Book Review : Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten

Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten

Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Point; 1 edition (February 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 054506631X
• ISBN-13: 978-0545066310

Nina was beautiful, artistic, wild . . . and adored by her younger sister, Ellie. But one day, without any warning, Nina disappeared.

Two years later, Ellie can't stop thinking about her sister. Although everyone else has given up hope that Nina will return, Ellie just knows her sister is out there, somewhere. If only Ellie had a clue where to look.

And then she gets one, in the form of a mysterious drawing tucked into the pages of a book. Determined to find her sister, Ellie takes off on a crazy, sexy, cross-country road trip with the only person who believes she's got a chance -- her hot, adventurous new crush.

Along the way, Ellie finds a few things she wasn't planning on. Like love. Mysteries. Lies. And something far more shocking...the truth.

*The book contains interior black-and-white illustrations, since the sister's drawings play a crucial role in the story*

I don't like being so critical when I'm writing a review, but this book just doesn't make any sense. Ellie's sister Nina went missing two years ago, but she never accept the fact that her sister may not be coming home anymore. One day she obtained a random drawing that was clearly Nina's, and she went looking for her. She arrived at a place called Mothership and got to know a stranger. Well, a strikingly handsome stranger, that is. Not long afterwards, she went with this stranger to look for her missing sister. They found clues along the way which lead them to another place, and so on.

The whole story took place in only 5 days. And in less than 5 days time, Ellie had went on a journey with stranger "Sean" to look for her sister, had sex with him in a drunken state, and not to mention falling in love with him. I mean, what is this? I think this is just terrible, and Ellie's rash actions made her to appear immature and childish. When Nina first went missing, her mom didn't seem to care much about her daughter's disappearance. She just acted as if nothing has happened.

I don't like the writer's way of writing. Take a look at the birthday song:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOOO YOUUUU
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR BELLYYYYYYYYY
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUUUUUU

I mean, what's up with all the extra O's, U's and Y's?

The ending is slightly better than the rest of the book, but still, it is not convincing. I need more explanation and there is not enough of that. I feel bored while reading this book, and sometimes I just wanted to stop reading right there. It wasn't as mysterious or intriguing as it sounds, and the plot is too unrealistic. I don't feel any connection with the main character Ellie, and I just can't convince myself to care about her efforts of finding her sister. Sorry, but this book is not my cup of tea. The book cover and the illustrations in the book are beautiful, though.

Rating:

Notes: Wherever Nina Lies has some kissing scenes, sexual contents, violence and profanity. I won't recommend this book, but if you want to read it, make sure you can handle all the negative elements present it this book. This book is oriented towards older teenagers aged 16 and above.

Available on Barnes & Noble / Alibris / IndieBound / The Book Depository

Book Review : The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams

The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams

Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; 1 edition (May 12, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312555113
• ISBN-13: 978-0312555115

Thirteen-year-old Kyra has grown up in an isolated community without questioning the fact that her father has three wives and she has twenty brothers and sisters. That is, without questioning them much - if you don't count her secret visits to the Mobile Library on Wheels to read forbidden books, or her meetings with Joshua, the boy she hopes to choose for herself instead of having a man chosen for her. But when the Prophet decrees that she must marry her sixty-year-old uncle - who already has six wives - Kyra must make a desperate choice in the face of violence and her own fears of losing her family forever.

This book is simply amazing! I've not read a book with such a plausible, realistic storyline and gripping characters for quite some time. The Chosen One tells the story of a 13-year-old girl who lives in an isolated place where the community practices polygamy. Kyra's love for books other than the Bible makes her feel sinful as the Prophet Childs says that those are the words of the devil.

When the prophet proclaims that he has a vision from God, Kyra's life is about to change drastically, and her fate is sealed once and for all, because she has been "chosen" to marry her 60-year-old uncle, and to become his seventh wife in less than a month.

Being a strong-willed and determined young girl, Kyra resists this marriage and thinks about the possibilities of getting a taste of freedom by trying to escape. Will she succeed in escaping the religious cult that has been controlling her ever since she was born?

Kyra is a wonderful character and I really admire her courage and willpower. She is the perfect protagonist for The Chosen One. She has to make a difficult choice : to stay with her family and wed her abusive uncle, or pursue freedom with the possibility of facing a death sentence.

This book brings up a few social issues which are worthy to be discussed about. First of all, there is this personal freedom issue. Doesn't everyone deserves the freedom of choosing whom to marry and how they should live their lives? It is extremely unfair for the girls in Kyra's community to be coerced to marry old men and become "baby-making machines". Any girl who tries to defy a marriage instructed by the Prophet will be mercilessly beaten up or killed with a rifle gun.

Each of us know that religions are meant to teach us to be good and virtuous. However, in this story, Prophet Childs uses his authority and social rank to rule over The Chosen Ones. He feeds himself with power by making others' lives hard in God's name. He always ends every word of his own by saying, " This is God's will."

Another thing is, the people in the community has little knowledge of what is happening around them as Prophet Childs has already banned all kinds of reading materials except the Bible. I believe this enables the prophet to remain in control of the whole society effortlessly and maintain his holiness. How can one who seeks power, money and fame by exploiting God's name be a prophet?

Kyra's heartbreaking account made me sad, angry and sympathetic at the same time. I cried for her tragic experiences and personal loss. My heart was literary in my throat when Kyra is hunted down by the God Squad. I'm in awe by her extraordinary valor and inner strength.

In a few words, The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams is a remarkable, thought-provoking and gripping novel. No one should ever miss this book.

Rating:

My deepest gratitude to Kathryn from Simon & Schuster UK for sending me a paperback copy of The Chosen One for this review! Thank you, Kathryn!

Carol Lynch Williams grew up in Florida but now lives in Utah with her husband and seven children. She has an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults, and helped develop the conference on Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers at Brigham Young University.

Buy The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams (paperback) at:
Simon & Schuster UK :: The Book Depository