Batty About Summer of the Mariposas by Guadalupe Garcia McCall - The Initiation 3

Batty About Books presents    

Summer of the Mariposas

by

Guadalupe Garcia McCall

Week 1 - The Cover

Week 2 - The Departure

Here we are at Week 3 and it's only taken us over a month to get here! My time has just been consumed by other! I look forward to the rest of the year playing out in a much calmer manner!! ::crossesfingers:: ::knocksonwood:: ::saysaprayer::  Thank you to my book buddy, Maria, for hanging in there with me!

This week we discuss Part 2 of the book, The Initiation. As a reminder, Summer of the Mariposas is a modern day retelling of The Odyssey.  Head over to Maria's Melange to read her thoughts on this section. She has some interesting thoughts on how this book relates to Homer's and which, if any, characters align to his original ones.

Week 3 - The Initiation - pgs 103 - 258

Wow, it’s been a little over a month since we were supposed to finish this! I can’t believe I let so many things get in the way! But, hopefully things are settled now. The horizon looks clear and the reading looks fun!

Let me say it was hard to remember what had happened in the story and there is something to be said for writing these down RIGHT AWAY! I went back and re-read both parts 1 and this section. It was easier than I’d thought it would be to get back into the story. I always mean to write down my thoughts AS I read... but sometimes I don’t. For this section, I just read the whole thing and then went back to jot down my notes on a reread.

The Spanish

I love how McCall uses spanish words and works their meaning into the writing. If I’ve said this before, it bears repeating. I’ve read books where you have to look the words up in the glossary and it takes you out of the flow of story. That being said, I was thoroughly confused about El Nagual and Un Brujo.  Did they both mean The Warlock? I also love the way she incorporates the Spanish! I like the fact that there is a glossary, but I don’t want to have to use it for everything. There was at least one phrase I couldn’t find the glossary, though.... but I can’t remember what it was now! I’ve cleaned up my house a few times for visitors since I jotted down my notes and I can’t find my journal.

The Darkness

Wow! This section took a decidedly darker turn. I don’t want to give too much away but the car, the fairy tale lady (I kinda wish we weren’t told who she reminded them of, it might be a fun connection to get students to guess), and the 3 trials! Whew! I liked the darkness in this section. I think all too often we assume that kids can’t handle dark. But I’ve read several really dark books this summer (like Doll Bones) and some that just had dark aspects (like Sidekicked, which tempered the humor with the ethical discussion and darkness)... and I think kids really want and need these types of books. I agree. I was just not expecting it. Of course, they did fish a dead man out of the river and drive around with him...so, dark is relative here.  I will, of course, have all three of these in the library with Doll Bones going on the Mock Newbery table.

The Hero’s Journey

The Initiation covered what could be the middle part of the hero’s journey. We had trials, the Goddess, and the Temptress. Following the same path from part 1, the girls would need to have an Atonement - which I think is the Grandma. She provides a place of rest and relaxation for all the girl’s and, in particular, Pita. But what is the Boon or gift that they are to return home with? Is it their renewed faith in each other? The realization that what happened between their parents was not their fault? Or did I miss it?

It’s also possible to consider this stage the “Apotheosis” - a stage I rarely discuss with my students because it is confusing. The Wikipedia page for the Monomyth defines this stage as

“Apotheosis"

When someone dies a physical death, or dies to the self to live in spirit, he or she moves beyond the pairs of opposites to a state of divine knowledge, love, compassion and bliss. A more mundane way of looking at this step is that it is a period of rest, peace and fulfillment before the hero begins the return.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monomyth#Apotheosis

(I added the italics to the section of the definition I think fits here)

I’m not sure yet about what they will be bringing home. I discuss the healing aspect in my thoughts as well. That may be it, or maybe it will be something else?

Overall

This book goes back and forth between Middle Grades and Young Adult. Who is the intended audience? I’m having a hard time determining which students would be interested (beyond a book club) or if I would just hand this to teachers.  It also seems to be a book you need to read straight through and discuss in-depth. I find it easy to forget details when I put it down or is it that due to the reading I did in between?

I think I could make a case for using this with my very strong 5th grade readers, but I can’t see just putting it into an elementary library. There’s just too much they wouldn’t “get” out of the story, I think. I think I’d remember a lot more of the detail if I read it straight through, though. I also think this would tie in well with a unit on the hero’s journey, especially for kids who are interested in myths and Greek legends. If I didn’t do it with a group, I could definitely picture several students that would love this story. But my kids aren’t typical upper elementary readers.

I think this book would be marvelous with enthusiastic readers in middle school - again, the ones who have the Greek background (Much more common now, due to the popularity of Percy Jackson).  So I could do a hero’s journey book club or a modern mythology book club.  Hmm...possibilities.

Batty About Summer of the Mariposas - Cover Appeal, Redux

reposted August 3, 2013

Batty About Books presents     

Summer of the Mariposas

by

Guadalupe Garcia McCall

This week we discuss the cover. I'll talk about why I wanted to read this one and Maria has provided us with links to her Connect the Pop guest post she did at School Library Journal (SLJ) about The Hero's Journey, my current obsession.  We hope to discuss Summer of the Mariposas through the eyes of the Heroine's Journey.  Stop by Maria's Melange to get a more detailed look at the cover.

The Front

 I love the simplicity of the cover. The font of the title seems to want to fly while the author’s name seems to ground the image.  I like the stylized version of the mariposa (butterfly in Spanish) as a constellation. I also like the five girls on the cover but wonder if it will limit who picks the book up.  I had the same thought, about the girls. I’m hoping that the fact that they aren't lounging in dresses or gazing coyly at the reader will help. If boys who love mythology hear there is an Odyssey connection that may also help.

The Back

Cinco Hermanitas. Five Little Sisters, Together Forever, No Matter What.

I love that. It’s simple. Although, beyond telling you that the five girls on the front are sisters, it doesn't tell you much about the book. Sometimes I don't want to know too much. I love this tagline.

On the Jacket Flap 

I love the opening of the synopsis: “When Odilia and her four sisters find a dead man in the swimming hole near their hometown of Eagle Pass, Texas, they embark on a journey to return the man’s body to his family in New Mexico.” The whole idea of finding a dead body reminds me of the movie Stand By me, which I loved. I'm a little concerned with the several references to the Odyssey. Will it turn off students who haven't read it? I'm thinking the mythology references will be a plus to my population (even if ends up being a book I can only recommend to students once they leave me).

Why I Wanted to Read This

It’s a nominee for a committee I'm on, so I have to read it.  It’s a nominee for the 2013 Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy and every year I promise myself I will read those books and I'm finally fulfilling that by reading one per month. This book is also diverse, something else I’ve been thinking more and more about and through reading more books with multicultural characters, not only will I be able to help my teachers broaden their selections but my students, too.

Last week, Maria and I had a great conversation about the hero’s journey and she mentioned the “heroine’s journey” which I'd never heard articulated.  She really sparked my interest! I'm excited to learn more about this from her as we work our way through Summer of the Mariposas.

LINKS OF NOTE

Maria’s post for School Library Journal’s “Connect the Pop” series on using fandom to teach the Hero’s Journey - includes links to simplified HJ page and video. 

http://blogs.slj.com/connect-the-pop/2012/07/movies/guest-post-by-maria-selke-harnessing-fandom-to-teach-the-heros-journey/

Thoughts on the Heroine’s Journey from Fangirl Cantina 
http://fangirlblog.com/2012/04/the-heroines-journey-how-campbells-model-doesnt-fit/
http://fangirlblog.com/2012/03/the-heroine%E2%80%99s-journey-defining-concepts/ 

Author Website - Guadalupe Garcia McCall

Summer of the Mariposas Discussion Questions

Summer of the Mariposas Five Chapter Sample

Batty About Summer of the Mariposas - Part 1, Redux

reposted August 3, 2013

Batty About Books presents    

Summer of the Mariposas

by

Guadalupe Garcia McCall

It's been a while, I've had a lot going one, but Maria and I are back.

Today we discuss the first part of Summer of the Mariposa's called The Depature. Check out our cover discussion below.

Cover Art Discussion

Don't forget to stop by Maria's Melange and get her take on the first part of McCall's book.

Summer of the Mariposa's was nominated for an Andre Norton award for 2013. If you are looking for some Young Adult Science Fiction or Fantasy reads, check out The Andre Norton Award for ideas.

Week 2 - The Departure - pgs 1 - 102

This first part covers the discovery of the body, an introduction to Odilia, the story of Llorona, and the beginning of the heroine's journey. Weirdly, I love the paper in this book. It feels luxurious to my hand! Can I say that I agree? I love books that feel lovely. I’m particularly hooked on the trend for silky feeling covers. (This book didn’t have that feature, but many recent releases have.)

The Call to Adventure

In this first summer where the moms not around to call the shots, Odilia and her sisters decide they just want to have fun. As they are out at their favourite swimming hole, the come across a dead body. Juanita decides they need to take the man’s body back to his family.

Here we see the relationship of the sisters unfold. They are the Cinco Hermanitas- the five Garza sisters- together forever, no matter what! We have Odilia, the oldest at fifteen, is like a second mom and the voice of reason. Juanita, fourteen, is the compassionate one. The twins Delia and Velia, 13, are the heck raising middle sisters and Pita, 10, just wants to be taken care of, to stay the baby a little while longer. It will be interesting to see what role each girl plays as we move through the novel. I discuss this, too! I love how almost any student will be able to find a mirror for their own family role in this group.

Refusal Of the Call

Odilia refuses the call at first. I love how she thought she was tricking the sisters but they'd already worked a plan. What would have happened if she hadn’t jumped in the car? I adore how she tries to be in charge, but is forced to change her plans. It seems like the girls know each other really well.

Supernatural Aid

I'd never heard the story of La Llorona! I did find mentions of several picture books that recount the story of the Legendary Weeping Woman who drowned her own children and hope to pick them up soon.. It would be interesting to have students find and compare several versions of the story. It would also be interesting to compare those tales to the Llorona we meet. I adore mythical stories from other cultures. I need to learn more about this one.

When she gets the earring, I thought each ring would somehow help each sister directly since the earring has five rings. Does the number five hold significance in Mexican culture? I had a similar thought, but didn’t write about it. There was also a scene with the 5 shooting stars. I’d love to know if it just ties to the girls, or if 5 is a magical number in this culture.

Crossing the Threshold

“I listened to my inner nut and sped out of the caseta, leaving behind everything that was familiar and normal and full of life and crossing over the threshold into the darkness of a dead man’s life.”

Not much else I can say here. I love that sentence. The cadence. How she didn’t use commas and used ands so you can feel the rhythm and pretend you were driving with the Hermanitas! I loved this, too!

Belly of the Whale

This section was, by far, my favorite part of the novel. Things took a darker turn and here we will see how the sisters stick together and Odilia will for sure come into her own! I want to find out about the dead man, and how he came to be in the river, and why his children are so much older than the pictures? Why don’t they miss him?? What did he do? I’m so glad we’re done chatting about this section now so I can plunge into the next part of the tale!

Overall

I am not sure what I think! I like it but so many things happened in my personal life this month that reading was pushed aside. Which meant having to scramble to do my committee reading. Which meant this fun reading felt like less fun.  I don’t think it’s the book. Things should start easing up since I’m practically done with work. I’ve had weeks like that - weeks where I felt like “it’s not the book, it’s me” felt real. I hope that now that things are calming down you’ll be able to relax and enjoy.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons license.

Batty About Books - Geeks, Girls and Secret Identities by Mike Jung pt2

Batty About Books

reads

Geeks, Girls and

Secret Identities

by Mike Jung

(Arthur A Levine Books (Scholastic), 2012. 320p. $16.99. 9780545335485)

Genre: Science Fiction (superheroes, killer robots)


Welcome to Part 2 of Geeks, Girls, and Secret Identities! If you missed Part 1, where we get introduced to all the Geeky goodness, go here!

Don't forget Maria, the one in purple, is posting her side at Maria's Melange
while
Sherry, the one in green, is posting her side over at The Library Fanatic.  

Please take a moment to pay them a visit! I mean, after you are done here!!

Part 2 - Pg 100 - 201
This is one of those books you really need to read in one or, at the most, two sittings! Some stuff happens in this middle part but a lot of it’s a setup for the final third of the book. I commented on this, too. I wish we had only done this book in two weeks! Now you both know why I couldn't stop reading...especially on page 201!  What a cliff hanger at the end of the chapter!

“Old people like to talk about how young other old people look.” (101) I don’t know if kids will get this but it was so funny to me because it’s so true! When you get to be my age, you marvel at how young your friends or people you grew up  with look and you want to know their secrets! So funny! I don’t remember this line. It’s interesting to notice the things one of us notices as we read. I think that’s one of my favorite parts about doing book buddies. That line made me chuckle too. I get this impression that Maria just called me old. :)

“It’s not enough that my dad wishes I was a boy, now the entire universe is making me be one.” (121) We are still getting these boy-girl dynamic issues but, so far, staying pretty surface with them. I forgot to mention this one! I hope they go into this a bit more. This quote from Polly made me sad as I thought about girls who have actually heard this from their fathers. We say stuff, then we move on. A little bit earlier, we also had another of Max’s outdated girl notions: not into science fiction, role-playing games, etc. Is this supposed to be funny? I commented on Max’s comment in my discussion. When I got to that line I wrote a note “prove him wrong!”. I don’t think Polly will, because she doesn’t seem to be into such things. But it seems that guys have this opinion even in the face of seeing women and girls who ARE into such things. This is one reason I make a big deal of my passions for science fiction and geeky things at work. I want the boys and girls I teach to see at least one woman who is REALLY into this stuff - and proud of it. I think that’s awesome! You are a great role model! You are a great role model. But what about the kids who read this and don’t have that? Are these notions just going to be addressed through Polly’s actions? Will younger readers catch that or will they go with what they read the boys saying? Who will the readers identify with in this book???

When George mentions that Vincent’s dad and Professor Mayhem both created something indestructible at the same time, I had two thoughts: Red herring? or is Vincent’s dad Professor Mayhem??? And the mom! My suspicions were raised as well...great distraction technique. But then, no.  I was deflated. I comment on Bobby at this point. I think Bobby has more to him than we see right now.

3 Meteorite chunks! Professor Mayhem, Miquel Zazueta (old Captain Stupendous), and Vincent’s dad! Is the dad going to be a superhero or a supervillain??? Will this be who Polly turns to? Or will his career end with the super string??? And what is the deal with Bobby? I think I’ll be disappointed if there isn’t something to his piece of the story. I will be disappointed if it does! (that lines reminds me of Pride and Prejudice when the dad talks to Elizabeth about marrying Mr. Darcy)

Also, polymath??

And, Captain Stupendous’ voice sounds like Polly in my head!! It’s so weird! It reminds of kid snippets!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdxEAt91D7k  (you must watch this hilarious video!) LAUGH! :) That is great! Have you seen the Geek & Sundry “Written by a Kid” videos? This is my favorite - they even recruited Joss Whedon to act out this kid’s story. http://youtu.be/Ef2wnLL1s00 love this one! Hadn’t seen the Geek & Sundry ones! Will add to my subscription! Yay!

I’m not satisfied and really want to finish the whole book now!

Batty about Books - Geeks, Girls and Secret Identities by Mike Jung Part 1

Batty About Books

reads

Geeks, Girls and

Secret Identities

by Mike Jung

(Arthur A Levine Books (Scholastic), 2012. 320p. $16.99. 9780545335485)

Genre: Science Fiction (superheroes, killer robots)

Maria (@mselke01) and I (@thebrainlair) are back with our first read of 2013!

And we have a surprise, we'll be joined by Sherry from The Library Fanatic blog! (@libraryfanatic)

Sherry and I have met a couple times in real life!! We are both Indiana school librarians and are on state awards committees. Sherry works on the Rosies which are the Eliot Rosewater Awards for high school students and I work on the Young Hoosiers which are the Young Hoosier Book Awards for elementary and middle schools.  Check out the Indiana Library Federation for more information!

We also added a new element - Cover Talk! We'll discuss the covers of the books before and after we read. How does a cover contribute to or distract from what's inside the book?

Don't forget to check out Maria's Melange (she's writing in purple) and The Library Fanatic (she's writing in green) for their initial thoughts on Geeks, Girls and Secret Identities! Now, on to part one! (And did I mention I'm writing in blue? I am!)

Cover Talk
I know students who loved Sidekicks (both the book by Ferrariolo and the gn by Santat) and The Extraordinary Adventures of Ordinary Boy will be drawn to this cover. It also reminds me a little bit of The Mysterious Benedict Society books.  I like the looming robot, the way the words look like they are coming at you sideways, and the boys with their matching shirts.  This cover really pulls you in!  I also like the top part of the inside jacket cover “Can knowing the most superhero trivia... be a superpower? If so, Vincent Wu is invincible.” Can the story live up to the cover? I like that quote, too. That makes me think of so many people I know who are just filled up with that kind of trivia. I wish my memory were better - I would be a font of trivia, too! I really love the illustrator on this book. I talk about him in my discussion.

Part 1
I‘m excited to dive into Geeks, Girls and Secret Identities for a couple of reasons: It wasn’t on my Mock Newbery list and I loved the cover.  I hadn’t any clue what it was about but those two reason, plus it appeared on Charlotte’s Library blog post Looking for Kids of Color in MG Sci-Fi/Fantasy books. My goal this year is to read and review more multicultural literature. And not just the slavery/civil rights kind you see around award tables either! Yes! I’d be happy to choose more books from her list. I love her blog - don’t miss her weekly review roundups of MG fantasy and science fiction.

I’ve read some superhero books: Sidekicks by Jack Ferraiolo, Sidekicks by Dan Santat (both of which I’ve used in book clubs), The ExtraOrdinary Adventures of Ordinary Boy (bk 1), and The Quantum Prophecy (bk 1) and they can come in many genres and offer a variety of stories.  I’m hoping this will be something new and exciting to add to the library. I’ve read Santat’s Sidekicks, but haven’t heard of those others. I’ll have to check them out. Don’t miss Cloak Society - that one is fun! Sidekicks is one of my favorite graphics. We have the others in my library, but I haven't read them...yet!

The Opening Line
“There are four Captain Stupendous fan clubs in Copperplate City, but ours is the only that doesn't suck.”  Yes! It sounds like such a middle school thing to say... This immediately pulled me in! - I LOVED this opening line!

The Geeks
Vincent Wu - son of divorced parents, dad’s super smart in a sciency way, and Vincent is tiny and shy! Love his “voice”. He plays with a gyroscope to calm himself down (p20) and “mentally punched [himself] in the face”! He already has my heart. He is endearing! He has a great snarky voice. I like the fact that he isn’t geeky in the same way his dad is. While I love kids to pursue science, it’s nice to see that you can be a geek by just being really enthusiastic about your own passion areas. Yes! We can all be geeks!

George and Max - gotta say I’m a little concerned about these two. I do love that Max is not your typical big, football guy but I also confess I hoped his name was George. Max is such an uninspired name for a big person! I wonder about/am intrigued by the hints of their family life we are getting. Will these be expanded on later?? I wondered about this, too. George’s “fruity” mom and Max’s annoying grandmother and troubled father could bring something to the tale - or they could just be shorthand for making their families all look different from the “traditional” two parent home.  I think the more non-traditional families that are shown in children's literature, the better. I think we're all a lot further from normal than we care to admit!

The Girls
Polly Winnicott-Lee - Love the name, the way she dresses, and the “take no prisoners” attitude.  Strong girl character in the making? I mentioned that the thing I liked best so far is that Polly had already been taking karate for 6 years. Her experiences so far in the story aren't what make her strong - she already was strong. Girl power!

Carla Bing - Stupendite “airhead cheerleader” (35). Airhead and cheerleader do not always belong together.  Must.remember.this.is.just.the.beginning. ::calmsdown:: Yep - I don’t bring up this character but I am annoyed by the fact that the boys can’t accept a “girl fan group” without thinking they only care about clothes and make-up. Grr..

The Secret Identities
“You have to do what’s right for everyone but only if it’s right for you.” (93) Discuss.
OH MY WORD!! DID NOT SEE THAT COMING! TWISTY TWISTY LOVE!
I like this quote so much. I like the fact that we aren't being told that the only way to be moral is to give up yourself completely. I’m eager to see where this leads.

Beginning Thoughts
So far, so good! I’m enjoying this one and can’t wait to dive into part 2!

Superhero books!

UPDATE:
We had a huge discussion on spoilers while reading this first part! Under "The Secret Identities" I allude to what I thought would have been a spoiler to reveal. I hadn't read a ton about the book before reading because it might change my own thinking. It turns out that what I thought was a spoiler had been revealed on a few book buying sites. Each Batty decided how she would handle things and Maria has a great link from the BBC, Spoilers Don't Ruin Stories. I'm inclined to disagree. Though this could also lead to a discussion on the importance (and fun) of re-reading.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons license.

Cat Girl's Day Off by Kimberly Pauley - bookaday #2

Cat Girl's Day Off
Kimberly Pauley
Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: 3.5/5

I picked this one because of the cover. It's awesome in it's simplicity. Cool looking Asian kid who reminds me of one of the Amazing Dancer's friends.  Big fluffy pink cat.  What choice did I have but to pick it up?

Natalie's lives in family of super-Talented people. They work for the government. Natalie, however, has a Talent she disparages, she can understand and talk to cats.  Not all animals, though. Basically, cats.  So right there you know there are going to be some laughs because cats are notorious for their superiority.  As a "Kat"hy I know what I'm talking about.  JK!

Natalie and her celebrity-obsessed friends get caught up in a kidnapping personality swapping gig that they need to use Natalie's Talent to foil.  Hilarity and hi-jinks ensue. Especially since the celebrities are remaking Ferris Beuller's Day Off!

I liked the cast of characters and the twist with who was kidnapped.  It was a little slow in parts but mostly fun. I also enjoyed the mostly realistic setting.

This one's put out by Tu Books.  They are an imprint to watch!

I'm an Amazon Associate. Links may redirect to Amazon. Tweet

The Great Wall of Lucy Wu by Wendy Wan-Long Shang - Review

The Great Wall of Lucy Wu
Wendy Wan-Long Shang
Scholastic Press
January 2011
312 pgs. ARC

Soon to be twelve-year-old Lucy Wu just wants to have her own room and play basketball.  But it seems as if the universe is conspiring against her.  Her parents want her to go to Chinese school and her dad wants her great-aunt, Yi Po to move in with them.  Wouldn't you know that Chinese school is Saturday mornings - same as basketball practice!  And where will Yi Po sleep?  In Lucy's room, of course!  Fine, Lucy decides to sabotage Chinese school so they will force her out and to build a wall that separates her side of the room from Yi Po's.

Good news - basketball practice is moved to an earlier time and now Lucy can do both.  Bad news - she may have to battle mean girl Sloane Connors for captain of the students during the student-faculty basketball game. Sloane wants to be captain and wages a smear campaign to get everyone to back down.  Lucy does NOT want to attract Sloane's attention but everyone keeps pushing her to go out for captain.  Now that Lucy has what she wants, how will she keep it?

 Good news - Yi Po stays on her side of the room.  Bad news - Lucy's side quickly becomes a hazardous area with her clothes, homework, basketball and other items strewn about the small space.  Lucy has learned more and more about Yi Po but she refuses to accept her as part of the family. She's sorry about Yi Po's past but that shouldn't ruin Lucy's present!  But the more she learns about Yi Po, the more Yi Po reminds Lucy of her grandmother.  How can she keep her distance and get Yi Po to move out sooner? Does she really want her to move out sooner?

A great middle-grade read about fitting in and dealing with change.  Lucy fights to be American and Chinese and seems to be failing at both.  She has her whole year planned out and is forced to accept changes she had no say in.  Though parts of the Great Wall of Lucy Wu were predictable, you are vested enough in Lucy's character to want to give her a hand yourself.

Thank you to Scholastic Press for this ARC.  Review also posted at Discovery Middle School IMC page.
Tweet

Saving Sky by Diane Stanley - Review

Saving Sky
Diane Stanley
Harper Collins Children
199 pgs.

Summary

Sky and her family live in a  post 9/11 world in New Mexico.  There are frequent terrorists attacks and the nation has established red alerts and safe zones in schools.  The Brightmans have decided to protect their children, Sky and Mouse, from harsh news and tell them what they need to know.  After a very serious terrorist attack, the family rushes to get supplies at Home Depot where they witness a Middle Eastern family being mistreated first by the crowd and then by the supposed authorities.  Sky is upset that she stood idly by and is challenged by her mother, Ana, to make a difference by befriending Kareem, a new student at the school.

My Thoughts

Pros:

• short, spare writing that clearly describes the characters
• fast moving plot that doesn't sacrifice story
• believable bullying situations, very realistic
• resolution was unexpected but mostly satisfying

Cons:

• hard to get a picture of the setting
• left with questions (not really a con!)

All in all, worth reading. Could pair this with Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine, just bring lots of tissue.