The Reason For My Lack of Posting - NaNoWriMo

Hello to my readers. For anyone out there who might be wondering why I have not been posting any reviews lately, I have an explanation for you.

As many avid readers and writers know, November 1st sparks the start of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and for the first time I am going to attempt to write and finish a novel. I have been spending the past week planning and getting ready for the tough month ahead.

For those who don't know what NaNoWriMo is, it is a non-profit organisation which encourages and challenges people to write 50 000 words of a novel during the month of November. NaNoWriMo has been the origin of many successfully published novels such as Fangirl, The Night Circus and the first three books in The Lunar Chronicles series. As much as I love reading books, it has been my dream to write a book with my name on it that sells and gets recognition.

If you are interested in joining NaNoWriMo click here and if you would like to follow me as I write my novel click here.

Starting December, I will hopefully get back into a schedule of reading and reviewing books for all you lovely readers.

What a Peculiar Book - Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs is the story of Jacob, a completely ordinary teenage boy, whose life becomes not-so-ordinary after the traumatic death of his grandfather. After hearing his grandfather’s very cryptic last words, Jacob travels to a mysterious island where he finds the titular Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. The main focus of the story is Jacob’s journey to discover the truth about his grandfather’s children and the truth about himself.

Going into this book, I was told that it was a good read for Harry Potter lovers and so I expected it to be very similar to that series but, after the first chapter, I was completely surprised by where the story was heading because it was very unexpected. Throughout the story, I could never predict what would happen next and every time I thought I was one step ahead, it would head in a direction. That kept me hooked and I loved every second of the story.

A thing that most people know about this book is that is includes a series of photographs which are referenced throughout the story. This is something I have never seen before in a book. Illustrations, yes. Photos from movie adaptations, yes. Original photographs which contribute to the story, no. The photos chosen really contributed to the mood of the story and added another element of mystery. The cover of the book is merely a glimpse at what is in store.

The characters is this story were so unique and interesting and their powers only added to my intrigue. I originally thought that the powers of the peculiar children would be the generic ones that I see all throughout fantasy novels. This person can fly, this person can make fire, this person can see into the future. And guess what? I got exactly that . . . but it was the people in which Riggs gave these powers to that made them unique. The person who can fly wears lead shoes to keep her down, the person with fire is a hot-head,the person who can see the future is a little kid who freaks out whenever he sees something. He also introduced powers which no one thought would be written about, like a boy who houses bees on his body or a boy who creates Homunculi and can reanimate the dead. And the most astonishing thing is that all of these powers are put into children, no older (physically) than early teens.

You know what, I’m gonna give this book a 10 out 10. It is only the first book of the series but I am already Peculiar trash. There are two more books in the series and I am just itching to read them. I’m not going to say read this if you love fantasy or if you’re a teenager. I am going to say to just read it.

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You Read This For Solangelo - The Hidden Oracle (The Trials of Apollo series) by Rick Riordan

The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan is Riordan’s first book in his new series, The Trials of Apollo, which exists in the universe of his awarding winning series Percy Jackson and the Olympians. This is his eleventh book of his Greek/Roman mythology universe and follows the god Apollo, when Zeus turns him human as punishment. The story follows Apollo, now Lester, adjusting to his new form and trying to help Camp Half-Blood when campers begin to go missing.

For those familiar with Riordan’s work, you will know that his stories have a lot of humour, a lot of action and a lot of reference to mythology and history. He amazes me by connecting all of these elements together and creating unique and compelling stories which are very character-driven. After the PJO and HoO series, I didn’t think he would continue this universe but I believe I can speak on behalf of many that when I say that good old Uncle Rick surprised us with this new series.

I loved Riordan’s decision to make his protagonist a (former) god because it gives us a different perspective. All of his previous protagonists have been, for the most part, human or at least mortal and so they have always known their limits and have never been rendered less powerful they were before. However, with Apollo, we see a character that has always been in control and has never had to fear death being thrust into a situation where everyone else it more powerful than him. With the first person narration, we get an insight into Apollo’s thoughts and see how he reacts to his new situation. The development of Apollo’s character in only this first book was a very important part of this story for me.

One of the best things about this book for me as a Percy Jackson fan was that I got to see my favourite characters again and continue to experience their journey but I also loved being able to see characters from the original series whom I skipped over and didn’t learn a lot about. The combination of new and old characters made the story very attractive to previous fans.

Overall I gave this book a 9.5 out of 10 because I loved the characters, the plot and the universe, but I might be slightly biased because I have loved this universe and Riordan’s books for so long. This is great for young teens up to young adults but I would highly recommend reading the two previous series.

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Book Depository - Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief

Good vs. Evil: A History - The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani

The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani is a fantastical story where two girls named Sophie and Agatha, one pretty and one ugly, are kidnapped from their village to attend the School for Good and Evil (roll credits) where Good students are taught to be our beloved fairy tale heroes and Evil students are taught to be their biggest adversaries. However, when Sophie and Agatha end up in the ‘wrong’ schools, they need to find a way to get home . . . but is that what Sophie wants?

I was hooked on this book from the very first sentence. ‘Sophie has waited all her life to be kidnapped.’ From the very first page, I was invested in the story and the characters and couldn’t wait to see what else was in store. The premise of the novel was one that I had heard of before but the way Chainani executes the idea is unlike any other.

The characters of Sophie and Agatha are so intriguing, whether you like them or not. I personally didn’t like Sophie’s personality much and yet she still interested me and drew me further into the story. They are seem like obvious Good vs. Evil stereotypes and I believe that is what Chainani wanted his readers to think. He wanted us to expect things to be as they seem but then he goes deeper into the truth about these characters. He gives everyone a different motive and pits them against each other.

I loved how the story shows the different ideals and beliefs of both the good and evil sides and demonstrated how the segregation had affected their opinions of the opposite side. We hear their beliefs and arguments and then see how the other side truly is. It was also interesting to see how the two girls reacted when they were put in an environment which they didn’t believe suited them. We see Agatha trying to put up with prissy, pink princesses and Sophie gag at the people she is forced to live amongst.

I’d give this book a 7.5 out of 10, because I loved to message that it presents and I loved to concept but I found some of the plot to be confusing or not greatly explained. I think anyone who is into fantasy novels read this book because it has a really good moral and the characters are honestly fantastic, whether you like them or not.

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This One's a Keeper - Museum of Thieves (The Keepers trilogy) by Lian Tanner

Museum of Thieves by Lian Tanner is the story of a young girl called Goldie who lives in a world where impatience and boldness are sinful crimes. For her entire life she has worn a guardchain which keeps her shackled to her parents or the city’s guardians at all times. When her ‘Separation Day’ is cancelled, Goldie runs away and finds herself in the Museum of Dunt, a museum of shifting rooms and peculiar secrets. The book follows Goldie’s experiences in the museum as well as the government’s heinous plans to destroy it.

This was a book that I just one day happened to pick up off the shelf in a bookstore for no particular reason. I was simply drawn to the title and the cover, as well as the brief synopsis in the blurb. When I first read this book it was a bit difficult to get into it and I actually left in for several months before coming back and properly reading it. Although it took me awhile to get engrossed in the story, I absolutely loved it, the characters and the world. I enjoyed how the story played with the ideas of freedom vs. safety and how the city was keeping their children safe at the expense of their ability to grow and flourish into capable adults.

This was one of the first book series which I read before I started regularly reading books and I found it to be a very fun and exciting story. The characters are brilliantly written. The museum’s band of misfits all fit together and are so comfortable with each but their connection doesn’t spoil their individual characters and their is always something more to know about each of these characters.

I also loved how Tanner created a world with unique culture, unique religion, unique animals and unique geography. The detail that she put into this book’s world is fascinating and it felt like she put a lot of thought into the world before she even constructed the story.

I honestly just had a nice time reading this book and I never felt like I was forcing myself to read it. If you do experience what I did and don’t get into the story on your first reading, put it aside for a few months and then come back to it and see what you think. I give this book a 9 out of 10 and recommend it to middle-grade to young adult readers.

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13 is the 1st Book - The Last Thirteen series by James Phelan

The Last Thirteen series by James Phelan is a series of thirteen books, each published one after another starting in January 2014, which follows the life of teenage boy Sam after he learns that his entire life has been a lie. His parents aren’t his parents and he is what they call a Dreamer. His ‘parents’ are agents working for a group called the ‘Enterprise’ who watch Dreamers from birth, waiting for them to have dreams of the future. Sam is taken away from his family, captured by the Enterprise, then saved by the ‘Academy’ and given the task to find the thirteen dreamers who will stop an ancient enemy, Solaris.

To begin, I have heard some fairly disheartening opinions on this series, saying it is riddled with cliches and that the author took a massive risk by writing and planning the entire series before the first book even hit the shelves. I admit there is a trace of truth in both of these statements, but I don’t believe it ruined the story. My experience with these books was very fast-paced and intense, which left me turning page after page until I had gone through all thirteen books in a matter of (max.) two weeks.

Phelan knows how to make his books compelling and get the reader interested. All thirteen books begin with an event that happens at the end of the book, seen through one of Sam’s dreams. He fills the reader with questions and makes you follow the story to learn the answer. He plays on human curiosity to get them deeper into the story and become engrossed by the characters.

If you were to ask me why I liked this series, I could not give you a one-sentence answer. I’m not even sure what I liked so much about this series, but I know that I did. Just reading the first book got me so hooked on the series that I bought all others as soon as possible.

The series presents a large range of characters from all corners of the world; Italy, Russia, Japan, Australia (shout-out to ‘Stralians), Cuba, etc. I believe the characters of Sam, Eva and Alex are very well written and each have their own personalities and motives. However, with the large amount of characters that are introduced in each book, it can become hard to remember them all. I can vaguely remember a few characters that are part of the ‘last thirteen’ but many details I have long since forgotten.

I would find it meaningless to rate each individual book, as I didn’t particularly like any book more or less than any other, so instead I will rate them collectively. I give this series a 7 out of 10, because it was fairly entertaining but wasn’t really anything I hadn’t read before. This series is best for a middle-grade readers or younger (8-14 years) but can be nice for anyone who just wants a quick read every now and then.

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Young and In Love - Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Back at it again with another Rainbow Rowell novel. This time I am reviewing Eleanor & Park, a love story between Park, a kid who has spent his whole life making himself invisible, and Eleanor, the new girl in town who couldn't stand out more if she tried. The story follows the two slowly falling in love and attempting to be together despite their issues with family, school and each other.

When I began reading this book, I did not expect to love it as much as I did. I have never read a contemporary young adult romance novel as I tend to find them a tad bit sappy and cliche but somehow this book hit the nail on the head. I adored how the characters of Eleanor and Park developed as a couple but also as individuals as we see how they respond to their place in the world. Park has spent his whole life not really caring for anyone that much and Eleanor has spent her life with barely anyone to care for her so it was interesting to see how each character affects the others growth.

I commend Rowell for her avoidance of the 'love at first sight' cliche. In fact, we literally see Park cursing at Eleanor as she struggles to find a seat on the bus. Their romance reminded me slightly of Benedick and Beatrice from the Shakespeare comedy, Much Ado About Nothing, as slight details about the other originally irk the protagonists but those details soon become the things in which they love about each other. I also appreciate the more than slight awkwardness which is presented because this is written to be a 'first love' scenario and anyone who claims to know everything about love and relationships from the very beginning is lying to themselves.

On a more serious, slightly darker note, I respect Rowell's interpretation and demonstration of an abusive household and how those situations affect all individuals involved. I strongly sympathised with Eleanor when she was in situations completely out of her control, which she was in more than she was not, and how helpless she was, despite Park's constant attempts to have her open up to him. I feel that Eleanor's character can be very relatable to people who have found themselves in similar situations as she did. I myself have never experienced what she has so reading this novel has been an eye-opening experience.

I would like to give this book a 9.5 out of 10, as I just loved how accurate Rowell has portray the emotions and personalities of these characters and how they have interacted with one another. I believe Rainbow Rowell is beginning to become one of my favourite authors and can't wait to read more of her work. I would recommend this book to slightly older teenagers and young adults, due to the themes of abuse and violence, as well as frequent harsh language.

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Soooo Relatable - Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell is a fairly new young adult novel about a girl named Cath who goes to college with her twin sister Wren, to which she has the classic introvert vs. extrovert relationship with. She is absolutely obsessed with Simon Snow, a Harry Potter-parody series, and writes a novel-length fanfiction surrounding the series. This novel follows Cath’s struggles with her family and her confidence in her writing when she fails to create original ideas for her writing class. Wrapped up in her self-struggles is her roommate’s ex-boyfriend, Levi.

I loved this novel because I can relate to Cath so much and there are few novels with characters like Cath. If there are characters like Cath, they usually aren’t presented in a positive light. I can relate to Cath so much because I am obsessed with books, loves to write, reads fanfiction and resents having to go outside and socialise. I feel like Rowell’s portrayal of Cath’s character was spot on in representing young readers and writers. Her interaction with other characters made her that much more interesting.

As for the plot, it felt as if things kept getting worse and worse for Cath, as well as for Levi and Wren, as the story progressed. The further the story progressed, the further Cath’s life plummeted and we see Cath in a state of worthlessness and depression once she learns that her writing is not as unique as she believed. The story is more focused on internal conflicts as well as the relationships between the characters, whether they be family, friendship or romantic relationships. It was a style that I very much enjoyed as it adds that small bit of philosophy to the story. I also appreciated that there wasn't that much filler and, if there was any, I didn't notice it.

I am very thankful that Rowell took this premise and executed the story in such an effective way because the concept is one that I believe many people were waiting for. If the idea was taken and written poorly, I believe many people would be have been extremely disappointed.

For this book, I'm giving it a 8.5 out of 10. The characters were very relatable in my opinion and the story showed another side to the 'fan' community. I recommend this to anyone else who is like Cath (i.e. young adult, fangirl/guy, aspiring writer, uni student struggling with their place in the world).

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#scorbus - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany and Jack Thorne

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany and Jack Thorne is one of the most anticipated books of 2016. As the eighth book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child had a reputation to uphold. This book, formatted as a script, is set 19-22 years after the Deathly Hallows, and follows the adventures of Albus, son of Harry Potter, and Scorpius, son of Draco Malfoy. After an overheard discussion and the discovery of a time-turner, Albus and Scorpius decide to travel to the Triwizard Tournament of 1994-1995 in order to save the life of Cedric Diggory.

To start with what I disliked with this book, I found the plot was both confusing and not that engaging. With the script format, it felt as if the plot was slightly rushed. Plot points such as the alternate timelines passed very quickly and they didn’t last long enough for me to really take in the seriousness of the situation. I would describe the plot quite like a post-war fanfiction written by a fan who wanted more clarity in the aftermath of the war. But, hey, who cares? It’s canon now.

Regardless of the plot, I loved the characters, both old and new. Avid Harry Potter fans were able to see how their already loved characters had grown and changed, even though I was slightly frustrated with Harry and certain points during the book. I also adored Albus and Scorpius and their relationship with one another. It was very nice to see that, despite their parents’ issues with one another, they were able to find comfort in each other when their lives took a detour.

After we were left with the epilogue in the Deathly Hallows, it was nice to have a little extra info as to what happened after the Battle of Hogwarts. We learn things such as Hermione being the Minister of Magic, Voldemort having a secret child with Bellatrix, the fate of Astoria and Albus struggling with his father’s legacy.

Overall, I would give this book a 7.5 out of 10 because I felt as if it could have been more. I think all the fans of Harry Potter were expecting this book to be just as fantastic as the other books but, because of the change in format, a lot of fans were let down. It was a nice clarification in order to keep us interested in this world but I believe it could have been executed a little better. It is clear to say that anyone could read this book, as long as they have either read all the HP books or have watched all the movies, either will do.

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It Will End in Tears - The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne is literally the saddest book I have ever read. Before reading it, I had somehow avoided all spoilers to the events of the novel and that was a huge mistake because I am now utterly destroyed.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is set in World War II and surrounds Bruno, a nine-year old German boy whose family moves to their mysterious new home which Bruno calls ‘Out-With’. From his bedroom window, Bruno can see a large fence that stretches as far as the eye can see and, upon exploring, he meets Shmuel, a nine-year old Jewish and Polish boy who is on the other side of the fence. The novel follows the story of how the two boys develop a friendship.

I personally loved how the book was executed because it showed the effects of the war through the eyes of an innocent child. As children, we are less judgemental of others and usually just seek out to find friends so the whole reason why Shmuel was on the other side of the fence was completely unreasonable. This story goes to show that people are not always bad just because we chose to perceive them that way. If Bruno knew that Shmuel was Jewish, he likely wouldn’t care or treat him differently because he was never really taught to perceive Jewish people as a problem until after he had already befriended one.

Throughout the novel, Boyne chose to replace the word ‘Führer’ with ‘Fury’ and replace the name ‘Auschwitz’ with ‘Out-With’. I believe he did this to make the story start peacefully and uneventfully as he replaced words which are heavily associated with the Second World War. I personally did not pick up on the name change to ‘Out-With’ until nearly the end of the novel so the sudden realisation made the seriousness of the story increase dramatically.

I am giving this book at 7 out of 10 because, despite having a great story, it completely and utterly destroyed my heart in ways that I will never repair. Even though it does include sad events, I would recommend this book to others because it really gives an insight into the true nature of those affected my war. I would say to only give this book to children 12 years or older because of some potentially scarring events.

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Not the French Revolution - Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

Les Miserables is an intriguing classic of the 19^th century. This novel has a range of themes and genres within it: tragedy, romance, action, friendship, redemption and many more.
The story follows Jean Valjean, an ex- prisoner who breaks parole and works to become an honest man, as a promise to a bishop he met in Digne. After prison, he finds it hard to open his heart to anyone until he adopts the daughter of one of his ex-employees who he failed to help in her time of need. As his adopted daughter Cosette grows up, she meets and falls for Marius Pontmercy, a revolutionary attempting to fix the corrupt government of France. 

The plot itself is exciting, yet challenging, showing the struggles of, not only Valjean’s life but, the lives of nearly every character. The vast quantity of characters allows readers to usually connect with at least one of them. Even if it isn’t Valjean’s story you are interested with, you could be interested in Cosette’s journey or Marius’ or Eponine’s. They all have a different obstacle they need to overcome, which helps to intrigue the reader.

With each of Hugo’s characters, there is a different lesson to be learnt. Valjean shows how a once sinful, regretful man can turn his life around and become good once again and Fantine shows that some people are willing to go to such extreme lengths simply for family. Eponine show that you shouldn’t stop loving someone just because they don’t love you the way you wish to be loved while Enjolras shows how there are some things so important to fight and die for. Each character is unique and has a unique contribution to the story. 

Throughout the book, Victor Hugo makes note of the iconic events of the years, having lived through most of them himself. This is definitely a benefit for aspiring historians or France enthusiasts but can still interest the average reader. Throughout the pages, Hugo also writes his own thoughts of the events he created in his story, adding a philosophical aspect to the story. For instance, he writes about Valjean’s time in prison and how a man could have committed both a righteous and sinful deed, attempting to steal bread from an innocent baker but only to feed his family. It also has a strong idea of justice, contemplating if the ‘Law’ is just, even if it supposedly follows the way of God.

Like every book, Les Miserables has its share of detriments. The sheer size of the book would put off all but the most committed readers, even being nicknamed ‘The Brick’. Also, since the book originated and is set in France, many words and names are in French and can be hard to read if you aren’t familiar with the language and pronunciation. There are lots of pages filled with what I call ‘background information’ on the characters which is helpful to an extent but after the first page you feel as if the story has stopped so that it can revolve around this one character, who may not even be that significant. 

Despite these put-offs, Les Miserables is still a wonderful story, however not for the undetermined or weak-minded. It has been read since 1862 and is still being read today. There has to be a reason why.

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Game of Thrones or Hunger Games? - Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas was a book I knew absolutely nothing about but was everywhere on Tumblr. Before I even knew the what the book entailed, I was mesmerised by the cover art of the main character, Celaena Sardothien. They say don’t judge a book by its cover but, dammit, it was a pretty compelling cover.

Throne of Glass has a Hunger Games-esque feel to it, as it surrounds our young heroine fighting against unknown competitors to become her nations ‘champion’. However, it is a very unique story. Celaena is taken from a prison camp to compete in a series of challenges. The prize for the victor; the honour of becoming the king’s personal assassin. When Celaena’s opponents start dropping dead, she must avoid being killed herself while unraveling the mystery.

When I describe Celaena, I wouldn’t call her an ‘unreliable narrator’ but she definitely isn’t a character that I completely understand by the end of the book. She makes comments and statements that seem almost unnecessary but they give hints to her mysterious past. This makes her character that more enticing, as her blunt and sarcastic personality draws us in and her odd and intriguing past keeps us interested.

This novel is the first in a fairly long series. Following the first novel is Crown of Midnight, Heir of Fire, Queen of Shadows, the prequel The Assassin’s Blade (a series of novellas) and soon-to-be-published Empire of Storms, with another novel in the works to be published in 2017. If you are going to read the first book, be prepared for a long journey. If you can’t handle it, ask the Percy Jackson fandom for advice. They’ve been holding strong for, like, 11 years.

It’s been a few weeks since I read this book but I still would give it an 8 out of 10. The end can be quite confusing if you don’t concentrate carefully but the rest of the novel plus the development of character cancel out the confusion. I’d say this book to be good for any young adult who loves fantasy worlds and for basically anyone who has a Tumblr account.

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Of Monsters and . . . Angels? - Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor is the first book of a fantasy series about a strange girl who has blue hair, a puppeteer best friend, an angel stalker and a family of chimaera. The story follows Karou, a girl from the Czech Republic who attends art school with her friend Zuzana. However, the creatures that she draws in her numerous journals are really the chimaera with whom she grew up with. When mysterious seraphs show up and destroy the portal to her family, Karou meets Akiva and begins to discover the truth about her unknown past.

I found this book to be very unique, as I have read few books with even a mention of chimaera. I believe the choice to include chimaeras as the main species of the series, save for the seraphs, allow for a broader range of character differences as each character has their own design and distinction. Along with this, the choice to show seraph and chimaera as opposing species was a brilliant one. Seraphs and angels are known to be pure and beautiful but are presented as the enemy through the point of view of someone raised by the so called 'monsters'.

One of the aspects that I loved most about this book was the fact that, without spoiling too much, the romance wasn't unrealistic or forced and didn't ruin the individual characters. What I have seen often are characters being introduced solely for the purpose of giving another, already established character a love interest. In this book, the introduction of Akiva into Karou's life wasn't for this purpose. His role was to reveal the part of Karou's past that only he knew of.

As for the writing, I appreciated that the story wasn't action heavy. It was the first book of a trilogy so any over-the-top action would have felt unnecessary, irrelevant and forced. Instead, Taylor created a series of characters and displayed their personality, leading up to the future sequels. Although I have not yet read these sequels, I assumed there will be more action as the reader begins to understand the characters more.

Overall, I score this book an 8.5 out of 10 for its plot and detailed characters. I recommend it to teenagers and young adults who are interested in fantasy books with a twist or maybe readers who like a different kind of romance story.

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Oz Takes An Ugly Turn - Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

Dorothy Must Die is the first book of a series by the same name, written by American author, Danielle Paige. The relatively new series is a continuation of the classic story, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, where another girl from Kansas is taken to Oz. In this story, Oz has been overrun by Dorothy and her ‘loyal’ companions and the new protagonist, Amy Gumm, is sent on a mission to kill her.

I personally adored this book. The introduction of Amy into a world of established characters made the story more relatable to young audiences. Amy is a poor but modern teenager (even rocking some fancy pink hair) who is witty and doesn’t like to be left in the dark about the treacherous events that had befallen Oz. With the first-person narration, Paige has created the world through the eyes of an average teenager. Amy only knew the story that we all have already been told, through the original book and film. Therefore everything Amy knows, we know.

Besides Paige’s beautifully-written protagonist, the book is fairly unique in its field. Most of us know of fairly successful adaptations of the Wizard of Oz, such as Wicked or Oz the Great and Powerful, but both of these examples create the history of Oz and gives us a bit more insight into the characters’ intentions in the original tale. Dorothy Must Die takes a different approach, as it shows what became of Oz after Dorothy arrived.

The thing I will say last is that this book is not afraid to go a little dark and a little mature, having a mention of teen pregnancy in the first chapter or so, seeing Dorothy more vulgar and revealing as well as seeing the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman and Lion as borderline-psychopathic monsters.

Overall, I give this book a 9 out of 10. I would definitely recommend this book to teenagers and young adults. I would avoid giving to children under 12 due to language and violence.

Just remember, be prepared for commitment. This book comes along with its share of sequels and prequels . . . but more about that later.

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