#ComicsWednesday: The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Vol. 1 by Ryan North, Erica Henderson, & Rico Renzi

I love everything about Squirrel Girl. Just getting it out of the way, this is definitely not an unbiased review. She is my favorite superhero, hands down. I want to be her best friend.

All that aside, this hardcover collection of the first eight issues of The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl is absolutely delightful. Ryan North (Dinosaur Comics, Romeo and/or Juliet) has created a funny, strong, smart hero in Doreen Green, a.k.a. the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl. A human girl with the proportional strength and speed of a squirrel, and also a large squirrel tail that she stuffs into her pants to be less conspicuous. Armed with her wits, her kick-butt abilities, her best friend the squirrel Tippy Toe, her awesome friend and roommate Nancy, and Deadpool's Guide to Super Villain cards, Squirrel Girl can beat anyone. She's unbeatable. In addition, North adds some informational running commentary at the bottom of each page.

Erica Henderson and Rico Renzi (Spider-Gwen, Howard the Duck) give us amazing art and coloring, a fresh take on the traditional comic style. The characters look realistic, and Squirrel Girl's outfit is practical - function over fashion. There are digressions into Squirrel Girl's "past" that are presented as classic comics. These comics are illustrated in that recognizable comic style of yesteryear. They are ridiculous (in a good way), and feature Squirrel Girl meeting Iron Man for the first time, and teaming up with Captain America.


Read this if you like Lumberjanes, Bee and Puppycat, Deadpool, or any number of other irreverent and weird comics. This is a great starter for new comic readers, young and old alike.

Squirrel Girl is an awesome role model for younger readers. She's going to college for computer science, she's body-positive, she's funny and confident. She has her own theme song (which is sung to the tune of the Spider-man theme). She talks to squirrels. She's here to eat nuts and kick butts, and she's all out of nuts.

- Libby, Youth Services

#ComicsWednesday: PREZ Volume 1: Corndog-In-Chief by Mark Russell, Ben Caldwell, & Mark Morales

I don't really read a lot of DC comics. I'm more of a Marvel or BOOM! girl, myself, but sometimes a comic just calls to me. PREZ: Corndog-In-Chief was one such comic. The USA's first teenage president, elected by twitter vote in an effort from hacker group Anonymous to overthrow the status quo?

COUNT ME IN.

Beth Ross, a.k.a. the star of viral internet video Corndog Girl, is elected as the next President of the United States in 2036. This United States is a not-so-distant dystopian future, full of automated sentry drones, a wealth gap larger than any before, and an epidemic of the deadly cat flu. Corporations call the shots, and congress is full of mega-rich idiots. Poor citizens will literally shoot themselves in the leg on national television for the chance to win some money. Enter: Corndog Girl. Beth navigates the intense job of being the leader of a country everyone hates, and trying to make right the wrongs that have plagued the nation. Beth is smart and she surrounds herself with smart people, and also a sentient killer robot named Tina.

There is so much going on in this comic, that I can't even begin to describe it all. Writer Mark Russell is a newer voice in comics, and he hit this one out of the park. Ben Caldwell (Justice League Beyond) and Mark Morales (X-Force, Secret Invasion) have a unique and interesting style, perfect for the tone of the comic. PREZ: Corndog-In-Chief is a reboot of 1973 comic PREZ. 

 If you liked the dystopian aspect of The Hunger Games, but wanted a little more humor, this is for you. If you like the idea of a teenager being POTUS, this is for you. If you're sick of the news and want to laugh about politics for a change, this is for you. Basically, just read it. I promise you won't regret it.

-Libby, Youth Services

Staff Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas is a young adult fantasy novel - the first in a series by the same name. It was published in 2012 and book number five is due out later this year (Empire of Storms). I heard the author speak last year and the audience went wild when she discussed the main character - Celaena Sardothien. My interest was piqued. This book has been hovering at the top of my to-be-read list ever since.

The story begins with our main character, seventeen year old Celaena Sardothien as she is being escorted out of the Endovier Salt Mines and into an audience with the crown prince of the country Erilea. Celaena was sentenced to Endovier - which is basically a death camp. People rarely last a month there. Celaena has been there for one year.

Celaena's crime? She is an assassin. Indeed, a notorious assassin who is considered to be the best in all of Erilea. She is brought before the prince and given an offer she can't refuse. Due to her notoriety and skill set, the royal offers her a chance to be in a competition to become the King's Assassin. If she wins, she works for the King for three years and is set free. If she loses, she has to go back to a bleak and short future at Endovier.

Celaena agrees to the proposition and lives in the castle under guard and an alias - so her competitors aren't intimidated by her reputation. Soon, one by one, the other competitors are killed in the same most gruesome manner. Who or what is killing Celaena's competition? Is she next? As Celaena begins to investigate, she finds there are dark and dangerous elements that are infecting the Kingdom. When Celaena finds herself in the center of this mystery, we want to know more. Celaena's epic story is firmly established in this first book. I have just checked out the second book (Crown of Midnight) to find out what happens next.

Throne of Glass has elements of action, danger, supernatural fantasy, mystery and touches on issues of war, violence, power and social injustice. The story moves at a nice clip and keeps you guessing. Celaena holds her own among some of the better tough and flawed female protagonists in young adult fiction.

If you like your fantasy novels to have adventure, fighting and forbidden romance, you might also like:

The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Legend by Marie Lu

The Young Elites by Marie Lu

The Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Shatter Me by Teherah Mafi

Poison Study by Marie V. Snyder

Blood Red Road by Moira Young 

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Staff Review: Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson, Adrian Alphona, & Jacob Wyatt

Heroes and heroism are at the center of the 2015 summer reading program, when the library challenges readers of all ages to read something new. We do offer rewards to readers who meet or exceed the challenge, so be sure to check out the details for the Adult Summer Reading Program if you haven't yet.

At various points in our lives, we all look to a variety of people and professions for our heroes, but who is more obvious than a superhero? They might not be real, but they can provide inspiration to people of all ages. I'm still fairly new to the world of superheroes, but I have my favorites, including Kamala Khan, the new Ms. Marvel.

Written by G. Willow Wilson, and illustrated by Adrian Alphona and Jacob Wyatt, Ms. Marvel is both entertaining and inspiring. This is the sort of comic book I wish I could give to my teenage self to read because she would've loved it. There will be some spoilers from this point forward, so be warned!

Kamala, a normal teenage girl, suddenly gains superpowers that allow her to save people just like her hero, Captain Marvel. Unfortunately, she gained them after sneaking out of her house to attend a party her parents specifically forbade her to attend. And that's the charm of this series, in between superpowered battles, Kamala faces challenges and questions familiar to most teens and young adults. Everyone has to learn how to balance the expectations of family, friends, and society at large, while still being true to the person you are inside. Kamala is exploring not just what it means to be a hero, but how she can be a hero and a good daughter to her parents who moved from Pakistan to New Jersey to give their children a chance at a better life.

Not that Ms. Marvel is 100% serious all the time, this is absolutely a fun series. Seriously, if I were limited to one word it would be fun. Kamala's shapechanging abilities are versatile, unstable, and used to great effect. The art is both detailed, with interesting backgrounds that make the setting a real part of the larger story, while still colorful and cartoony. The book does assume you have a basic familiarity with superheroes, but you don't need to get any of the references to other series or characters to thoroughly enjoy this series on its own.

There are currently two volumes of this series available, with the third to be released later this summer:
Ms. Marvel volume 1: No Normal
Ms. Marvel volume 2: Generation Y
Ms. Marvel volume 3: Crushed*

~Sarah, Adult Services

*Volume 3 is on order and will appear in the library's catalog for holds by the end of the July.

Staff Review: Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Graceling by Kristin Cashore was recommended to me and I'm so glad it was! I REALLY, REALLY loved this book! The main character is a young woman named Katsa who KICKS BUTT!

The story revolves around Katsa and her ability or “grace” of fighting. The world is in a Middle Ages setting with kings and kingdoms. Katsa's uncle is one of the Kings and she is used by him to punish those who he feels deserves it. She struggles with this role and behind her uncle's back, begins to perform heroic acts all around the seven kingdoms with the help of her close friends and allies.

As the story progresses she comes across others who also have “graces” and begins to understand that she is not alone in the world. After years of being sheltered and feared by those around her, the reader sees her develop into someone who is less closed off and begins to trust herself and others.

I loved the action in this book as well as the romance. In my opinion, it's well rounded and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the trilogy!

~Jackie, Circulation

Mini Staff Review: When We Wake by Karen Healey

What will the world be like in 100 years? Odds are we won't be around to see it, but Australian teen Tegan Oglietti cares about the future she can't see. Okay, she might be slightly more interested in her new boyfriend, but she's hoping to make a difference in the world by attending a protest of government policies on the day she dies, shot by an inept sniper. A hundred years later, Tegan is revived in an experimental military procedure, the first human ever to return from cryogenic suspension. When We Wake by Karen Healey is the story of Tegan's attempt to adjust to the Australia of the 22nd century, where everyone she knows is dead. Some things about the future are better, but very little is familiar, and Tegan isn't sure who she can trust. Fast-paced and thought-provoking, When We Wake and its sequel, While We Run, will appeal to fans of dystopian fiction.

For a quieter, more romance centered dystopian novel, try For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund, a retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion set in a future reeling from the effects of genetic modifications gone awry.

~Sarah, Adult Services

Mini Staff Review: Team Human by Justine Larbalestier & Sarah Rees Brennan

Team Human by Justine Larbalestier & Sarah Rees Brennan
If you're feeling burned out on paranormal love stories, especially paranormal love stories featuring vampires, I highly recommend Team Human. A fast-paced yet thoughtful look at the genre that draws inspiration from everything from Dracula to, yes, Twilight with plenty of wit and sarcasm. Imagine that one of the ships that landed in New England during the 17th century was packed with vampires instead of pilgrims, and you have the origin story for New Whitby, Maine. Mel has lived her entire life in New Whitby, neighbor to vampires. Some of her classmates have vampire relatives. Some of her classmates are, like the tourists who flock to New Whitby, vampire obsessed. Mel has nothing against vampires, except for Francis, the 150 year-old teen vampire currently wooing Mel's best friend Cathy. Justine Larbalestier's and Sarah Rees Brennan's writing blend together into an entirely enjoyable read.

For a more serious take on paranormal love stories, try The Raven Boys, the first book in Maggie Stiefvater's Raven Cycle. Blue, who grew up in a family of psychics, has always known that if she kisses her true love, he will die. Unfortunately, no one can tell her who her true love is.

~Sarah, Adult Services

Final Results of the Dubuque Tournament of Books

Last week, our esteemed judges deadlocked on the final choice between  And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini or Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. We love both these books, so a tie is an appealing outcome, but we can only have one winner. So we put the final decision in your hands through an online poll and the winner is:

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell!

Many thanks to all of our judges and to the authors who gave us such a find group of competitors!

Marie's Pick: Final Round of the Dubuque Tournament of Books

It's the final round of the 2014 Dubuque Tournament of Books, and the judges are weighing in on the final match-up. Will it be And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini or Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell? 

Judge: Marie
River Lights Bookstore

Like Sue, I have been spending an inordinate amount of time vacillating between Eleanor & Park and And the Mountains Echoed.  While I admit to not being the biggest fan of YA Fiction, Eleanor & Park engaged me.  I felt an emotional connection to the two teenagers and really did enjoy all the references to 80s literary culture, like Dicey Tillerman and everything Alan Moore.  And don't even get me started on The Smiths and Joy Division.  Eleanor & Park was heart-breaking and, at times, difficult to read, not because of the writing style, but because of the hurt and embarrassment felt by one of the titular characters.  It felt like a teen book that adults, especially those who came of age during the mid-80s, would thoroughly enjoy.

I have listened to some of the criticism over And the Mountains Echoed and, frankly, am having trouble relating to it.  I didn't find the vignettes difficult to weave into the larger story and, similarly, did not encounter difficulties keeping track of each character.  That being said, I do have a rather deep fondness for Russian literature and cut my teeth on Gabriel Garcia Marquez, so that may have had an impact.  I maintain that And the Mountains Echoed is one of the better stories I have read in some time, the effect of which is only beginning now to wear off.  While Eleanor & Park is an easier book to read, And the Mountains Echoed seemed to me to be worth the investment.

My vote is for And the Mountains Echoed, but, it should be noted, that it I favor it over Eleanor & Park by a very thin margin.

Bethany's Pick: Final Round of the Dubuque Tournament of Books

It's the final round of the 2014 Dubuque Tournament of Books, and the judges are weighing in on the final match-up. Will it be And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini or Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell?

Judge: Bethany
Finding Pins and Needles

Excerpt from Bethany's review of And the Mountains Echoed on Goodreads.
I have to give Hosseini props for orchestrating an intricate book; the number of characters, over many generations made the story very complex and a mystery of sorts. I respect a story teller that can devise a novel of this depth. Here comes the BUT... but in my eyes his talent is a double edged sword, or at least this particular execution of it. Half the time I was playing a "Guess Who" game. Who is this character? How do they relate to the story? By keeping so many of the character's relationship to the story obscure for such a lengthy amount of time, I found myself asking, "Why do I care about you?". Once I'd get comfortable with Who/What/When/Where, never-mind Why, Hosseini would move on to a new character and/or a different decade with no direction. My least favorite part of reading, is having to establish those basics at the start of a book, I want to be comfortable so I can delve into the meat of the story. I want to be entertained by a story (so sue me), and I didn't like being yanked around, having to restart without a compass. Less work, more play please.

Most importantly, with such a complexly orchestrated story, I expected a strong culmination, a crescendo to sum up the story. I wanted an "Aha!" moment, to make all the confusion worth while... or at minimum, a twist. Sadly, all I gleaned was a meandering of details that slowly and loosely tied together the characters by the end.

Bethany's review of Eleanor & Park on Goodreads.

Raw.
This story is raw. I felt like I was catapulted back to my teen years and the author exposed every insecurity, every thought process and every tiny wonder that is discovering love.

I haven’t read any reviews on this book, but I can’t be the only one who picked up on the Romeo & Juliet foreshadowing. In the story, the characters making such a deal of the ridiculousness and artificialness of Romeo and Juliet's love affair. There was such a parallel, not the death, but the tragedy of it all. This story is REAL tragedy. Sadly this tragedy is far more common than anyone wants to believe and far more authentic than the two star crossed lovers.

Besides being honest, I thought it was funny. A quote that made me laugh out loud, "He put his pen in his pocket, then took her hand and held it to his chest for a minute. It was the nicest thing she could imagine. It made her want to have his babies and give him both her kidneys." Stinkin' adorable.

The dialogue was poignant and gritty, I feel privileged to be let in on this secret love affair of Eleanor and Park.

My vote is for Eleanor & Park. 

Charleen's Pick: Final Round of the Dubuque Tournament of Books

It's the final round of the 2014 Dubuque Tournament of Books, and the judges are weighing in on the final match-up. Will it be And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini or Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell?

Judge: Charleen
Cheap Thrills 

When I finished Eleanor & Park, I just sat there, wondering...

Did I read the same book everyone else did?

Am I broken?

In the interest of full disclosure, I don't typically read contemporary YA; it's just not my thing. But I did really enjoy both Attachments and Fangirl, so I was expecting Rainbow Rowell to pull me in and make me love her characters yet again. Unfortunately, that didn't happen.

Everyone else is saying how the book will make you think of your first love, and I guess it did that for me. I was a misfit. I know what it's like not to have friends. I know what it's like to suddenly have a boyfriend and wonder how it happened. I know what it's like to be so caught up in those new emotions. I remember all that. But the thing is, I felt like I was substituting my feelings and my memories of first love for theirs. I couldn't seem to care about Eleanor or Park, separately or together. I was moving through their story, but I couldn't get caught up in it.

I should have been a lot more invested in this book. It was so much closer to my own experience, and yet it didn't make me feel the way And the Mountains Echoed did. Hosseini's novel, as complex and challenging as it was, grabbed hold of me and didn't let go. And as much as I hate to say it, Eleanor & Park just fell flat for me.

My vote for the final round is for And the Mountains Echoed.

Sue's Pick: Final Round of the Dubuque Tournament of Books

It's the final round of the 2014 Dubuque Tournament of Books, and the judges are weighing in on the final match-up. Will it be And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini or Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell?

Judge: Sue
Clarke University

Boy, I wrestled with my decision all weekend.  I liked both books for different reasons.  Eleanor & Park was not a struggle to read at all and I could identify with it.  It was well written and interesting.  And the Mountains Echoed was a good read but at times a struggle to follow all the different story lines.  But, it was also a captivating story.  I had never read either authors before so I cannot compare either book with previous works.

That said, I am picking And the Mountains Echoed not because it was easy to read or follow but because I was able to experience a very different world through this book.  I felt like I was “there” with them at times.  I did have trouble figuring out how all the characters were connected which would be the main issue I had with this book.

At the heart of this book is a story about loss, tragedy, healing, and reconciliation.  And, how good intentions sometimes have catastrophic results.  Afghanistan is a sad place and stories like this where someone is so desperate for money he would sell a child, is not uncommon.  I am sure other children sold suffered far worse fates.  The desperation of the story is what touched me about this book and why I chose this one as the winner.

Bob's Pick: Final Round of the Dubuque Tournament of Books

It's the final round of the 2014 Dubuque Tournament of Books, and the judges are weighing in on the final match-up. Will it be And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini or Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell?

(Warning: Bob's review includes spoilers for And the Mountains Echoed)

Judge: Bob
Dubuque 365 Ink

My dear departed Irish Mother used to say that if I didn’t have anything nice to say then I should just shut the hell up. So, I won’t say too much about And the Mountains Echoed. The book was very well written but what he was trying to do with the structure was  very badly executed. Except for the first 50 pages or so, I was confused by all the characters. It’s a much different book than his first two. I have said this before in reviews I’ve done for 365inc; I DON’T LIKE SUICIDES AS A PLOT DEVICE. It’s pretty much a deal breaker for me. It tells me that the author can’t figure his way out of a corner he wrote himself into so let’s just kill her off. Nope. I’m not buying it.

And the Mountains Echoed had some stiff competition in Eleanor & Park so I have no sorrow in contributing “ATME” to the circular file.

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell, on the other hand, is a terrific book. I surprised myself by liking it as much as I did considering it’s an YA book and I don’t read too many of them. It’s the love story between two high school teenagers, both misfits and subject to abuse and bullying both at home and at school. 

Some of the reviews mention that it will make you think of the first time you fell in love. It did that for me but my situation turned out a lot different than the one in the book. My girl was very pretty and she turned out to be a viper, more commonly referred to by me as the Ice Witch From Hell. Well, it rhymes with “witch.” I got over it.

I had almost nothing in common with these two kids when I was in High School beyond the almost universal feeling of alienation felt by most kids their age. Catcher In The Rye was more like my story except I never knew anyone who killed themselves and I was never in a mental institution. But all that angst, you bet. I like very much how Eleanor and Park handled all the razzing at school, especially one incident that will make itself plainly evident when it occurs.

The story had to be constructed the way that it was to elicit the proper emotional response from an adolescent reader.  I generally don’t need to be beaten over the head with plot motivation. However, this was written, as I understand it, for the Young Adult reader who might need to have the obvious pointed out here and there. James Joyce and Thomas Pynchon don’t work their magic on most 16 year old high school students. Some yes, most no. For what it is, it’s almost perfect. Well written, three dimensional characters that I was rooting for all the way through the book, and the plot, such as it was, was real not contrived. I loved it.

I thought Eleanor & Park was a wonderful book consequently my vote goes to Eleanor & Park.

Becky's Pick: Final Round of the Dubuque Tournament of Books

It's the final round of the 2014 Dubuque Tournament of Books, and the judges are weighing in on the final match-up. Will it be And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini or Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell?

Judge: Becky
University of Dubuque 

I really wanted to like And The Mountains Echoed. I loved each little vignette of the story, but I struggled with the execution of how the book was constructed. I spent too much time each section trying to figure out how it fit with the previous stories. All the while I kept telling myself that I would figure it out eventually, but I just couldn’t stop picking it apart for details. By the time I reached the end I was emotionally drained both by the stories and the reading experience. I think this book suffered a bit of the too many; too much disorder. Too many characters, too many  vignettes, too many minor connections, too much time and space between opening and resolution, too much going on. I sobbed through A Thousand Splendid Suns but I just didn’t feel the same way about this book. I think emotionally I was spread too thin by the many plots lines early on, that by the end I couldn’t muster the right amount of depth for it to resonate.

Eleanor & Park hit more of those points and angles and emotions for me. The conversations and dialogues carry this book. The emotion in how they speak to each other (and what they don’t or can’t say) gives me depth to the story I don’t expect to get. I also like how Rainbow focuses on those little moments in a relationship. It’s not always the epic or grand gestures that are important. Sometimes it can just be holding hands, or letting someone in to your little world, or giving you batteries for a Walkman. Those are the points in time we remember. And Rainbow captures that and makes us nostalgic for those little moments even if (and especially when) the only seem to occur in a large context of hate, abuse, and sadness.

Eleanor & Park VS The Ocean at the End of the Lane: Dubuque Tournament of Books, round 3

We've reached the semi-finals of the Dubuque Tournament of Books, and there's still time for you to enter the prize drawing by submitting your guess for which book will win the Tournament.

Today's match-up is between Eleanore & Park by Rainbow Rowell and The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman, and our judges are:

• Becky (University of Dubuque)
• Sue (Clarke University)
• Megan (Telegraph-Herald)
• and Bob (Dubuque 365Ink)

Click here to see the round 2 decision for Eleanor & Park.

Click here to see the round 2 decision for The Ocean at the End of the Lane.

Each week these decisions get tougher. Partially because of the books--Eleanor & Park and Ocean at the End of the Lane, also because of the number of judges--4 this round: Bob, Sue, Becky and Megan. We sat down, (ok sent emails) to decide which of these 2 award winning books (Printz Honor and British National Book Award winner respectively) should advance. Written by two amazingly talented and dynamic authors who have both written for YA and adult audiences, AND in both print and graphic formats (Rainbow will partner with Faith Erin Hicks on a pair of forthcoming graphic novels.), these two books are books to be reckoned with.

If you’re interested in learning more about the plots, check out the previous rounds’ reviews.   We decided to give you some of our favorite quotes from the books so you can sample the flavor of the books.

Eleanor & Park

“She saw him after seventh hour in a place she'd never seen him before, carrying a microscope down the hall on the third floor. It was at least twice as nice as seeing him somewhere she expected him to be.”

“If you don't want people to look at you, Park had thought at the time, don't wear fishing lures in your hair. Her jewelry box must look like a junk drawer.”

“Holding Eleanor's hand was like holding a butterfly. Or a heartbeat. Like holding something complete, and completely alive.”

The Ocean at the End of the Lane

“‘Nothing’s ever the same,’ she said. ‘Be it a second later or a hundred years. It’s always churning and roiling. And people change as much as oceans.’”

“Growing up, I took so many cues from books. They taught me most of what I knew about what people did, about how to behave. They were my teachers and my advisers.”

“Adults follow paths. Children explore. Adults are content to walk the same way, hundreds of times, or thousands; perhaps it never occurs to adults to step off the paths, to creep beneath rhododendrons, to find the spaces between fences.”

Now for the decision. It wasn’t an easy one, but in the end we decided to advance Eleanor & Park over Ocean at the End of the Lane. Here is some of our rationale:

• In Ocean, the reader never finds out where any of the supernatural beings really came from or what their motivation was.  I kept reading because I thought that at the end all would be explained. But, alas, the last pages really did not leave me with a tangible explanation.I chose Eleanor & Park over The Ocean at the End of the Lane because the story of Eleanor & Park was more engaging and had a better developed plot.  I was rooting for them both.  It was easy to like and relate to the characters in Eleanor & Park.
• I need to start by saying, I think I liked Ocean at the End of the Lane. I say I think because I’m still feeling a bit shortchanged by the book as a whole even a week after reading it. Gaimain asks so much of his readers with this one. He tells us children meander and adults move in straight lines. I have been accused many times of reading books ‘for’ children, but this book I just couldn’t read it ‘as a child’ like I felt Gaiman wanted from me. I wanted answers and a return on the emotional and mental investment I made in the book. Eleanor & Park required a lot emotionally as well, but it repaid its dividends in tears, hope, and a sense of nostalgia for a time I didn’t even really live through the first time. Any book that can make me nostalgic for batteries and my college discman has to win.
• Eleanor & Park is a terrific book. I surprised myself by liking it as much as I did. Some of the reviews mention that it will make you think of the first time you fell in love. It did that for me but my situation turned out a lot different than the one in the book. My girl was very pretty and she turned out to be a viper, more commonly referred to by me as the Ice Witch From Hell. Well, it rhymes with “witch.” I got over it.I really liked Eleanor & Park but not as much as I liked The Ocean at the End of the Lane. In this round I voted for Ocean. Unfortunately for me and the book, the other three judges voted for Eleanor & Park. So, with a heavy heart I have to wave goodbye to Ocean at the End of the Lane, one of the best books I’ve read all year.

Eleanor & Park VS The Rosie Project: Dubuque Tournament of Books, round 2

This week we'll be posting the judges' decisions for the second round of the 2nd Annual Dubuque Tournament of Books. To see an overview of the judges and contestants, check out this blog post. To see why Becky selected Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell in the first round, click here. To see why Sue selected The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion in the first round, click here.

Judges: Becky and Sue
University of Dubuque and Clarke University (respectively)

In the spirit of Don Tillman, the main character in The Rosie Project, who was always making lists based on his sometimes odd preferences, we decided to see how Eleanor & Park stacks up against The Rosie Project using our favorite criteria for books!

One point for each criteria that is met:

Criteria (Becky and Sue)	E&P	TRP
Witty one line reviews	X	X
Characters go on a trip--preferably a road trip		X
Characters that have pets
A structural plot device
Graphs and charts to explain complicated plots
Provide a musical playlist	X
Last page of the book is an even number	X
Edited by David Levithan
Author has brown hair	X	X
Characters have pronounable and non-ridiculous names	X	X
An index
Use footnotes--even in fiction
Acronyms are used frequently		X
Create intelligent, strong-willed, quick-witted leads	X	X
Weather is part of the plot
Graphic cover	X	X
One of the sub-characters keeps a diary		X
Snarky best friend/minor character		X
Recipes for the meals they eat in the book

If we tally up the votes, it’s 9-7. But that doesn’t seem right. After some discussion, we both agree that Eleanor & Park should win this round. Maybe if we split it up by reviewer: Becky’s 5-4. Sue’s 4-3 with The Rosie Project still wins both. I think the lesson we learn here is the same one that Don does in The Rosie Project, objectivity is a great approach in science, but maybe not so much in the area of love. Books are more than just the sum of their component parts. The Rosie Project has lots of the characteristics we were looking for, but Eleanor & Park has that little something we didn’t know we wanted. Or didn’t know was exactly what we needed.

When finding a wife or picking a book, I think we all agree that you’ve got to let the heart decide. And these hearts pick Eleanor & Park!