Science Fiction: Mem by Bethany C. Morrow

Ever searching for science fiction that is not too above my head, I stumbled upon Mem by Bethany C. Morrow. Set in the 1920s, Mem explores a question: What if we as humans could erase, or extract, our memories? I was curious to see which direction Morrow would go in with this idea, as there are many, and how it would all turn out.

The Situation: Dolores Extract No. 1, or Elsie as she prefers to be called, is a Mem. At the age of 19, Elsie's Source, a woman named Dolores, had her first memory extracted. After a traumatic experience, Dolores signed up for the controversial procedure, and even opted to keep her first Mem with her after it was done. Unfortunately, this proved to not be a good idea, and eventually Elsie was returned to the Vault: the place where all Mems are kept until they expire. All procedures are more or less the same, and as most Mems that are extracted are unpleasant memories, they often expire quickly, causing the scientists in the Vault to scramble in their attempts to study them before there is no longer anything to study. They did not have that problem with Elsie, as she has proved to be different from other Mems. All other Mems seem to only have the one memory they are supposed to embody. But Elsie remembers the first 19 years of her Source's life, and is also able to create more memories. Plus, it does not look like she will be expiring anytime soon.

The Problem: Because of how different and extraordinary she is, Elsie is allowed to live her own life in Montreal. She is given many special privileges, and ever her own apartment in the city, away from the Vault. Elsie enjoys her independent life, until the day she is called back to the Vault. Naturally, there are many ethical, moral, and legal questions that surround the practice of extracting memories. Also, it appears that taking painful memories out of human beings does more than simply relieve the Source of a bad experience. And while Elsie is different from others like her, she is still a Mem, and still considered the property of Dolores and her family. Back inside the Vault, Elsie will once again encounter other Mems, and be under the scrutiny and study of the scientists, or "bankers," all while questioning why she was called back, knowing that it will most likely not result in her once again being released into society.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a science fiction novel that can also be considered historical fiction as it is set in 1920s Montreal, Canada. Morrow noted that she picked this era in a city she adores because it was a time when many of Montreal's wonderful buildings were constructed. Narrated by Elsie, the reader can benefit from seeing the world from a Mem's point of view, albeit an exceptional Mem who does not function like the others. For one, she knows she is a Mem, and she can seemingly live her life as any ordinary human would. Upon returning to the Vault, she will once again face the discomfort of those who know what she is and therefore are not quite sure how to act around her. Plus, there are legal issues that have come up since her time away, resulting in her return, and threatening her continued existence as she is. One thing about Elsie that does not seem to give people pause is her black skin. There are no instances of racism or prejudice against either Elsie or her Source, Dolores, in the entire book, and Morrow does talk about this in her author's note. While she laments the common practice in Canadian history of omitting the reality of racism in the country, she decided to not have it be part of Elsie's narrative, allowing the Mem to focus on other aspects of her existence.

My Verdict: If there was one issue I had with this book it is that it is too short. At only 178 pages, all of the loose ends may be wrapped up by the last page, but there are so many potential directions for the premise that the ending still feels premature. With that being said, there is still a lot that is covered in those few pages. We get to know Elsie and how she came to be who and where she is now. We get to know what it means to have a memory extracted and the potential complications of such a practice, of which there are many. We even meet the man who invented the procedure, the people who work for him, and the type of people who sign up for such a thing. Morrow gives an answer for one of the many major "what if" questions human beings like to ask, and we are treated to the answer through an incredibly introspective, thoughtful, smart, independent, and often clever Mem. Also, while the length may be my primary issue with the book, it does make it an easy selection for a quick trip into an alternate history.

Favorite Moment: When Elsie manages to put Dolores' husband in his place.

Favorite Character: Ettie is a nurse at the Vault who does not quite know how to act around Elsie, at first, but eventually the two become friends

Recommended Reading: Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty takes place far in the future and follows six clones after what appears to have been a mass murder of their previous forms.        

Young Adult Fiction: The Storyteller by Traci Chee

It is finally here! The third book in Traci Chee's Sea of Ink and Gold series has arrived (though it says "Book Three of the Reader Trilogy on the cover...weird). The Storyteller is the much anticipated final installment in Chee's fast-paced epic tale of magic, war, loss, intrigue, and ultimately, the power of the written word. And as with any series, a huge spoiler alert must be issued for anyone who has not read the first two books.

The Situation: "Once there was, but it would not always be." This is how the story begins, with an entry from the Book that Sefia has come to regard with both reverence and suspicion, believing it to be both a guide and an enemy. She knows reading it can give her answers and let her see what she desperately wants to see. But the Book has a motive of its own, and what is written must always comes to pass. The story reads that a boy will command an army, turning the tide of the bloody Red War, but at the sacrifice of his own life. Sefia knows that boy is Archer, but the Book has already taken so much from her, she refuses to let it take him too. How will Sefia defeat fate, especially when the best tool at her disposal is the one thing she cannot trust. 

The Problem: After the completion of a few side quests, and once some of their friends are rescued from the enemy, Sefia reasons that she and Archer will be able to make it to a neutral island and ride out the end of the war. This way, the war happens, but Archer does not get involved, meaning he will get to live. Unfortunately, there is plenty that still stands in their way. The Alliance is fast-closing in on the Outlaws as it continues to claim the remaining kingdoms of Kelanna. If all five kingdoms fall, the Guard will rule all of Kelanna, and crews aboard ships like the Current of Faith will no longer be able to live the free life of exploration that they all cherish. Even worse, the Guard is the group of people responsible for the death of Sefia's father, and now they are after her too, as well as the Book. But even after the Guard, the Red War, and the Book, Sefia finds there is another force to contend with, and it has been with her the entire time.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a fantasy young adult novel that takes place in the fictional world of Kelanna, which is comprised of five kingdoms, each with its own industry, customs, people, and alliances. At the center of the story, once gain, are Sefia and Archer. While Sefia gets better at wielding her powers and continues to learn, she is also becomes more unsure of herself, and of what the Book shows her, while growing increasingly fearful of the future. And Archer may be a born fighter and killer, but his past is beginning to haunt him, and while he would love to share Sefia's vision of avoiding the war completely, he knows he would never be able to sit back and watch everyone else fight and die. Also returning to the story are Captain Cannek Reed and his crew aboard the Current of Faith, as well as Tanin and the rest of the Guard, who are still bent on finding Sefia and the Book as they attempt to bring all of Kelanna under their control. The power of the written word, and the importance of stories, remain a constant theme through to the end of this third book, as what is written must come to pass, and stories have the power to allow people to live forever. And something else The Storyteller looks at is the power of the reader: those of us who decide to pick up a book, for whatever reason, and explore what's inside. 

My Verdict: As expected, this book is a ride, pretty much from beginning to end. If the reader is not following Sefia as she teleports from land to sea, fighting off the Guard while also protecting Archer, then there is Captain Reed and his crew to keep up with, or Ed and his misadventures with his new ragtag group of friends. Despite everything going on, the book is very clearly leading to an epic conclusion involving a war. It is a conclusion that has been written, that no one can avoid, but that does not mean the characters, and also the reader for that matter, are any less surprised by what takes place before, during, or after. Chee is able to portray the feeling of knowing a certain outcome is coming, and still being completely unprepared when it happens. The beautiful scenery, imaginative lands, quirky and lovable characters, and uniquely powerful kingdoms are all wonderful and well-done, but it is that theme of fighting fate or destiny, and the futility of it, that makes The Storyteller the illustration it is. Sefia is fighting against words that are already written, but the written word is powerful, and it is made powerful by those that read them. 

Favorite Moment: When Ed, the Lonely King, decides to reclaim what is his at a crucial moment in the war.

Favorite Character: There are many wonderful characters in this trilogy. But for the previous two books, I picked Captain Reed, and I will do so again here. I had been wanting to see more of him since the first book, and The Storyteller has granted me my wish. 

Most Heartbreaking Moment: Okay, there are moments that are much more heartbreaking than this one, but I am choosing it anyway. Anyone who knows the feeling of trying their absolute best, only to fail anyway, will understand it:

"'He can't die. I can't let someone else die because I couldn't - because I wasn't strong enough to - because I  -'
Because I'm not enough." - Sefia facing the possibility of another one of her friends dying.

Recommended Reading: If you need more young adult fantasy in your life, I recommend Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi, which will also be a series, with book #2 due to be out in early 2019.

Horror Fiction: Foe by Iain Reid

Both horror and science fiction are two categories I always struggle to find books that I am interested in, so with today's selection, I went for a little of both. Iain Reid's Foe takes place in a not so distant future, where humanity is getting ready for its first settlement away from planet Earth. However, the actual action of the story never takes place in space, and has everything to do with how people relate to each other on our own planet.

The Situation: Junior and Henrietta, or Hen, live a quiet life in an unnamed city. And when I say quiet, I am not just using the word as an idle descriptor. Junior and Hen live away from the city, away from people, on a plot of land where they rarely get any visitors, until one day they do. When Terrance shows up as a representative of OuterMore, a company that is working on setting up a habitat for human beings somewhere far away from Earth, the quiet life that Junior and Hen have built themselves shifts. Even before it is a guarantee that Junior will be selected for the first phase of the "transition," his and Hen's relationship is altered, causing her to be distant and anxious, and him simply wishing things would stay as they were before Terrance showed up. And when it becomes certain that Junior will be leaving, the couple receives the news that Hen will not be left alone in the house.

The Problem: Junior did not sign up to be part of the project, but there does not seem to be any getting out of it. After his departure becomes a guarantee, Terrance returns to the house to begin preparing. And while the work is being done to prepare Junior for his trip, there is even more focus on preparing his replacement. His identical replacement. OuterMore will be supplying Hen with what they assure the couple will be an exact replica of Junior. Technology has advanced far enough to where artificial humans can look, act, and even think and feel like real human beings. Naturally, Junior is not exactly okay with the idea, and neither is Hen, but again,  they do not have a choice. And as Terrance's tests and interviews, as well as his presence, become more intrusive, Junior gets more suspicious and paranoid that things are not as the OuterMore employee says. Why is Hen acting so strange? What does Terrance need to talk with her alone so much? Why does anything have to change?

Genre, Themes, History: This is a book I have designated as horror, but has also been designated by others as science fiction, or even thriller/suspense. Set in an unknown city and in a year not mentioned, it is a time when self-driving cars dominate the road, people spend more time on their tablets than anything else, most farmland has been taken by big corporations, and human beings moving to outer space has become a reality. That is most of the science fiction stuff. The horror comes into play the moment Terrance first shows up, because with him comes an immediate sense of unease and tension, a sense that something is not right and could in fact prove to be dangerous. Add in Terrance's announcement that Hen will be left with an exact replica of her husband once the real Junior leaves, and things get turned up a bit. The only thing more unsettling to Junior than Terrance's presence is Hen's behavior and reactions to everything that has happened. This is not the Hen he knows, and he desperately wants it to be.

My Verdict: This book is more fascinating than it is scary. Yes, it is tense and suspenseful, and Terrance's presence and methods made me uneasy. But ultimately, I just really wanted to know what was going to happen, and if Junior's suspicions were going to be unfounded. With only three real characters throughout the story, Reid managed to make all three if them incredibly interesting, while keeping Junior just clueless enough to where the reader would not be sure if his worries were unfounded or not. It would be easy for the almost constant setting of the house that Junior and Hen share together to become stale or boring, but Reid pulls it off, instead making the setting almost like a fourth character. I would not necessarily recommend this book as a horror title, or even science fiction. But it is certainly a study in human behavior and relationships.

Favorite Moment: When Hen confronts Junior with the truth behind why she plays the piano. 

Favorite Character: It is hard to get at Hen's true character when everything is being told through Junior's point of view, but that may be the point. 

Recommended Reading: Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty is a different sort of science fiction/suspense novel, instead taking place in the space between planets as opposed to here on Earth.

Goodreads Choice Awards 2018 Final Round

Today is the day we enter the home stretch for the 2018 Goodreads Choice Awards. It is the final round of voting, which also means that the field has been cut in half in each of the categories. Even the Best of the Best category has been cut down to ten finalists. I am sure there are a few favorites that will now be missing due to a lack of the necessary votes, so this can be a heartbreaking round for many, even more heartbreaking than the day the winners are announced should your choice not be the one to come out on top. But also, this is the last chance for readers to make their voices heard, so let's see what we have.

When it comes to the Best Historical Fiction category, sadness has come to me as Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras is no longer in the running. However, Kristin Hannah's The Great Alone is still holding strong, which means it will now receive my vote.

Six DSNs remain in the Best of the Best category, and they include Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, and Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. I voted for The Hate U Give in the two preceding rounds, and I will continue to do so now.

And it looks like neither DSN that was nominated for Best Horror received enough votes to make it into the final round. Both Foe by Iain Reid and The Summer Children by Dot Hutchison are missing, which may not be entirely surprising, but it does still sting a little.

The hits keep coming with Springfield Confidential by Mike Reiss being the next to fall from Best Humor. It is joined by Wires and Nerve by Melissa Meyer, which was cut from the Best Graphic Novels & Comics category, though Herding Cats by Sarah Andersen remains. And this may sound mean to say, but I am okay with Hank Green's An Absolutely Remarkable Thing not making it to the final round for Best Debut Author. To be fair, it is still in the running in the Best Fiction category. The same cannot be said for Contreras' Fruit of the Drunken Tree, as Best Debut Author is the second category from which it has been cut.  

The final blow to DSNs come from the Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction category: Stephanie Garber's Legendary failed to make it to the finals, which is a bit surprising given the overall popularity of the series. But the competition in these awards gets tougher every year; authors and series that had books easily make it through to the finals before are not guaranteed a spot the following year.

There were initially 17 DSNs nominated, and then four more were added in the semifinal round. Now 15 remain in the running in various categories, and I am excited to see what happens.

Voting for the final round ends Monday, November 26, which gives readers plenty of time. The winners will not be announced until Tuesday, December 4. So until then, here's to hoping your favorites come out on top. 

Contemporary Fiction: The Italian Teacher by Tom Rachman

Let's face it, we have all judged a book by its cover. That is certainly the case with me when it comes to The Italian Teacher by Tom Rachman. The cover is absolutely stunning, and after having been drawn in by the swirling colors, I read the book jacket and was more than intrigued. Art is something I always feel I should know more about than I do. And stories about children living in the shadow of a famous parent are always interesting to me.

The Situation: Charles "Pinch" Bavinsky remembers wanting only one thing from his life, and that is the attention, admiration, and approval from his father. Bear Bavinsky is an incredibly popular painter, and due to the high standard he holds to his work, he paints almost twice as much as he actually shows the public, ultimately burning the works that don't make the cut. When not painting and making new art, it seems Bear is endlessly forming new relationships, and he has the ex-wives and children to show for it. Born in 1950, Pinch is the son of Bear and his second wife Natalie, a Canadian ex-pat who moved to her husband's studio in Italy, before he was even her husband. As Pinch grows up, one constant in his life will be his desire to make his father proud, make his father notice him for something remarkable he has done. Unfortunately for Pinch, it seems anyone in Bear's circle will always come second to the man himself.

The Problem: Early in his life, Pinch comes to the conclusion that he will never be an artist, despite his mother telling him he has real talent. What he does have an extraordinary knack for is languages, and is able to pick them up as easily as most adults seem to struggle with them. But this is not enough to gain Bear's attention, the one thing Pinch has always wanted. To make matters worse, Pinch struggles to relate to most people as he gets older, causing a level of loneliness that is almost painful. He may be smart as well as talented, but what didn't pass to the younger Bavinsky was the magnetic personality and charm that makes Bear the center of attention wherever he goes. Pinch wishes to do something significant in his life, but is forced to accept mediocrity and dullness at almost every turn. If he wants to do something big, he'll almost have to do it without anyone knowing it was him.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a fiction novel that begins in Rome in 1955, when Pinch is five years old. From here, the reader will follow Pinch through the course of his life as he spends his childhood in Rome before moving with his mother to London. There are the college years in Canada, and the eventual return to Europe where he will spend most of his adult life as a teacher of Italian. No matter where he ends up, there are always trips to Bear's studio in France, where there is a collection of Bear's work that the painter refuses to sell or show. Throughout the story and his life, Pinch will have a complicated relationship with his father that is equal parts unhealthy hero worship, and a mixture of bitterness and rage at being forgotten, pushed aside, and ignored. It will end up a well-established fact that Pinch is the favorite of all of Bear's children, but that does little to make Pinch's life better, or allow him to live a life that gets him noticed, by anyone. Only when Pinch decides to stage his own quiet, but dangerous rebellion does he show signs of moving away from his father's shadow, though he'll never outshine it. In this book is a man who must confront the awful reality that he may live a life that is utterly unremarkable.   

My Verdict: Seeing the current rating this book has on Goodreads, I did not expect much, and perhaps that aided in me being pleasantly surprised. Now I think a few of the readers were a little unfair, and that this book does not receive enough credit. This is an interesting account of a man who wants to make his mark on the world, but lacks the personality, as well as physical features, that would allow anyone to care. Standing next to the great Bear Bavinsky, no one notices Pinch unless his father points him out. It is an admission that sometimes brains and talent are not enough, and its an admission that most people would rather go unsaid. Poor Pinch tries his best, and while it is certainly easy to remain hidden while Bear takes up the spotlight, Pinch also blunders continually in his personal interactions. Rachman offers a history of a man who is only interesting because of who his father is, and somehow gets the reader to care about him. Occasionally, the reader may even want to act like the characters in the book and look past Pinch in order to see what Bear is up to. I think those fascinated, or even just interested, in the world of art and art collection will enjoy this book.

Favorite Moment: When Pinch makes a serious blunder with a fellow teacher. With the slightest bit of forethought and observation, the whole thing could have been avoided.

Favorite Character: Marsden McClintock is Pinch's friend from college who will come in and out of his life throughout the book. He is a bit silly and cannot quite commit to a path, but he is a good friend and is there when Pinch needs him.

Recommended Reading: For more fiction that deals with the art world, I recommend An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin.

Goodreads Choice Awards 2018 Semifinal Round

And just like that, we are already in the second round of voting for the 2018 Goodreads Choice Awards. We already saw 17 DSNs nominated in the initial round, and now that an additional five books have been added to each category (except for Best of Best), it'll be fun so see what other titles will make an appearance.

Immediately, with Best Fiction, we have the addition of Hank Green's An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, but I will be sticking with my original choice of An American Marriage by Tayari Jones. While I am not surprised at the addition of Green's debut novel, I can't say I believe it to be one of the best books of the year. More than likely it stems from my severe dislike of the main character, but there we are.

I am thrilled to see that Dot Hutchison's The Summer Children has been added to the Best Horror category. I will certainly be giving it my vote, as this series is one of the best horror series going today. However, it is not for the faint at heart as it often deals with horrific crimes against children.

Another wonderful additional is Gone Rogue, the second in the Wires and Nerve series by Marissa Meyer. I may be sticking with my initial vote for Herding Cats by Sarah Andersen, but Gone Rogue is a wonderful story that branches off from Meyer's wildly popular The Lunar Chronicles series.

It looks like Green's An Absolutely Remarkable Thing has also been added to the Best Debut Author category, and again, I get it (sort of), but I am sticking with my original choice. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi is, for many, the book of the year, and I happen to agree.  

I had a feeling Legendary by Stephanie Garber would show up in the Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction category. In fact, I was shocked it did not appear in the first round, but these categories get tougher every year, and competition is always stiff. With that being said, I will once again stick with Adeyemi's Children of Blood and Bone.

So there we have it. Four more DSNs have been added across five categories. The semifinal round of voting will close Sunday, November 11, with the third and final round opening on Tuesday, November 13. So get to voting! In the next round, each category will be cut in half, so make sure to show up and vote for your favorites.

Young Adult Fiction: Legendary by Stephanie Garber

Finally! I have managed to pick up Legendary, Stephanie Garber's second book in the wildly popular Caraval series. This book promised to have as much drama, as many twists, and even more vivid and imaginative scenes as the first one. Readers looking for another fun ride through the magical world of Caraval have been waiting for this book to come out, and now that it is here, the level of anticipation has only increased as we all wait for the third and final installment. And of course, a spoiler alert, must be issued for anyone who has not read the first book, Caraval.

The Situation: Caraval, the magical game that takes place once a year, is over. Scarlett Dragna was the winner, and while her younger sister, Tella, should be celebrating with her, she can't. Everything that happened during the tumultuous game comes rushing back to Tella after she wakes up, outside, after a night of partying. She knows her adventure is far from over, and there is still one prize she is searching for. Ever since her mother disappeared seven years ago, Tella has wanted to find her. Now it seems the information is within her reach, but first she must obtain the impossible, Legend's true name. Not only is it impossible to get the information out of the man himself, but even those close to him aren't speaking. Tella will not find her mother without it, so she must throw herself into the game of Caraval once again.

The Problem: This Caraval will prove to be much different from all of the ones before. Not only is it the second one in less than a year, but the location has changed to the capital city of Valenda in celebration of Empress Elantine's 75th birthday. Something both Scarlett and Tella have always known is that believing what happens during Caraval is real only leads to madness. Tella has always been confident in her ability to remember that this is all a game, but that is until the choices and bargains she makes start having very real consequences. While believing herself to be in control, Tella ends up making a deal that could end her life, and failing to deliver Legend's true identity will cost her more that the permanent loss of her mother. Also, winning this game may mean more than receiving a prize, as powers beyond what the players can see - powers that can control the world - are incredibly interested in how everything turns out.     

Genre, Themes, History: This is a young adult fantasy novel that immediately follows the events of the first one. Scarlett and Tella are back again, as are Julian, Dante, and many of the other performers Legend employs during every Caraval. This time, while there is still a third-person narrator, it follows Tella's actions instead of Scarlett's. While Tella also goes through more than her fair share of adventures, it is with a much more playful, yet also determined and stubborn tone that what was found with Scarlett. Tella is the sister who is not afraid to take risks, break rules, and keep secrets; although, there are more than a few moments where Tella suspects that Scarlett is now doing the same. In an effort to keep her sister out of unnecessary danger, Tella does not tell her everything, even when the physical consequences of her actions become hard to hide. This sequel is full of even more secrets, more mysteries, more twists, and also more enigmatic characters than the first book. The game is as mind-bending as ever, but the danger seems more real, and the consequences are even greater.

My Verdict: What I love about both Caraval and Legendary is that Garber absolutely does not hold back. She just goes for it, and it makes for a fun, interesting, often confusing, but ultimately enjoyable ride. What is so great about this series is how easy it is to get caught up in everything. Sure, the plot twists can make things confusing, and the whole blurring between what is real and what is part of Caraval can make it hard to hold onto the thread of the overall story. But at the end of it all, the book is pure fun, so any anguish over the plot is quickly forgotten. And while I had a difficult time with Scarlett as the main focus in the first book, I found it much easier to follow along with Tella in this one. When this girl makes a choice, even when she knows it could be a bad one, she makes it and she owns it, come what may. Tella has a goal, and she will continue towards it until logic, or experience, prove to her that she is on the wrong path. Lovers of the first book seem to be loving this one too, and I certainly see why.

Favorite Moment: When Tella meets Empress Elantine and the older woman is not like what she thought she would be.

Favorite Character: I actually liked Tella a great deal, much more than I did Scarlett. She is foolish and headstrong, but given the circumstances, I don't at all blame her.

Recommended Reading: Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi is a different kind of fantasy story, but it is the kind of different that has been needed for a long time. I recommend it to anyone looking to dive into a new YA series.