The Land of Decoration by Grace McCleen

Title: The Land of Decoration by Grace McCleen

Copyright: 2012

Published By: Henry Holt & Co.

Length: 306 pp.

Reason for Reading: Intriguing storyline

Oh, boy. Another rough one. It's been a week since I finished The Land of Decoration and I hoped that letting it roll around in my head a bit would help me sort through my feelings, but I think it's just one of those books that I'm going to have mixed feelings about.

Brief Summary: 10-year-old Judith McPherson is considered weird by her fellow students. She and her father live in an English working-class village where her father works at the local factory and preaches that the "end times" are coming, in his off hours. When not preaching, he is distracted and brusque. Judith is not allowed to do "worldly" things like watch TV or join in on certain group activities at school so she spends much of her time in her bedroom, where she has created her own little world from bits and pieces of trash.

Her life-long immersion in religion and strict family rules sets Judith apart and she is viciously bullied at school yet completely unable to communicate with her father in order to share what's happening to enlist his help. As the book opens, Judith is trying to figure out how she can keep herself from getting dunked in a toilet. When trouble at work sets Judith's father at odds with his co-workers for strike-breaking, he becomes a victim of a different kind of bullying. As their problems escalate, Judith becomes convinced that she has God-given powers and can hear God speak while at the same time her father experiences a dramatic crisis of faith.

The descriptions I've read about this book are very vague and I'm not entirely certain what constitutes "spoiler" territory so I'll just caution you to skip down to the "recommendation" if you're planning to read the book soon or concerned that I might give too much away. I've tried not to write anything spoilery and will certainly not reveal the ending.

What I liked about The Land of Decoration:

I'm not even sure why this is the case but The Land of Decoration is so compelling the pages absolutely flew. It's a little dreamy in writing style. Till the end, I often questioned whether or not Judith was letting her imagination run away with her. Could she really hear God or would making conversation with God a reality change the book from general fiction to paranormal? Was she mentally unbalanced or wildly imaginative? In fiction, of course, anything is possible.

Judith was utterly fascinating and I absolutely had to know what was going to happen to her and her father -- whether the bullies were going to win, the world was really going to end or both of them would end up in restraints in some mental facility. The Land of Decoration is certainly a unique and stunningly gripping story. It is also harrowing, truly one of the most frightening books I've ever read because bullies are all too real and every bit as freakishly dangerous as they're portrayed.

Apart from the fact that the book is a page-turner because of the escalating tension, I did love the fact that the author was willing to portray two people who are deeply religious because I've read far too many books with narrators who are either atheist or agnostic, lately. Sometimes I wonder if so many authors have chosen to make their characters not believe in anything at all because it's the lazy option. Portraying characters with strong beliefs but treating them with respect is a steep challenge in a world where religion is often associated with lack of intelligence.

What I disliked about The Land of Decoration:

Here's the part that I'm concerned might be a bit spoilery.

I'm not so sure she did pull off the "respect" bit. On the one hand, it is perfectly understandable that Judith's father should have a crisis of faith. He is a single father struggling to make ends meet and at work he takes what he considers the only appropriate action -- both in regard to his beliefs and to ensure that his child does not starve -- but doing what he thinks is right becomes so dangerous that there is a point you're not sure either will survive.

Instead of a true relationship with God and a normal, healthy belief set in which God is merely a part of their lives, the religious aspect is way over the top and at the heart of the little family of two is an undercurrent of overwhelming grief. The exaggerated religious immersion makes for an interesting story but it sadly does serve to dismiss the concept of religion as a perfectly normal and ultimately strengthening part of life. The two characters' Christianity is radically, irrationally skewed. That kind of bugged me but I can't say why without spoiling the ending.

On the plus side, The Land of Decoration delves into such touchy territory that it could make for an interesting discussion.

Recommendation:

I can't fathom rating this book because my feelings are totally mixed. The Land of Decoration is a unique, enthralling story in which a small family's terror grows to the point that if it were a movie I, for one, would have been covering my eyes. I found it simultaneously impossible to put down and painful to read. At first, I liked the fact that the author was courageous enough to make her characters religious. But, ultimately, I felt a little uncomfortable with the fact that they were so radical that in the end it is implied that in order to become a normal family they had no choice but to drop their beliefs entirely. <---definitely a spoiler. Highlight that part at your own risk. For those who don't want to read the spoiler, I'll just say that I loved and hated the ending.

This is one of those cases in which the word "review" does not fit. "Reader reaction" works. As a work of writing, I thought the book was excellent. Solid, stylish writing, exaggerated but believable characterization and a unique storyline made this an above-average read from a strictly technical standpoint.

In other news:

I had a great week. We were traveling and I may elaborate but I'll save details for another day. I finished three books, last week: The Land of Decoration, Kitty Cornered by Bob Tarte and Fever by Lauren DeStefano (which I purchased). Reviews of the latter two are forthcoming. It may take me a while to get back in the swing of things, here. I somehow managed to get another cold (2 colds in 3 weeks!), which is just flat weird. I can't even remember the last time I had a cold, prior to this year. So, I'm not in top form but hope to be back to visiting other bloggers, soon!

How was your week?

©2012 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery and Babble or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

Gone by Michael Grant

Gone by Michael Grant

Copyright 2008

Harper Teen - YA/Sci-Fi

558 pages

In a split second, everyone aged 15 and over disappears from Perdido Beach, a small town in California. Everyone. Teachers, parents, older siblings -- all gone. Along with their disappearance go the phones, internet and television. The electricity remains. But, where should the youngsters go and how will they survive? As it becomes plain that there's a barricade blocking them from the world outside, food begins to dwindle, dangerous mutated creatures appear and bullies arrive from the private school up the hill.

In addition to all these strange occurrences, some of the remaining youngsters have developed powers--and they're growing stronger. But, the bullies know about these unusual new powers and they're determined not to let anyone overcome their stranglehold on the town. What will become of the young survivors in Perdido Beach? What is the FAYZ and how might it be related to the local nuclear power plant? And, what is that strange, dome-like barricade over their town?

Thoughts:

There are a few things I consider spoilers in Gone, so my review may be a tiny bit vague. What I really loved about Gone the most was that it's pure escapist reading and I was in need of a mental break, so a little escapist sci-fi was perfect for the moment.

Sam, the protagonist, is a natural-born hero. Some of his peers and a lot of the younger children look up to him because he's known to have saved a bus full of students when the driver had a heart attack. But, on a daily basis, he's really rather timid and unsure of himself. He doesn't desire to be their leader and he's worried about the dangerous power he developed in the months leading up to the disappearance of the adults. As the situation degenerates, though, Sam finds that he really needs to step up to the plate.

Astrid, who is nicknamed "Astrid the Genius" because of her intelligence, becomes Sam's closest companion and greatest encouragement. But, she has problems of her own. Her young brother is autistic and it takes a lot of energy to deal with his needs.

Caine is the leader of the bullies from the private school. He has a power complex and is determined to take over the town. But, what is his goal and who is he willing to sacrifice to get what he wants?

The bottom line:

An exciting, adventurous, scary novel that combines a Stephen King-like world of fresh horror with the animalistic infighting of Lord of the Flies, definitely recommended but not for the faint of heart.

Technically, I am the faint of heart. There were times I was unsure I really wanted to continue reading. Having experienced the horror of post-Katrina Mississippi and the fighting over limited resources (which really wasn't necessary, especially early on, but still occurred because people naturally panic in times of crisis), I know how real that type of behavior can be. It's disturbing! But, I kept going because the story is a good one. The author kept flinging out new surprises and I never really quite knew how Sam was going to react. I have the second book in this series, Hunger, and I've been restraining myself from reading it because I tend to like series books better if I stretch them out. But, I might give in, soon.

I particularly thought the character development was excellent. Sam and Astrid are likable, as are most of the people who end up working with them to protect the innocent from the dangerous bullies. Caine and his sociopathic sidekick are easy to hate. It's classic good-versus-evil, and yet there is more to the story than just the interaction between the good and bad groups. There are monsters and strange powers to deal with. The plot is pretty amazing.

I'm pretty sure I've just talked myself into reading Hunger a bit sooner.

©2011 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery and Babble or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

The Strange Man by Greg Mitchell

The Strange Man by Greg Mitchell

Book 1 of the Coming Evil Trilogy

Copyright 2011 - Horror

Realms

292 pages, including a bonus short story

Greg Mitchell's blog

Holy Toledo. The Strange Man is like a train wreck -- horrifying but you can't look away. In the dying town of Greensboro, there have always been rumors about a bogeyman living in the North Woods. Parents tell stories of the bogeyman to get their children to behave. Some believe, some don't.

Dras (pronounced "DrAHz") Weldon is a twenty-something who is unemployed, drinks heavily and, in general, refuses to grow up. He collects action figures and sponges off his family. His only real friend is Rosalyn. She came from a disastrous, alcoholic home and has been labeled "trash" by pretty much everyone but the Weldon family, with whom she practically grew up. Rosalyn is patient to a fault, when it comes to Dras. Dras questions his faith aloud and is rebellious, but he really believes in God. He just doesn't want to think about it and he both acts and speaks as if he's not a believer.

One night, a storm moves into Greensboro -- a very odd storm that carries with it the sensation of evil. The bogeyman has arrived. He is, in fact, the devil and he brings along his legion of demons. Because the town has moved away from Christianity, they've allowed the devil to be freed from his prison in the North Woods. And, he means to wreak havoc, kill and ruin lives, wherever he can. Death comes quickly, once the so-called bogeyman arrives.

The devil-slash-bogeyman can appear handsome and suave but sometimes he shows his true form. Dras, as it turns out, is getting in the devil's way. The devil has his eye on Rosalyn but he can't harm Dras. And, Dras is not going to watch his friend get tortured or worse and do nothing about it. But, will he be able to save Rosalyn? There's only one thing Dras can do and it may mean sacrificing his own life.

Man . . . talk about creepy. This is one heck of a scary book. I cannot believe I read it at night and didn't have nightmares, but I just couldn't put it down so I finished The Strange Man in the middle of the night. You should see the dark circles under my eyes. I meant to snooze late but the cats decided to have a party on my head very early Monday morning, so I guess I'll just have to catch up on sleep. It was worth it.

What I loved about The Strange Man:

The Strange Man is riveting. From a Christian standpoint, I had a little trouble with the fact that a person could pray for help and still end up shredded (Ewww!) but in the end there's one person who actually succumbs not to the devil but to the evil of man. To be honest I just can't fault a book too much if it's that hard to put down. I loved the fact that The Strange Man is gripping, has a good solid theme about God as protector and that we choose whether or not to let evil into our lives, and I liked the characters -- although there were moments I wanted to reach in and shake someone. You know those scary movies where you're muttering, "No, no, don't open the window! Don't go outside!" or whatever. Yeah. It's like that.

Oops, forgot to mention:

Adding this to the post, a bit late. I think there's another theme, which is really important, and it's something to the effect of, "Watch out what you say and how you behave; the people around you learn from your actions and words." Dras actually leads people away from God.

What I disliked about The Strange Man:

Oops, I think I already mentioned that, above, the fact that someone got shredded even after praying. Well, that's about it.

The Strange Man is, I think, technically a Christian book because of the publisher and the God-driven theme. But, I left that out of my header because, you know . . . I have a real quibble with the fact that a lot of people will pass this book up (and a lot of other titles) merely because it's written from a Christian perspective. And, it's not like Hollywood hasn't done the devil-coming-to-get-everyone, complete with a hell-fire spouting, mildly hypocritical preacher and all that.

I just read True Grit last week (I'll review it, soon) and found myself thinking about the way Christianity in characters was common not that long ago but has become something to avoid in recent decades. In True Grit, Mattie's Christianity really jumps out at you, the way Mattie quotes the Bible and talks about being a good Presbyterian. It's simply a part of who she is, but it's something we don't see all that much anymore. I found myself wondering . . . Would that book be considered (if it were a new title, that is) by a mainstream publisher, these days? I don't know. I have a feeling the answer is "no," though.

In The Strange Man, the preacher is Jeff, the "prodigal" Dras's brother. He's not perfect; nobody is, although Jeff's wife comes closest. She's a peacemaker and a solid, kind woman. Many of the characters are not Christian. That's part of the point -- so many in the small, dying town have lost their faith that they've opened themselves up to evil. It's really just a typical good-versus-evil plotline and it deserves a wide readership because it's a rollicking good, shaking-in-your-boots kind of story. That is my humble opinion. Click here to read a free chapter of The Strange Man and view the trailer (which, honestly, I'm afraid to watch). Be sure to look at the author photograph, which was taken by his 4-year-old! Awesome.

Cover thoughts: Cool. Creepy. Perfect. Love the colors.

In other news:

I've been offline, apart from brief hops to the blog to approve comments, via the iPad, because my computer has been covered by a tarp while Huzzybuns repaired the damaged wall in my office and sanded in preparation for painting. So . . . not sure when he's going to get around to painting the walls but if I disappear abruptly for a couple of days, never fear. It probably just means I've been banned from the room. I get in his way, you see. I'll try to catch up on visiting people when he's not around and I'm not busy shooing the cat away from live electrical cords. That animal. Sheesh. Izzy, that is. She's a handful.

This weekend, I spent a lot of time reading, reading, reading. I picked up Haunting Jasmine, the story of a woman fresh from a divorce, who goes to take care of her aunt Ruma's bookstore while Auntie Ruma makes an emergency trip to India. Ruma doesn't bother telling Jasmine that the store is haunted. It was a case of perfect book for the time and I raced through it, loving every minute. I'll review the book, soon.

After reading Haunting Jasmine, I spent a day catching up on my Bible study, which involves a humongous amount of homework (I missed the first week, thanks to a stomach virus). And, then I picked up The Strange Man and there went a good night's sleep.

I've got to get off the computer because Kiddo wants me to quit tapping so he can sleep, but I'll try to post a pic of Izzy playing with her rubber ducky in the next post. Betcha can't wait.

Tuesday Morning addendum:

I've awakened to weather that is threatening to turn severe (tornadoes and thunderstorms) and a headache, so blog-hopping and my next review will likely be delayed a bit longer while I hide in my room to read and sleep. I'm really starting to miss you guys. I'll at least approve comments if I don't have to unplug everything.

©2011 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery and Babble or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.