Comments on: Roundup: Vaguely Paranormal http://blogs.slj.com/printzblog/2012/12/12/roundup-vaguely-paranormal/ by Karyn Silverman and Sarah Couri Sun, 16 Jun 2013 16:01:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Mark Flowers http://blogs.slj.com/printzblog/2012/12/12/roundup-vaguely-paranormal/#comment-11937 Mark Flowers Sun, 30 Dec 2012 21:06:19 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/printzblog/?p=1828#comment-11937 I just got finished listening to MONSTROUS BEAUTY (I read the ARC many months ago) and wanted to chime in. I have many many thoughts (mostly - I love it!) but I'll focus on Karyn's criticisms of the Hester plotline, which I think are misplaced. I think how you feel about Hester v. -Syrenka is largely a matter of taste. In fact, as much as I loved the 1872-3 plotline, I found myself wanting to get back to Hester. A couple of thoughts here: first, Hester is in some senses the detective in a mystery novel, which I think accounts for some of the lack of intensity that Karyn mentions. But really, I think that Hester is very well characterized--the historical buff, the library nerd, the complete obliviousness to the advances of Peter--oh wait, maybe I'm just describing myself in high school ;). But that's kind of the point -- she was immediately recognizable to me and I know many other teens like her. Also, I completely disagree about Peter--I found him incredibly charming and a perfect foil to the seriousness and intensity of the rest of the novel. After all, *he* doesn't know that he's in a paranormal romance - he thinks he *is* in a romcom. And as such, he's perfect, and has some really great lines. Finally I didn't notice this the first time I read the book because I didn't know how much mystery was left to reveal, but the weight of the novel really shifts from Syrenka to Hester right around half way, which is also the point at which we start to get a lot more of Hester. Things start happening, she discovers the ghosts, and there's some action (in the form of Eleanor and the storm) by the end. I found this shift to be very well done (such that I didn't notice it the first time) so that by the end I was more heavily invested in Hester lifting the curse than finding out more about Syrenka. I just got finished listening to MONSTROUS BEAUTY (I read the ARC many months ago) and wanted to chime in. I have many many thoughts (mostly – I love it!) but I’ll focus on Karyn’s criticisms of the Hester plotline, which I think are misplaced. I think how you feel about Hester v. -Syrenka is largely a matter of taste. In fact, as much as I loved the 1872-3 plotline, I found myself wanting to get back to Hester. A couple of thoughts here: first, Hester is in some senses the detective in a mystery novel, which I think accounts for some of the lack of intensity that Karyn mentions. But really, I think that Hester is very well characterized–the historical buff, the library nerd, the complete obliviousness to the advances of Peter–oh wait, maybe I’m just describing myself in high school ;) . But that’s kind of the point — she was immediately recognizable to me and I know many other teens like her.

Also, I completely disagree about Peter–I found him incredibly charming and a perfect foil to the seriousness and intensity of the rest of the novel. After all, *he* doesn’t know that he’s in a paranormal romance – he thinks he *is* in a romcom. And as such, he’s perfect, and has some really great lines.

Finally I didn’t notice this the first time I read the book because I didn’t know how much mystery was left to reveal, but the weight of the novel really shifts from Syrenka to Hester right around half way, which is also the point at which we start to get a lot more of Hester. Things start happening, she discovers the ghosts, and there’s some action (in the form of Eleanor and the storm) by the end. I found this shift to be very well done (such that I didn’t notice it the first time) so that by the end I was more heavily invested in Hester lifting the curse than finding out more about Syrenka.

]]> By: Mary Hoskinson-Dean http://blogs.slj.com/printzblog/2012/12/12/roundup-vaguely-paranormal/#comment-11396 Mary Hoskinson-Dean Thu, 13 Dec 2012 20:15:05 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/printzblog/?p=1828#comment-11396 I wholeheartedly support a series award, particularly since the YA publishing world is trilogy-happy these days. And consider the wider cultural context: this year's Booker Prize was awarded to the second book in a series. (The first one won, too.) And by far the best work on film is done in long-form TV drama. So it's time to look at the bigger picture (so to speak). I wholeheartedly support a series award, particularly since the YA publishing world is trilogy-happy these days. And consider the wider cultural context: this year’s Booker Prize was awarded to the second book in a series. (The first one won, too.) And by far the best work on film is done in long-form TV drama. So it’s time to look at the bigger picture (so to speak).

]]> By: Maureen E http://blogs.slj.com/printzblog/2012/12/12/roundup-vaguely-paranormal/#comment-11391 Maureen E Thu, 13 Dec 2012 16:59:58 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/printzblog/?p=1828#comment-11391 Much as I love Unspoken--and I really, really do, being a huge SRB fan in general--I do agree that it probably is a little too on the commercial side for the Printz. I do love the way it plays with tropes of both the fantasy and mystery/Gothic genres and both honors and subverts them though. Much as I love Unspoken–and I really, really do, being a huge SRB fan in general–I do agree that it probably is a little too on the commercial side for the Printz. I do love the way it plays with tropes of both the fantasy and mystery/Gothic genres and both honors and subverts them though.

]]> By: Blythe http://blogs.slj.com/printzblog/2012/12/12/roundup-vaguely-paranormal/#comment-11369 Blythe Wed, 12 Dec 2012 18:20:10 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/printzblog/?p=1828#comment-11369 Monstrous Beauty. I love it. I love it because it subverts the genre in purely wonderful, intelligent ways. I love it because it managed to genuinely creep me out more than once. I love it because the language is there—which makes it satisfying on both the system and sentence level. Monstrous Beauty. I love it. I love it because it subverts the genre in purely wonderful, intelligent ways. I love it because it managed to genuinely creep me out more than once. I love it because the language is there—which makes it satisfying on both the system and sentence level.

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