Repossessed by A. M. Jenkins

• Title: Repossessed
• Author: A. M. Jenkins
• Publisher: HarperTeen
• Year Published: 2008
• ISBN: 0060835702
• List Price: $16.99
• Page Count: 240
• Age Range: 13+
• Genre: paranormal fiction
• Award(s): Printz Honor Book; more here.

Author information: A. M. Jenkins is (and this surprised me) a woman! Her first career was as a high school math teacher until she quit to write full time. She has now written many YA titles. Her blog is updated a few times per month and includes details about her daily life, updates on her writing projects, and general thoughts and musings that she wants to share with her fans. The blog can be scattered, as the author says it helps her to talk through her ideas when working on a project and she likes to put all of her thoughts down on her blog to help her process them. Another YA author, Cynthia Smith, interviewed Jenkins on her blog about a few of her books, including Repossessed. In the interview, she says that the idea for the novel came to her quickly, but the challenge was making the demon’s experience interesting enough that readers would want to learn more and continue reading the book. She also says that creating the voice for Kiriel was easy because it is very similar to her own, natural voice. This interview also asked Jenkins what advice she would give her younger writer self (none–she wouldn’t have listened) and what upcoming projects she was working on at the time.

Reviews: Both Kirkus and Publisher’s Weekly gave this novel positive reviews. Both publications mentioned that Kiriel’s voice was funny and heartwarming and that his childlike sense of wonder at the world makes this book an enjoyable read. Kirkus comments that “Kiriel’s own search for meaning and direction from his own realm in this new life packs an intriguingly deep wallop” and Publisher’s Weekly echoes this sentiment by suggesting that Kiriel’s crisis of faith will mirror teenagers’ own uncertainties. Both reviews agree that this book will resonate with teens and they will be eager to read this novel.

Readers annotation: What would happen if a demon decided to take a vacation from Hell and live as a teenage boy instead?

Summary: Kiriel has spent centuries as a demon of hell, helping to torture the souls who have be damned for eternity. The problem is that after eons of the same work, Hell can become pretty boring. He decides he needs a vacation, so he possesses the body of a teenager named Shaun who is about to die after stepping into oncoming traffic while not paying attention. Because Kiriel is determined to experience everything he can before he is dragged back to Hell and punished for his actions, he makes significant changes in Shaun’s life regarding how he treats his family, his schoolwork, and his social relationships. Kiriel-as-Shaun begins being nicer to his brother and spending more time with him, tries to seduce Lane, a girl from school, so that he can experience sex, and stands up to the school bully, Reed, in an attempt to save him centuries in Hell for his mean behavior. During the course of his “vacation”, Kiriel learns a lot about himself and the beauty of human nature.

Evaluation: The strength of this novel lies in the narrative voice. Kiriel is a very sypathetic demon–his explanations for why he wants to leave Hell in the first place are logical and hilarious, his wonderment at even the most mudane things in life is endearing, and his decisions to help others, even when those decisions are motivated in part by selfishness, make him a relatable character and one that the reader is rooting for. Jenkins uses the premise of the novel to her advantage, finding the absurd in our everyday ations and highlighting them through the eyes of somebody who has never experienced them before, such as Kiriel’s attempts to seduce his classmate Lane. This novel also does a good job making Kiriel’s character development a gradual affair; he begins the story completely self-absorbed and by the end he understands the beauty of human relationships and connecting to another person. The weakness of the novel is that it often felt didactic and heavy handed. The morals that Jenkins was trying to demonstrate were obvious and at times it felt like she was hitting the reader over the head with humankind’s need to be kind to one another and develop meaningful connections. This could have been portrayed more subtley and to greater effect. In spite of this flaw, the book still remains entertaining and accessible while prompting the reader to think about his or her own life and appreciate the small things in the world.

Rating and appeal factors:

• Quality: 3/5  The premise of this novel is clever and well-executed, the writing is witty and the narrative voice strong, and Kiriel is a sympathetic character. However, the moral is too obvious and the path the writer took to get to that moral was predicable and slow at times.
• Popularity: 4/5  This is a great pick for reluctant readers. As mentioned above, the premise of this novel is unusual and will attract a wide range of readers, and Kiriel’s voice is a perfect blend of snarky and sincere for a teenage audience. Teenagers will enjoy Kiriel’s exploration of the world (especially in the realm of sexuality) and will be encouraged to examine their own lives based on the way the characters in the novel treat each other and themselves.
• Appeal factors: demons, supernatural beings, relationship building, examination of the world with fresh eyes.

Read-alikes: 

1.  Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman is a natural recommendation for those readers who liked this novel. Although the stakes are higher in Good Omens, as the fate of the world is at stake rather than just the life and happiness of one demon and one teenage boy, both novels showcase supernatural creatures (demons and angels) interacting with the human world, and both use humor and sarcasm in order to do so.
   
2. Readers who enjoyed reading about a demon in the human world may also like Piers Anthony’s Incarnations of Immortality series. This series of five books imagines that Death, Fate, Time, War, and Nature are roles that are taken on by humans and held for centuries, and these are responsible for all of the major events that occur on earth. As with Repossessed, these incarnations often have to interact with humans and must deal with the consquences of this such as falling in love and developing relationships.

Book talk ideas: The premise of this novel is a huge draw to the book, so start by telling readers to imagine that a demon from Hell is bored and wants to experience human life, so he takes over the body of a teenage boy. Explain the difficulties that this could present to the demon and ask them to imagine what it would be like to experience  little things that are taken for granted, such as eating breakfast, for the first time. This book also has a strong narrative voice and might benefit from reading an exerpt from the first chapter so that potential readers can get an understanding of how Kiriel talks and the type of humor that is employed throughout the novel.

Discussion questions/ideas:

• “Knowing doesn’t hold a candle to doing.” Do you agree or disagree with this statement?
• In what ways did having Kiriel narrate the story enhance the novel? How would a third person narration be different?
• Did you think the ending was satisfying? Did you think the ending was appropriate?

Reason for reading: I’m a sucker for paranormal fiction, and as soon as I read the synopsis for this book I wanted to check it out. I don’t know if it met my expectations, as I’ve read many good novels that have demons, gods, or other supernatural beings in them that gave the subject more thoughtful treatment, but I did find the book interesting. I believe this would be a great title to recommend to reluctant readers, due to its short page count, its sarcastic and funny narrative voice, and its supernatural subject matter.

Postcards from No Man’s Land by Aiden Chambers

• Title: Postcards from No Man’s Land
• Author: Aiden Chambers
• Publisher: The Bodley Head (UK)
• Year Published: 1999
• ISBN: 0142401455
  
• List Price: $8.99 (PB)
• Page Count: 336
• Age Range: 13+
• Genre: historical fiction
• Award(s): Printz Award Winner; Carnegie Medal Winner

Author information: Aiden Chambers is a British author who has written more than a dozen books for youth.  In 2002, he won the Hans Christian Andersen Award for his “lasting contribution to children’s literature”. His website contains an extensive personal biography, FAQs, links to all of his books, short stories, plays, and critical analyses. It also includes current news about the author and his books, such as release dates and the launch of his new iPad app, Tablet Tales.

Reviews: The Horn Book, Kirkus Reviews, Publisher’s Weekly, and Booklist all gave this title starred reviews. All of these reviews (which can be found on Chambers’ website), applaud Postcards for its mature themes and nuanced writing. All of these reviews also discussed the complexity of Jacob’s character and how his struggles and self-discovery can provoke the reader to examine his own life and what he believes to be true about the world. Booklist says that “Chambers weaves together past and present with enough plot, characters, and ideas for several YA books, but he does it with such mastery that all the pieces finally come together, imparting compelling discoveries about love, courage, family, and sexual identity”.

Readers annotation: Jacob discovers more than he bargained for when he travels to Amsterdam to learn about his grandfather’s life and death during WWII.

Summary: Jacob is a seventeen year old who travels to the Netherlands to attend a commemoration ceremony for his grandfather who died during World War II as well as to meet the woman who cared for him after he was injured in the war. He arrives and feels out of place, but with the kindness of the strangers he meets and gets to know, he begins to fall in love with Amsterdam and discover more about who he is in the process. Interspersed with Jacob’s story is a narrative in the voice of Geertrui, Jacob’s grandfather’s protector and later lover. She cares for Jacob the elder and nurses him back to health after a leg wound, and, at great risk to herself and her family, hides Jacob from the Germans who would take him prisoner or kill him if he were discovered. Geertrui and Jacob’s relationship evolves over the months they know each other, and they fall in love. Jacob impregnates Geertrui, but dies of a heart attack without knowing this fact. Jacob the younger is confronted with all of this information in the form of a written account that Geertrui gives to him a few days before she ends her life with euthanasia. Jacob the younger has to grapple with the implications of this confession and how it changes his identity and his family history.

Evaluation: Although this book has been critically acclaimed, it did not resonate with me at all. The characters were flat and unsympathetic; Geertrui speaks only of her love for Jacob, who she only knew for a few months, and spends little time letting the reader get to know her as a character outside of this relationship. Jacob may be even less substantial. He mopes around Amsterdam, having philosophical conversations with every stranger he meets and functions far too much like a cerebral placeholder than a real person that a reader could sympathize with. The plot, as well, seems as if it is trying to tackle too many subjects at once:  World War II and relationships during wartime, illegitimate children and families, LGBT themes, and euthanasia among others. These stretched the plot too thin and the reader is left feeling unsatisfied with some of the pat resolutions that occur, such as Jacob the elder’s convenient yet non-violent death and Jacob the younger’s first sexual experience upon which the novel ends. If the characters were well-formed and compelling, these plot sequences could be overlooked, but by the end of the novel I simply did not care about what happened in the world Chambers had built. The one redeeming feature of this novel is the fact that it looked at difficult subject matter and presented interesting philosophical and moral questions for the reader to consider, often discussed at length among the characters. These thematic ideas seem to be the driving force behind the novel, but the plot and characters could not carry their weight.

Rating and appeal factors:

• Quality: 4/5  Although I personally was not impressed with this novel, based on the abundance of positive reviews it seems that I am in a minority. Areas of the novel which I felt were weaknesses–flimsy characterization, overwrought plot devices, limp dialogue–were hailed as the major triumphs of the novel, which causes me to give this title a higher score than I would subjectively choose.
• Popularity: 2/5  The description and presentation of the book do it no favors when it comes to attracting readers; the cover and back copy make the novel sound dry and cerebral. Some readers who do choose to start this novel may easily be put off by the meandering plot and pedantic philosophizing of the characters. However, readers who enjoy grappling with a variety of complex ideas and themes may find this book to be a perfect fit.
• Appeal factors: philosophical and moral questions, coming-of-age, World War II, dual narrative perspectives, LGBT.

Read-alikes: The strength of this book is in its ideas and themes, so start the book talk by listing some of these concepts–honesty, identity, memory, love–and ask readers to talk about what comes to mind when hearing these words. Perhaps read a passage from the book on one of these subjects, such as Geertrui’s reflection on the nature of confession. Sell this book as a thought-provoking journey of self-discovery that explores a variety of mature themes.

1. For readers who were intrigued by a young man revisiting his grandfather’s past Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer is a beautiful and satisfying read. Jonathan, the main character, goes on a journey to discover more about his grandfather’s life during the war, and discovers secrets about his family, his past, and himself that will remind readers of Postcards. 

Book talk ideas: Because this novel has strong and complex ideas, a good way to start would be to choose one of them and have potential readers discuss their feelings. One example could be adultery during war–have teens talk about their feelings about right or wrong or the complexities a situation such as this may present. Afterwards, give a brief summary of the book and the type of thematic ideas that discussed within, and challenge the teens to read the book and see if it changes their initial feelings. Other topics could include euthanasia, the importance of honesty, or self-discovery.

Discussion questions/ideas:

1. “He thought: How difficult it is to explain yourself to yourself. Sometimes there only is, and no knowing.”  What does this quote mean to you?
2. Do you think Jacob’s grandfather was as wonderful and Geertrui and Sarah both say? In what way does tragedy shape our memories and rewrite the past? If Jacob had lived, he would have left one woman devastated and one child fatherless–how would this change his legacy and what do you think he would have chosen to do?
3. How important is it to know the truth? If you were in Jacob’s position at the end of the novel, what would you tell Sarah?

Reason for reading: I read this novel because, when searching for read alikes for Code Name Verity, this novel showed up as a near match. Because I enjoyed Verity so much, I read a summary of Postcards to see if it would interest me. The description made the novel sound very much like Everything is Illuminated, which is one of my favorite books, so I was sold. I don’t regret reading it even though I didn’t enjoy it, but this is not the type of book I would recommend to any but the most serious and cerebral of readers.

Additional relevant information: Aiden Chambers was a novice in the Anglican church and had planned to be a monk. His life reached a crossroads when he realized he could not be both a monk and an author, and his desire to write took precedence over his waning faith.

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

• Title: Code Name Verity
• Author: Elizabeth Wein
• Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
• Year Published: 2012
• ISBN: 1423152883
• List Price: $16.99
• Page Count: 352
• Age Range: 13+
• Genre: historical fiction
• Award(s): Printz Honor Book, Boston Globe/Horn Book Awards Honor Book, Golden Kite Award Honor Book, Shortlisted for the 2013 CILIP Carnegie Award

Author information: Wein has written many books for young adults, but until Code Name Verity, her YA books were set in Arthurian England. Her website can be found here, and it includes biographical information, tour and appearance dates, bibliographic information, and a link to her blog that talks about her work and her daily life. Huffington Post conducted an interview with Wein in which she discusses her process of writing Code Name Verity, books that have inspired her work, and upcoming projects.

Reviews: Code Name Verity is one of only six books in 2012 that received starred reviews from all six major publications for youth (The Horn Book, Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, and the Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books), Kirkus called it “unforgettable and wrenching”, and all the reviews highlighted the strong narrative voice and the compelling, twisting plot that keeps readers engaged.

Readers annotation: A plane crashes over Nazi-occupied Germany. Two best friends are inside. Can they survive?

Summary: “Verity” (real name Julie) is an Allied spy who is captured by Nazis when her plane crashes in Germany. Her Nazi captors force her to write her story to reveal important military secrets, so she writes about her past, from meeting and befriending a female pilot named Maddie, to the events that led her to the Nazis. Interwoven with this story of the past is the story of what is happening to her as a prisoner of the Nazis, who threaten and torture her. The second half of the novel is told by Julie’s best friend Maddie, who was also with her in the plane when it crashed. Maddie tries to save Julie from prison, and it is quickly revealed that much of Julie’s written confession in the first half of the novel is full of lies to trick the Nazis. Maddie’s attempts at rescue take a torturous turn at the end of the novel when, in order to spare Julie from further torture, she honors her request for death by shooting her.

Evaluation: From the first sentence of this book (“I am a coward.”), I was hooked. The narrative voice of the first half of the novel is believable and sympathetic, alternating between raw confessions of Julie’s personal failings, tortured confessions of military secrets, and musings on her life before the war. The complexity of Julie’s character only deepens in the second half of the novel when the reader realizes that most of what she said was untrue. Readers will find themselves invested in Julie and Maddie as if they were real people, not just characters in a novel. The historical detail enriches the novel and makes the setting come alive, and the themes explored in the book linger long after it has reached its conclusion.

Rating and appeal factors:

• Quality: 5/5 The plotline is compelling and the narrative voice is stunning. Both Julie and Maddie are fully realized characters who the reader will fall in love with, and the prose will make readers want to pick this book up and reread it many times.
• Popularity: 4/5  It pains me to give this anything less than the 5 I feel it so rightly deserves, but as much as it will captivate any reader who picks it up, it may not appeal to some male readers due to the fact that both protagonists are female.
• Appeal factors: Dual narrators, blurred lines between truth and lies and hero and villain, and girls flying planes and just generally being bada$$ are all strong draws that make this a book you don’t want to put down.

Read-alikes: 

1. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak would be a good fit for readers who enjoyed the WWII setting and the unique narrative perspective. The Book Thief, narrated by Death, follows a complex female character that may appeal to readers who loved Maddie and Julie.
2.  Readers who want another title that deals with the horrors of war as well as the theme of honesty and lies may like Patricia McCormick’s Never Fall Down. This novel is based on a true story and looks at the Cambodian genocide, so could be a good recommendation for readers with a more serious bent.

Book talk ideas: It’s very hard to improve upon the copy written on the cover of this book (see reason for reading section below), so lead with that. Emphasize the themes of friendship, sacrifice, and truth, and what those might mean in a context where human life is on the line.  Potentially include an excerpt (maybe of Julie’s list of things she’s afraid of) to give potential readers an idea of the narrative voice and draw them in.

Discussion questions/ideas:

• “I have told the truth.” How much of Julie’s story do you believe? Maddie’s?
• How did the shift between narrators enhance the book? How would it have been different if the story had only been told by one of the girls?
• Is Anna Engel a hero or a villain? Somewhere in between?
• Were you satisfied with the way the book ended?

Reason for reading: I really enjoy reading about World War II, whether in a fiction or non-fiction capacity. I think the entire range of the human experience can be found in WWII, from the greatest stories of triumph to depictions of the basest, cruelest parts of human nature. Because I’ve read quite a bit in this genre, I was very interested in the perspective this book offered–two young, female protagonists who took an active role in the war against Germany. Plus, it’s difficult to turn away from a book with jacket copy like this: Oct. 11th, 1943-A British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France. Its pilot and passenger are best friends. One of the girls has a chance at survival. The other has lost the game before it’s barely begun.

Additional relevant information: Wein has her pilot’s license, which is one reason why Maddie’s experience is so believable. Wein is following Code Name Verity with the recently released Rose Under Fire, which is also about a female flyer in WWII. She is captured by Nazis and sent to a concentration camp. The character of Maddie is revisited in this novel, and the book received positive reviews.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

• Title: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
• Author: Benjamin Alire Saenz
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
• Year Published: 2012
• ISBN: 1442408928
• List Price: $17.99
• Page Count: 368
• Age Range: 13+
• Genre: realistic fiction, LGBT literature, romance
• Award(s): Stonewall Book Award; Printz Honor; Pura Belpre Author Award; see entire list here.

Author information: Benjamin Alire Saenz is a poet, novelist, and anthologist who has written books for children, teenagers, and adults. A short biography of the author can be found on Simon & Schuster’s website. School Library Journal interviewed Saenz last year about his inspiration for Aristotle and Dante, how his experiences helped shape the story, and his current projects. The interview is available here. 

Reviews: Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, and Kirkus all gave this book starred reviews. All three reviews mention Saenz’s masterful storytelling and narrative skill, and they all agree that the relationships within the novel are explored with honesty and compassion. PW calls the book “a tender, honest exploration of identity and sexuality, and a passionate reminder that love—whether romantic or familial—should be open, free, and without shame”.

Readers annotation: Aristotle and Dante don’t have much in common, but when they become best friends, they realize how similar they really are.

Summary: Aristotle and Dante are both loners—Dante is a gay, unflaggingly optimistic know-it-all who loves philosophy and isn’t afraid to cry, and Aristotle is an angry and self-deprecating boy who will (literally) throw himself in front of a moving vehicle to protect the people he loves. Aristotle and Dante improbably become best friends one summer and discuss books, growing up Mexican-American, and their hopes and fears. Ari spends time with Dante’s family, who have a “no-secrets” rule which contrasts sharply with the unspoken secrets in his own home–his older brother is in prison, and his father is haunted by his experiences in the Vietnam war. When Ari’s family moves to Chicago, Dante tells Ari that he loves him, which forces Ari to question whether his feelings for Dante go beyond friendship. When Dante is beaten up and hospitalized for being gay, Ari can no longer deny that he is in love with Dante.

Evaluation: This novel is very tenderly written and has a compelling narrative voice that teenagers, gay or straight, will relate to. The story does a good job exploring the intricacies of friendship as well as dealing with self-hate and anger, and the happy ending sends a positive message that things really do get better. The relationship between Ari and his parents is also a strength of the novel; Saenz does a great job of depicting a loving parent-child relationship that is also flawed and plagued by secrets. The richness of the prose and the dialogue will keep readers riveted and make this novel a page-turner in spite of the fact that it is slower paced than other YA titles.

Rating and appeal factors:

• Quality: 5/5  The writing in this novel is gripping and beautiful, and elevates the story to a higher level. The plot examines what it is like to be different, both culturally and because of your sexual preference, but these examinations avoid being trite or preachy and they feel authentic. Saenz crafts a believable friendship and romance between these two characters, and the tension in the novel builds naturally to a satisfying conclusion.
• Popularity: 4/5  Saenz’s prose will captivate readers and the relationship between Aristotle and Dante is realistic and thoughtfully portrayed. Readers who are uncomfortable with homosexuality may find the content of this book objectionable, but open-minded and unprejudiced readers will enjoy seeing Dante and Ari’s relationship unfold. Readers who picked up the novel believing it would be a story about friendship may be disappointed if they don’t enjoy romance novels.
• Appeal factors: LGBT interest, strong narrative voice, coming-of-age novels, Mexican-American perspective, lyrical writing.

Read-alikes: 

1. David Levithan’s books could be a good fit for readers interested in LGBT themes. His works, including Boy Meets Boy and his collaborative novel with John Green, Will Grayson, Will Grayson highlight romantic relationships between gay teens and questions of identity and acceptance.
2. Readers who enjoyed Aristotle and Dante  because of the unique narrative perspective may enjoy The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. This novel is told by a Native American teen who struggles with his identity and growing up outside of the societal norm.

Book talk ideas: Talk about Dante and Aristotle both being outcasts and not having a lot of friends, and how meeting each others helps them both realize new things about themselves and the world around them. Also focus on the strong relationships between characters in the book–Dante and Ari, Ari and his parents, Dante and his parents. Another important thing to mention would be the LGBT themes and the struggles that Dante especially faces in terms of bullying and violence. To make this talk interactive, ask potential readers if they’ve ever been victims of bullying, or mention that this novel is set in the 1980s and ask if they think Dante would be subjected to the same treatment today.

Discussion questions/ideas:

• Ari and Dante seem like polar opposites. Why do they become friends? What traits attract them to the other, and are they really as different as they initially seem?
• Why do Ari’s parents refuse to talk about Bernardo? How does this impact Ari’s relationship with them?
• Although Ari and Dante are both the main characters of the novel, the book is told from Ari’s perspective. Why do you think the author made this choice?

Reason for reading: Although there’s an old adage warning us against judging a book by its cover, I have to say that the cover is what initially attracted my attention and made me pick this book up. The summary of the book did not reveal the fact that this was in many ways a love story–I thought it would be about two boys and their friendship and coming of age. I appreciated that I didn’t know this information when I started reading the book, because I felt like I came to the realization with Dante, making for a more immersive reading experience. I also wanted to read this book because the protagonists were Mexican-American, which I felt would be an interesting perspective and one that I’m not familiar with.

Additional relevant information: In the School Library Journal interview mentioned above, Saenz says that it was an honor to receive the Stonewall Book Award, the Pura Belpre Award, and the Printz Honor, because he feels like he belongs to all three of those communities and felt validated by recognition from each of them. He also discusses his choice to include supportive adults in this novel as well as philosophizes on the importance of father/son relationships, a theme he explores in another of his YA titles, He Forgot to Say Goodbye.

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing by M. T. Anderson

• Title: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing: Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party
• Author: M. T. Anderson
• Publisher: Candlewick Press
• Year Published: 2008
• ISBN: 0763636797
• List Price: $11.99 (paperback)
• Page Count: 384
• Age Range: 13+ yrs
• Genre: historical fiction
• Award(s): Printz Honor Book; National Book Award Winner; School Library Journal’s Best Book of the Year; Gustavus Myers Center for the Study of Bigotry and Human Rights Outstanding Book Award Honorable Mention; complete list available here.

Author information: M. T. Anderson has written many books for young adults and children, notably the Octavian Nothing saga and the stand-alone novel, Feed. His website can be found here, but it is slow to load due to heavy visuals. On his site, readers can find a biography of the author, a list of his titles, links to lectures and interviews Anderson has given, a link to his blog, and a list of upcoming author events.

Reviews: Booklist and School Library Journal both gave this novel a starred review, citing its powerful themes of freedom and struggle as well as its use of historical facts to give the readers a clear picture of the time and place in which the book occurs. Both reviews mention that it can be challenging and take some time to acclimate to the novel’s storytelling format, but they did not think this detracted from the overall strength of the novel. These reviews, as well as excerpts from others, can be found on Amazon.com.

Readers annotation: How far is Octavian Nothing willing to go to get his freedom?

Summary: To Octavian Nothing, it’s normal to weigh his feces every day, live in a home where people answer to numbers rather than names, and receive a classical education in the arts and sciences. But after his mother is almost raped, his life changes with the discovery that he’s a slave and an experiment to see if Africans and Caucasians are of the same species. This realization leads Octavian to question his identity and future. Under the harsh ownership of Mr. Sharpe, Octavian is tormented and forced to work until his owners host a pox party that changes his life again. His mother dies and he attempts escape, which takes him into the heart of the American Revolution.

Evaluation: Written in a colonial style and from multiple perspectives, this novel looks at America’s early and often ugly history through the eyes of a young slave. Although the style can be challenging, readers who are willing to make the effort will become absorbed in Octavian’s world, which Anderson expertly crafts by blending historical fiction and speculative fiction in an innovative way.  Readers can relate to Octavian, despite the differences in time period and circumstances, because fundamentally he is just a teenager who is trying to discover his place in the world and cope with the loss of his innocence. The book does leave many unanswered questions, which could potentially frustrate readers who do not want to invest in a sequel, but those who find Octavian’s story compelling will be eager to read the next book. Ultimately, Octavian forces readers to examine their preconceptions of the world and explore the themes of injustice, loyalty, and freedom.

Rating and appeal factors:

• Quality: 5/5  This novel is wonderfully executed and the use of a variety of formats, such as a first person narrative as well as letters from secondary characters gives the book an authenticity and truly places it in the per-Revolutionary War era. Anderson also does a masterful job of blending different genres in this novel to create something fresh and compelling.
• Popularity: 2/5  The technical strength of this book–its historically accurate voice–is also the main deterrent for readers. Many teenagers will not be willing to put in the effort required to adapt to the language and will end up putting it down before the storyline has a chance to grab them.
• Appeal factors: The character of Octavian Nothing is sympathetic and easy to relate to, even in spite of the differences between his character and modern readers. This book will also appeal to lovers of historical fiction, fans of Anderson’s other works, and readers looking for a book with strong African-American characters.

Read-alikes: 

1. The Monstrumologist by Richard Yancey could be a good fit for readers who enjoyed Octavian Nothing. Both books rely on period language to create a believable and immersive setting, and both books depict the darker side of scientific experimentation.
2. Those who want to read more about the slavery experience during the Revolutionary War would enjoy Laurie Halse Anderson’s Chains. Although this book is intended for a slightly younger audience than Octavian Nothing, it examines similar themes of sacrifice, freedom, and courage.

Book talk ideas: “At long last, you may no longer distinguish what binds you from what is you.” Imagine being the subject of a experiment meant to prove that you and people like you are inferior. Imagine having the only life you’ve ever known taken away from you, and imagine that in order to survive, you have to run. An option to make this book talk interactive would be to ask teens to define concepts such as “injustice” or “courage”.

Discussion questions/ideas:

• Why do you think Anderson uses a variety of formats to tell this story? What is the impact of the pages that are almost entirely scratched out after the death of his mother?
• Is evil black and white in this novel?
• What struggles do you think Octavian would face today?

Reason for reading: When I was an undergraduate student, I took a class about children’s literature and read M.T. Anderson’s Feed. I really enjoyed that novel and have been meaning to read more of his work, and this class was the perfect opportunity. I also wanted to choose a novel that had a non-white protagonist, because I feel like many award-winners, intentionally or not, feature white characters and I wanted to have an award-winner under my belt so that I could hopefully recommend it to readers in the future.

Additional relevant information: This book is the first of two following the life of Octavian Nothing. The second, The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves, also won a Printz Honor.