The Sparkle Project

“Sister Mischief”

Author: Laura Goode

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Pages: 350.

Synopsis (taken from GoodReads): A gay suburban hip-hopper freaks out her Christian high school - and falls in love - in this righteously funny and totally tender YA debut, for real.

Listen up: You’re about to get rocked by the fiercest, baddest all-girl hip-hop crew in the Twin Cities - or at least in the wealthy, white, Bible-thumping suburb of Holyhill, Minnesota. Our heroine, Esme Rockett (aka MC Ferocious) is a Jewish lesbian lyricist. In her crew, Esme’s got her BFFs Marcy (aka DJ SheStorm, the butchest straight girl in town) and Tess (aka The ConTessa, the pretty, popular powerhouse of a vocalist). But Esme’s feelings for her co-MC, Rowie (MC Rohini), a beautiful, brilliant, beguiling desi chick, are bound to get complicated. And before they know it, the queer hip-hop revolution Esme and her girls have exploded in Holyhill is on the line. Exciting new talent Laura Goode lays down a snappy, provocative, and heartfelt novel about discovering the rhythm of your own truth.

Cover impressions: I’m really not a hip-hop fan and, despite the prospect of a quirky, funny and diverse LGBT love story, I was hesitant to read “Sister Mischief” because of worries over cultural appropriation and such. However, by the end of this book, I was ready to apologise to it for ever doubting how good it would be. This review may not be the most objective thing I’ve ever written. Sometimes a book comes along that you completely fall in love with, even though you know it’s not perfect and you know not everyone will have the same wild feelings towards it as you do but you’re ready to cheerlead for it until everyone stands up and takes notice. I liked this book so much that it’s turned me into a cheesy mess!

First and foremost, it’s a book about identity and individuality. Esme’s a white, Jewish by birth but non-practicing teenager who loves to rap and is coming to terms with her sexuality while living in a Christian conservative town. She and her friends could so easily have slipped into caricature mode, especially with their frequent use of hip-hop speak and slang (which may annoy the hell out of many readers), but Goode fills them with such humour and depth that they’re never anything less than complete characters. It’s so refreshing to read a YA where the group of friends are so close and loving, not just in theory but in practice. There’s been a long period of YAs ruled by loners and outsiders who have a small group of friends they rarely interact with, much less act like real friends with. Throughout their tough times, fights, conversations and laughs, you never for one moment doubt Esme’s love for her friends and vice versa. At first glance they mat fit broad moulds – the butch one, the confident one, the meek Christian girl, the geeky and insecure Indian girl – but they evolve into so much more, busting stereotypes and questioning the identities they’ve been slapped with. They’re young, they do stupid things, they drink and take drugs and have sex, but they’re also smart enough to take responsibility for their actions and grasp the bigger picture, often in a very funny and touching way. They also kick arse!

The hip-hop element was handled with real skill and humour. The girls question their right as Caucasians and Asians (this book also gets huge props for his multi-cultural society which and highlighting the issues of being different in a predominantly SWASP environment – the extra S is for straight, as added by Esme) to appropriate hip-hop and also ask a lot of interesting questions about culture, identity and stereotypes. If I must be a little objective, at points this does feel a little forced, as if Goode is using the girls as mouthpieces, but for the large part, it’s handled well and explored multiple issues without turning it into a preach-fest. Esme frequently notes down lyrics throughout the book, often left as footnotes, along with texts and tweets, using her music as a way to express herself and sort out who she really is.

The relationship between Esme and Rowie was sweet, often beautiful and never simple. It felt real, as did the different ways both girls reacted to their burgeoning sexualities. Esme, the daughter of an extremely liberal single dad to whom she is very close (her dad was one of my favourite supporting characters, but I also loved that all four girls had parental interactions) takes it in her stride for the most part while Rowie is much more reserved, wanting to hide her secret from the world for fear of disappointing her more traditional father, who she believes is already disappointed in her because of her Americanised attitude. Their relationship effects not only them but their friends and family, which we see unfold over the few months the book takes place. It’s a time of change – the book is set around the time Barack Obama was elected President – and this profound moment in time reflects the girls’ struggles. It’s realistic, it’s relatable and, like most teen loves, it’s awkwardly beautiful.

I was, however, disappointed by the portrayal of the main female antagonist. I understand that Goode wanted to set up a contrast to Tess to show the differing attitudes of Christians in teen America – Tess is more relaxed and willing to ask more questions while remaining dedicated to her faith while the antagonist is stricter – but she just came across as a nasty cardboard cut-out. I really wanted to see the community’s wider reaction to the growing LGBT movement in the school, not just from this one token bitchy girl. While we do get an insight into the school’s political workings, it feels insubstantial and disappointing, especially since the rest of the book is so inquisitive and full of colours and ideas, not just black and white. That’s what stops this book from being close to perfect in my eyes.

I loved “Sister Mischief.” I know a lot of people will hate the hip-hop element and there are times where it came close to grating on me, but there was so much love in this book and it was brimming with ideas and questions, I couldn’t help but love it. It’s a book about so many things – love, growing up, discovery, identity, feminism, religion, culture, friendship, school, lies, heartbreak, music, change – and I found it to be nothing less than a delight. It’s not for everyone, it’s not perfect, but I’d still highly recommend it to all. There aren’t many books out there so jam packed with as much creativity, diversity and heart as “Sister Mischief.”

5/5.

"Sister Mischief" will be released in USA on July 12th. I received my e-ARC from NetGalley.com.

“Shine”

Author: Lauren Myracle.

Publisher:Amulet Books.

Pages: 376.

Synopsis (taken from Myracle’s website): When her best guy friend falls victim to a vicious hate crime, sixteen-year-old Cat sets out to discover who in her small town did it. Richly atmospheric, this daring mystery mines the secrets of a tightly knit Southern community and examines the strength of will it takes to go against everyone you know in the name of justice.

Against a backdrop of poverty, clannishness, drugs, and intolerance, Myracle has crafted a harrowing coming-of-age tale couched in a deeply intelligent mystery. Smart, fearless, and compassionate, this is an unforgettable work from a beloved author.

Cover impressions: Before this, I had never read a Lauren Myracle book yet I had always had a level of respect for her based upon her currently being the most banned or challenge author in USA. Her books are challenged for most of the usual reasons YA and kids books are challenged; unsuited to age group, drug references, explicit sexuality, bad language, all that good stuff. With all this in mind, I was eager to see how she handled the topic of gay hate crimes with her latest book, due to be released in May this year. Following my last reading choice, which wasn’t so thrilling, I was looking for something to lift my YA spirits, which “Shine” did, completely exceeding even my wildest expectations.

From the first page, where a newspaper cutting details the horrific crime against Patrick, I was gripped by the story. Myracle has this wonderful talent for saying so much but using so few words. Even when dealing with difficult topics that could easily fall into ham-fisted soap opera territory (homophobia, small town bigotry, meth, sexual assault), Myracle manages to tackle them with sensitivity and make them feel real. The people of Black Creek use language as their main weapon, be it through church gossip or the horrible slurs thrown around casually at different characters (there is frequent use of the ‘f’ word in this book, along with several other similar slurs, but it never feels exploitative or like it’s downplaying their effect. You feel every single one of those insults and they hurt, because words like that exist for a reason and can be very powerful weapons.) The group of small town regulars that make up the story manage to stay on the right side of characterisation – it’s so easy to fall into clichés when talking about small town America, or small town anywhere, so huge credit goes to Myracle for keeping things realistic, gritty and often very ugly.

The general atmosphere created by the book is one of stifling suspicion. Black Creek is a town where everybody knows everything but somehow there still manages to be a myriad of secrets just boiling below the surface. It’s a town where ugliness is just hidden away, occasionally slipping through via a misjudged comment, a shameful confession or something worse. Myracle really nails the dread that Cat feels constantly throughout the story; she’s not even safe in her own town and doesn’t know if she can really trust anyone. Cat is a fascinating and extremely sympathetic character who I think a lot of people will be able to relate but she’s also one that keeps fighting, even when she thought she couldn’t go any further. Watching her story slowly unfold was as interesting to me as the mystery she was trying to solve. The mystery at the heart of “Shine”, that of the identity of Patrick’s attacker, is finely crafted and often very surprising.

The thing about this book that’s really stuck with me is how real it feels. It’s not cartoonish, it never exaggerates or plays down events or reactions, it just presents things are they are. Sometimes nothing else needs to be said. It’s often heartbreaking to read scenes where Patrick’s sexuality is casually described as evil (with much worse language than I care to use), even by the people he calls his friends. It’s portrayal of bigotry is simple, relatable and all too real; it’s something that we see every day, be it through reading of deplorable acts of violence or just a simple word carelessly dropped into conversation. Often no real ill is meant with the latter but we’ve become so conditioned to shrug off the ugly and pretend it’s not there that often it blends in with everyday life and we do forget it’s a bad thing. Once we stop pointing out wrongs and calling out the bad words and actions and bigotry, they become somewhat acceptable for everyone to use. Myracle does a great job, by saying so little, of telling the world that such things are not, never were and will never be acceptable.

Of course the book isn’t perfect, nothing ever is (there are a couple bits where the plotting is loose and Cat finding some strength through a guy felt clichéd and a bit forced, but in the instance of her character, I just couldn’t begrudge her any happiness) but I was so gripped, moved and entertained by this book that I can put them aside. I think “Shine” is a book that deserves a heap of attention. It discusses several important issues for teens yet never talks down to them and weaves them through a well crafted, gripping mystery populated with complex characters and a portrayal of small town life and bigotry that’s all too real. The sad thing is I think this book’s going to cement Myracle’s position on the ALA Banned/Challenged author list for another year. I implore you all to check out this book and, if the time comes, to fight against those who want to ignore the obvious.

5/5.

“Shine” will be released in USA in May 2011. I received my ARC from NetGalley.

“The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian”

Author: Sherman Alexie.

Publisher: Andersen Press.

Pages: 230.

Summary (taken from Fantastic Fiction): In his first book for young adults, bestselling author Sherman Alexie tells the story
of Junior, a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future into his own hands, Junior leaves his troubled school on the rez to attend an all-white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot. Heartbreaking, funny, and beautifully
written, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which is based on the author's own experiences, coupled with poignant drawings by acclaimed artist Ellen Forney, that reflect the character's art, chronicles the contemporary adolescence of one Native American boy as he attempts to break away from the life he was destined to live.

Cover impressions: My copy of the book comes with a glowing quote from Neil Gaiman that declares “I have no doubt that in a year or so it’ll be winning awards and being banned.” Now that Banned Book Week is upon us and the brain melting mess that was “Speak-Gate” has highlighted just how big a problem book banning is, I thought there was no better time to review this book than now, especially since this book was also recently removed from a school library not too far from the district where rape apparently equals soft core pornography.

Junior, a.k.a. Arnold Spirit, is in many ways a typical teenage boy. He’s often foul mouthed, thinks about masturbation quite a lot, often bottles up his feelings and has a wicked yet frequently bleakly dark sense of humour that reflects his situation. Regularly mocked and bullied by the rest of the ‘rez’ because of his disabilities (he was born with water on the brain, much like Alexie himself – the book is evidently semi-autobiographical), Junior’s struggle for identity and independence is something I think is universally relatable. His witty and relatable narration tackles some pretty hard hitting topics, like alcoholism, poverty, racism, bullying and the struggles still faced by the Native American community to this day. I give major credit to Alexie for his skill in describing the heart breaking conditions and circumstances that surround Junior in his everyday life and not once making the story feel over wrought or full of drama for the sake of drama. It’s genuinely heart wrenching stuff to read the scenes where Junior talks about being poor. The equally witty and hilarious illustrations, provided by Ellen Forney, work hand in hand with the rest of the novel to show Junior’s thoughts and feelings in ways he has difficulty expressing aloud.

The book is often challenged for its strong language and sexual imagery but it feels natural to the voice of a frustrated teenage boy. It’s a very personal book that doesn’t shy away from Junior’s difficulties as he tries to balance being the outcast in the reservation, who sees him as a traitor for wanting to leave, with being the outcast in his new all white school. While it’s a deeply personal story, the supporting cast is full of interesting characters, such as Junior’s first new friend at high school Gordy, possibly the biggest geek ever created. While the book is a quick read at 230 pages and some of the storylines just seem to fade away into the distance as the book ends, that’s just a small fault and in no way spoils the book. I can understand why cowardly censor loving book banners would want to remove this book from libraries – it’s a powerful book that has more guts than half the stuff currently on the shelves. It’s an unforgettable book that tackles subjects a lot of people would rather forget about and it’s a perfect example of why I love YA.

5/5.

Remember to buy, read or borrow as many banned books as possible. Nothing scares a coward more than knowledge! Here's the American Library Association's page on Banned Book Week.