The Gone series by Michael Grant was a very gripping, fun, and entertaining read, and despite it not being for the faint of heart, I would recommend it to just about anyone—which is why I find it so odd that the protagonists are not the characters that make it so riveting, but rather the villainous antihero, Diana Ladris. First off, the premise of the first book in the series, titled Gone: Sam Temple’s world is altered forever when everyone over the age of fifteen in his town, Perdido Beach, disappears. Soon, though, things start getting very weird: some animals in Perdido Beach are adapting unexpectedly: snakes have wings, coyotes are intelligent, etc., and some, although not most, of the kids inside Perdido Beach are changing, too, getting powers only seen in comic books. The protagonists (the good guys) are Sam Temple, his crush, Astrid Ellison, Sam’s best friend Quinn, and a boy named Edilio, who Sam quickly makes friends with in this strange, strange world. And as the book progresses, the bad guys, or at least the guys that make a few of the good guys suspicious, come to light: Caine Soren and his schoolmate, Diana Ladris. Throughout the series, the good guys are portrayed very clearly as good people, nearly flawless, while the bad guys are horrible people, with few redeeming qualities. One of the greatest changes that the children of Perdido Beach face are the rising tensions between those who have powers, called the “freaks,” and those who do not, called the “normals,” and because of this conflict, it seems to carry a certain similarity to the X-Men, especially since the good guys, like Professor X, believe in peace between freaks and normals, while the bad guys, like Magneto, believe that freaks are superior. And so the Gone series can be explained as like the X-Men, but with a more clear line between good and evil, right and wrong. While you can be sympathetic towards Magneto, it is nearly impossible to be sympathetic towards Caine, and while some of Professor X’s actions, and many of Wolverine’s, can be questionable, the way in which the Gone series is written makes it very clear that Sam and Astrid are unquestionably moral and good. A unique exception to this rule is Diana Ladris, who works with Caine as a “bad guy.” But as the series develops, it becomes clear that she struggles with the moral implications of some of her more questionable actions, and that although she acts evil, she would very much like to be good, if only she could be. She feels guilty for her actions, and makes sure Caine doesn’t go too far out of line with his agenda. This makes her an incredibly interesting character, and, at least for me, is one of the best things about reading Gone, as she mixes evil actions with good intentions, or instead a very ‘do what needs to be done’ mindset. Diana Ladris is Gone’s strongest link and one of the most enjoyable characters, full of sarcasm, wit, and an incredibly ambiguous moral compass. Fans of the X-Men, Stephen King, and/or the book Lord Of The Flies will love the Gone series, but most of all, they will love Diana. Gone by Michael Grant. Katherine Tegen Books, 2014. Buy the book here and support Stone Soup in the process!
The Hate U Give, Reviewed by Sita, 11
The Hate U Give, a powerful young adult novel by Angie Thomas, is an extremely relevant novel distinctly dealing with racism’s impact on society, as well as a moving read. After the death of Oscar Grant in 2009, Angie Thomas decided to write a book for teens about police brutality since she believes the teenage years are “a critical age.” The book, especially its title, which comes from the phrase, “THUG LIFE,” was inspired by the influential African-American rapper Tupac Shakur, born Lesane Parish Crooks. The Hate U Give has the overt message of how racism can cripple communities, and the undisguised theme of social justice, making it both timeless in its relevance and an especially fitting story today, due to the recent Black Lives Matter protests. In the book, sixteen year-old Starr Carter sees her best friend, Khalil Harris, get shot by a cop. He was just a teenager. He was unarmed. They were driving at night when a cop pulled them over, asking for their papers and license. When Khalil doesn’t do this and instead asks why he pulled the two of them over, Starr begs him to do exactly what the cops said; she knows not to disobey an armed cop. Khalil gives him his papers and license, after which the officer tells him he has a broken taillight, and tells him to get out of the car and put his “hands up, where I can see them.” The cop, suspecting there are drugs in the car, goes to search the car. Khalil comes over to Starr, opens the car door, and asks Starr if she is alright. The cop promptly shoots Khalil twice in the back. After Starr talks to the cops as a witness to Khalil’s murder, “on the Monday night news, [the media/society] finally gave Khalil’s name in the story about the shooting, but with a title added to it- Khalil Harris, A Suspected Drug Dealer. They didn’t mention that he was unarmed.” There are protests and riots speaking out against Khalil’s death, but the only way protesters can really let the public know that what happened to Khalil was wrong is by getting the “unidentified witness”-the one who was in the car with Khalil- to go to a public place, whether the TV or a televised protest, and speak about what really happened that night. But although Starr has said in the past that if she witnessed racially motivated violence, she would speak up publicly, now that her time has come, she is too afraid. The book continues by talking about how she is split between her majority-white school and black neighborhood, and how she finds her voice. The Hate U Give is a beautiful, inspiring book that, because of its theme of social justice and its connection to the Black Lives Matter movement, is extremely relevant and undoubtedly worth reading. Its message concerning speaking out against racism, police brutality, and social justice can be summed up by some of the book’s final words: “I’ll never forget…I’ll never give up…I’ll never be quiet.” The Hate U Give’s message is one that should be remembered always: keep fighting for what is right, never forget those who have been wronged, and always speak up when your words have the power to inspire change. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. Balzer & Bray, 2017. Buy the book here and support Stone Soup in the process! Plus, read another review of the book by a Stone Soup reader here.
Kiki Strike: Inside The Shadow City, Reviewed by Sita, 11
The YA novel Kiki Strike: Inside The Shadow City, is unlike any book I’ve ever read. The main character, twelve year-old Ananka Fishbein, lives a relatively boring life until she finds an enormous subterranean city underneath New York, and meets Kiki Strike, a young girl who notices everything about everyone and seems to be able to appear and disappear at will. Together, they assemble a crew called the Irregulars, composed of delinquent Girl Scouts with unusual talents, to explore the labyrinthine city. The book is filled with hilarious quips, heartfelt gestures of solidarity, and an empowering message for girls and geeks everywhere. This novel manages to entertain and educate at the exact same time. While reading about the Irregulars and the Shadow City, you get glimpses into the history of New York, and at the end of every chapter there is information on everything from historical underground cities to caring for an injured colleague, although the beginning of the book includes a disclaimer concerning the medical advice. Through reading the Kiki Strike trilogy, I learned so much about New York City and countless other tidbits of information like how to tell when someone’s lying, how to make the right impression, and how to “be a master of disguise.” In addition to being a great read, Kiki Strike: Inside The Shadow City provides role models for girls, role models who give girls the confidence to be independent and ambitious. It emphasizes the fact that being nerdy doesn’t make you boring or somehow inferior to anyone else; in fact, it’s an invaluable asset. In the book, the Irregulars are all tween girls around the age of twelve, with incredible skills in fields historically thought of as fields that were for men only, such as chemistry and engineering. The girls regularly prove themselves to be just as capable as anyone else, despite their age and gender. In the beginning of the book, when Kiki Strike first assembles the Irregulars, she tries to convince them that they can explore the Shadow City by themselves, and tells them this: “Each of you has an unusual gift…that has gone unnoticed by your parents, your teachers, and even the Girl Scouts… you could choose to do something truly spectacular.” When Ananka hears this, she internalizes the messages and goes from the unsure wallflower she was from the first few chapters to an assertive, highly capable girl at the end. If you’re a fan of history, mystery, nerd-power, or girl-power, you need to read Kiki Strike: Inside The Shadow City, and you won’t be able to put it down. Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow City by Kirsten Miller. Bloomsbury, 2008. Buy the book here and support Stone Soup in the process!
