Back(b)log

Accidentally missed a post here. My apologies.

I am confused on the whole, what is Manga what isn't argument. I was of the impression that it had to be backwards and Japanese to be Manga, but Dramacon isn't but I guess it is classified as Manga too.

I liked Dramacon a lot and I think that sort of story would have definite appeal to teenage girls. And the fact that it's graphic lends itself to reluctant readers. I always find it amazing when people don't like to read. I know there are tons of people who don't it just amazes me. When I was in high school I read every book assigned. Even in college, text books and articles I probably didn't read, but if we were reading novels, I was reading them. But, that might be the reason I hesitate about Manga, I am somewhat of a purist, or have been. And, there's something that seems very throwaway about graphic novels. But, then I know that there's amazing stuff out there. Maus isn't throwaway at all. Neither is the Sandman series. But, even though I KNOW this, I still just don't get into it.

And, while I liked Dramacon, it is defintely fluff, so it doesn't help convert me.

Hm, none of that was really to the point here. I am well aware that my taste has nothing to do with what is "good" (and I think by now we all know how questionable my taste is--TWILIGHT)
Anyway, I did read the whole series, I wanted to know if she saw him again. I'm a sucker for a love story...Much like Edward and Bella...

Someday This Pain Will be Useful to You, made me sad. I mentioned in class that I've been in situations where I wonder if freaking out is the appropriate response, but somehow I keep back from that edge (maybe I'm insane...I will admit the Twilight obsession definitely points to my being slightly unhinged). The fact that the character frequently went over that edge made me really nervous. Like, I wanted to shake him and just tell him to hang on, stay back from the line, you'll finish high school and things do get better. Most people, I think, hate high school. Unless you fit into that mold, you're probably going to be vaguely miserable for four years, but there's the other side if you can just wait for it. Teens who don't quite fit would probably relate to this. I probably would have liked it as a teen. I'm on the fence about it now.

Death Note with a little bit of Poison

I LOVED that Death Note's subtitle was Boredom, because I think it summed up how I felt while reading it.

That being said, I don't blame the book. I don't think I'm the target audience for Manga, especially not Manga about death g-ds or whatever that thing was supposed to be.

I am sure this book appeals to teenage boys in a major way. And I think that's a good thing. In fact a few of my male coworkers saw the book at my desk and were like, ooh Death Note. And they've watched the cartoon.

I'm not one to think that just because I don't like a book it has no merit. I think most books probably provide something to the audience, I don't necessarily have to be the person who it's for.

I just didn't understand where Light was coming from, he wanted to use it for good and yet he'd have killed L because he was looking for him. Plus I just didn't care whether or not they caught him, or who died or why.

Also, I had difficulty reading it backwards, and I grew up reading Hebrew, so this is totally my own special fault.

Onwards, I am a huge fantasy fan. I cannot even tell you how many fantasy series I have read through (hm...Twilight anyone?) But, I just didn't connect that well with Poison.

Actually, that's inaccurate. I like happy endings. And, the end of Poison didn't satisfy me because the one thing she wanted to accomplish she wasn't able to. She wanted her sister back and it didn't happen. Sure, all these other things happened, and she made a whole new family, but the one thing she set out to do she didn't do.

So, I guess I liked it. I just could have liked it better. I haven't read any of the author's other works, but I've heard they are good, so maybe I'll try that and see.

I don't know if teens go for this book or not. I can't decide. It didn't take long to read, and I was curious as to where the book was going, but there's a lot of fantasy out. I am not sure how someone makes their mark in that genre at this point.

Grace After Midnight

This book I would probably categorize with "No Choirboy" because they are both true stories about how kids can seriously mess up their lives. Teens usually think they are invincible. But both of these stories prove that they aren't and that what they do can have serious consequences.
What I liked about Snoop, was that although she had a hard life, she still took blame for the way her life turned out. She had foster parents who tried to raise her well and were there for her. And she saw firsthand how drugs and that kind of hard living ruined lives, but she still felt compelled to live that life. She was told repeatedly that living like that would lead to something bad happening, but she did it anyway.

The other good thing about these books is that they can teach huge moral and ethical lessons without being didactic. If I told a kid not to do drugs and not to murder anyone (who knew it needed explaining?) I come off as an uncool old person. BUT, if they see a book where the teens who lived it wrote it, well then it's just reality and not preaching and forcing lessons on them. Both of these books are very readable.

I know this was really just supposed to be about Grace After Midnight, but I didn't get to talk about No Choirboy in my Hotlanta blog of condemnation.

I wasn't an at-risk teen, I grew up knowing exactly what was expected of me and how I was supposed to get there. But, there are so many kids who aren't that lucky. And both of these books really brought that home for me.

Little Brother

As much as I disliked Hotlanta is as much as I liked Little Brother.
But, since I have to be negative somewhere in here, I love the reference to 1984, and I feel personally gratified when I get a reference, do teenagers get it? I think I underestimate teenagers today. But unless 1984 is their required reading are they going out of their way to read it? Although, they might know the phrase Big Brother is watching, without knowing where it originates. Maybe they think it comes from the tv show...

Moving on...

I really thought everything about this book was good. And should have definite appeal to teens. I thought it was scary and eerily possible (I'll leave my politics out of it, but I imagine it was written during and with a thought to the Bush administration.)

Marcus and his friends seemed like totally normal kids, like it could happen to anyone. Wrong place, wrong time and look at that. I actually had a fear of that as a kid, I have no idea why but I used to imagine what I'd do if I was wrongfully accused of murder. I was an odd kid. As I got older it occurred to me to NOT put myself in situations where people got murdered and I'd probably be ok. But, it is true, how DO you prove you DIDN'T do something. Easy to prove you did it. But how do you get them to believe you didn't? Scarrrrrrrrry.

I think the part I found really funny and true to life was when Marcus and his girlfriend had sex, not that they did or what they did, but when they did it. It seemed very teenage, (any age?) like, something really important is happening, nah we have time for it. Hilarious.

I also liked the topic, constructive use of time. I think that Marcus made the best of the situation by fighting against the man (hehe) and not just sitting back and taking it. I do not think Noah Scalin made productive use of his time making all those Skulls. Ooh I am making it sound like art is a waste of time...but I don't think those will be on display in the Louvre 100 years from now...

Actually, that's not hot

Oh my Lord, Hotlanta.
I think I am not going out on a limb here when I say that this was the worst book I have ever read. I have a weird compulsion to finish books that I start, even when I hate them, so I did finish this. But, I wonder why it was written.

Actually, I imagine I'm not the only one who will do this, but...

As I sit here at my desk, at work, looking at my 22 inch Dell widescreen monitor (perk of being in IT what can I say?) and typing on my Dell keyboard, I am eating a Dannon Light and Fit Blueberry yogurt.
When I leave here, I will straighten out my Black merino wool DKNY sweater, and make sure my grey Gap dress pants aren't wrinkled (I'm at a loss for adding these details in, I'm already dressed...) and put on my Black hooded Andrew Marc winter coat.
I will drive my Grey 2006 Mazda3 to Queens College and sit in class. Once in class I will take notes with my Citibank pen (I am unclear why I own this, as I do not bank with them, but it's a nice pen) and my Fivestar notebook.

OK, I'm giving up here. My low-rent version of Hotlanta is depressing me.

That was not even my biggest complaint with the book. I dislike the glorification of gangster culture. I know it's prevalent, but I can't help but dislike it. I think the book would have been fine if they left it at the stepfather just being rich and the mother wanted to better her kids, (by being a huge pain in the ass.) But, noo he has to be a gangster. It just felt forced and stupid and an attempt to be hip and edgy, but it just was ridiculous to me. Then again I am very much not their demographic. I gave the book to my former assistant, who is 21 and LOOOOOVES urban fiction, I was hoping to get her take on it before we had this class, but she hasn't read it yet. I'll update when she has.

As a side note, I hear hilarious slang here (Central of QBPL) my favorite is, ice grill. As in, why you givin' me that ice grill? It means dirty look, I have no idea how widespread this is, and I think it's old and not used anymore, but being tragically white I still like to say it.
Actually, I lied, my new favorite is all up in the kool aid.