Drum Roll Please…
Map of Time
by Felix J. Palma
Genre: YA Science/Historical Fiction
(Way upper YA if not adult in my opinion)
Pages: Hardcover 624
Publisher: Atria Books (Simon and Schuster)
Enter a world of wonder, intrigue and adventure …
London, 1896. Andrew Harrington’s beloved has been murdered by Jack the Ripper. Claire Haggerty longs to escape the constraints of Victorian society. For both, time is the problem: to escape it, to change it, might offer them the hope they need. As their lives become entangled with that of H.G. Wells — who is basking in the success of his novel The Time Machine — all three set off on a desperate flight through the centuries.
But what happens when we alter history? That is the question explored in this epic page-turner, which will take you on a dazzling ride back and forth in time.
Upon first glance of this book, one would that that it is a juvenile book. However, the more I read the more I realized that it was quite far from that. The book begins with us following the thoughts of a man as he is contemplating suicide. His journey to this point takes us to an area of London known for its prostitutes and scandal. There was quite an explicit sex scene in the beginning of the novel which I really didn’t feel necessary to the plot and decided at that point that I definitely couldn’t put this book on my classroom library shelf. That is not to say that this novel isn’t a good novel, I just cannot put this in the hands of my 8th graders as a teacher or a mom. I know that there are other books out there that deal with sexuality and sex, but I just feel that this cover is misleading just a little.
The novel is written in three parts and throughout each part the author jumps around quite a bit within the plot which is a definite plus because it keeps you interested in what is going to happen and what is going on. There is a bit of rambling throughout where he apologizes for getting off track and tries to bring you back to the plot, which was a little annoying. The history that was woven throughout piqued my interest as well and challenged me to go find out more about Jack the Ripper (even though I did learn quite a bit) and appreciate the obvious research that went into finding out his specifics… hello sicko!!
It became apparent to me that I wouldn’t have really enjoyed living during that time in constant fear of what was going to happen next…. wait, that makes it sound like I would have been a whore on the streets of London. Ummmm…. NO! Haha!! The language that was used throughout the novel was beautifully written and very intellectual and did a magnificent job of the time period. I did, however, think that there were times much of the wording and description could be left out because he had done a great job within the first few sentences of describing but then went on for three paragraphs. That is just a personal thing though :)
Overall, I like the three separate parts and how they were all interwoven and how the map of time brought it all together. I will be the first to admit that Charlotte Bronte and Jane Austen aren’t my authors of choice (gasp… I know!) and Palma’s writing reflects them a great deal which is why I think that I had a bit of difficulty reading it. The ending was very well done and I wish that I had gotten more of part three! I am definitely going to be going back and reading it again because I want to make sure that I got everything out of it and often when I do that, there are new things that jump out! Can’t wait!!
And now.... here is your chance to win this fascinating novel!! Fill out the form HERE by midnight June 30th (My birthday.... which I plan to celebrate in a big way here on the blog by the way!) and winners will be announced on July 1!
Jay Asher
Genre: YA Realistic Fiction
Pages: Paperback 304 pages
Publisher: Razorbill
Jay Asher's brilliant first novel is a moving, highly original story that focuses on a set of audiotapes made by a girl before she committed suicide, and which explain to 13 people the reasons why she decided to end her life. Told in a highly effective duel narrative -- alternating between the girl s voice and the thoughts of a boy who is listening -- this honest, poignant story reveals how other people's actions shape, and by extension can ruin, an individual's faith in people. Intensely powerful and painfully real, Thirteen Reasons Why reveals how brutal high school can be, the consequences of spreading rumors, and the lasting effects of suicide on those left behind.
I have read many books that deal with tough subjects. They have come in all shapes and sizes, various formats and all dealing with a range of issues. Thirteen Reasons Why, however, is the first one that has left me seriously disturbed… in the best possible way. I have heard all of my life that my actions, words and everything I do have an effect on those around me whether I realize it or not. Honestly, I have never put too much stock into that until I started teaching. When I had a direct, visible impact on those around me- it hit, hard. Seeing that my students valued what I had to say (not only educationally speaking, but also with the advice- big and small- that they asked for) and took it to heart. I learned to be careful quickly.
This book has me reevaluating that again. Which is a great thing.
Hannah represents so many young people and to know that even her teachers overlooked her makes me reflect hard on this past year. It is no secret that this past school year was a tough year for me. Did I do everything that I needed to do to let my students know that I loved and respected them? Did I show them that in my actions or did I roll my eyes and blow them off? Kinda scary! I loved the double point of view in this novel and how we experienced it just how Clay and the others did. Clay is such a profound character and I completely fell in love with him throughout this novel.
Jay Asher has done an amazing job with this novel and I am just so sorry that it has taken me so long to read this. If you haven’t read it RUN to your local bookstore and buy it. Then set aside time to read it because you are not going to want to put it down. I hope and pray that it has the same impact on you that it has had on me.
Ø LISTEN to the Hanna BakerTapes on www.youtube.com/Hannahsfriend13
Ø READ Jay Asher’s answers to thirteen questions about Thirteen Reasons Why in the back of the new paperback edition
Ø SHARE your story at www.13RWProject.com. It is a place (created by Penguin) for fans of Thirteen Reasons Why to record thoughts, stories, videos and photos relating to the book, and to view what other readers have shared. Each view is logged on a map to show the many locations that viewers are posting from, and all content is sharable through Facebook and Twitter!!
The anti-bullying anthem was published in hardcover in October 2007 by Razorbill, and quickly became a word-of-mouth favorite among teenaged readers with fans claiming, “This book changed my life.” The novel has been on the New York Times children’s hardcover bestseller list for 65 weeks, foreign rights have been sold into 30 countries and it has been acquired by Universal Pictures and will star Selena Gomez.
About the Author:
Jay Asher lives on the central coast of California with his wife and son. His favorite part of being an author is speaking with his readers at schools and libraries across the country.
Contest ends July 7, 2011
