Sometimes the best books do not need to be love at first sight—it definitely wasn’t with this one! When I turned to page one of Lore by Alexandra Bracken, I was immediately blown away, but not in the best sense of the term. The immediate, heated setting of a boxing ring, combined with a plethora of Greek terms, was enough to thoroughly overwhelm me. That time, I had closed the book, taken a few deep breaths, and left it to collect dust on my bookshelf. By reading in bits and pieces, though, I eventually became enthralled by the convoluted world Bracken had woven through the pages. Lore is a standalone contemporary fantasy that follows the adventures of a young girl named Lore, the last mortal descendant of the House of Perseus. She is haunted by the Agon: an event that takes place every seven years, which forces nine gods to roam the Earth as mortals while being hunted by mortals. Once a mortal kills a god, that mortal gains the god’s power and strength, and because of human greed, the cycle can never end. Lore, however, has escaped the deathly Agon. That is, until an old friend and a goddess come seeking aid, and she must choose whether or not to insert herself back into the situation that killed her parents and two sisters. I genuinely enjoyed this book, what with its multifaceted characters and impeccable world-building. Lore serves as the perfect protagonist for this particular story—her anger is her fatal flaw, and that comes up multiple times in the book. I also liked how the novel emphasized the power imbalance between genders. Where males were seen as the only ones fit to become gods and be in any sort of leadership position, women could only sit still, look pretty, and consider themselves lucky if they were not sacrificed for one reason or another. Lore speaks heatedly about this subject throughout the book, and the conversations she had were very realistic and mature, which I appreciated. At times, the Greek terms and different ancient houses became too much to process—I couldn’t keep track of who was who and what specific Greek words meant. Having to flip to the glossary every time an unfamiliar word popped up was frustrating and deterring. Having studied Greek mythology extensively in my free time, I was able to fare generally well and understand the many references to Greek mythology. However, I would definitely tell those who don’t know much about Greek mythology to beware—it may be overwhelming and confusing. I’d recommend reading something fun and informational, like Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods, to get you warmed up if you don’t know much about all things Greek. Also, there were so many components of this world that I would have loved for this book to have a sequel, just so we could tie up some of the loose ends. Besides, I am not a fan of open endings in general. This one, however, did fit with the story and still offered that satisfying, tingling feeling you get when you finish a good book. So, surprisingly, it did not disappoint! Overall, an enjoyable and deep read fit for older readers! Those who have followed Alexandra Bracken’s work since The Darkest Minds, and especially those who have not, will find an irresistible story of gods, monsters, and simmering betrayal within these pages. If I could go back in time, I would thank my struggling self for deciding to power through the novel. It was truly worth it. Lore by Alexandra Bracken. Disney-Hyperion, 2021. Buy the book here and support Stone Soup in the process!
Stone Soup Magazine for young readers, writers, and artists
Why Bobby Kennedy Is Inspirational
“Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.” – Robert F. Kennedy I am inspired by Robert F Kennedy. His “Ripple of Hope” Speech in South Africa was truly a masterpiece, delivered with passion and genuine belief. As Attorney General, he made great progress in fighting organized crime. He was very involved in the Civil Rights Movement as well. He was a key member in the presidency of John F. Kennedy and was often joked about as co-president. He played a very important role in ending the Cuban Missile Crisis and averting a possible third Word War at the height of the Cold War. After the assassination of President Kennedy, he became more involved in fighting for the poor and the disenfranchised. He worked on improving conditions for migratory labor along with Cesar Chavez. As a NY senator, he worked on the renewal of Bedford-Stuyvesant (a Brooklyn neighborhood). He took a stance against the Vietnam War, even though his brother’s administration had played a part in starting it. He went against the sitting president of his own party, Lyndon B. Johnson, for supporting the Vietnam War. I think Robert F. Kennedy would have made a fantastic president, but unfortunately his life was cut short when he was assassinated in California. Co-President “I don’t care if anyone likes me, so long as they like Jack.” As JFK’s campaign manager, RFK played a key role in getting him elected as President. JFK was a great President too, but RFK was very committed to his brother’s success. He was made one of the youngest Attorney Generals, and he was also involved in all major decisions to help his brother. When the Cuban Missile Crisis occurred, RFK played a crucial role in de-escalating the situation and preventing a possible World War III. During the height of the Cold War, the Soviet Union began to store nuclear weapons in Cuba, a communist island country within striking range of the United States. This was clearly not acceptable as it was a threat to America’s National Security. Over the next thirteen days, while there was tremendous pressure on the brothers from the military and the cabinet for an all-out strike against Cuba and the Soviet Union, they resisted the pressure and stopped a war that could’ve had horrible consequences. Organized Crime “To see people sit in front of us and lie and evade makes me boil inside.” As one of the youngest Attorney Generals of the United States, RFK took on organized crime and mobsters. He saw the “Mafia” as a criminal organization that operated on a national level, and for the first time, the Department of Justice (DOJ) would take on an entire criminal organization instead of seemingly unrelated crimes. Civil Rights Movement “We must recognize the full human equality of all of our people before God, before the law, and in the councils of government. We must do this, not because it is economically advantageous, although it is; not because of the laws of God command it, although they do; not because people in other lands wish it so. We must do it for the single and fundamental reason that it is the right thing to do.” “We will not stand by or be aloof. We will move. I believe that the 1954 (Supreme Court School Desegregation) decision was right. But my belief doesn’t matter. It is the law. Some of you may believe the decision was wrong. That does not matter. It is the law.” As Attorney General, RFK campaigned for equal rights and desegregation. He supported the Freedom Riders and threatened to deploy U.S. Marshalls when they were threatened. When a black student got admitted into the University of Mississippi, RFK sent the National Guard to ensure his registration even though there were horrible riots with hundreds dead and injured. He did the same thing for the University of Alabama the next year. In 1963, on RFK’s insistence, President Kennedy called civil rights “a moral issue.” He also made huge contributions to the Civil Rights Bill. Robert Kennedy saw voting as the key to racial justice and collaborated with President Kennedy when he proposed the most far-reaching civil rights statute since Reconstruction, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which was passed after President Kennedy was slain on November 22, 1963. Poverty “I believe that, as long as there is plenty, poverty is evil.” RFK visited in various impoverished areas of the country, including Mississippi Delta and urban slums, and was startled by their conditions. He tried to bring national attention to this issue and tried to influence government law-makers to help reduce the divisions of income and opportunity, and thereby reduce poverty. He believed the best way to tackle poverty was not to provide welfare, but to help people not rely on the government and to rely on themselves. He started the Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Project to rebuild businesses within the community and provide more opportunity for its residents. Migratory Labor “Why is a New York Senator dragging himself all the way out to California?” RFK was already tackling multiple issues including racism, poverty and the Vietnam war, and so he didn’t want to also get involved in issues of migratory labor related to the plight of farm workers in California. But when he flew down to California and met Cesar Chavez, and heard all the details, he became angered with the situation and quickly changed his mind. RFK served on a senate subcommittee to improve conditions of migratory labor and became good friends with Cesar Chavez during this time. He displayed great responsibility by asking “How can I help?” rather than just doing what he thought was right. Vietnam War
The Thrilling Race, by Mason Li
I woke up on a hot sunny day, looking up at the ceiling. ”It’s time,” I said to myself, “triathlon time.” I got out of my bed thinking, “triathlon.” I got into the car still thinking, as I s….l….o…w….l…y fell asleep. As I woke up to the sound of the car stopping: ”Are we there yet?” ”Close. Actually… we are there,” Mommy replied. My stomach started aching at those words as I slowly got out of the car, rubbing my eyes as I brought my bike and bag with me. I set up my bike, helmet, shoes, and racing belt. ”Twenty minutes left until the race starts!” I heard the director say. My heart beat faster and faster with every second. After twenty minutes of thinking and wondering, I put my cap and goggles on. My stomach was still aching with pain and nervousness, but my heart was shining with courage. Goooooo! The sound of a horn. And I was off. The freezing water that I was swimming in made me swim faster than I ever could as I accelerated past people. I got out of the water, taking off my cap and goggles as I ran. I put on my helmet. Then I mounted my bike and I started biking. I zoomed downhill and worked hard on the uphill. For a few minutes, I thought I was going the wrong way until I saw a couple older kids zoom past me. As I accelerated my speed to try catching up with them, I saw another pair of older kids ahead. I felt like I had biked past where the little kids should stop until I saw the dismount stop. Because I had too much momentum when I was about to dismount, I fell, but I didn’t feel any pain in the spot I fell, surprisingly. Helping hands shot into view, but I just rolled over and started running towards the transition area until I heard people calling that I forgot my bike. So I ran back to get my bike. Then I put down my bike and helmet and put on my racing belt as I ran. Running and running, hearing cheers from the crowd, I ran through the trail. Running ahead of people, I felt so energetic as I ran. Then I saw the finish line. Excitement awaited me there as I charged to the finish line! ”LET’S GO!” I yelled. Then I felt the pain in my leg, so I went to the medical staff to heal my leg up, but that only took a few minutes. I won first place. When they announced my name, I stepped up to the first place spot on the podium, smiling.
