Nothing is Something

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing is a superbly crafted historical novel about a black youth in colonial American who is raised in a house of rational philosophy and classical education. As he continues his elite education, he discovers that he is merely a subject of an experiment to determine the intellectual power of Africans. After his mother's death, he runs away and joins the Patriot's cause. However, he is recaptured and brought back only to be forced to wear an iron mask.

There are two major reasons why I would recommend parent's buy this novel for their young adult. First, it has a particularly challenging style. There are differing narrators, 18th century language and multiple forms of narrative including letters and correspondences. While this form will challenge the reader it will also strengthen their interpretive and comprehension skills. Also, there are sections in which Octavian has scribbled over all of his writing in a moment of frustrated storytelling. I especially enjoyed these types of sections because it makes the reader aware of the job which a narrator has in telling their tale. Instead of a single author weaving a narrative, it highlights the notion that there is a human narrator with human behavior and capabilities.

Second, the novel is semi-historical. While Octavian may be a fictional character, he is living in historically accurate times. The racism, patriotism and rebellion of colonial America is all truthful and conveyed in the novel. Hence, I see this as a possibility for young students who may not be particularly interested in American History to learn the subject by means of a fictional story. The characters of the novel can be enticing hooks to bring young readers into the reality of history in a way that a objective textbook cannot. Thus, if you know a young adult who drags their feet through their history class, this novel could possibly provide the spark needed to liven up the subject.

Recommendation: Eye-opening and a great window into history for young adults; equally interesting in the historical aspect for an adult read as well.

Who's Hungry?

The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, is a dystopian novel set in the future. In the frightening world, participants are selected to compete in the Hunger Games in which tributes but fight each other to the death until only one remains. Katniss Everdeen (girl) and Peeta Mellark (boy) are both selected to compete and Peeta reveals his unrequited love for Katniss. Since the Hunger Games are televised (an extremely interesting facet of the novel and its implications), this announcement stirs an emotional reaction from the audience as Katniss and Peeta progress into the games while others die off. Suddenly a rule change is made in which there can be two winners of the competition. The story progresses due to this pivotal rule change but to reveal anymore would be doing any new readers a disservice. 

There are, in my mind, two very interesting points of the novel which I believe will both interest male and female readers as well as encourage parents to either give the novel to their children or read it for themselves. First, the issue of gender is very interestingly portrayed and it appeals to both sexes of potential readers. Katniss is a female protagonist which attracts female readers. It is very rare for popular novels to have such strong feminine characters which readers can connect with. However, there is an interestingly twist to this femininity. Katniss is a strong, almost patriarchal, character who hunts with a fierce personality (typically seen as male characteristics). Not to mention that the competitive hunt-or-be-hunted part of the novel will surely attract the adventurous young male reader. In this way I believe that the novel has universal appeal. 

Second, the majority of dystopian literature takes place in a different time than the present but almost always refers itself back as a caveat for the present day. In this novel, the themes of extreme voyeurism, reality television exploitation and strong-armed governmental control are all present. While none of these are extreme in our present society, there are certainly hints today which the novel extrapolates into a awful future. This sort of warning, when presented to an audience, will cause discussion and reflection on the current state of affairs.

If there is one reason to read the novel, it is to open a dialogue of the sort of things which are explored. Thus, young adults (the future adults running America) can be conscious of these facts and possibly heed the warning which the novel presents.

Recommendation: This novel is an excellent read for both young adults and their parents to read together so that a healthy conversation which spans age limits can be encouraged. Pick up two copies for yourself and a young adult you have in mind. 

Robert Cormier is the Cheese in his field.

Robert Cormier is argued by some to be the preeminent YA author due to his prolific catalogue of successes and expansion of the genre as a whole. While many of his novels were considered edgy and groundbreaking for their day in terms of explicit content some deemed unsuitable for young adults, he continued to write successful books until his name became synonymous with YA literature. However, some adult skeptics may be hesitant at first.

I Am the Cheese is about Adam Farmer who becomes suspicious about his background and family's past history. Upon finding two different copies of his birth certificate he probes further. After his father explains about the family's past lives before the need for reidentification and relocation due to his father's job, the Farmers are forced to move due to being discovered. While this is the general plot of the novel, the entire story is told while Adam is in a psychiatric facility and giving an interview to an employee there. The novel delves into themes of alienation, death and confusion. 

While some, including Cormier himself, feared the book to be too complex or dark for the younger audience, it proved to be a success. One particular point of merit that adults can find when reading this novel is the complexity of voice. The story switches between first-person, present tense, third-person and past tense. This choice by Cormier was somewhat groundbreaking in its deviation from standard form and led to an experimentation commonly used by following authors. In this sense, this novel can be extremely valuable to young readers because it can be such a challenging read which will not only expand their concept of narrative voice by also broaden their sense of what a novel can achieve. It's novels like I Am the Cheese that pave the way for progressive literature which create new standards in their respective genres. If for only that reason, this novel can be extremely eye-opening. 

Recommendation: Equally rewarding for adolescents and adults.