The Girl Who Leapt Through Time - Yasutaka Tsutsui | Japanese YA Novel Week

I am reviewing this book as part of the Japanese YA Novel Week I am co_hosting with Nina at Death Books and Tea.

If you would like more information about the week, head over here.

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Summary from Amazon:

One of Tsutsui's best-known and most popular works in his native Japan, The Girl Who Leapt through Time is the story of fifteen-year-old schoolgirl Kazuko, who accidentally discovers that she can leap back and forth in time. In her quest to uncover the identity of the mysterious figure that she believes to be responsible for her paranormal abilities, she'll constantly have to push the boundaries of space and time, and challenge the notions of dream and reality.

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The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is a collection of two short story by Yasutaka Tsutsui, who s one of the most famous science fiction writer in Japan. These two stories are some of those light novels I was mentioning in the intro post of this week: they are very short and, in the case of The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, have an animated film based on it. 

The first short story, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, tells the story of fifteen year old Yazuko who discovers by accident that she can leap through space and time. 

After an accident in the biology lab, Yazuko inhales a product and faints. She doesn't think much about it but feels different ever since. Then when she is about to be crushed by a truck, and wakes up in her bed, she realises that she can leap through time. with the help of her friends Kazuo and Goro, she will try to understand her power.

I truly liked the story, especially after reading the end and how she came to have her power but I would have preferred reading an entire book rather than a novella! There's only so much you can fit in 50 pages so I thought there wasn't enough.

I felt that the dialogues were a bit off (which I didn't think in the second story) so I don't know whether it's the writing or the translation.

It is a sweet story and opens new perspective when you read the end.

As for the second story, The Stuff That Nightmares Are Made Of, it follows Masako, a high school student who has an irrational fear of heights and Prajna masks and who wants to get to the bottom of it with the help of her friend Bunishi. Masako also wants to help her little brother Yoshio with his night terrors.

I like this story better and I found really interesting how Masako would try to face her fears and help Yoshio face his. It is also interesting how both of them came to have those fears. It is quite fascinating how the mind works and through Masako and Yoshio we have two examples of why some things or ideas come into our mind and mold our behaviours.

I didn't notice the writing as much as in the first story, and I thought the writer could really build the tension through the various events in the book. 

Those two stories are short and sweet and present interesting concepts: time-travel and the psychology of fear. Judging by the language and the action, I think these books are for younger readers. I am told the film of The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is better to watch than reading the book because it goes deeper in the character description etc.

The Rowan - Anne McCaffrey

I am reviewing The Rowan as part of the Anne McCaffrey Reading Challenge 2011 which I am hosting here.

If you would like more information on the Challenge, check out my post here.

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Summary from Amazon:
The Talents were the elite of the Nine Star League. Their gifts were many and varied, ranging from the gently telepathic, to the rare and extremely valued Primes. On the Primes rested the entire economic wealth and communications systems of the civilised worlds. But Primes were scarce — only very rarely was a new one born. And now, on the planet Altair, in a small mining colony on the western mountain range, a new Prime existed, a three-year-old girl — trapped in a giant mud slide that had wiped out the rest of the Rowan mining community. Every Altarian who was even mildly talented could ‘hear’ the child crying for help, but no one knew where she was buried. Every resource on the planet was centred into finding ‘The Rowan’ — the new Prime, the first ever to be born on Altair, an exceptionally unique Prime, more talented, more powerful, more agoraphobic, more lonely, than any other Prime yet known in the Nine Star league.

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I have to admit that when I first read the blurb I thought it would be a very complicated sci fi story and that I wouldn't love it as much as Anne McCaffrey's dragon books. Well... I was WRONG! This is one of the best book (and series) I have read in a long time. It ranks close to Harry Potter, if not higher. And I stand by what I just said.

Anne McCaffrey wrote two series in the Talents universe which involves Earth functioning thanks to the Talents of telepathic or telekinetic persons in an interstellar society. Those Talents are used to communicate and teleport spaceships through space. The Rowan is the first novel of the Tower and Hive series which counts five books in chronological order, each narrated by a different person. The novels can work as standalones but you might want to read them in the order! I have finished reading the third one and I am hooked!

This series is original, inventive, thoroughly fascinating and wonderfully written. I started reading it and thought how much it made sense that humans would have found a way to colonise other planets and that - of course - Talents exist and would take a bigger role in our society in the future. At school and University you look at history through a different timeline and try to isolate trends and maybe signs in previous generations of what would ultimately happen, and I find the Tower and Hive series to be something like a possible future for us when you think about it. (I am not making any sense, am I? Sorry!)

Aside from the fact that the plot is cleverly construed and presented in a very clear way, the story in itself is fabulous! So you enjoy a great story and at the same time it makes you think about several themes = win win :)

The Rowan is the name of the main character, a little girl on the planet Altair who loses her family in a terrible accident. Her entire village is destroyed but somehow, the child survives and is in such a panic that she broadcasts her screams both physically and mentally to a degree that everyone on the planet can hear her. She is seen as one of the most promising Talents in the Universe and is trained by Siglen, the Prime of Altair. The Rowan is also raised by Lusena who will be a mother figure for her even though The Rowan feels very much alone and not well accepted by her peers.
The book tells the story of The Rowan from infancy to her adult years so I can't delve too much into the plot without spoiling some of the story but let me tell you that there are EXCITING moments as well as some truly ROMANTIC moments (which, I have to admit, were so adorable that a lot of swoon ensued).
The Rowan is a fantastic character and it is really interesting to see her mature through the book. She is very strong but has her soft spots. I also *adore* Afra and Jeff Raven is fabulous (you'll see what I mean when you read it!).

One aspect of this book I loved was how technical the whole space transport system is. I mean, it isn't fascinating in itself but the story is so well plotted that all the technical bits and pieces are taken into account and I love how even the station assistants have an important role in the system. It also shows how dependent each planet/system is with others and how things work more smoothly with cooperation. The book really brings forward the humanity of some characters and ideas like equality and solidarity which can be applied to international relations today.

Each new Anne McCaffrey book I pick up looks weird and something I might not like at first but it takes me a few pages to immerse myself in a new adventure that is thrilling to read and fascinating to think about. The descriptions are so vivid that I can't help thinking Anne McCaffrey has the talent to see the future and she is merely reporting what will exist! I am also amazed at how contemporary some of the themes and issues presented in the book are. The stories are very visionary and I can't wait to get my hands on all the others! As per usual, I can't recommend reading Anne McCaffrey enough!

Outside In - Maria V. Snyder

Summary from Amazon:

Me? A Leader? Okay, I did prove that there's more to Inside than we knew. That a whole world exists beyond this cube we live in. And finding that led to a major rebellion between worker scrubs like me and the snobby uppers who rule our world. Make that ruled. Because of me, we're free. I thought that meant I was off the hook, and could go off on my own again while still touching base with Riley, of course. He's the one upper I think I can trust. But then we learned that there is outside and then there is Outside. And something from Outside wants In.

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Outside In is the sequel to the thrilling Inside Out (my review here), for which I have interviewed the author Maria V. Snyder (link here). This review will have spoilers for the first book, so go and read it before reading this review!

The Queen Of The Pipes is back!!!!

(I *love* Trella!!)

This is a fantastic series and the sequel is as nerve-racking as the first! When I learned what the deal was with Inside/Outside, I had this strange sensation of falling into space. I have bad vertigo so the whole idea of being *gasp* in space *gasp* - no matter how fabulous it would be  - just made me hold onto walls all day. Here, not only is everyone stuck inside, but they are helpless when something on the Outside wants to go in. 

We find Trella who spends most of her time as a consultant to the new Committee in charge of making life better Inside. But old habits die hard and "Uppers" do not wish to do manual jobs with scrubs. A lot of discontent appears among the various levels and several acts of rebellion are casting a shadow on the joy of unity at last.

Trella is also starting to have issues with Riley. He doesn't like how she never spends time with him and how she is always putting herself in harm's way. There is also the question of Dr Lamont who betrayed her and how they have to live together and how she might be her mother. So Trella's life isn't that fantastic after the rebellion, but it's nothing compared to what it will be when Outside tries to come Inside and people start to die.

I really love Trella as a character, she has her own mind and can't really shake an entire life of feeling alone and rejected. She has also her flaws which make her even more endearing! We get to have a better look at the other characters' personality, especially after there is no more distinction between Uppers and scrubs.

I find that the book is a brilliant exemple of human nature and how "easy" it is to manipulate people in being divided just by giving them the impression that the Other is different. The system implemented by the Travas in Inside Out was a clear example of "Divide to Conquer" whereas on the other side, Outside In shows how a lack of leadership isn't always a good thing because if everyone has a voice, some will always scream louder than others.

Trella makes some even more fascinating discoveries by visiting the "ship" and I am dying to know more about it (because there will be more about it, right? RIGHT?!!) and how it started and - obviously - how it will end!!! She is a fantastic character and definitely a kick ass heroine. I loved the development of her relationship with Riley and how she is maturing. I am also a huge fan of the Tech Nos like Logan! There are various personalities in the book and they reflect well the situation in which they are living in.

The book is really well written and you stay at the edge of your seat the whole time. I've read it in barely two days because I needed to know what was happening next! There are some violent passages and some sexy times but nothing too bad.

This is one of those stories where the less you say the better since the surprise will make it even more fascinating so I highly recommend this series to people who enjoy dystopia, sci-fi, thrillers and anything going on in space. The story will resonate in you in a "what if?" kind of way and you will want to continue reading for the story, if not just for the survival tips. (Yes, I see dystopia as just an anticipation of what might come in the future and as the best way to be prepared for anything.)

Note to self: Learn how to climb a rope, throw a punch and navigate in pipes.

Many thanks to Mira Ink for sending me the book!

Outside In by Maria V Snyder | 2011 | Mira Ink | Sent to me by the publisher!

Inside Out - Maria V. Snyder

Title: Inside Out
(First book in the series)

Author: Maria V. Snyder

Publisher: Mira Ink

Release Date: January 2011

Category: Young Adult, Dystopia

Source: From the publisher

Paperback: 315

Summary from Amazon:

Keep your head down. Don't get noticed. Or else. I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. A nobody. One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I've got one friend, do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops. So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? Not like it's all that dangerous - the only neck at risk is my own. Until I accidentally start a rebellion and become the go-to girl to lead a revolution...

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After you've read my review, hop over to my interview with Maria V. Snyder and read how she came to write Inside Out and her opinion on dystopia.

There are books like Inside Out where I start reading without even having read the back cover. I vaguely knew that the heroine lived in pipes but I didn't try to know more. There is nothing I love more than being taken by surprise by an original story and going on an adventure in a new world with new rules. Inside Out doesn't disappoint and I was blown away from the very beginning by the life Inside.

In this world where everyone lives "inside", the society is split between Uppers (living a rather regular life in upper/richer parts) and scrubs which have no real life to speak of and clean the pipes of dust and rust constantly for fear of being "recycled" (understand literally recycled). Trella is named "the Queen of the Pipes" by her fellow scrubs. She has no friends to speak of (except Cog) and she doesn't feel as if she is part of the scrub population. Not that there is any group feeling, the fear is so extreme that scrubs don't really have real friendships. 

The description of the life inside is so masterfully described that I felt suffocated by the oppressive surrounding. The setting is haunting and you keep wondering, as all characters in the story, where is the outside, what is it and why has no one found it? I loved seeing this world through Trella's eyes.

Trella is one of the most interesting character I have met. I love her take on life and how she came to be queen of the pipes. The other characters we encounter as well as the dynamic between Uppers and scrubs are astutely described and not only could we feel the difference between both populations, but we could understand on a systemic level how the society was organised. In a very subtle way, Maria V. Snyder details with fantastic accuracy the power struggles and the power games played by all parties. I am pointing this out because, having studied political sciences it is an aspect I always look for in dystopian or fantasy worlds and I usually feel that those worlds created are not always viable systems (as in - this society organisation could have never existed) and things usually get foggy in the details. That's why I loved this book so much because it is a fascinating subject (oh boy wait for to read the end, you will love it even more!) and it is intelligently and inventively crafted.

Fans of dystopia and science fiction should really fall for this book and the fascinating world it brings. Thoroughly captivating from the very beginning, you won't be able to stop reading until you find the truth about Outside. Maria V. Snyder has created a fantastic new original series which you shouldn't miss! Trella has become one of my favourite heroines in YA and I absolutely can't wait to read Outside In!

Many thanks to Mira Ink for sending me the book!

Info: Some violent scenes in there so better suited for 11/12+

Maria V. Snyder interview on Inside Out!

Title: Inside Out
(First book in the series)

Author: Maria V. Snyder

Publisher: Mira Ink

Release Date: January 2011

Category: Young Adult, Dystopia

Source: From the publisher

Paperback: 315

Summary from Amazon:

Keep your head down. Don't get noticed. Or else. I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. A nobody. One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I've got one friend, do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops. So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? Not like it's all that dangerous - the only neck at risk is my own. Until I accidentally start a rebellion and become the go-to girl to lead a revolution...

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Interview with Maria V. Snyder!

Thanks to the lovely people at Mira Ink, I had the opportunity to ask a few questions to the wonderful Maria V. Snyder! 

My review of Inside Out will follow tonight!

Hi Maria!

 

I am really thrilled to be asking you some questions about the amazing Inside Out!!

 

First of all, I wanted to know how came to you the idea of a world where everyone lives inside, where there is a hierarchical society of uppers and scrubs and about the scrubs in particular?

 

A dream! I dreamt the whole story, including plot, characters, the Pop Cops, the society, and even the twists! I’ve never had a dream like that before or since, and I’ve been wracking my brain to remember what I had for dinner that night :)

 

I thought that the oppression at living inside and being a scrub felt by Trella is really well described, how did you set to write the book? Did you isolate yourself to write these scenes or did it just come to you in your imagination and you didn't need to change any of your writing habits?

They came to me in my imagination. I wrote the book the same as all my others.  In fact, it was easier since I had almost a complete plot to work with at the start.  My other books, I had to fill in the details and discover the story as I wrote.

 

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Dystopia is fast becoming one of the most popular genres in Young Adult Literature and I was wondering if we could see more into this than just the thrilling action and the fascinating worlds. With books like The Hunger Games, Matched and now Inside Out, rebellion is a major theme of Dystopia, do you think that we should see this as a generational feeling for teenagers (and not so teenagers)? 

 

I agree that Dystopia is popular right now, and I think there are many reasons for this trend.  One, because there have been a number of great books released in the last few years, including the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld and readers are clamouring for more.  Two, the current global economy is rather glum and it's all over the news.  These books portraying horrible societies gives readers a sense that compared to say The Hunger Games, things aren't THAT bad.  Third, I agree with you.  It could be a generational feel since the main characters in these books change their world and teens are constantly being told they're the future and they CAN change the world. Plus these characters are strong survivors and proactive – they're great role models, making the best of the worst situations. (Note- I haven't read Matched, yet :)

 

And I would like to comment that I had the idea for Inside Out back in 2003 and finished the book well before The Hunger Games was released in July 2008.  I'm sure other authors have as well and I think it's interesting how these ideas form in many writers around the same time.  It's not like we rush to write a dystopia because it's popular – many writers have already finished the story and it's either been sitting in their drawer or making the rounds of editors.

 

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Could you give us a top 5 of your favourite heroines in books?

 

Am I allowed to choose the heroines from my own books?  :)  I didn't think so.  Here they are in no particular order: Tess Sorensen from Jaran by Kate Elliott; Lessa from the Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey; Hermione Granger from Harry Potter; Claire Danvers from the Morganville Vampire Series by Rachel Caine; and Alexia Tarabotti from Soulless by Gail Carriger.

 

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And finally, do you have some deets about your current and future projects (ok, and Outside In in particular!!)?

 

Outside In begins about twelve weeks after the events in Inside Out. The world is trying to recover from all the changes that has happened and not everyone is happy about the new state of affairs.  Trouble starts soon after and Trella has to deal with a whole laundry list of problems: sabotage, the new Committee, and her mother.  If that wasn't bad enough, there is something from Outside and it wants in!  I do have the first chapter of the book up on my website, but I would strongly suggest you DO NOT read it unless you finished Inside Out.

Here's the link:http://www.mariavsnyder.com/books/OutsideIn.php

 

      Right now I’m working on another fantasy novel about a healer set in a world that is recovering from a deadly plague. Her world has blamed the plague on the healers and has hunted them down.  She is finally caught only to be rescued by a group who wants her to heal their Prince.  The group's leader, Kerrick, knows the healers aren't to blame for the plague and that she could do some good for a change instead of hiding. Unfortunately, she believes this Prince is the one who started the plague as an attempt at biological warfare so she isn't risking her life for some pampered Prince. As they travel to the Prince's hidden location, they're pursued by others who have realized having a healer around might just be a good thing for them, but not necessarily for her.   This book is set for a January 2012 release in the US.

 

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Many, many thanks for writing such wonderful books and for taking the time to answer these questions!

 

Thank you so much for inviting me! If your readers would like more info about me and my books, I have the first chapter of all my books on my website as well as a number of free short stories they can read. I also have a page full of writing advice for any aspiring writers out there :) 

Here's the link: http://www.mariavsnyder.com

And my blog is: http://officialmariavsnyder.blogspot.com

Thank you so much to Mira Ink for sending me the book and giving me the opportunity to interview Maria!

Z for Zachariah - Robert C O'Brien

I read Cormac McCarthy's book The Road a few weeks ago and it reminded me of a YA book I read last summer: Z for Zachariah by Robert C O'Brien. The author died while writing the last chapter and his family finished the story and published it in 1973. 

Z for Zachariah is part of the non-ambitious and very modest "25 Best YA Fantasy Novels of All Time" list (here) which I found one day googling. I immediately tracked down and bought the book as the very obedient and book-obsessed person that I am. 

The book is written as the journal of teenager Ann Burden, who ends up living by herself in the family farm after *something nuclear* happened and everyone disappeared (as in end-of-the-world-they-all-died disappeared). She fares pretty well for the last woman on Earth in her little valley with its microclimate (hence why she survived and the others didn't)  growing her own vegetables, taking the water from the only river fit to drink, taking goods from the local supermarket, etc.
Until one day (drum roll), she sees someone arriving in her valley. A man. 

So all the hopelessly romantic people can stop 'awww' right now since nothing romantic happens between the last woman and the last man on Earth. On the contrary actually, it isn't anywhere near joyful or optimistic.

This book has a cool pacifist-environment-friendly vibe which I like. And it is the type of books where the hidden feminist in you screams *yay* for the heroine kicking some man butt (admit it, you read the Hunger Games and thought "Yeah, who's the man, now?"). Though I did find the story a little too black-and-white at times with nice-Ann and evil-Mr Loomis (because that's his name). But the idea is definitely interesting and the writing is nice.
*And the end is really really cool but I can't tell you why*

The cool thing, which is in The Road too, is that you don't really know what happens or how it happened,  you just see those characters going on as if there was such a thing as hope in their situation.
Which I find personally very inspiring.