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Classic novels




  • Books, Classic novels, Exclusive academies for rich kids who form cliques, New, Sci Fi, Simon

    New Books

    30.11.10 | Permalink | Comment?

    Here are last week’s new books, this week! This week’s new books may be announced this week, or next week. Who can say.

    Elixir : A Novel, by Hilary Duff (with Elise Allen) (330 pages) – You may have heard of Hilary Duff – she’s been on the telly and recorded some albums I think – and she now turns her hands to writing a novel. Elixir is about Clea, whose photographs begin to show a ghostly/gorgeous man at about the same time her father, a renowned surgeon, disappears.

    First lines: ‘I couldn’t breathe. Wedged in the middle of an ocean of people, I gasped for air, but nothing came.‘

    Bamboo People : A Novel, by Mitali Perkins (272 pages) – Chiko is forced into the Burmese army; Tu Reh is a refugee, a member of an oppressed Burmese minority, and he’s keen to join the resistance. The two boys’ stories come to a ‘violent intersection’ and an unlikely friendship forms.

    First lines: ‘Teachers wanted. Applicants must take examination in person. Salaries start at -‘

    Sugar and Spice : An L. A. Candy Novel, by Lauren Conrad (279 pages) – This is the last book in this series about some TV reality show (much like The Hills which made Conrad famous in the first place). 

    First line: ‘“Over here!” “Let’s get a shot of the two of you!” “Smile, girls!” Jane Roberts felt hands on her shoulders – her publicist? random PopTV assistants? – maneuver her into place as several paprazzi shouted out to her and Scarlett Harp.‘

    The Daughters, by Joanna Philbin (297 pages) – A supermodel’s unconventional-looking daughter becomes “the new face of beauty”. Everyone is surprised but they roll with it. The first in a series.

    First line: ‘“Katia!” “Katia!” “Over here!” “Over here!”‘

    Revolution, by Jennifer Donnelly (471 pages) – Andi is about to be expelled from her swanky Brooklyn school, so goes to Paris with her father as some sort of punishment. She finds a diary writen two centuries previously by a girl, Alexandrine, who became involved with a French prince just as the French Revolution begins. Andi finds comfort and distraction in the journal, until the past ‘becomes terrifyingly real’.

    First line: ‘Those who can, do. Those who can’t, deejay.’

    Behemoth, by Scott Westerfeld (Illustrations by Keith Thompson) (485 pages) – This is the second book in the Leviathan Trilogy. We wrote about the first book here. This a great read – it has steam-powered mechs, genetically-engineered flying ships, and a Tesla cannon. That’s right – a freaking TESLA CANNON.

    First line: ‘Alek raised his sword. “On guard, sir!”‘

    Duff : The Designated Ugly Fat Friend, by Kody Keplinger (280 pages) – Seventeen-year-old Bianca detests Wesley, who calls her “the Duff”. Not Hilary Duff! But family troubles and other circumstantial occurences result in the pair becoming more than enemies. Less than enemies? They fall in love, in any case.

    First line: ‘This was getting old.’

    Scandal, by Kate Brian (228 pages) – The lastest in the Private series. ‘After her terrifying Carribean vacation,’ says the back cover, ‘Reed can’t wait to get back to Easton and resume her normal life of classes, shopping trips and late-night gossip sessions.’ Reed’s in for a shock, however, as Billings house has been demolished and the Billings girls have been separated by the admin.

    First line: ‘We came from all corners of campus.‘

    Boost, by Kathy Mackel (248 pages) – Savvy is over six feet tall, and only thirteen. When you’re tall everyone asks you if you play basketball over and over, let me tell you, but Savvy actually does play and loves it. But she’s too light! So she turns to steroids.

    First line: ‘I stood at the free throw line, all eyes on me.‘

    Jane, by April Lindner (373 pages) – This is a modern re-telling of Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë’s cheery classic novel. This is set in the present, so Rochester becomes Nico Rathburn, world-famous rockstar, and Jane Moore, an orphaned student-turned-nanny is the protaganist. Sticks to the original story while being ’something totally new and captivating,’ according to Cecily von Ziegesar.

    First line: ‘The chairs in the lobby of Discriminating Nannues, Inc., were less comfortable that they looked.’

    Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares, by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan (260 pages) – From the authors of Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, which is also a movie! Will this be a movie also? Yes, apparently.

    First line: ‘Imagine this: you’re in your favourite bookstore, scanning the shelves.‘

    The Three Loves of Persimmon, by Cassandra Golds (211 pages) – Persimmon Polidori owns a florist shop in an underground train station. She meets up with a brave little mouse named Epiphany, and undergoes ‘the trials of love, heartbreak, doubt and the discovery of her own true nature.’

    First line: ‘In a tiny hole under the train tracks on the deepest level of a vast underground railway station, lived a mouse called Epiphany.‘

    The Blue-Eyed Aborigine, by Rosemary Hayes (247 pages) – This historical novel is based on fact; in 1629, the crew of a Dutch ship mutinied and the boat wrecked near Australia. Two of the crew, a cabin boy and a young soldier, survive and their fates are linked with ‘discoveries that intrigue Australians  to this day.’

    First lines: ‘Jan Pelgrom was miserable. He’d been a cabin boy for more than five years.‘

    The Jumbee, by Pamela Keyes (385 pages) – Esti Legard moves to a Caribbean island for her senior year in high school. There she ‘finds herself torn between a mysterious, masked mentor and a seductive island boy’, in a scenario borrowed from the classic novel, The Phantom of the Opera.

    First line: ‘“Paul is dead!”‘

    The Ghosts of Ashbury High, by Jaclyn Moriarty (480 pages) – The catalogue has this to say: ‘Student essays, scholarship committee members’ notes, and other writings reveal interactions between a group of modern-day students at an exclusive New South Wales high school and their strange connection to a young Irishman transported to Australia in the early 1800s.’

    Raised by Wolves, by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (418 pages) – At the age of four, Bryn’s parents were killed by bad werewolves. She was taken and raised by good werewolves! Years later she discovers that her pack are keeping secrets. Dark werewolf secrets about her family, that she’s determined to uncover (the secrets, not her family).

    First line: ‘“Bronwyn Alessia St. Vincent Clare!”‘

    100% Justin Bieber : First Step 2 Forever : My Story, by Justin Bieber (236 pages) – This is the tween pop star’s official autobiography, discussing his rapid rise to power. Where to next for Bieber? It has loads of photos and a reasonable amount of text.


  • Classic novels, Edna Welthorpe, Nostalgia

    Hyperactive pop culture metabolism in the rye

    22.06.09 | Permalink | Comment?

    The Catcher in the Rye’s Holden Caulfield may be losing his grip on the kids, suggests the New York Times in this here article. Apparently his primary concerns – about phoniness and so on – have dated and aren’t quite as relevant to teens as they once were. 

    (Read a related post here.)


  • Books, Classic novels, Grimm, Horror

    Book News

    26.03.09 | Permalink | Comment?

    What’s making the news in the book world at the moment?

    Twilight’s very big in France. So much so that French teenagers are also discovering Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (spurred on by Bella’s keen interest). This Guardian article made me laugh – especially the bit where the reader complains that Wuthering Heights is “written in the language of my great grandmother.” Well, yes. Edward’s looking very dapper in the photo too. Haven’t read Wuthering Heights yet? Perhaps you should (warning, book may contain the language of your great great great great grandmother).

    If you’re a fan of the House of Night series by P.C. and Kristin Cast check out this article on their latest book, Hunted (which we currently don’t have but will soon). You can also listen to the second chapter, courtesy of MacMillan Young Listeners.

    Hot on the heels of Charlie Higson’s popular, specially commissioned Young Bond series (about James Bond when he was studying at Eaton and shortly after), there’s going to be a Young Sherlock Holmes series too (the Guardian again). I’m guessing he won’t be smoking his pipe, but the hat’s actually quite voguish now, and a younger Watson might have a few more clues. Haven’t read The Great Adventures of Sherlock Holmes yet? Perhaps you should.

    (For more classic books in the YA collection don’t forget to visit our classic books book list, complete with plot summaries in haiku.)


  • Books, Classic novels, Sci Fi, Simon

    Forty-two

    18.09.08 | Permalink | Comment?

    A new Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy book – the sixth – has been commissioned by the estate of its author. There are already five in the series (which began as a trilogy). If you’re not familiar with the books you may have seen the film, which was pretty good, in my opinion. The new book will be written by Eoin Colfer, who wrote the Artemis Fowl series. The original author of the Hitchhiker’s books, Douglas Adams, died in 2001.


  • Books, Classic novels, Grimm, Subtext Review

    Review of the Week 1

    15.08.08 | Permalink | Comment?

    book coverThe Three Musketeers
    Alexandre Dumas, translated by Lord Sudley

    Contrary to the title of this classic, the main character, d’Artagnan, is not a Musketeer himself. He goes to Paris to seek his fortune, where he befriends three musketeers, and begins a life of romance and adventure.

    When Dumas wrote this in the 1800s (Lord Sudley notes in the introduction) he was using “modern language”, rather than that of the 1600s (the era in which the tale is set). Still, it’s sometimes hard to understand!

    Although daring, The Three Musketeers is lacking in emotion. Still, the fact that it’s harder to relate to doesn’t make it any less appealing.

    ~ Mereana (13)


  • Classic novels, Edna Welthorpe, Happenings, Internet, Nostalgia

    Gran of Green Gables

    30.07.08 | Permalink | Comment?

    Anne of Green Gables turns one hundred this year, and to celebrate an extensive website has been put together. It has an introduction to Anne, a list of Anne books (and there are lots), and an Anne quiz. If you’re new to the Anne of Green Gables books you will want to read from the beginning, which the library – believe it or not – has for you. If you don’t want to read it, you can always watch the television series (and two sequels).

    An Anne book was written and published this year; Before Green Gables, a prequel to the original book.

    Anne is also very popular in Japan.

    For more links and news, check out Blogging Anne of Green Gables.


  • Books, Classic novels, Movies, Simon

    Le Temps retrouvé

    16.07.08 | Permalink | Comment?

    Monday (yes, I know I’m two days late) was Bastille Day. Celebrating the storming of the Bastille (a prison in Paris used by the unpopular monarchy to lock dissidents up) in 1789 , effectively kicking off the French Revolution and the beginning of modern France, Bastille Day is a pretty big celebration.

    The French Revolution is, like many historical events, a great setting for a story. Read about Marie Antoinette’s journey to France in Marie Antoinette : Princess of Versailles, or watch the recent film, Marie Antoinette. (Neither depict her demise, happily.) Dip into the classics with The Scarlet Pimpernel, heroic rescuer of hunted aristocrats;and A Tale of Two Cities, about a heroic rescuer of another hunted aristocrat. Cat Royal larks it up in revolutionary France in Den of Thieves; a young English highwaywoman finds herself in revolutionary France in Sovay; and in The Red Necklace, the hunted daughter of an aristocrat is heroically rescued.

    Au revoir, les enfants.


  • Classic novels, Nostalgia, Prudence

    The Classic Novel List

    04.07.08 | Permalink | 1 Comment

    The Classic Book list (written in Haiku) has been transferred from the old Teen webpages, and will soon be updated. We enjoy writing Haiku, and we enjoy reading classic novels – it only made good sense to combine our two interests.

    Classic novels is one of the SubText genres this year, so if you want to enter the draw to win a spot-prize and get an extra shot at the main prize, then read and review one of these.


  • Classic novels, DVDs, New, Prudence

    Seen Seekers?

    06.06.08 | Permalink | 2 Comments

    Recently a film called The Seeker : The Dark is Rising was released. It is based on The Dark is Rising, the first second book in a series written by Susan Cooper in the 1960s and 1970s. We have two reviews of the DVD; one is by someone who had read the books before seeing the film, and the other is by someone who has never read the books. Read more…


  • Classic novels, DVDs, Library, Simon, Study

    Get thee to a library

    28.02.08 | Permalink | Comment?

    It has been said that if William Shakespeare were alive today he would be a screenwriter, not a playwright. I don’t know how true that is, but it’s certainly true that his plays translate well to the big screen. If you’re studying Shakespeare at school, often the best place to start with his work is to watch the film adaption; reading them is great but can take some time, and watching them performed isn’t always an option.

    We have loads of Shakespeare-related DVDs for young adults in the library – here is a full list. Some are very close adaptions (Zeffirelli’s Romeo and Juliet, for instance), others are films loosely based on Shakespeare’s plays (10 Things I Hate About You, She’s The Man), and others are documentaries about Shakespeare (The In Search of Shakespeare series). You can study Shakespeare and watch a movie at the same time! Though beware: So wise so young, they say do never live long.


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