Release Date: June 25, 2013
Published by: HarperTeen

This is how it seems a lot of scientific concepts are portrayed in young adult literature - at least to me - and I don't understand why. If you can have such complex fantasy worlds, why can we not create a complex world built on scientific concepts? Concepts which are not explained in these all-encompassing ways and/or which do not fit within "light" science fiction. (Are you really explaining then or just throwing out a general explanation?) Nowadays I tend to avoid most science fiction novels because it offends me as a neuroscientist to read a lot of these descriptions of how things work. (Mostly when people imply that you can control the brain when there is so much complex circuitry left to be explored. And it's just "hey, stimulate X and X region! That only does this!")

Of course, I'm making a HUGE generalization, and you have every right to call me out on that. It seems like most of the science you tend to read about in young adult literature are what's included in dystopian or post-apocalyptic novels. Which is almost nothing at all, if you think about it; The Hunger Games (the first book) is considered science fiction, I believe, even though the few tidbits there are about science generally tend to be in regard to the medicine. And generalizations, like Peeta getting his new limb and people getting all sorts of things done to their bodies. (Am I remembering incorrectly, or is there more?)

Then... of course... there's the mad scientist stereotype. Ugh. I'm not going to mention which book in particular I'm thinking about, but do I really even need to expand on this? I'm tired of reading about the evil, ambitious scientist who ruins life for everyone or the scientist who tests his theories on himself or the protagonist because clearly we are all amoral people. (FMI: A similar post on this topic by another blogger.)

Phew. Any more and I'll really start to rant. What do you all think? How would you like to see science portrayed? How do you see it portrayed? Do you read science fiction novels? Are there particular trends re: science (fiction) that bother you?

I've written about this several times on my blog (various pet peeve posts and want more of posts in the discussion section), and I've thought of some more. Would love to read your thoughts on these.

1. "Fat" Characters Who Aren't Bullies

I've left fat in quotations because even characters who are merely described as having curves are referred to as fat in reviews. Do you realize how pervasive this stereotype is? I'm not sure it appears as frequently in YA books as it does in children's/MG books, but even still, YA needs more characters who are not just thin (or whose body isn't described) and who are NOT mean (for an example, Bridge to Terabithia). I remember that when I first read Twilight in high school and saw that Bella was 110 pounds and worrying about whether Edward could carry her, I was stunned, and it made me feel even more self-conscious. I'm not going to pretend that I don't have issues with weight perception, but I still think that's something that could be easily changed in books. (Great recent example of a great "fat" character: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell!)

2. Girls Who Are Bold

A lot of the books with girl protagonists seem to have plot lines where girls are encouraged to seek what they need and want in order to better their worlds / to fix their problems.... and yet they are not encouraged to be the bold one in their relationships? I don't know why that is. I would really like to read more about girls who make that first step in the romance that's portrayed.

From here: http://www.nextmovie.com/blog/young-adult-heroines-infographic/

3. Girls Who Aren't "Pure"

I am so tired of this. Something readers mentioned in the discussion on New Adult books is that a lot of them seem to involve an innocent girl or one who has limited sexual experience / who hasn't enjoyed sex yet until she meets the romantic interest. The same thing usually happens in YA too. Can we please have some girls who are not "pure?" Some of them who are also not slammed as sluts for that?

4. More Diversity

Look at the image above. Obviously some of these things are debatable (Hermione with low self-esteem? Not sure I got that feeling), but it's still alarming that so many of these popular books have a lot of similarities in how they portray their main characters. Not only alarming; it's stifling. I want to read about other experiences. I want to read about bolder girls. C'mon now.

5. Books Which Portray Science and Mental Illness Better

You can expect some discussion posts on these two topics in the future.

Do any of these irritate you? What do you want to see more of in YA lit?

So one of the books I read recently made me pause and think about all the others like it. Yes, all the others. Because I often find that there is a specific type of YA book that will set itself apart while the rest mingle together in this one giant shelf of "meh." Maybe some of this isn't new to write, but I figured that it would be better to have my expectations of books out there, for you, at least, to see whether our tastes align.

To avoid the great shelf of "meh," do not include these elements.

Too much narration. You know what really gets me sometimes about YA? It's that sometimes the characters spell everything out for you in their thoughts as if you would not understand that a frown is sadness or that this information really hurts the protagonist or etc. etc. Yeah, most of the times the narration that is there is easy to read, but that's about it. I'm more for you cutting back on the narration and using that free space to give us more scenes with your characters. Think Kristin Cashore. (Of course the opposite is having way too little, so little I can't even sense your writing and character voices. Watch out for that.)

Villain tells all speech. I've posted about this before, but I was thinking recently about how much more satisfying in general it is to have the protagonist and other characters figure out what the villain is up to. Or think that they know. If you do that, it gives you so many more chances to make the plot more complex and also to make the villain more complex; if the characters were wrong about the motivations/what's being planned, well, hmm, does that not pique your interest already?

What comes with insta!love. I had a conversation about insta!love with my critique partner, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized my problem isn't completely with insta!love itself so much as what often comes with it. The dependence. This is not an effect isolated to high school; I am not as close with some friends because they are attached to their partners. So while maybe a part of me could understand the intensity that comes with having an all-consuming crush, the rest of me no longer sympathizes with any sort of dependent behavior.

Tragic past. We all have tragic pasts of sorts, even if some of ours are more tragic than those of others. But what gets me about this is that often I find that the tragic past is what supposedly differentiates the character's voice. It's not enough to say that the character is grieving so the character needs to control everything around her; is that a characteristic of our world, of our times? That could be applied to any time! Think of all your favorite protagonists... and I will provide some popular examples. I think Katniss is often used as the model nowadays, with people writing their protagonists with a skill like Katniss's skill in archery. But having a character who's good at kendo and thus can fight isn't on the same level as Katniss's archery. You see, her skill is more entwined in the world. It allows for her to provide for her family. It allows for her to break the law every day. It allows for her to win the Hunger Games etc. etc. You see how many layers are entwined in that one skill? It's the same with the tragic past and the character voice. Convince me that this character can ONLY live in your world, that your character is a PRODUCT of that world.

Information dump conversations. I'm not a huge fan of the info dump conversations which are sometimes used to build worlds. Certainly it makes it easier to read if it's all broken up into conversation, but I would much rather read about the world in gradual pulses... or if you need to do an info dump, do it in one paragraph. I often find my attention wanders when there's multiple pages of you telling me why your world is so fascinating. Of course this depends on the reader, whereas I think the other points are much more universal in applicability.

Predictable plots. Generally I don't dock a book for having a predictable plot, because I think most of YA books have predictable plots (and sometimes there is no way around that, i.e. contemp. romance, so they function on a level of anticipation). I think the trend for predictable plots could be a function of them mostly being about character growth and coming of age and hero(ine)'s journey etc. etc. etc. But what I will sometimes remember is when a book breaks my expectations, because even if I think the rest is crap, I will still remember that it took me along for a great ride.

Stereotypical characters. This is a total duh. But at any rate, you know why J.K. Rowling is so successful? It's because if you think of any character in the HP series, you can probably think of a few scenes that really define the person. Harry is the stereotypical special orphan, but he's also much more than that. Think of a few critical scenes that really highlight what you want your readers to know about your characters.

A lack of meaning. For me, it really isn't just symbolism or metaphors. Most of my favorite books have this underlying core that I can relate to. Shadow and Bone - the struggle for power and belonging. Divergent - the need to label ourselves. etc. etc. There are questions embedded into these narratives about how these characters act and whether that's justified. To what lengths would you go? I think my critique partner once put it as shining a mirror onto society, and that's true. Maybe not necessarily a criticism of society, but for me at least, my favorite books have something about what it means to be us. These are the kind of questions that will stick with me long after reading the book.

Romance that's executed poorly. This is worse than not having romance.

Of course, I doubt anyone sets off writing a book with these in mind, thinking that they will include a poorly executed romance... but hey, maybe there'll be greater levels of awareness, and with that fewer books in the slush pile of "meh." Who knows?

Do you agree/disagree with the qualities I've listed above? What makes a book "meh" for you?

Release Date: April 23, 2013
(Thank you to ATWT for allowing me to participate on this tour!)
Published by: Greenwillow

Arclight by Josin L. McQuein

No one crosses the wall of light . . . except for one girl who doesn’t remember who she is, where she came from, or how she survived. A harrowing, powerful debut thriller about finding yourself and protecting your future—no matter how short and uncertain it may be. 

The Arclight is the last defense. The Fade can’t get in. Outside the Arclight’s border of high-powered beams is the Dark. And between the Light and the Dark is the Grey, a narrow, barren no-man’s-land. That’s where the rescue team finds Marina, a lone teenage girl with no memory of the horrors she faced or the family she lost. Marina is the only person who has ever survived an encounter with the Fade. She’s the first hope humanity has had in generations, but she could also be the catalyst for their final destruction. Because the Fade will stop at nothing to get her back. Marina knows it. Tobin, who’s determined to take his revenge on the Fade, knows it. Anne-Marie, who just wishes it were all over, knows it.

When one of the Fade infiltrates the Arclight and Marina recognizes it, she will begin to unlock secrets she didn’t even know she had. Who will Marina become? Who can she never be again?

Ten likes/dislikes:

1. (+) Marina, the protagonist - I wasn't hugely fond of Marina, but I think that Josin did pretty well with a character who had no past, and I think that Marina could have been annoying given her position but she wasn't. Obviously this is not a huge endorsement of Marina, but I did like her. And that's about it. I can imagine it must be frustrating to not know where you're from or what happened to you; I can imagine she must be strong to have endured all the pain; I can imagine the kind of courage and steadiness it takes to help another person in pain, and to perform something so serious after barely being exposed to it... But even understanding that these scenes were meant to make me really bond with her, Marina was rather distant.
2. (+) World-building - If there's anything that takes the cake, it's the world-building. In some part, it reminded me of Shadow and Bone, with Alina walking into the Shadow Fold. Instead of the Shadow Fold, though, you have the Light, Grey, and Dark. And each section is described beautifully as well as the military-like compound of the Arclight, its history, and the Fade as the Other and as human-like creatures. The Fade have an interesting history of their own, and I particularly thought the foundation for them and their powers was well established. Truly well done here.
3. (+) Romance - I actually also thought this was done really well. There is a love triangle, but it's one of the ones I could accept, because it fits so well with the world. And because these characters are more developed than the rest. It's a slow-burn for each as Marina struggles to understand what's happened to her. And neither romantic interest is perfect, though I think both certainly have their good points. So many nice, sweet moments. This is really vague, I know, but I didn't want to ruin any of it for you!
4. (+/-) Side Characters - Indifferent toward a vast majority of them. Few seemed to be really developed, and some of them, with the climax--well, I didn't understand their reactions at all. Motivations were scattered, not easily decipherable, but personalities were generally established. This could work for some people, but I found myself mostly uncaring, especially in regard to whether people would die.
5. (+/-) Predictability - I don't tend to look for plots to be really, really unpredictable, but I'd heard a lot about this book and its unpredictability, so I was a tad disappointed. If you've read enough dystopian novels, you will know what's going on from the outset... but that doesn't detract from the book's enjoyment, as most books don't truly surprise me, and the details are what really set Arclight apart.
6. (--) Villain - You know, there doesn't also always need to be a villain, but there was one here, and the resolution of the climax just made me feel like there was no danger to begin with. There is the villain tells all type of speech, which I really dislike. And other than that? I honestly don't really know what to expect from the sequel since this felt pretty tidy in addition to the villain being kind of... nonthreatening at the end.
7. (--) Mad Scientist Feel - There is a part of me that wonders whether I would not have noticed this trend if it weren't for my reading Christina's review, but since the book actually mentions the "mad scientist" and one of the characters puts blame there, I think I would have. Arclight doesn't completely have the anti-science message that other books have, but it was enough to make me a bit pissed. Or sad. It could change later, since most of what I'm considering anti-science may, in fact, turn out differently in the sequel, but for now... *sigh*
8. (+) Writing - Beautiful. Her descriptions are very vivid and help with visualizing this futuristic world. I also think it takes a skilled writer to handle a character with no past and still manage to interest me with her.
9. (+) Pacing - Seemed pretty action packed to me; always something going on to keep the pace steady while the plot built till the climax. The ending seemed a tad rushed, but I assume that's because there's a sequel. (Though yay for no cliffhanger!)
10. (+/-) The Cover - I didn't used to like this cover. I don't like this "future-sque" fonts that seem to be chosen for science fiction novels and I don't like the way the light just stops at her chin. It's a weird effect, even if the cover is a good representation of the world itself.

Although not perfect and certainly not fully pro-science, Arclight has fantastic world-building built in with sweet romance and a horde of creatures I would love to read about more.

Then and Now is a monthly feature on Christina Reads YA in which I pick a topic or a book and discuss how my feelings for/thoughts on that have changed for whatever reason. Many thanks to the readers who helped me think of this feature!

Ah, The Hunger Games. So much to discuss. Watch out for spoilers if you haven't read the books!

gifs from: http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/hunger%20games%20gif

First time I was made aware of THG? My friend and I were in Borders and she took THG from its shelf. She didn't read much before she skipped to the end of the first chapter and shouted, "AHA! I knew it! I KNEW SHE WOULD VOLUNTEER FOR HER SISTER!" And then promptly returned the book to its shelf. I wish that hadn't been my only image of the trilogy, 'cause if I remember correctly, Suzanne Collins was supposed to visit that Borders to sign and read from Catching Fire around then. Missed opportunity, eh?

Eventually I got curious again. I read the trilogy in one day during sophomore year. I saw one of my classmates pass Mockingjay to her friend during our organic chemistry class, and I'd already heard praise of the trilogy from others. Finally decided I would order the 3 hardcover pack and catch up with everyone else.

Overall Feelings:

Then: Why does everyone like this book so much? Meh. Meh. Meh.


Now: Watching the movie? Yeah, that so made me like the first book better. I LOVE the Rue scene. You know which scene I mean. Which is why I hated it when the movie version was different. I also realized, after reading some discussions and reviews online, how visceral the writing is. Seriously, I'm not sure why it never occurred me the first time I read THG, but it's really easy to picture what exactly is going on, which is hard to make happen in action scenes. However, I also agree with some of the criticisms of the book, so it's not one of my favorites. Now I just appreciate it and the messages it raises by, as John Green writes, not calling attention to its words.

Love Triangle:

Then: This girl's perspective is so distant. How is she in love? Okay, she's pragmatic, so in that case, how can she afford to love anyone? Why doesn't Peeta remind her of all the deaths from the arenas and the war in general? You could have the most brilliant, optimistic perspective and still that would not erase the memories. I don't understand why she chose either guy.

Now: I'm still undecided. I still think that Katniss was the perfect heroine (in terms of her personality) to have a love triangle and walk away from the drama. And I still think that both Peeta and Gale would have negative associations with them, so the little section about the flower in spring vs. the fire seems irrelevant. BUT. Okay, so I've seen the movie. I like romance. And that means I'm a total Gale fan. Passion for the win!

Dystopian Society:

Then: Hadn't read much dystopia before - everyone talks of 1984 and Brave New World, but I still haven't read those - so I sort of shrugged off those elements. The book was less about the symbolism and messages and screwed up attitude of the world than it was about excitement and violence and oh bleeeeeeeep, did that really happen?

Now: It has the classic dystopian elements, and as I've expressed before, I think that a lot of books don't reach the same level it did while still conveying a message. That Big Brother feel is creepy as hell, and sometimes I wonder how far off the mark it is today.

Have your feelings about The Hunger Games changed at all? In what way? What do/did you think of the message/dystopian society/world-building? Or the love triangle and overall feel of the book(s)?

Release Date: February 26, 2013
Published by: St. Martin's Griffin

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

two misfits. one extraordinary love.

Eleanor... Red hair, wrong clothes. Standing behind him until he turns his head. Lying beside him until he wakes up. Making everyone else seem drabber and flatter and never good enough... Eleanor.

Park... he knows she'll love a song before he plays it for her. He laughs at her jokes before she ever gets to the punch line. There's a place on his chest, just below his throat, that makes her want to keep promises... Park.

Set over the course of one school year, this is the story of two star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try.

By now, you've probably read about Eleanor & Park or at least heard about the book. It's made waves all across the blogosphere... So my friend and I decided to read this one together, and I decided I would share my email to her with you all because... hell, maybe you're still curious or debating whether to read this one. But debate no more: read it! Love it! Enjoy :).

That book.