Review: Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

Title: Scarlet [Amazon|GoodReads]
Author: A.C. Gaughen [Website|Twitter]
Standing: Stand alone novel.
Genre: Young Adult, Retelling, Historical
Published: February 14th, 2012 by Walker Childrens
Format: Hardcover; 292 pages.
Source: Borrowed from my local library.
Challenge: Debut Author Challenge

We do what we do because there's something we can do about it. Things like 'how long' and 'what if' aren't part of that. It's about the hope, not the horror.

Scarlet, known to the people of Nottinghamshire as “Will”, but to her small band of outlaws as just Scarlet has spent the past two years as one of Robin Hood’s most trusted friends and partners in crime.  The band works tirelessly to make certain that the townspeople are fed, and have the money to pay the outrageously high taxes demanded by the sheriff.  They work the roads of Sherwood forest, trying hard to provide for the people that should have been under Robin’s care, but for some contrived treachery his father supposedly committed to crown and country.  When the sheriff hires a thief taker, Gisbourne, to capture and kill the Hood and his mates, Scarlet finds herself pushed into corners she’s been avoiding for years.  Suddenly, her trustworthiness and loyalty to the band is called into question as she strives to hide her past and stay a firm part of the band.  Each of these tasks becomes increasingly difficult as Gisbourne works to destroy them, and as Scarlet deals with the emotions of those around her.

So...let’s talk about this slight obsession I have with books that star girls masquerading as boys.  LOVE IT.  For some reason, this theme always grabs me.  I think one of the reasons for this is that it always guarantees you a strong woman balking against stereotypes--just the kind of girls I like to root for.  One of my favorite parts about Scarlet was the fact that her band knew she was a girl the whole time.  There wasn’t that whole ‘omg when is he going to realize she’s a woman and fall madly in love?’ pressure the whole book, because all of the characters that matter already know.  I mean, I love that moment (All Men of Genius, Leviathan), but it was refreshing to have a new play on this thing that I love so much.

I wasn’t sure going in how I was going to react to Scarlet.  I’d seen her described as ‘prickly’, ‘defensive’, and knew that a lot of people had a hard time bonding to her.  I am happy to say that while yes, these are completely accurate descriptions, I am in the camp of people who fell for and loved Scarlet immediately.  She’s quite moody, and withdraws into herself in an unhealthy way, but she’s also completely kick-butt with her knives, fiercely loyal, and completely dedicated to helping those in need.  Scarlet pushes her own emotions to the backburner so often, she herself doesn’t really even know how she feels about her bandmates John or Robin.  Or rather, she doesn’t let herself acknowledge her feelings.  Scarlet has so much hope for everyone else in her life, but so little for herself.  She’s so certain of her own eventual unhappy ending that she doesn’t dare risk the notion that she is worthy of anything more.  She’s entirely who she wants to be, and not at all who she’s supposed to be.  She’s faithful, dedicated, and willing to take the world’s troubles onto her back.  I found my heart wrenching for Scarlet for so much of this book, I adored her so.

And then there’s the men in her life--Robin Hood’s band of merry brothers.  In Scarlet, the band currently exists of only four ‘men’; Scarlet, Robin Hood, Little John, and Much.  A.C. Gaughen explained that she kept the band at this because Robin Hood was so young in her rendition.  Little John and Much were Robin’s “boys”, he’d grown up with them, and mysterious Scarlet was his dearest friend.  I liked Robin, he was haunted by his past in ways that let him understand Scarlet like no one else, and his need to protect the people of Nottinghamshire made him a true hero in my book.  He could be a bit of a prat, and was outright mean to Scarlet on occasion.  He’s so caught up in what he should feel and what those around him feel, that he fights against his own emotions in some rather annoying ways.  Also, I got really sick of hearing about his eyes.  Apparently, Robin Hood’s eyes are the most amazing things ever because I swear they’re mentioned in detail just about every time Scarlet looks at him.  

John provided a good counterpoint to Robin.  He obviously was crushing on Scarlet, and I love how completely oblivious she is to the whole thing.  I also wasn’t sure until the very end how John really felt about our heroine, if his feelings were genuine, or if he just thought them so.  He’s a good guy, but he certainly isn’t one to take a hint!  I actually liked John’s perseverance with Scarlet, even though we all knew he isn’t the man for her.  He’s confident in ways that Robin and Scarlet are not, but he also doesn’t really understand either of them with the depth that they are able to understand one another.  Honestly, I think my favorite of the men was Much, who we got to see the least of.  He was the most identifiable for the townspeople, and for me as well.  He was just a plain nice guy, who had everyone’s best interests at heart.  When Robin and John would get all mixed up in the head about Scarlet, Much was always there to step in and be a bastion of sanity and solace for her.

All in all, this wasn’t a completely character centered story, and that’s okay!  The action and adventure was worth the lack of character depth, and I’d also like to say that though not all of the characters complexities were highlighted, they were in no way shallow or lacking.  I loved that the plot was driven in an open and direct way.  From about 20 pages in we know the gist of what Scarlet is hiding from the band. But the devil is in the details, which get spread throughout the story like breadcrumbs, revealing more of her and her past to us slowly as time goes on.  I really appreciate this style; I sometimes get annoyed at the big ‘gasp’ moment of reveal that isn’t really a surprise at all.  That wasn’t how Scarlet was done!

Finally, I just have to say that I loved the way Scarlet ended (despite it lacking a certain scene...*ahem*!).  I love that it doesn’t just tie up everything all neatly; Scarlet has some loose ends, but in the best possible way.  This book is entirely about the power of hope, and the ending allows us to go on with the hope and knowledge that Scarlet, Robin, and the band will have many more adventures to come.  Fantastic!  I’m sure that Scarlet wasn’t perfect, but it was pretty perfect for me, and I highly recommend it to you.

Likelihood that I'll be back for more: Yes!  I loved this retelling so much, I want to give A.C. Gaughen a big ol’ hug.  She created a new and unique spin on a well-known and oft retold tale, that is totally legit!  I love the history and reasoning she included in her author’s note, and the fact that this book contained a primer for those of us wanting to read more Robin Hood?  LOVE IT.  Totally on board with this author.

Recommended for:  Fans of books like Tamora Pierce’s Allana, Scott Westerfeld’s Leviathan (Scarlet reminded me quite a bit of Deryn at times--I think it’s the way they talk!), and Lev A.C. Rosen’s All Men of Genius.  Again, we’re talking strong female protagonists who are willing to go against society to be themselves and follow their dreams.

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Review: Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers

Title: Grave Mercy [Amazon|GoodReads]
Author: R.L. LaFevers [Website|Twitter|Facebook]
Standing: First in a new series, His Fair Assassin, though it seems they will be more like companion novels, so yay!
Genre: Young Adult, Historical, Fantasy
Published: April 3rd, 2012 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Format: Kindle edition.
Source: ARC from publisher via NetGalley.
Challenge: YA/MG Fantasy Challenge

I can dodge a blow or block a knife.  I am impervious to poison and know a dozen ways to escape a chokehold or garrote wire.  But kindness?  I do not know how to defend against that.

Ismae is forced into an arranged marriage to a man who terrifies her, by another who is just as bad.  When her new husband sees the scar marking her as a daughter of Death, he beats her savagely, and locks her away.  She is rescued by those who would send her to the convent of St. Mortain, filled with women who serve as the handmaidens of Death.  There she is trained in all manner of assassination tactics before being released on her first assignments to test her for full initiation into the convent.  These tests lead her on an assignment to the high court, where she must ferret out traitors and protect the young Duchess.  She is supposed to watch one man in particular, but soon Ismae doesn’t know who she can or cannot trust, including herself.

You know those books that fill you up and leave you positively giddy and excited about life?  Well, this may sound odd, but that for me was a book about this female assassin who is the daughter of Death.  Morbid much?  Well, maybe a little, but in this case I don’t think so.  Grave Mercy was a beautifully rendered historical fiction with touches of fantasy, mythology, and a slow burning romance that will have any girl holding her breath.  I was hooked in from the first paragraph, where we learn that Ismae bears a scar from her mother’s attempt to abort her as a fetus; the fact that she survived indicated that she was the daughter of Death himself.  

The story takes place in Brittany, which is now the upper NW corner of France, but at the time was its own country sitting uncomfortably between England and France.  LaFevers creates a haunting and wonderful mythology where the country’s nine gods have been transposed into saints under the Christian church (as the Christian church was wont to do).  Ismae escapes a desperate and cruel life under the abusive men that raised her and bought her as wife, to study under the tutelage of the sisters of St. Mortain’s convent.  The convent trains its members as assassins, as they are all offspring of their saint, Death himself.  Literally. Like Megan Whalen Turner's The Queen's Thief series, or Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar, the gods are very present and important in a more direct way that we often see. As full initiates of St. Mortain, these women work as his handmaidens, dolling out vengeance to those who put Brittany in danger.  

Dudes, can I even express how awesome Ismae and her sisters in Death are?!  Apparently not without reverting into surfer lingo.  If you love strong women who don’t take no crap from no man, Grave Mercy is for you!  Ismae and the other girls all have horrors in their pasts that have led them to the convent.  At St. Mortain’s, they are offered a chance at a new life, one where they will be the wolves that prey.  They are trained in skills of weapons, combat, poisons, and seduction.  They have a seeress that forsees those who have been marqued for death.  To them, their work is not murder, it is a sacrament to their god and father.  Ismae has her own unique talents given by her father; she can see maques indicating when and how a man will die, and she is immune to poison.  Ismae gratefully accepts a place at the convent, looking forward to proving herself and casting vengeance on men, who in her experience are only cruel and untrustworthy.  

And then there’s Duval.  Duval!  Prepare for the slow-burn romance of the year because man oh man.  It’s a good thing corsets weren’t around yet, or there’d be lots of swooning going on up in here.  Duval is unwillingly saddled with Ismae, each have their own agendas and countless reasons not to trust one another.  And they don’t.  Not only is this a romance that takes hundreds of pages to unfold, it develops from the very depths of mistrust.  Personally, I loved Duval instantly.  It was clear by the relationships he had with his friends, and the fierce dedication and support he showed for his half-sister and country, that he was a wonderful man.  And he would have to be to earn any leeway from Ismae, who has only known men as dangerous, conniving, treacherous, and cruel.  Duval never pushes Ismae, or asks her to be anything but who she is, and I love it.

I will say that this is one of those books that I’m torn about seeing the ‘YA’ label on.  Yes, this is great for YA readers, but at the same time I am sad at the amount of adults who will not read this series because of it.  The characters and situations, to me, make this a very adult book, so I’m hoping there will be plenty who give it a shot!  I am so excited to see this series continue, largely because I believe it will be set up in a companion novel sort of fashion.  The second book will be about another of the girls at the convent, Sybella, and so I am hopping the third will be about their friend Annith.  I love series that do this, and though I adored Duval and Ismae, I am happy they won’t be the focus of Dark Triumph.  Of course, that doesn’t mean I’ll get all huffy if they were to make an appearance!

Likelihood that I'll be back for more:  I’ve already considered stalking and/or bribes to get my hands on Dark Triumph asap.  Not only that, but I can see myself rereading Grave Mercy in the future, such was my love for it!   

Recommended for:  Anyone whose favorite SoIaF character is Arya, or I suppose fans of strong women who persevere through tough times in general.  This is a fantastic historical fiction, even for those who prefer theirs fantasy free--all of the politics are very true to life, and it would be a strong book even without the mythological elements (though I loved the mythological elements!).  

Real life repercussions of reading this book:  I learned something very important about reading historical fiction!  If you aren’t familiar with the history don’t go read about it before you finish the book.  Total spoilers.  If you’re interested, I read some history of Brittany on Wikipedia, and the author also has a lovely post on the specific era here.  Do read it, but after.

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Top Ten Tuesday: Spring Reads

Top Ten Tuesday is a weakly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  They love lists as much as I do, so it's only fair to tip my hat.

Ah spring...I'm not going to lie to you, I don't like it.  It's my least favorite season.  In fact, March is my least favorite month of the year.  I get allergies, it rains a lot (and I hate cold rain), it's just generally crappy.  Sooooo, as a result my top books of my spring to-read list have nothing to do with the season.  I might pick winter reads, or summer reads, but my spring reads remain these books that I'm just plain excited to get to.  So with no futher ado, here are the top 10 books I'm most excited to read this spring (clicky for GoodReads):

10) Witch's Brew - Heidi R. Kling: I picked up this book a while ago, but haven't gotten to it yet.  It seems kind choose your own adventury, and I'm excited to check it out.

9) How to Flirt With a Naked Werewolf - Molly Harper: Dipping my toes into adult paranormal romance.  I'm wary, but I hear Molly Harper is really snarky and funny, so I'm excited.

8) Howl's Moving Castle - Diana Wynne Jones: I've wanted to read this one for ages, and for some reason never have.  I'm making a point of it this spring.

7) The Iron Knight - Julia Kagawa: Okay, so, I still have only read the first in this series, but I am really looking forward to getting through the rest of it before summer!

6) Railsea - China Mieville: Futuristic Moby Dick retelling with railways and giant moles?  Um...yes please!

5) Magic Strikes - Ilona Andrews: I've read and enjoyed the first two installments of Kate Daniels's story, and everyone says Magic Strikes is where it gets really good, so of course I'm excited to go there!

4) Shadows on the Moon - Zoe Marriot: I'm really excited for this Cinderella retelling with a Japanese twist.  Though I will say this is a case of US cover sucking while the UK cover is gorgeous.

3) A Conspiracy of Kings - Megan Whalen Turner: I've loved the first three parts of this series, and have been putting off reading the fourth one with the knowledge that it'll be a looooong time before there's a new one.

2) Scarlet - A.C. Gaughen:  One of my most anticipated reads of the year!  I finally picked up a copy last week, and am positively giddy about finally reading it.

1) Code Name Verity - Elizabeth Wein: I have heard nothing but wonderful, beautiful, next-to-perfect things about this book, and I am so ready to carve out some time to finally read it.  I also like the UK cover of this one better, but I like the US cover as well.

Review: The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder

Title: The Probability of Miracles [Amazon|GoodReads]
Author: Wendy Wunder[Website|Twitter|Facebook]
Standing: Stand alone novel.
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Magical Realism
Published: December 8th, 2011 by Razorbill
Format: Hardcover; 357 pages.  
Source: Borrowed from my local library.
Challenge: Completely Contemp Challenge.

Cam is running out of time, and running out of options.  She’s spent the past seven years in and out of hospitals, undergoing treatments and tests, and finally the medical world has declared there’s nothing more to be done.  Her mother refuses to believe this and begins pushing Cam to try all sorts of treatments--herbs, acupuncture, and most ridiculous of all, moving to Promise, Maine.  Promise is apparently known for miracles, so Cam, her mom, and her sister Perry pack up and head out, hoping for a miracle of their own.  Perry and their mother seem to see the miraculous in all things, whereas Cam can only see the coincidence.  Though maybe, it’s the coincidences that matter.  With one summer to complete her flamingo list, Cam learns to reach out, love, and live with Promise and hope.

This book took its sweet time worming its way into my heart.  In the beginning, I found myself as cynical as Cam, though not identifying with her.  She annoyed me a bit at times, as she’s fairly judgey, and while I am equally judgey, it’s not about the same things and thus I judged her.  Does that even make sense?  Meh.  Cam has closed off her heart to possibilities and hope, knowing that she has a finite amount of time left to live.  As the town of Promise and its inhabitants slowly pried open Cam’s cynical heart and infused her with life, The Probability of Miracles did the same for me.  I was so resistant to this book, I’m not sure why, but it completely won me over by the end and left me feeling oddly comforted.

I loved the multicultural aspects of this book, and found they made Cam more accessible.  Her family is an array of culture; her mother is Italian, her father was Somoan, her little sister’s father was Norwegian, and her mother’s boyfriend is Japanese.  At one point Asher (yes, of course there’s a boy *wink*) comments that Cam doesn’t live her culture, she performs it, and I found this to be one of the most beautiful sentiments of the book.  It seems incredibly cheesy but fitting that Cam and her sister essentially grew up at Disney World.  How sweet is that?  Can you imagine?  Childhood me is fuming with jealousy.  Adult me still hates Florida and thinks it is a 90’s time-warp, but still...  

Physically, Cam describes herself as ‘cancerexic’ and speaks negatively towards super skinny body types.  I know, some girls can’t help being skinny, but some starve themselves to be that way and I love seeing a positive image towards feeding oneself!  She was formerly heavier, and now keeps her hair cut short ignoring stereotypes that come with her chosen style.  Finally, Cam’s relationships with the other women in her family, her mother, her grandma, and her sister are enviable and strong whether she knows it or not, and the connections she makes in Promise show her to have a warm and welcoming heart she thought she’d closed long ago.

What initially seemed like it was going to be the next screenplay for a Hallmark Movie Channel special (okay, yes, I do watch a lot of those at Christmas and enjoy them), turned out to be a deeply moving book that blurred the lines between optimism and cynicism.  It’s about having something be about something other than a sickness when that sickness is all you have, and that is everything.

Likelihood that I'll be back for more:  This was a lovely debut, and I would certainly read more from Wendy Wunder...preferably if it’s not about cancer.

Recommended for:  Cynics, optimists, hula dancers.  You can read the first 5 chapters of The Probability of Miracles here!

Real life repercussions of reading this book: Riptide Rush really is the best flavor of Gatorade!  Gotta get me some of that...

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In My Mailbox (10)

In my mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren in which you share the books you added to your collection in the past week.

Hi friends!  So this week you get a rare real picture from me as I got LOTS of physical stuff.  This is pretty unusual for me as the bulk of my reading is done digitally these days.  Here's what I got, clicky for GoodReads:

From the library:

Dark and Stormy Knights - Edited by P.N. Elrod: I picked this up because it contains Ilona Andrews's short Kate Daniels story, A Questionable Client.  I've already read it, and don't really plan to read the rest of the stories in the collection.  If you've read any of them that I shouldn't skip, let me know!

How to Flirt With a Naked Werewolf - Molly Harper: So I've never done paranormal romance for adults, but Molly Harper was highly recommended by Melissa Marr, and I read what that woman recommends like it's my job.  Molly Harper's more famous Nice Girls series is about a children's librarian who's a vampire, and while that's hard to resist, I'm much more of a werewolf kinda girl.  Plus I think the cover's adorable and it looks like she either has a bra made of hair or a hairy chest...

Howl's Moving Castle - Diana Wynne Jones: This is one of those books I've always wanted to read, but just hadn't bothered to yet.  Well, now's the time!  I love this paperback cover.  Totally cute and fun, and reminds me of a non-scary Baba Yaga's house.

Scarlet - A.C. Gaughen: Ahhhh!!!  I cannot describe to you my reaction when I saw this one FINALLY came in for me.  This was one of my most anticipated reads on 2012, and I cannot wait to read it.  If only I didn't have obligations like book club books to get through before next weekend.  Ugh!

From Erica (The Book Cellar):

Sooo...I was lucky enough to win the January prize pack for Erica's MG/YA Fantasy challenge!  I finally got the package this week (not complaining at all, poor Erica just forgot to take prize books with her back to school after Christmas), and it's full of goodies!  I got...

Everlasting - Angie Frazier:  I honestly don't know much about this book other than that I adore the cover and it makes me think of Tuck Everlasting, which is enough reason to read anything if you ask me.

Cinder (ARC) - Marissa Meyer: I've already read (and loved) Cinder, but I borrowed my finished copy from the library, so it'll be nice to have this around for a re-read before Scarlet next year! 

Swag: A chapter sampler for The Wood Queen by Karen Mahoney.  A completely awesome Witch Eyes bookmark signed by Scott Tracy, bookmarks for Forgive My Fins, Breath of Angel, Sirenz, The Iron Queen (my favorite after Witch Eyes), and Sweet Venom/a Sweet Venom sticker.  I've never really been good at using actual bookmarks (I used to use gum wrappers, now I use library receipts), let's see if that changes.

For review from NetGalley:

Of course I did get some digital titles this week, here's what...

Railsea - China Mieville: You guys!  I am so excited for this book, and I don't know why everyone else doesn't seem to be.  China Mieville is one of the biggest names in sci fi/fantasy in the past few years with books like The City and The City and Kraken.  He's been on my TBR forever (well, I did read The Tain in college), but now that he's coming out with a book 'for all ages' (aka it's YA but they don't want to say 'YA') I just have to pick it up!  Railsea is a futuristic retelling of Moby Dick, where I'm pretty sure they go around on railways that are everywhere and hunt a giant white mole.  Sounds awesome to me.

Unspoken - Sarah Rees Brennan: This is one I expect to see on a lot of IMM lists this week.  Who isn't excited to read Sarah Rees Brennan's new series, especially with the gorgeous modern Gothic cover?

Seraphina - Rachel Hartman: So I honestly wasn't going to pick this one up (despite the amazing wood carving cover), but then my buddy Alyssa read it and raved about it to me, so I knew I had to check it out.

Thank you Del Ray and Random House!

So that's my haul this week...surprising considering as of Wednesday I was thinking of not doing an IMM post because I'd only received one book!  Please ignore my carpet that needs vacuuming.  Also fair warning, this week will be one of those weeks where I gush about books I loved like Grave Mercy, There Is No Dog, and The King of Attolia.  I swear I'm not becoming one of those reviewers that has only good things to say about every book, that's just how the dice fell this time!  Please stop by, and let me know what you got in your mailbox this week.

Review: The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner

Title: The Queen of Attolia [Amazon|GoodReads]
Author: Megan Whalen Turner [Website]
Standing: Second book in the Queen’s Thief series.
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Published: January 1st, 2000 by Eos
Format: Paperback; 362 pages.  
Source: Borrowed from my local library.
Spoilers!: This review contains some spoilers for The Thief, so go read that first.  Seriously.  Go read it.

The Queen of Attolia has been fuming, harboring a slowly building hatred for a thief who not only succeeded in stealing Hamiathe’s Gift from her lands, but has been taunting her within her own palace for months.  She knows he has been spying for his queen, he could pass unnoticed, but instead Eugenides chooses to leave her evidence informing of his presence.  Attolia has finally found a way to capture Eugenides, and when she does, he will be at her mercy.  Little does she consider the consequences of her judgement upon the thief...

I sometimes find it easier to write reviews for books that I hated, or just liked, than those that I’ve loved.  With those books that I fall absolutely head over heals for, I’m afraid that I could not possibly formulate words that would do my feelings about the book justice.  Hence, my reviews for this series may be somewhat shallow or short, but it’s not because I don’t have strong feelings for this books, it’s because I love them too much.

I really feel that I have grown up with Eugenides after reading the short story, Thief!, and the first in the series, The Thief.  Megan Whalen Turner has a unique talent for writing for the age of her characters perfectly, and it has been lovely to see the development of Eugenides as a 10 year old scallywag to a young man.  The Queen of Attolia is far more complex than The Thief in a way that enriches the story and draws one in even further than before.  While The Thief highlighted the mythology of the old gods, The Queen of Attolia focuses on the current political situation.  It is unfortunately rare that an author is able to convey the intricacies of complex politics without either info-dumping or causing intense boredom.  Turner does this beautifully, presenting the situation naturally.  I adore stories where you get to see all sides of a conflict, understand that there is no true ‘bad guy’, and see the strategic motivations of all involved.

Of course, the character of Eugenides, as well as the other characters in the cast, gain much more depth in this second book.  I love Eddis, she reminds me so much of Mercedes Lackey’s Selenay that I just want to hug her and be best friends forever.  Eugenides balks against all stereotypes of thieves created by other works--he doesn’t come from a broken home, he’s not riff-raff or street trash, he is nobility in his own right and holds a very respected position among his countrymen.  Unlike The Thief, which was told entirely from Eugenides’s point of view, The Queen of Attolia offers us an array of perspectives, including that of (surprise!) the Queen of Attolia, who must deal with the consequences of Eugenides’s capture and punishment while balancing the snakes lurking within her own court.

Alas, much like The Thief I am reticent to say too much about the story lest I give anything away, but I'm sure that at some point I will need to make a stand alone post meant specifically for those who have read the books!

Likelihood that I'll be back for more:  Like anything could stop me.  I hear The King of Attolia is the best in the series, and I cannot wait.

Recommended for:  Um...everyone?  I think if I were going to buy this series for any one person, I’d give it to my childhood best friend, Raegan.  I know she’d love it.

Real life repercussions of reading this book: I love that MWT distinguishes between grins and smiles.  I had never thought about this subtlety before, but it’s certainly changed the way I view facial expressions!

Review: Song of the Red Cloak by Chantel Acevedo

Title: Song of the Red Cloak [Amazon|GoodReads]
Author: Chantel Acevedo [Website|Twitter]
Standing: Stand alone novel?
Genre: Young Adult, Historical, Fantasy
Published: July 26th, 2011 by CreateSpace
Format: Kindle edition.  
Source: Purchased.

A prophecy has been told of one prince's betrayal of another, of a slave uprising and the destruction of Sparta, of love and death.  The time has come to pass that these prophesies may be fulfilled.

Galen and Nikolas have grown up the best of friends, much to the concern of most of Sparta; Nikolas is a prince, destined to be king, while Galen is a helot--a slave--destined only to serve.  Galen dreams of freedom, of being a true Spartan and wearing a red cloak, but he knows this will not happen, so he will help Nikolas to achieve his.  While assisting Nikolas in a cruel coming-of-age ritual, Galen and Nikolas have a run in with Zoi, a mysterious young woman with unusual powers.  Galen, however, begins to suspect that Zoi has her part to play in the prophecies he learns from Karinna, Sparta’s beautiful new sybil.  

So, like many out there, I tend to shy away from self-published books, at least until I hear good words from others.  Chantel Acevedo is a real life friend of an author I love, Rachel Hawkins, and she had such kind words to say about Chantel and her book that I just had to give it a shot.  Chantel Acevedo is a total sweetheart, and I was excited to read a book that began as a NaNoWriMo book to see what someone could achieve from this event.  I am so happy to say that not only were there no noticeable typos, Song of the Red Cloak offered a compelling story of friendship, love, and BADASS SPARTANS.

Song of the Red Cloak was an excellent historical fiction, with some awesomely creative fantasy elements drawn both from Grecian myth and Acevedo’s own creation.  I loved all of the elements of Spartan society that were discussed, especially the details about the women.  I’ll say it right now, if I ever have to be part of a past society, I’ll take Sparta please (just not as a helot).  They get to go to school, get trained to fight, can speak their minds, and are pretty much awesome:

When foreigners asked why Spartan women were the only females in all of Greece allowed to speak their minds, the answer was always the same:  because Spartan women gave birth to real men.

Yeah, I know, it’s one of those cliche Spartan phrases, but it’s always in Spartan stuff BECAUSE IT’S AWESOME.  Song of the Red Cloak did not include the other Spartan phrase, “Come back with your shield or on it.” so we’ll let it roll.  I will say though, that one of the things that bothered me a bit about the book in the first half was feeling a bit like I was getting a history lesson.  This is somewhat necessary to make sure readers understand terminology, but occasionally it felt like facts were thrown in because they were cool facts more than because they were necessary.  Another aspect that bothered me were a couple of inconsistencies in descriptors.  For example, near the beginning, Nikolas surprised Galan by coming up behind him, but about three pages later when describing Nikolas, it is said that he could never sneak up on anyone.  My only other issue was the time-line.  While the pacing of the story was good, things seemed to come to a head very quickly, in a matter of days events took place which to me would have made more sense over a matter of weeks.

Song of the Red Cloak addresses the age old and tragic issue of prophecy.  As so often with prophecies, they are open to interpretation, misinterpreted, or people attempt to avoid them.  This, as always, works toward the detriment of those involved.  We see this story through the eyes of Galen, a slave who both respects and hates Spartans.  I very much enjoyed the focus on a male protagonist, and a story where there was just as much (if not more) emphasis on the value of his friendship with Nikolas as there is on his relationships with Zoi and Karinna.  All in all, I very much enjoyed the world depicted by Acevedo, which was both historically accurate and wonderfully creative.  

Likelihood that I'll be back for more:  I’ll totally check out whatever Chantel Acevedo writes next!  I admire her for self-publishing, and think she’s got some great stories up in that head.  Song of the Red Cloak was stand alone, but it seemed very open for the continuation of this story. She also has another book out, Love and Ghost Letters, which won the International Latino Book Award.

Recommended for:  Fans of Ancient Greece (Sparta in particular), people looking for a focus on friendship, strong women--because Sparta had em’ and some hot dudes too.

Real life repercussions of reading this book:  Well...my boyfriend had to sit through 300 with me.  Yeah, guys like 300, but they probably don’t like watching it with their girlfriend literally drooling at all the eye candy.  Also Spartans make me want to eat large amounts of next-to-raw meat and punch things.  And kick people down pits.