Restraining Order

Have you ever struggled to think of something positive to say about something you really didn't like? Like liver. I feel that way about a book I recently purchased and read. It was a YA christian fantasy story, so I was excited when I discovered it. I did manage to finish it, but only by force of will.
I'm sorry to say that I will never let the girls read it. First of all, the writing was terrible and I don't want them reading bad writing until they are old enough to evaluate it objectively and not emulate it. Secondly, the story crossed a spiritual line, of sorts, and I don't want them exposed to the concepts that it presented.

But this book brings up other questions for me--those of ethics in critique.
Do I have the right to evaluate another's work? I am not a published author. Am I qualified to pass judgment as I do? This is the easy question, and the answer is simple for me. I am not a published author, but I am a voracious reader. Even without any further study into the art of writing, this gives me the basis upon which I can review and make recommendations. Constant exposure to friends makes recognizing the enemy easy. Besides, everyone is allowed to have an opinion.

But what about when that opinion might cause someone harm?
I made it no secret how much I disliked Twilight, and I am not alone in my opinion. However, Stephanie Meyer is already a huge success as an author, even if the reasons are beyond my comprehension. My negative review is not going to damage her. In fact, because of her success, it might even make some people curious enough to read the book for themselves to see what all the fuss is about.

But the book that I refer to today is this author's very first published work. There has not been time for the success or failure of this book to be determined. What I say could possibly make an impact. At least it could if more than three people read this blog.
I am also taking into account that this is the very first fiction story that her publisher has ever released. Their entire catalog is inspirational and self-help type books. To some extent then, an engaging narrative and natural sounding dialogue is outside their realm of experience as well*. So some of the responsibility is theirs.
Every problem in this book could be fixed. It is also possible that this author (and publisher) will grow together and create something amazing in the future. And so, allowing for the learning curve, I think a little critical restraint is in order.
And some day, I might be on the receiving end.

*I am Not saying that non-fiction is not engaging. I am saying that different rules apply to fiction writing.

The Wickit Chronicles

The basics:

1. Ely Plot-128 pages
   
2. Fen Gold-128 pages
   
3. Ice Road-136 pages
   
4. Witch's Bell-128 pages

Joan Lennon is an author from across The Pond, and our library recently added her Wickit Chronicles to their shelf. So, of course, I had to read them. I was not disappointed. This is a fun and simple series that would tempt even reluctant readers. Each book contains one adventure of Pip, a boy from a small monastery in the Fen, and his living gargoyle companion, Perfect. The Fen makes for a very unique setting. Keeping to a single story line makes it very easy for beginning readers to follow, yet the books are exciting enough to hold their interest. The drama and danger remain innocent and I would not have a problem with my girls reading these.
I am impressed with the author's ability to stick to such a consistent page count. That takes some disciplined editing. I am looking forward to reading some of her other books.

Sorry, no stamp for this one.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

The basics:

1. The Lightning Thief-375 pages
2. The Sea of Monsters-279 pages
3. The Titan's Curse-304 pages
4. The Battle of the Labyrinth-362 pages
5. The Last Olympian-381 pages

Without spoiling anything for you, these books tell of a young boy's discovery that he is the half mortal son of a Greek god, who still exist in secret, and about his journey to come to terms with his identity and all that it means.
Where to begin? The Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan is masterfully done. I enjoyed every page. Plot, characters, dialogue, setting--this author has them all down. Such a delightful modern twist on ancient Greek mythology. I'm trying not to gush, so to keep it brief: you really need to read these for yourself. Before watching the movie.

As a mom, I really appreciated how Mr. Riordan kept these books kid friendly*, in spite of the underlying (or not so underlying) theme of battles and good vs. evil. Even in scenes of fighting and war, the gore is kept to a minimum or glossed over completely. It has been awhile since I read them, so I could be forgetting something, but that was the impression I had at the time. When so many books seem to be trying to introduce new levels of graphic horror, it was refreshing to read something that left a veil in place.

Will there be a stamp? Of course.

*This does not mean that you should not read it first and judge for yourself whether or not it is appropriate for your children. Bear in mind that I was also reading the Vladimir Todd Chronicles at about the same time and it could just be a comparison issue.