BOOK REVIEW: Only Ever Yours by Louise O'Neill

Only Ever Yours

Author: Louise O'Neill
Published: 3 July 2014 by Quercus
Genres: Young Adult, Dystopian, Science Fiction
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
Links: Goodreads

Synopsis:

frieda and isabel have been best friends their whole lives.

Now, aged sixteen and in their final year at the School, they expect to be selected as companions - wives to wealthy and powerful men. The alternative – life as a concubine – is too horrible to contemplate.

But as the intensity of the final year takes hold, the pressure to remain perfect becomes almost unbearable. isabel starts to self-destruct, putting her beauty – her only asset – in peril.

And then, the boys arrive, eager to choose a bride.

frieda must fight for her future - even if it means betraying the only friend, the only love, she has ever known...

Rating:

My Review:

In the space of one book, Louise O'Neill has gone from an unknown author to one of my favourites. Her books will now sit on my bookshelf in that special section that I reserve for authors whose words have truly affected me and changed my life. I rarely fangirl over anything these days, but O'Neill's Only Ever Yours is an undeniable force of nature, compelling a full-blown emotional response from anyone daring to read a book about a topic such as this one.

Only Ever Yours is set in a futuristic, dystopian-esque world where men rule the world and women are created for the sole purpose of pleasing these men. They are crafted – scientifically generated – to be absolutely perfect. They are then raised in the School as eves, where they are trained to one day enter the world primed and ready to please men. The eves are illiterate – only able to communicate verbally or visually – because academic traits are unappealing to men. The eves are emotionless, void of personality or feelings, because this is unappealing to men. The eves follow a strict regime to ensure they are at a target weight, because anything more or less is unappealing to men.

The ultimate goal is to become a companion – a wife to a man, and the bearer of his future sons (giving birth to daughters is strictly forbidden). If an eve is not selected for companionship (this society creates three times as many eves as sons born each year, so only one third will be selected as companions), she will become a concubine – a prostitute, living for the purpose of sexually pleasuring men beyond their companion. If an eve is unfit for either of these roles, she is destined to become a chastitiy – assisting in raising of eves, eternally sexually chaste, and with the role of chastising any deviant eve behaviour.

This book is not one that can be read lightly. Its subject matter is deeply confronting and extremely difficult to read at times, but it is a worthwhile read. It tackles issues such as eating disorders, body image, mental illness and suicide with a feminist poignancy that really hits home. There is nothing uplifting about this book, nothing to really make you happy. Rather, it is a book that sends a message, a warning about beauty culture and patriarchy and the future of our society if we become so obsessed with perfection that we lose our humanity. The focus of this book is on delivering this message – O'Neill doesn't care whether you like her characters or whether you approve of the world she has created – and it does so in such a beautiful, tragic way that will stay with you forever.

"All eves are created to be perfect, but there is always room for Improvement."

The characters in this book – the eves – are all vapid clones of one another. They might have different hair colours, different heights, different skin tones, but in the end they were all created to be identical in their service of pleasing men. It's impossible to like any of them, because (1) we never get to know them as individuals, and (2) they're all equally as annoying as the next one. But that's not to say that they're uninteresting. Quite the opposite. The creation of these characters, their role, the training they receive at the School is all so engrossing and fascinating that it's hard to not become invested in their story. They are pawns of men, their stories tragic and depressing, their fate unfathomable. Yet it is so easy to see ourselves in these girls, their emotions, their ways of thinking. And that's the whole point; this abhorrent dystopian world isn't so far removed from our own.

A lot of the negative reviews for Only Ever Yours stem from readers' dissatisfaction with the characters, their lack of development, and even their flatness – but I would argue that this is the whole point of the book! The eves are crafted in this world to be vapid clones of each other, no personality, nothing distinct about them. It serves as commentary on the world in which they are created, that men think this is the ideal role of women in society. I did not take a liking to any of the characters in this book, and I got confused by the amount of side characters because they were all so similar and blended together so easily. And that is the whole point! You will not like any of the characters that you come across, and you're not supposed to. These characters only serve the purpose of exposing us to this unfathomable world, and they serve their purpose wonderfully.

It is a confronting book to read, however, and if you're interested in reading a book set in a dystopian-esque world such as this one, I would recommend you pick up Uglies by Scott Westerfeld first. Uglies offers a similar critique of beauty culture, but in a significantly less confronting manner. It's one of my favourite series, and having read it first definitely helped to guide my expectations of Only Ever Yours and the way in which I approached this book.

I think this is such an important book to read. It is one that will definitely stay with me for many years to come, and I'm already looking forward to possibly re-reading it before the end of the year to go back and see what I missed my first time around. This is one that I'm sure will be classified as a modern classic one day, and one that I will forever appreciate for changing my outlook on many issues that we currently face as a society.

BOOK REVIEW: Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Obsidian

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Series: Lux, #1

Published: 12 March 2015 by Hodder & Stoughton

(first published 2011 by Entangled Teen)

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Science Fiction

Format: Paperback

Source: Purchased

Links: Goodreads

Synopsis:

There's an alien next door. And with his looming height and eerie green eyes, he's hot... until he opens his mouth. He's infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, he marks me. Turns out he has a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal his abilities and the only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to him until my alien mojo fades. If I don't kill him first, that is.

When Katy moves to West Virginia right before her senior year, she's anticipating a whole lot of boring. The last thing on her mind is getting involved with her sexy, exasperating neighbor – and then finding out he's guarding a mind-blowing secret.

Rating:

Review and Discussion:

[Just a head's up, there are some mild spoilers sprinkled throughout this review.]

The first time I read this book, I was too much of a snob to enjoy it. I was sticking my nose up at it the whole time, too busy comparing it to Twilight to enjoy the story itself. I didn't give it a rating.

The second time I read this book, I went into it with a more open mind, and I came away obsessed. I fell hard for Daemon Black, and I didn't really care about anything else. I inhaled the rest of the series, because I was totally hooked. I rated it four stars.

And now I have just finished reading this book for the third time, a good eighteen months after my second read. This time around, whilst I enjoyed it immensely, I also read it more objectively. This time, I have rated it three stars.

The greatest thing about this book (and the series overall) is how addicting and fast-paced it is. Things are a little shaky and awkward in the beginning, but in no time the story moves into action-packed scenes and heart-racing excitement. The characters are snarky and entertaining, and the whole concept aliens being on Earth is just so intriguing that it's hard to not enjoy Obsidian.

But it is problematic, and I can acknowledge that.

Katy's character is fantastic, and it is easy to love her for her witty remarks and book nerdiness. She is entertaining, kick-ass, and whole-hearted, but she also has her setbacks. Whilst she is strong and independent, she also makes idiotic decisons concerning her life and the safety of those around her. She is proud, and this comes in the way of her common sense at times. She has a number of hobbies, including gardening, reading and blogging, but they are superficially explored that they seem like flat additions to her character in an attempt to make her seem more well-rounded. And although she is logical at most times, her internal monologue is sometimes so sketchy and unrealistic that it's hard to truly see her as a genuine, whole character.

Her friendships are similarly undeveloped. Though she is seen to make friends with two humans in this book, Lesa and Carissa, it is hard to really see them as a substantial part of her life. Katy often talks about going shopping with them, eating lunch with them, or hanging out with them on the weekends or after school, but we rarely see these scenes. And when we do, they are glossed over as Katy hurries to get her story back to the more exciting aliens in her life. Lesa and Carissa have so much potential as characters, but I feel that they are neglected by the author; despite creating them to give the story a grounding in humanity, it's hard to be convinced by this device when the characters are so flat and poorly developed.

Katy's friendship with Dee is a complete 180-degree turn. Dee is very involved in Katy's life from the beginning of the book, becoming her instant best friend, and in a way, this is more annoying than the typical YA trope of insta-love. Their insta-friendship was hard to swallow, because it just wasn't developed in any real or meaningful way. The friendship was somewhat developed, but Dee's character remained flat and unexplored. The friendship was more believable than her character. It was frustrating to hear that they were willing to sacrifice so much for each other, when I had no idea why they were doing it. They didn't read like best friends to me, and so it was hard to be convinced.

The title of Most Problematic Character, however, must be awarded to none other than Daemon Black, the fictional boyfriend who can set my heart racing just as quickly as my rage. Though I love to hate him, I do, without a doubt, adore his character anyway. His arrogance, cockiness but undeniable sweetness makes it impossible for me to not love him. But at the same time, these attributes are his downfall, and I can completely understand and agree with people's criticisms of him. Daemon is not a nice character, and for most of the book, he is awful to Katy. The brief reprieves of his niceness do not excuse his awfulness.

Daemon is rude, vile, controlling, demanding, and abusive at times. He is outright rude to Katy, controlling of who she can go to the school dance with, demanding that she do as he say, stalking her home from school, and just being unnecessarily cruel. I understand this, and I see why he is problematic, but because I have read the whole series before, I find myself able to look past this, because he does significantly develop as a character. Though his arrogance does remain, his other problematic traits are overcome and he develops into a wonderful, well-rounded character who can have my respect. He earns it eventually, but it's hard to give him the time of day when he is so blatantly awful in this first book.

Aside from the characters, there are also problems with the plot and the premise. I've already touched on friendships, but another plot issue I had was the occurrence of seemingly irrelevant and unconvincing events. Katy and Dee going to the restaurant in town, gardening, going for random walks with Daemon to a secluded and random lake for no reason, the constant on-again-off-again raining that seemed to happen, the sudden school dance, and the truck just coming out of nowhere. A lot of what happens in this book is unbelievable, unrealistic and plain eyeroll-worthy. There was no build up to these events, they all just happened suddenly, so it was difficult to see them as something relevant to the plot when they were so clearly superficial plot devices to bring out a brief soft side to Daemon or reveal something about a character. These scenes, without a doubt, were entertaining, but they just had no substantial purpose. It all felt like filler.

I had similar feelings about the paranormal/alien elements of this story. The concept itself is incredibly interesting and exciting and thrilling, and I don't deny that for one second. But I feel that it could have been developed and revealed in a better way. The way aliens are revealed to Katy read like a news broadcast, or a page from a history book. It didn't read like a conversation. It was definitely more for the reader's benefit than Katy's, and it was hard to ignore this. Every explanation was so formal and dull, when they should have been more interesting. And some explanations weren't even given, they were just accepted, which was even more frustrating. It made it seem like the author didn't know her own aliens, and that doesn't sit well with readers. I really wish the aliens could have been developed more in this book, but they are explored in more depth throughout the series if you continue on.

This review must make it sound like I despise this book, but I honestly don't. I love the series because it is so ridiculous and so much fun. It is fast-paced and full of action, and that is what I love most about this book and the series. And whilst I overlooked its problems in my previous reads, I feel that I have developed myself as a reader and am able to have a critical eye on issues, acknowledge them and discuss why they are problematic, but also still enjoy them. As the saying goes, "your fave is problematic", but that doesn't mean they can't be your fave. Acknowledge their mistakes, but don't let that prevent you from enjoying the story overall.

BOOK REVIEW: Saga, Volume 4 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

Saga, Volume 4

Author: Brian K. Vaughan
Artist: Fiona Staples
Series: Saga, #19-24
Published: 17 December 2014 by Image Comics
Genres: Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Comic
Format: Trade Paperback
Source: Purchased
Links: Goodreads, Publisher

Synopsis:

From the Eisner Award-winning duo of Brian K. Vaughan (The Private Eye, Pride of Baghdad) and Fiona Staples (Mystery Society, Thor), Saga is the sweeping tale of one young family fighting to find their place in the universe. As they visit a strange new world and encounter even more adversaries, baby Hazel finally becomes a toddler, while her star-crossed parents Marko and Alana struggle to stay on their feet.

Rating:

Review and Discussion:

I'm not sure why, but I just didn't enjoy this volume as much as I have enjoyed the previous ones. This volume certainly had the charm of the others, but to me it lacked something vital that prevented me from enjoying it one hundred percent, but I can't quite put my finger on what that was.

Perhaps there are too many characters, too many interwoven plot lines, that I struggle to keep up and get lost along the way. Perhaps it was Alana and Marko's relationship struggles that made me reluctant to enjoy the rest of the story because I was so worried about the state of their marriage. I'm not entirely sure why I didn't love this volume, but I just struggled to fully engage.

There was a lot less action in this volume, which made it a bit slower to read. I guess that's the thing I love about the earlier volumes: the fast-paced, action-filled plot that keeps me going. That was somewhat lacking in this volume, and the action that we did see was kinda unnecessary or could have been avoided.

I also felt that this volume lacked much of the humour and wit that had been evident in previous volumes, and the characters felt a little strange. I felt like the Marko and Alana that I had gotten to know in previous volumes weren't here anymore, but rather carbon copies who lacked the same gusto as my favourite characters. I felt like they both made decisions that they would not have normally made, that they diverged so far from their characters that I struggled to recognise them. It was rather disappointing, but I'm hoping they can come back to themselves in later volumes.

Essentially, this volume felt like a "filler" volume, preparing character developments and plot lines for what is to come. It picked up a little in the final two chapters, leaving off with a cliffhanger at the end, so I am still keen to continue on with the series. I will just have to work on reforming my expectations for what is going to happen so that I can try and enjoy it as much as the earlier volumes.

I am planning to re-read Volumes 1-4 prior to the release of Volume 5 in October, and so maybe then, after having some time to let the series settle in my mind, I will be able to enjoy this volume more. But at this stage, it was the least enjoyable volume in the series so far.

BOOK REVIEW: Saga, Volume 3 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

Saga, Volume 3

Author: Brian K. Vaughan
Artist: Fiona Staples
Series: Saga, #13-18
Published: 25 March 2014 by Image Comics
Genres: Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Comic
Format: Trade Paperback
Source: Purchased
Links: Goodreads, Publisher

Synopsis:

From the Hugo Award-winning duo of Brian K. Vaughan (The Private Eye, Y: The Last Man) and Fiona Staples (North 40, Red Sonja), Saga is the sweeping tale of one young family fighting to find their place in the universe. Searching for their literary hero, new parents Marko and Alana travel to a cosmic lighthouse on the planet Quietus, while the couple's multiple pursuers finally close in on their targets.

Rating:

Review and Discussion:

I thoroughly enjoyed this volume, but I found that it just didn't pack the same punch as the first two. Volume 3 definitely had less action and more of a "lull" feel to it in the way it focused on developing a lot of characters. The action definitely picked up in the final chapter, which has made me incredibly excited to read Volume 4 pronto!

Again, I loved everything that this comic book series has to offer. The humour, the artwork, the eclectic cast of characters, the craziness, the absurdities, and the incredible writing are just some of my favourite elements of this series. My favourite character remains Alana, but I am now particularly intrigued by The Will and The Brand, especially after the little teaser at the end! Also, Hazel is the cutest little baby, and the sassiest narrator I've ever come across.

This series offers something for everyone, and it's no wonder why it has received so much critical acclaim. If you're curious about the hype, or wanting to get into comic books or graphic novels, I would definitely recommend that you pick up Saga. It is so wonderfully entertaining, and everyone should experience the wonder of reading this series.

BOOK REVIEW: Saga, Volume 2 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

Saga, Volume 2

Author: Brian K. Vaughan
Artist: Fiona Staples
Series: Saga, #7-12
Published: 2 July 2013 by Image Comics
Genres: Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Comic
Format: Trade Paperback
Source: Purchased
Links: Goodreads, Publisher

Synopsis:

From award-winning writer Brian K. Vaughan (Pride of Baghdad, Ex Machina) and critically acclaimed artist Fiona Staples (Mystery Society, Done to Death), Saga is sweeping tale of one young family fighting to find their place in the universe. Thanks to her star-crossed parents Marko and Alana, newborn baby Hazel has already survived lethal assassins, rampaging armies, and horrific monsters, but in the cold vastness of outer space, the little girl encounters her strangest adventure yet... grandparents.

Rating:

Review and Discussion:

This volume is a fantastic continuation of the series, with just as much action, drama, suspense, humour and entertainment. It is a series that I know I will be dedicated to for many years to come; as long as it is being published, I will be reading it.

It was refreshing and lovely to reacquaint myself with Vaughan's fantastic writing style and Staples's gorgeous artwork. The writing continues to deliver an engaging story, with sarcastic characters, witty comments and individualised character voices that make the reading experience so enjoyable. The artwork is just as beautiful, if not more so, than in the previous volume, and I had forgotten how much I loved it.

As I was reading this volume in particular, all I could think about was how much I wanted this whole comic book series tattooed across my whole body. Every frame, every character, every word. I love it all so, so much, and I just want to be able to have some of my favourite characters with me forever. Alana is probably my favourite character at the moment; I feel a really strong connection with her, her actions, her beliefs, her morals, her backstory. I can't wait to explore her character in future publications, and if I ever were to get a Saga tattoo, she would be the character I'd have inked on my skin first.

There's not really much more I can say about this graphic novel without giving away spoilers or repeating what I've said in my review of Volume 1. Essentially, this graphic novel keeps me on my toes, surprising me with every turn of the page, making me laugh and gasp and cry and feel all the emotions all at once. It is one of my favourite series I've ever read, and I would recommend it to anyone and everyone, lovers of graphic novels or not.

BOOK REVIEW: Saga, Volume 1 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

Saga, Volume 1

Author: Brian K. Vaughan
Artist: Fiona Staples
Series: Saga, #1-6
Published: 23 October 2012 by Image Comics
Genres: Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Comic
Format: Trade Paperback
Source: Purchased
Links: Goodreads, Publisher

Synopsis:

From award-winning writer Brian K. Vaughan (Y: The Last Man, television's Lost) and critically acclaimed artist Fiona Staples (Mystery Society, North 40), Saga is the sweeping tale of one young family fighting to find their place in the universe. When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old world. Fantasy and science fiction are wed like never before in the first volume of this sexy, subversive ongoing epic.

Rating:

Review and Discussion:

For a long time now, people have increasingly been reading and recommending graphic novels to the world, and in spite of their rave reviews, I had been nervous about picking one up myself. I continued to talk myself out of reading them, convincing myself that (1) I wouldn't like the different format, (2) I wouldn't even know how to read a graphic novel, and (3) I wouldn't enjoy it. Period. I'm happy to say that I was wrong on all of these fronts, and that I absolutely adored this first volume of Saga.

I have never read such a story so intriguing, so wonderfully crafted, so unexpectedly beautiful. I went into this graphic novel expecting blood-and-guts savagery, but it was so much more. It completely went beyond my wildest expectations. It was a lovely, uplifting story of love, hope and fighting for what is right.

The depth and range of characters was also unexpected. There were about four main storylines, and I was intrigued by all of them. There was definitely no clear-cut distinction of good and evil; I started out loathing some characters for their evil manner, but then came to love them by the end. There is definitely good and bad in each of the characters, and they justify them in their own ways, which creates only more shades of grey and more intrigue from the reader.

What was also surprising was the different personas from each of the characters, and how each of them were able to present their own voice. This is attributed to Vaughan's impeccable writing craft, where he gave each character their own style of speaking and their own mannerisms that made their voice distinct from everyone else's. This was a huge surprise to me, as I didn't think this level of story-telling was possible in graphic novel format (attributed to my ignorance of graphic novels). It was truly, truly wonderful.

And, of course, the artwork was epic. It was so beautiful, so vibrant, so vivid, so colourful, so perfect for the story. It added so much dimension to the story-telling in this book, and it was completely unexpected. Again, I speak as a graphic novel novice, but the artwork completely blew me away. It really gave a new definition to the requirement that story-tellers show us the characters, emotions, reactions, scenery, etc., rather than tell it. The intricacy and brightness of the artwork was such a beautiful element to the story.

All in all, I absolutely loved this graphic novel, and I immediately purchased the next three collections as soon as I finished this one. I look forward to continuing with the series as each edition is released. If you're interested in this graphic novel, I would highly recommend it to anyone and everyone who loves science fiction, fantasy, and beautiful story-telling.