Mirror Mirror

Gregory Maguire

Background.

Well, Gregory Maguire's legacy certainly has not ended with Wicked. He continues to provide a fresh, inventive take on many of our most celebrated fairytales. One unique aspect of several of his works is that he places the characters in a particular historical setting and context. For example, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister gives the story Cinderella a makeover in 17th century Holland, while Mirror Mirror takes a stab at Snow White in 16th century Italy. As always, his books prove to be a pleasure to read and a difficulty to put down.

What the back cover tells you.

"The year is 1502, and seven-year-old Bianca de Nevada lives perched high above the rolling hills and valleys of Tuscany and Umbria at Montefiore, the farm of her beloved father, Don Vicente. But one day a noble entourage makes its way up the winding slopes to the farm--and the world comes to Montefiore. In the presence of Cesare Borgia and his sister, the lovely and vain Lucrezia--decadent children of a wicked pope--no one can claim innocence for very long. When Borgia sends Don Vicente on a years-long quest, he leaves Bianca under the care--so to speak--of Lucrezia. She plots a dire fate for the young girl in the woods below the farm, but in the dark forest salvation can be found as well..."

"A lyrical work of stunning creative stunning creative vision, Mirror Mirror gives fresh life to the classic story of Snow White--and has a truth and beauty all its own."

What I can tell you.

Mirror Mirror mixes magic and history to create a beautiful story of intrigue, love, loss, and lust. History buffs will appreciate the relevant historical context while those who love fantasy and drama will  enjoy the electric story line. This book is an attention grabber with a style all its own.

Everlost

Everlost is written by Neal Shusterman (2007, 377 pages).

After a fatal car crash, Nick and Allie find themselves not in heaven, as they had expected, but rather in the world of Everlost. The souls there are somewhere in between, not completely dead, but certainly not among the living. The only souls found there are all under the age of 17; adult souls seem to have no problem getting to the light at the end of the tunnel.

Not believing they're dead, Nick and Allie attempt to find their ways home, but run into several problems. Between a seemingly perfect girl, the "Haunter," and a monster named the McGill, the teenagers have a wild ride ahead of them.

This was a great book with an interesting spin on the idea of limbo. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it is an easy though entertaining read for anyone.

5 out of 5 stars

Wicked

June 15, 2010: My choir class saw Wicked at the Orpheum Theater in San Francisco. Most people know the story of Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz, but do they know the real story of the so called "Wicked Witch?" Wicked centers on Elphaba--later known as the Wicked Witch of the West--and her friendship with Glinda (the Good).

Wicked is a masterpiece: everything from the acting to the special effects to the songs. For anyone who hasn't yet seen this theatrical wonder, buy your tickets today!

Virtual Choir

I was looking at the "blogs of note" when I came across "The Blog That Ate Manhattan." The current post was of this. It read: "Composer/conductor Eric Whitacre has created a virtual choir. He videotaped himself conducting, then asked singers to record themselves singing their respective parts and send it on to him. He then merged their voices and videos electronically. The end result is the amazing recording above - 185 singers making exquisitely beautiful music together." I think it is absolutely astounding!

Addition to the Uglies Trilogy: by Scott Westerfield

The addition to the Uglies Trilogy is Extras (2007, 417 pages).

A few years after Tally took down Dr. Cable and the whole Uglies/Pretties/Specials categorization fell apart, the world is rocked by a cultural "rebirth:"

~"Techheads" show off their latest gadgets

~"Kickers" spread the latest gossip and trends

~"Surge Monkeys" are all about extreme plastic surgery

Everything and everyone are monitored constantly on cameras. Whoever does the craziest stunts, starts the newest trends, or says the most shocking thing gets the most buzz and the most votes. Votes=Popularity=Power

Aya is a fifteen-year-old nobody with her rank being 451,369. Desperate to gain popularity, she needs to find a great story...and then she meets the Sly Girls. The Sly Girls pull insane tricks but are all very secretive about what they do. However, they seem to be hiding something more than their stunts. In kicking their story, Aya will become famous, popular, and powerful, but there might be consequences no one is prepared for.

Extras is an exciting addition to the Uglies Trilogy. It tells of the internal struggle between the want for power and fame versus sacrificing for something even more important. Extras is creatively written with the interesting addition of new vocabulary words such as "techheads," "kickers," and "surge monkeys." The story is very imaginative and at the same time, easy to relate to. Very few people have not wanted attention, popularity, acknowledgement, or fame sometime in their lives.

5 out of 5 stars

Uglies Trilogy (book three): by Scott Westerfield

The third book in the Uglies Trilogy is Specials (2006, 372 pages).

The story begins two months after Tally is made a Special: an advanced "superhuman" with extreme strength, agility, and reflexes. Along with Shay and the other Cutters (who were all made specials too), they crash an uglies' party in hopes of finding the cure dealer and to search for members of New Smoke. Tally successfully finds a girl handing out the pills that cure the pretties' brain lesions. Tally, Shay, and the Cutters attempt to capture the girl but she escapes on a hoverboard with the help of David. While in pursuit, the Cutters are ambushed by the Smokies and Fausto (one of the Cutters) is injured.

Tally visits her boyfriend Zane in the hospital, but finds herself repulsed by his physical condition. In order to prove Zane's worth as a Special to Dr. Cable, Tally and Shay break form a plan. They break into the armory to get a tool that would remove Zane's tracking collar. They succeed, but end up setting off alarms.

With Zane's tracking collar, the girls track Zane and the Cutters' progress to New Smoke. Tally meets up with Andrew Simpson Smith and eventually ends up in the city of Diego.

The city of Diego was known for harboring runaways and had accepted the pretty cure. The surgery was also rejected, allowing citizens to look however they wanted to.

However, the Specials are looked upon as a threat and are kidnapped and forced into surgery to reverse the effects of being a Special. However, Shay rescues Tally before her surgery takes place so that Tally can confront Dr. Cable about the break-in at the armory.

Although Dr. Cable knew all along that it was Tally and Shay who caused the trouble, she blamed it on the city of Diego as a way to take control. Tally tricks her into injecting herself with the cure but is then imprisoned. After a month, Dr. Cable loses all power over the city and Tally escapes. Instead of reversing the effects of the Special surgery, she and David hide in the wilderness and prevent cities from damaging nature.

While Specials was a satisfying conclusion to the Uglies trilogy, I don't believe it was quite as superb or attention-grabbing as the first two books: Uglies and Pretties. However, all three books are nearly impossible to put down! If you are looking for an interesting and fascinating read, check out this trilogy.

4 1/2 out of 5 stars