should be honestly). Maybe, just maybe, with Haymitch by her side. It would be shocking if the Districts lost the revolt but I can picture Collins going that route as she seems to make some daring choices with her writing. Ultimately, though, I do think the Capitol will be toppled. I'd be in absolute heaven if Collins ended it with everyone but Prim dying and she's left to take over. Then we get another set of books :) -  Michelle F.

I have lots of ideas. Obviously the rebellion will be successful. Katniss will not end up with either Gale or Peeta. Prim or Katniss’s mother will die. And there will be something significant with the Mayor’s wife who gave the pin to Katniss. Also, Katniss’s father isn’t dead. - Emily Ellsworth

Rebellion, overthrowing the government, maybe the assassination of President Snow. I think there will be a death of a major character.  - Angela

I don't know! I've tried to refrain from guessing, because I look forward to the surprise. Whatever happens, I expect things won't go well for the Capitol. And that's how it should be. - Amy H. Sturgis, Author

[name redacted] dies heroically/tragically, Katniss is devastated as she finally realizes the extent of her feelings for him, but she and Gale bond in order to reproduce the next generation of Panem citizens under a new government. - Steph Su @stephxsu

This is so hard to say! I've read Suzanne Collins' middle grade series (The Underland Chronicles, which is fantastic) and I know she's not afraid to kill off main characters, or to keep love interests apart. And I think Katniss would be strong and able to stand on her own if needed. That being said, I think we might see Gale sacrificing himself in order to save Peeta (who will be kept alive by his captors in the hopes of getting information about Katniss). Peeta and Katniss are really the faces of the revolution - Katniss more than Peeta, but I think Peeta has an important role to play, too. I think the Capitol will be overthrown, and the book will end with a sense of needing to rebuild. - Heather Trese @HeatherTrese

The Capital will realize how wrong its been and release its iron grip on the districts. Then Katniss will realize how Peeta is the only one for her and they marry and have 2.5 little Katniss's...and there will be rainbows and fireworks and Gale will....ah...yeah...I can't continue. I have NO clue as to how it will end. Collins is a mater story teller and she completely took me by surprise in Catching Fire so I can't even begin to imagine what will happen in Mockingjay. I wouldn't put it past her to kill Katniss, Peeta, Gale and all the others who are fighting against the Captial....and that the Capital remains in control & becomes even more restrictive. I don't think we'll get a happily ever after. - Gail  @Irisheyz77


Well, I hope for Katniss and Peeta getting together, Cinna not being dead, and creepy President Snow dying in a horribly painful way. I think, though, that we’re going to see at least one major character death (my best guess, because it cannot be Peeta – are you listening, Suzanne Collins? – is Gale and/or Haymitch) and a conclusion that doesn’t offer full closure but that offers hope for the future.  - Jennifer


TEAM PEETA!  - Amy @myfriendamy


What about you?  What are your predictions for Mockingjay?

Dystopian Reader Views - A Look at Plausibility

“What validates fiction is plausibility, which it creates for itself, most notably through accurate, honest observation of the world it creates. This created world is of course more or less directly related to and dependent on the actual, factual world outside the book.” Ursula K. LeGuin

For me to really get lost in a story, I have to believe in the plausibility of the world the author presents.  That doesn't mean, of course, that everything has to work according to the rules of our actual, non-fictional world. But if the story is set in our world, then I need the author to convince me that the implausible things happening in the story are happening for a reason.

Dystopian works often take a modern issue and magnify it through the lense of fiction, and this is always most satisfying when I can actually imagine such a scenario occuring.  But a plausible scenario can quickly turn implausible if all the details don't compute.

In Z FOR ZACHARIAH, Robert O'Brien presents a world where automic bombs have destroyed (at least) the Eastern US.  That's a plausible scenario.  Into this devastation however, he places a girl living in an untouched valley that appears to have it's own contained ecosystem, with clouds untouched by radiation, and no explanation for its existence.  Is that plausible?  No.

In CARBON DIARIES 2015, Saci Lloyd imagines that the UK decides to move to strict carbon rationing for all of its citizens.  I can see that.  What I can't see though, is the UK government being efficient enough to actually install all of those machines that count people's carbon usage.  And even if they could, the effort would be so expensive, I couldn't see them justifying the cost.

Of course, even when a scenario is implausible, the author can still tell a good, satisfying story if they stick to the rules they create and have characters reacting in ways that feel authentic.

I asked readers of dystopian lit what dystopian/ post apocalyptic scenarios they found most plausible and least plausible in their reading.  Here are some of their responses.

Most plausible
Of the dystopian/post-apocalyptic novels I've read I'd say that Marsden's Tomorrow series is most plausible. The story of teenagers hiding away from and rebelling against the military forces that have begun to occupy their country is absolutely something I could see happening in real life. There's nothing fantastical (ie: mystical or supernatural) about it it's just flat out real.  - Michelle Franz @galleysmith

I think LUCIFER'S HAMMER by Larry Niven is incredibly plausible. Niven presents the world pre-, during-, and post-comet realistically, where some people rise to the occasion, some turn frightening bad, and the majority have no idea what to do. - Jennifer

RESTORING HARMONY by Joelle Anthony - running out of oil seems VERY plausible. - Swapna Krishna

The most plausible to me, I think would have to be a world stripped of resources, where people have to forage and fend for themselves against each other in order to survive. I think there are a lot of ways this could happen. - Heather Figearo

I find the ones where some disease has wiped out people or created a form of zombie or killer to be the most plausible - diseases seem to be mutating and cropping up more regularly than ever these days. Another plausible scenario is natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes killing off large numbers of people. - Amy McKie

I think the ones where governments seize too much power are most plausible, such as AMONG THE HIDDEN.  Beth Revis, Author  @bethrevis

A little of both
I just read LIFE AS WE KNEW IT, and I think it can fit both categories. I think what happens to the moon is the least plausible. However, it was amazing to see how quickly societal structures broke down. I think that the effects from natural disasters, if a lot of them happened at once on a global scale could realistically cause such break down if they were numerous and extreme enough (the volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, and weather changes along with lack of electricity and fuel). - Alyce  @athomewithbooks

Implausible

CITY OF EMBER'S underground city is not plausible at all, but one can dream. - Lija

Much as I love reading zombie novels, I don't think the physics of it works. Ditto for the magically induced apocalypses in books like PEEPS and THE LAST DAYS (though again, I love those!) - Diana Peterfreund, Author

One of the ones that's the least plausible is actually THE HUNGER GAMES. I love, love, love the series, but I don't think I can possibly imagine a government ever forcing children into battle like that, or a society that accepts it for as long as they do in HG. But I think there are a lot of other true things in the book, like how the Capitol district has power and money and none of the others do, or how the Capitol rewards and favors the Districts that give them their favorite goods. Maybe I just don't want to imagine a world where something like that could ever happen.  - Heather Trese  @HeatherTrese


The Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld is least plausible. I don’t think humans would be content experiencing pleasure 24/7 and living in a city. There are too many free spirits that love hard work and the mountains. -Emily Ellsworth  @emsreadingroom


FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH is one that is least plausible because there hasn't been any explanation as to why people have turned into zombies. Is it spontaneous? In the books, it's spread if bitten - but who was patient zero? How did (s)he become infected? If I had that info then I could maybe see some reality to the story - but until then its just a fun piece of fiction. -  Gail  @Irisheyz77


What about you?  Which scenarios do you find particularly plausible or implausible? Was a plausible scenario ruined for you by implausible details in the story?  Was an implausible scenario made more real for you by the author's attention to detail in the world building? Tell me either in the comments OR you are welcome to write a post about it on your own blog and link to it in the comments for us all to read!

Dystopian Reader Views - What fascinates you about the genre?

A major part of the community aspect of Dystopian August is finding out what fellow dystopian readers - whether they be newbies, junkies or somewhere in between - think about the genre.  When I sent out a call for help with the project, I got such a great response, I realized that Dystopian Reader Views could be a series.  Today I want to talk about why we read dystopian and post-apocalyptic lit. 

Personally, I love the genre because I love high concept premises. The more a novel makes me ask the question "How the heck is the author going to pull THIS off?", the more excited about it I am.  And the best ones in the genre, in my opinion, are the ones that did pull off a high concept premise because they backed it up with not only what every good novel needs - logical world building, great storytelling and characters I can connect with - but also because they explore hot-button issues and/or universal themes within a constructed context that is far enough away from us that we feel comfortable discussing it but still close enough that we feel like taking some sort of action.

Here's what other readers (and writers, who are also readers) had to say:

It's about the "what if?" - Diana Peterfreund, Author
I've written about this on my blog.  I think it's the chance to recast the world. You can explore "what if" to the nth degree, without the framework of our society -- oh, they have cell phones, they have vaccines, they have jet planes. It's like a little biodome for you to experiment with the human condition. What would we be like if we existed in this condition? When creating the post-apocalyptic world for my 2011 novel, I had to answer questions like "what happened after they realized what was coming next?" and "how would society go about protecting themselves?" and "how far-reaching is this society? Is there anything 'outside?'


A new perspective - Julie @jflamingo2
To be completely honest, I didn’t think I liked dystopian literature at first. I am new to this genre and I had tried to read several books and I felt that I just couldn’t relate or “get into it.” I realize now that I was most likely giving up a few pages too early. I had a friend at the time who really loved dystopian lit and I loved hearing her talk about it. Soon, it peaked my interest and I found myself researching different dystopian books and wondering where to start. A young adult book club that I started attending at the library actually introduced several dystopian books to me and that is where my fascination with dystopian lit started. I am fascinated with how these authors create these worlds that feel and seem like I’ve known them already. It causes me to question and ponder what I know in my world. I gives me a new perspective through the character’s eyes facing challenges that feel as real as my own. All of this, combines for a unique reading experience with dystopian lit that I really love!

The little things we take for granted - Jen Arnold @littlejennywren
I’m pretty adverse to change and bad news, so it is a little odd that I love dystopian lit as much as I do...I think it is because in most dystopian lit, no matter how much the world as we know it has changed, no matter how depressing things have become, there are always still a few bright spots to hold onto... love, friendship, hope. Dystopian lit seems to hold onto these things even when everything else has been changed or wiped away - I love that. I’m fascinated by the way that characters in dystopian lit can be comforted by little things that we take for granted. Drinking can of Coca-Cola is nothing out of the ordinary for us, but in a post-apocalyptic world, it is a luxury that might help you get through the day, week, year. Dystopian lit helps me appreciate the little things.

Strength of character - Serena @SavvyVerseWit
I've always been interested in the tough situations people find themselves in and how they deal with it. You can tell the strength of a person or in this case character by how well they adapt to the dystopian world. It is also interesting to see how people who have known nothing else by a dystopian world have visions of a better place and what they try to do to achieve that ideal.

A cracked mirror of our world - Lorin
I really like reading about a world that is like ours but different. In some ways, it's the same reason I like science fiction and fantasy (of which there is much overlap with dystopian fiction), I think. There's nothing like holding a cracked mirror up to our world to see what is true in the reflection.  My husband gave a great answer to a similar question in his review of THE PASSAGE by Justin Cronin - he talked about how dystopian fiction is a reminder of how fragile society is, and how it raises the question of what would you do if things got really bad.

A peek at what's to come - Sya @splendibird
I think that I have a bit of a morbid fascination with how things might turn out in the future. The human race seem to be doing so many terrible things to each other and the planet that I can't see it all being a bed of roses 50 years down the line. I guess I just want a heads up!

A warning for humanity - Amy H. Sturgis, Author
I appreciate the warnings inherent in dystopian literature. They may be as specific as warning about allowing a governmental policy or practice to continue unchecked, or as general as warning about ignoring the potential destructiveness of a natural disaster. At the heart of all of these warnings, I think, are critiques of human nature, from the human tendency to be corrupted by power to the human tendency to assume someone else will fix the world's problems. Although these literary worlds may appear dark and frightening and bleak, I find the dystopian tradition ultimately to be a hopeful one. After all, we don't give warnings unless there is time to avoid what lies ahead. A warning implies there is still time to act.

Embracing what it means to be human - Carrie Kitzmiller
First of all, I've always been fascinated by the future - and the way technology and scientific advances will change the way that we live. The conflict between science and the value of human life and quality of living. Also, I love the way dystopian lit embraces the part of humankind that keeps us going even in the midst of the darkest of times.

The social commentary - Jennifer
What I’ve always found fascinating about dystopian lit, especially dystopian lit of the mid-20th century, is how intuitive so many of the authors are about society and humanity. For example, whenever I read Fahrenheit 451 (and I reread it every year when I teach it to my freshmen), I am continually amazed at how much closer our world has moved to Montag’s world. Dystopian lit can provide social commentary that is sharper and more affecting than contemporary-set lit, because it’s easy to say That’s not what we are but far less so to say That’s what we could be.

World building - Steph Su @stephxsu
You have to do so much world-building in such a small amount of space and time--like, right at the beginning, and it has to be a world that is a plausible future for us. Dystopian doesn't merely mean a future world with systemic things gone wrong: it's an incredibly detailed genre in which every word and detail literally counts

The range of reactions - Celia
I think dystopian lit tries to answer the question of what humans ultimately do when their back is against the wall. We want to see them act nobly. We want them to find the best system for society (if we believe that is possible). But we know in the back of our heads that that is not necessarily reality. It's also interesting to see a range of reactions. Some people love structure - we all know one or two people who would fit in a dystopian authority hierarchy really well. It's imagining the possible outcomes and reactions that make me come back over and over to the genre.

So what about you?  Agree? Disagree?  Tell us what fascinates you about dystopian/post-apocalytpic fiction - either in the comments or you are welcome to write a post about it on your own blog and link to it in the comments for us all to read!  Alternatively, you can also tell us why you DON'T read it, if that's the case.

50th Anniversary of To Kill a Mockingbird - My Thoughts

To Kill A Mockingbird 50th Anniversary

It was August 2003. I had just discovered the tiny library in my Frankfurt, Germany neighborhood had an even tinier section of English books, mostly classics and Oprah Book Club picks. I was hungry for books in English, and buying enough to satisfy me was not an option due to the high price of imports.

The first novel I checked out was Harper Lee's TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. I'd heard a ton about it, but I'd never commited to reading it. I vividly remember opening it, and just getting lost in the story. I loved Scout's voice, her innocence. And I loved Atticus Finch - how tender he was with her. I know the characters are very idealized, but that's part of their charm. I remember putting the novel down at the end with a satisfied sigh. And then grabbing my library card and going back to that single bookshelf tucked away in the back and gathering up other gems.

All the rest of that summer and fall I kept going back for more. It was my classics renaissance. I read:

THE BELL JAR by Sylvia Plath
THE POWER AND THE GLORY by Graham Greene
OF MICE AND MEN by John Steinbeck
DAUGHTER OF TIME by Josephine Tey
THE LEFT HAND OF DARKESS by Ursula LeGuin
ON THE ROAD by Jack Keroac
FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD by Thomas Hardy
THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER by Carson McCullers
MIDDLEMARCH by George Eliot
THEM by Joyce Carol Oates
THE TIME MACHINE by HG Wells
THE TURN OF THE SCREW by Henry James

with a few of the Oprah approved books mixed in. Then I found the main branch of the library, with its rows and rows of books in English, and started reading more modern literary fiction. But I still remember that reading period fondly. And it all started with TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD.

Find out more about the 50th Anniversary of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD and share your own thoughts about the novel at the official 50th anniversary website.

Book Bloggers Behaving Badly (3): The Unforgivable Book Blogging Sin

Let me start out by asking a question: Is there a sin that book bloggers commit that you simply cannot forgive? Something that makes you unsubscribe from a blog, vent to your friends, or just generally avoid that blogger forevermore? I’ve noticed an increasing amount of chatter on blogs and on Twitter about “blacklisting” certain bloggers for their online behavior. But what if that blogger apologizes for their bad behavior, either publicly or privately to you? Could you give them a second chance, or are you more a once bitten, twice shy type?

I’m generally not someone who holds a grudge – especially if someone apologizes and is sincere about it. Am I going to recommend the blog of a plagiarist (even one who apologized) to an author or a publicist or add them to my blog roll? No, probably not. At least not anytime in the near future. But in most cases, my online memory is short, so even if I am hopping mad at someone one day, I may be happily commenting on their blog the next.

I asked bloggers for their input on what they considered blogging sins/pet-peeves/turn-offs and got a pretty extensive list. Not all of these things bother everyone – for example – I actually don’t mind people leaving links to their blog in my comments (not that I encourage it exactly), but some people HATE it.

And of course there are some areas where bloggers collide over personal preferences. Some people hate it when a blogger only writes positive reviews for example. But here’s the thing – if you clearly state what your blog is focused on – whether it’s reviewing only books you loved, making fun of Sweet Valley High books, or just participating in memes – then as a visitor, I have the choice to read your content, or not. It’s when you state that you stand for honest reviews, and then turn around and give everything 5 stars that you start to look suspicious – and start annoying people.

Anyway, here are some blogging sins – some of which are deadly and some of which are merely irritating.

On your blog - reviews:
- Plagiarizing someone else’s review (see Book Bloggers Behaving Badly: Plagiarism Edition)
- Writing a review for a book you have not read
- Trashing a book or author (see Book Bloggers Behaving Badly: Are You on an Author's Hate List?)
- Recapping a book but not providing any of your own opinions
- Using the publisher summary in your reviews but not linking to your source (Liz B explains why you should not do this)
- Not providing a clear spoiler warning in a review where there are spoilers

On your blog – content:
- Bragging about books you receive for review, but never reviewing any books
- Turning someone else’s feature into a meme (to learn the difference between a feature and meme, see the Meme vs Feature post at The Story Siren)
- Participating in a meme without linking back to the person who started it
- Copying the name and idea of someone else’s feature/program without asking them permission (yes, even if you give them credit)
- Copying another blogger’s post format
- Copying another blogger’s interview questions or format
- Publishing an “us vs. them” type of discussion post just to stir up drama
- Piggy-backing on another bloggers successful discussion post with an inflammatory post meant to keep the drama rolling
- Publishing author contact info on your blog (other than blog/website address)
- Publishing publicist contact info on your blog
- Posting private correspondence such as e-mails, especially from authors, on your blog
- Abridging your RSS feed AND on your blog
- Posting a ton of widgets on your blog so it takes forever to load

On others’ blogs:
- Leaving inflammatory anonymous comments
- Leaving links to your own blog in on other blogs comment section, unless requested
- Lurking and never commenting on anyone else's blog ever [ETA: This isn't really seen as a sin, but more a reason why someone might stop commenting on your blog if you never commented back or replied to them in any way]
- Asking in the comments why someone hasn't been by to visit your blog lately

Via e-mail or other platforms:
- Spamming people with links to your contests via e-mail, GoodReads or another platform where your message will land in e-mail in-boxes (if you want to promote your contests, try a contest-specific site such as West of Mars – Win a Book)
- E-mailing other bloggers with pleas to promote you and your contests or to follow you or to add your blog to their blog roll
- Asking other bloggers if you can borrow their books (unless of course they offer, or you know them well)
- Asking other bloggers to be your affiliate unless blogger specifically requested applications
- Sending hate mail
- Sucking up to authors on Twitter for no other purpose than to get books or swag
- Complaining on Twitter that an author wouldn’t send you a book or swag
- Using Twitter to vent about your hatred for another blogger
- Tweeting links to your contests or posts multiple times in a short period

Community faux pas:
- Joining a community-wide book swap…and then sending a crappy, used ARC or even worse, nothing at all
- Volunteering for a community event and then not following through or not meeting deadlines

At a conference, book fair or book signing:
- Taking books without asking, unless it is clear that the book is there for the taking
- Taking multiple copies of a book so you can do a giveaway on your blog (when it denies paid attendees that book)
- Saving a place in an autograph line for a big group of people, especially when copies are limited
- Latching on to someone and following them everywhere, inviting yourself to all of their planned activities


So go ahead – squeeze all your negativity out on the topic in the comments. Let us know what really makes you want to throw things. Then once you've gotten it out of your system and you’re cleansed and refreshed, stop over and join the blog thanksgiving over at Persnickety Snark’s, and let us know what you love about book bloggers! (It's targeted at the YA blog community, but I'm sure Adele wouldn't mind if you posted about the book blogging community at large).

Book Bloggers Behaving Badly (2): Plagiarism Is So Not Cool

What is the number 1 repulsive behavior that someone who identifies themselves as a book blogger can engage in on their own blogs (short of using their blog to spew hate of course)?

Last week, I might have said “accepting review copies but never writing reviews.”

But this week, I say emphatically “cobbling together a book review by stealing parts of others’ reviews.”

Adele at Persnickety Snark had it happen to her and blogged about it. So did The Compulsive Reader, and she’s not going to stand for it either. And so did Steph Su – who even goes into the possible legal ramifications of plagiarism. It may not have happened to Kristi at The Story Siren (at least not that anyone suspects at this point) but she also wrote a post calling out bloggers that would resort to this despicable behavior. Liz from My Favourite Books is also a part of the book bloggers against plagiarism drive and talks about plagiarism today on her blog.

All of those posts are well-worth reading, and I hope the right people are reading and getting the message that plagiarism is so not cool.

WHAT IS PLAGIARISM?

Plagiarism is not just copying someone’s work word for word, although we know that happens too. Plagiarism is also using someone else’s work as a basis for your own. The plagiarist book blogger in question used several other bloggers’ reviews as templates – taking their arguments and even sentence structure but changing wording here and there to cover her tracks.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE PLAGIARIZED & YOU KNOW IT

Let this be a warning to you. You may not be found out today, tomorrow or even next week, but we’re on the lookout now, and we’re not afraid to call you on it.

I’d suggest you go ahead and take down your tainted reviews right now from your blog and wherever else you might have posted them. Start from scratch and rewrite your reviews in your own words.

Perhaps a public apology is too much to ask for, but a pledge to blog with integrity going forward is not.

HOW TO AVOID PLAGIARISM

When the current plagiarism case was brought to my attention, I wanted to believe that it was an isolated incident that happened because the blogger had subconsciously incorporated a review she’d obviously read and admired into her own review. Though that turned out not to be the case in this particular incident, it can happen. So what can you do to make sure you don’t do it?

Don’t read others reviews of the same book right before you write your review. We want to know your opinion of the book, not an opinion that is influenced, however lightly, by others’ opinions.

Be aware of your influences. Obviously you are not going to be able to avoid reading others’ reviews of the books you review – in fact, it may have been someone’s rave review that made you pick up the book in question in the first place. It makes sense then, to reread these reviews AFTER you write your review to make sure you didn’t accidently steal.

And like Steph Su advises in her post, consider linking to a review that particularly resonated with you. It certainly can happen too that a reviewer formulates a review that expresses so perfectly how you felt, you feel it cannot be topped by your own effort. This happened to me once with Jen Robinson’s review of Cory Doctorow’s LITTLE BROTHER. In that case, I just didn’t review the book. But I've also seen bloggers link basically direct their readers to the review that influenced them and admit they have little to add to their genius, which is also a valid response.

Jot down notes while you are reading. (The Compulsive Reader suggests using an index card as a bookmark.) You can go back to these notes when you are writing your review to help you articulate your own views. Maybe your reviews won’t be as sophisticated or analytical or splashy as others’ reviews, but they will be your own.

Find your voice. This is The Story Siren's "one piece of advice for new bloggers" and I completely agree. Develop a style and tone that you are comfortable with that differentiates your reviews from others’. Are you concise or wordy? Humorous or serious? Interested in exploring themes or more concerned with the mechanics of storytelling and characterization? Certainly, your style might vary slightly depending on the type of book you are reviewing, but you should still aim to be recognizably you.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU’VE BEEN PLAGIARIZED

Gather your evidence. Compare reviews line by line and highlight glaring similarities.

Keep a cool head. Before you make accusations, ask a couple of trusted friends to look over your evidence.

Take action. Contact the perpetrator privately with your evidence and ask them to remove or rewrite their review. If the perpetrator refuses, consider legal action.

ETA: Adele just put up a new post which includes a reaction from a publisher. Erin from Penguin Australia recommends notifying your publicist contacts when your reviews have been plagiarized.

What are your thoughts on the matter? Let's hear them in the comments!