I just finished reading Insurgent (2nd book in the Divergent series by Veronica Roth) and  enjoyed it enough that book 3 is on its way to my mailbox (thanks Amazon Prime!). Honestly, I enjoyed Book II more than Book I. I felt the the author had a better grasp on the world and the characters in that book. Quite a few people have criticized the series because they feel a lack of realism.

From the PSA, “Speak Up“

The argument being that no parents would allow their children to do half the things the kid characters do in these books—but if you think about it, that’s part of the world itself. It’s part of the world-building that the author sets up. This is a dystopia where teenagers can be considered adults and can act any way they wish (if they are Dauntless). Some reviewers felt that the series has been unrealistic because of the cruelty dished out by teenagers against others, but teenagers can be just as ruthless and relentless in their bullying, sexual assaults, and violence in general as adults can. If anything, I think that makes this series more realistic.

For me, this series has been much more believable than say, A Series of Unfortunate Events. I could barely stomach the first book in that series. It is not based in a near or distant-future dystopia, so it can’t claim that as its reasoning. The idea that someone could lock children in a prison/cage in the backyard and not one neighbor notices or calls CPS (or the police!), is unreal to me—especially considering that the setting is a house in an urban area. It’s not like they are out in the boonies, on a farm 10 miles from the nearest neighbor. So much of that first novel set my teeth on edge because in reality, the police and CPS would have been all over that situation.

Just in time for May, I finished my reread of Cold Days by Jim Butcher. The next Dresden book comes out at the end of this month, so I’m excited to get my hands on it. For me, Dresden is my “relaxing read.”  Some read romance to relax. Me? I read Dresden Files. 😉

I’m still working my way across Labyrinth: The Novelization by Jim Henson and A.C.H. Smith. The author keeps telling me everything, rather than showing. His style is bothersome in that way as I feel he’s filling the page with one rookie-writer mistake after another. A.C.H. Smith isn’t a rookie-writer, so I’m not sure if it’s my love of Labyrinth, the movie, coloring my thoughts on this novelization or what. Either way, I’ll keep on reading and see how it goes.

And just for fun, I reread Crystal Singer by Anne McCaffrey, which I talked about in last week’s Flashback Friday. Be sure to check that out. 🙂

Happy Reading this week!