Gossip Girl – Because I’m worth it.

This is the fourth gossip girl novel and it takes place in February in New York, well the New York of the rich and fabulous. The majority of the cast of characters have put in their applications to Universities and are waiting on their early acceptances. They are all blowing off steam and having a good time. An even better one once Fashion week starts. This is almost a land of fantasy where the high school cafeteria serves wasabi-smoked tuna burgers and somehow everyone is involved in a fashion show.

Blair the “bitchiest, vainest girl in the entire senior class” tries to improve herself by helping out the younger girls but ends up in a disastrous flirtation with a much older man. Serena the vapid but beautiful one who lands a modeling gig by walking into a store. Daniel the poet and Vanessa the filmmaker who experience wild success which rips them apart. Nate gets busted buying weed and has to go to rehab but discovers that sometimes there is a reason to get clean.

The stories in these books are controversial with copious amounts of drinking, smoking, sex and drugs, but I can see why they are so popular. These books are an escapist fantasy but never take things too far or too seriously. Even though Blair ends up in a hotel room with her older man, she doesn’t do anything. Much of the book is fluff and for those kids brought up by Entertainment Tonight and People magazine this is their ideal world. I think that the controversy should perhaps direct itself outward to the celebrity culture of our world rather than into these novels.

Age range: 14+
Ranking: Quality – 2.5/5 Popularity – 5/5

Luna

Told through the eyes of a young girl, Regan, trying to come to grips with the fact that her brother is a girl. Regan has become the only support for her older brother Liam, who now goes by the chosen name of Luna. He has decided it is time to transition to being a woman on a full time basis, not just at night. The burden that Regan carries isolates her socially and contributes to her struggles in school. At school she is always in the shadow of super intelligent Liam. At home she is trying to defend Liam and herself from their overbearing father. When she gets paired up with the new guy in chemistry class Regan thinks her luck is finally changing, but Luna’s unstoppable emergence throws everything off kilter. It is really difficult to summarize the depth of emotions expressed in this book. As we follow Regan she learns to deal with who she is as well as who her brother is.

This book was mesmerizing. The storytelling is fantastic, seamlessly merging the present with flashbacks. Even though this book does not tell Liam/Luna’s story completely you do get enough bits and pieces to be able to empathize with the character, you know why she must be free. I loved the way that Regan doesn’t really understand why Liam is transgender but that doesn’t matter, she loves and supports him. Throughout the book I just wanted desperately for Regan to be happy, to be able to have someone to be there for her. Really I wanted to be there for her and Liam and I guess that is the sign of a great book.

Age Range: 15 plus
Ranking: Quality – 5 Popularity – 3

The Giver

Jonas lives in a word without choices. All decisions are made by the elders, for the good of the Community, from what you will do, who you will live with and when you will receive your children. On the day of their twelfth Ceremony all children receive their Assignments, the jobs that they will do for the rest of their lives. When we meet Jonas, he is approaching this momentous day. Jonas, however, does not receive a standard assignment, he is chosen as the Community’s Receiver of Memory. He is to become the vessel of all memories for the Community. This is a job of great honour, responsibility and pain. Jonas receives the memories from an old man he knows only as “The Giver”. As he learns the memories of the world and what things were like before the “Sameness”. Jonas begins to question the Community and the way it works. When Jonas learns the truth about the functioning of the Community, he and the Giver decide that things must change. A final betrayal forces Jonas to flee the Community and run for his life.

I very much enjoyed this book and was pleased to learn that it is part of a trilogy, as the ending left me hanging. It is well written and captivating, drawing you into the story and their world. I was quite sure that the “Releasing” of people was not a good thing, but this may just be because of the number of similar fantasy stories that I have read. This book is a great introduction to the many books that deal with freedom and choice, as well as a discussion starter around these subjects as well. I would consider this book for younger children before introducing them to classics like 1984, A Brave New World and others. I liked the way that Ms Lowry began with only a surface view of the Community and then as you read you learn more and more about what level of control was exerted. I would definitely recommend this book.

Age range: 10 plus
Ranking: Quality – 4/5 Popularity – 4/5