Search
Search results
Ain't I A Woman
Book
A classic work of feminist scholarship, Ain't I a Woman has become a must-read for all those...
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated How Wendy Redbird Dancing Survived the Dark Ages of Nought in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
When I came across this book on Goodreads, there was something about the blurb that made me want to read it, so when I got asked if I'd like to review it, I said yes instantly. While the first half of the book was a bit hit and miss, the second half really became interesting!
The title is a bit of a mouthful although interesting. I had a hard time remembering what the book was called due to the long name. Eventually, I memorized it, but I would still double check just to make sure I was right.
The cover might be a bit plain, but I think it suits this book perfectly! After the terrible incident that happens to Wendy, she kind of goes inside herself. I think this cover definitely captures that.
What bothered me a bit with the world building was I just felt like the school Wendy attended was racism central. I know that racism is a huge problem is some places, but it just felt a bit over the top in the beginning of the book. Luckily, about a third of the book in, the over the top racism thing stops, and the world building becomes more believable.
The pacing is fairly slow to begin with. However, about a little before halfway in, the pacing speeds up, and it quickly held my attention for the rest of the book. In fact, I couldn't put the book done after that! So if you start off a bit bored with the book, please do continue reading or you'll out miss out on a really good story.
The plot is interesting enough. It deals with racism, being an outcast, sexual abuse, and an emotionally distant mother as well as some other issues. I thought it was an original idea to use Michael Jackson as a teen girl's saint. I love the references to some artists of old.
The characters were written really well. Wendy, aside from her obsession with the king of pop, is just your average teenage girl. Her goal is to see Michael Jackson in concert in London. Wendy is definitely easy to relate to. Shaye comes across as being very cool and charismatic. He's instantly likable. I felt bad that I had ever liked him though after what he did to Wendy. My favorite character was Tanay though. I loved her attitude as well as her sass. She's super funny, yet she's a friend who's got your back. I think teenage girls will have an easy time relating to Wendy and/or Tanay.
The dialogue, for the most part, runs smoothly. However, at the beginning of the book, it does feel a little bit forced especially when it focuses on racism a little too heavily, at least I thought so. Some may get offended with the racism being used, but I didn't feel like the book itself was racist. I just felt that there was too much focus on how segregated Wendy's school is and how much racism (against all colors) there is in that school. Other than that, everything is smooth sailing. The character interactions feel normal, and the dialogue goes well with what a teen book should read like. There is some cussing in this book as well as some sexual situations, so I wouldn't recommend this book to younger teens.
Overall, How Wendy Redbird Dancing Survived the Dark Ages of Nought is a very intriguing book. The issues it deals with are issues that have plagued teens as well as adults for awhile. Hawks does a fantastic job of writing about this issues.
I'd recommend this book to those aged 16+ who want to read something a little more realistic than normal fiction with characters of whom are easy to relate to.
I'd give How Wendy Redbird Dancing Survived the Dark Ages of Nought by Lyn Fairchild Hawks a 3.75 out of 5.
(I received a free paperback of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review).
When I came across this book on Goodreads, there was something about the blurb that made me want to read it, so when I got asked if I'd like to review it, I said yes instantly. While the first half of the book was a bit hit and miss, the second half really became interesting!
The title is a bit of a mouthful although interesting. I had a hard time remembering what the book was called due to the long name. Eventually, I memorized it, but I would still double check just to make sure I was right.
The cover might be a bit plain, but I think it suits this book perfectly! After the terrible incident that happens to Wendy, she kind of goes inside herself. I think this cover definitely captures that.
What bothered me a bit with the world building was I just felt like the school Wendy attended was racism central. I know that racism is a huge problem is some places, but it just felt a bit over the top in the beginning of the book. Luckily, about a third of the book in, the over the top racism thing stops, and the world building becomes more believable.
The pacing is fairly slow to begin with. However, about a little before halfway in, the pacing speeds up, and it quickly held my attention for the rest of the book. In fact, I couldn't put the book done after that! So if you start off a bit bored with the book, please do continue reading or you'll out miss out on a really good story.
The plot is interesting enough. It deals with racism, being an outcast, sexual abuse, and an emotionally distant mother as well as some other issues. I thought it was an original idea to use Michael Jackson as a teen girl's saint. I love the references to some artists of old.
The characters were written really well. Wendy, aside from her obsession with the king of pop, is just your average teenage girl. Her goal is to see Michael Jackson in concert in London. Wendy is definitely easy to relate to. Shaye comes across as being very cool and charismatic. He's instantly likable. I felt bad that I had ever liked him though after what he did to Wendy. My favorite character was Tanay though. I loved her attitude as well as her sass. She's super funny, yet she's a friend who's got your back. I think teenage girls will have an easy time relating to Wendy and/or Tanay.
The dialogue, for the most part, runs smoothly. However, at the beginning of the book, it does feel a little bit forced especially when it focuses on racism a little too heavily, at least I thought so. Some may get offended with the racism being used, but I didn't feel like the book itself was racist. I just felt that there was too much focus on how segregated Wendy's school is and how much racism (against all colors) there is in that school. Other than that, everything is smooth sailing. The character interactions feel normal, and the dialogue goes well with what a teen book should read like. There is some cussing in this book as well as some sexual situations, so I wouldn't recommend this book to younger teens.
Overall, How Wendy Redbird Dancing Survived the Dark Ages of Nought is a very intriguing book. The issues it deals with are issues that have plagued teens as well as adults for awhile. Hawks does a fantastic job of writing about this issues.
I'd recommend this book to those aged 16+ who want to read something a little more realistic than normal fiction with characters of whom are easy to relate to.
I'd give How Wendy Redbird Dancing Survived the Dark Ages of Nought by Lyn Fairchild Hawks a 3.75 out of 5.
(I received a free paperback of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review).
Citizen: An American Lyric
10.0
Rate It
Book
Winner Of The Los Angeles Times Book Prize For Poetry Winner Of The National Book Critics Circle...
Kristina (502 KP) rated A Very Large Expanse of Sea in Books
Dec 7, 2020
I figured with today's current events, I'd give this a read. I can't say I've never seen (or heard) acts (or words) of racism, but I will admit that, for the most part, it hasn't truly been directed at me. Reading this hurt my heart and made me angry in a very violent way. Stupidity is everywhere. Unfortunately, racism is everywhere. However, as someone who's been privileged enough to not have true, memorable experience with it, I was shocked and disgusted by the acts of the people in this fictional community. And while the story itself, characters included, may be storybook fake, the feelings and harassment within are likely based on true acts. Hatred is a horrible thing and Shirin is literally so used to it that she feels it's safer to assume everyone is after her, everyone hates her, everyone is wilfully ignorant and therefore deliberately prejudice towards her - it's her coping mechanism; see the absolute worst in others, keep your distance, and maybe it'll hurt less. We need more people like Ocean, who was so adorably awkward and sweet, and genuinely interested in learning more!
Races to Modernity: Metropolitan Aspirations in Eastern Europe, 1890 - 1940
Jan C. Behrends and Martin Kohlrausch
Book
The comparative presentation of the birth of metropolises like St. Petersburg, Helsinki, Kiev,...
Convicted: A Crooked Cop, an Innocent Man, and an Unlikely Journey of Forgiveness
Jameel Zookie McGee, Andrew Collins and Mark Tabb
Book
Speaking directly to recent headlines and cultural tensions, this is the poignant account of a...
Kevin Phillipson (10069 KP) rated The Railway Children Return (2022) in Movies
Jul 22, 2022
Jenny agutter (1 more)
Sheridan smith
Watched yesterday at cineworld as I remember watching the original railway children on the tv when I was younger I thought would it live up to the original especially brining back Bobbie once again played Jenny agutter and yes it does live up to it especially setting it in 1944 at the height of the second world when children were evacuated to the county side: also the film deals with dark issues about racism in the army but still a good film rather short runtime but highly recommended