Princesses Behaving Badly by Linda Rodriguez McRobbie

Princesses Behaving Badly: Real Stories from History Without the Fairy-Tale Endingsby Linda Rodriguez McRobbie is just what the title promises: A collection of short chapters about historical princesses who were not exemplary, at least not by "princess" standards. Some of them spied, most lied, some fought, some got what they wanted, some did not. It's a diverse collection as well, covering a wide range of places and times, moving out of the traditional all-European mold to include princesses from almost every continent.

McRobbie manages to pack a lot of information into short chapters, covering most of the princesses lives from birth to death with enough detail to make these women live. The writing is lively, and McRobbie's enthusiasm is catching.

I was amused and surprised to find myself occasionally shocked by the inclusion of some characters or details. "But these are hardly exemplary people!" I would find myself exclaiming "I wouldn't want my daughter reading about this!" And that, of course, is the point. These are princesses behaving badly. They're real people offering the kind of range of behaviors and options I have been known to complain are not offered to female characters in books and movies. Then I noticed that McRobbie's attitude was often similarly ambivalent. There were chapters where she would revel in the princess's "badness," sometimes pointing out that she had out-schemed male schemers, but there were also chapters where she would defend the princess in question, pointing out that, well, maybe she'd been wicked or evil, but that she was a loyal sister, or a loving wife. It is an interesting conundrum: Is one obligated to forget a person's domestic virtues because of political vices? Or visa versa? Does it make a difference that the person was female?

My personal favorite chapters were the first two: Warriors and Usurpers. These were princesses who had real power, some of them, like Hatshepsut and Wu Zetian (whom I had never heard of prior to this), over sizeable kingdoms for measurable amounts of time. The fake princesses were also a delight even though, as McRobbie makes clear, things did not always go well for them. The princesses who got locked away for their troubles were, while real and an important part of the book, much more sobering to read about.

Overall, Princesses Behaving Badly is an impressive survey of places, peoples, and personalities, and a good starting point for further research, should one wish it. McRobbie has included a biography of her sources that would also make a good springboard for further reading.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by the publisher. A positive review was not specified and all views expressed are my own

Publication Details
Publisher: Quirk Books
Expected publication: November 19th 2013
ISBN 1594746443 (ISBN13: 9781594746444)

Book Review: William Shakspeare's Star Wars--Verily a New Hope by Ian Doescher

I’m sitting here looking at William Shakespeare’s Star Wars by Ian Doescher and wondering how to start a review that sounds anything like objective. And, you know, I can’t. I loved this book. I loved the idea so much that the book sat unread for a while because I couldn’t be sure the text would live up to the concept, loved it so much that the minute I finished reading it, I called one friend to tell her she had to read it before she talked to me again and then got online so I could rhapsodize about it with another friend who had read it.

So, now you know. I'm not objective; I'm in love.

Much as I liked the idea, I was a little wary when it came to reading the actual book. How well good could a simple retelling of Star Wars really be, in the end? Very, as it happens. The book isn’t a “simple” retelling, not even “simply” in rhymed iambic pentameter. It incorporates ideas from the prequels (and does it well), comments on fan debate, adds an extra layer of character to everyone, and generally turns Star Wars into a quite respectable Shakespearean play. Vadar has some villainous monologues, R2D2 adds some scorching asides to the audience, Luke is given a thoughtfulness not always evident in the movie (and make no mistake; I like Luke), and Han has a couple of thoughtful monologues.

R2D2's asides are an unexpected addition. To the other characters, he still beeps and boops (iambically), but he gives frequent asides to the audience, commenting on events and character, at one point stating

Although with sounds oblique I speak to them,
I clearly see how I shall play my part,
And how a vast rebellion shall succeed
By wit and wisdom of a simple droid.

Doescher continues to play with words in a very Bard-like fashion, sometimes mixing in a an altered line or two from Shakespeare's (other?) plays, teasing with references to Star Trek, or adding playful references to fan controversies, as when Obi-wan muses about what to tell Luke about his father, or when Han and Greedo confront one another and Han leaves with the aside,

And whether I shot first, I'll ne'er confess!

The chorus, meanwhile, provides commentary on what is happening, effectively filling in for the visuals not present. It works very well, and I do still hope someone actually acts this play and films it so I can watch this and Lucas' version back to back.

My copy of the book is bristling with bookmarks indicating quotations I really have to share, except I probably had better not or there won't be much book left for you to read.

I can’t close without mentioning Nicolas Delort’s illustrations. I thought the Elizabethen ruff in the book trailer was a nice addition to Vadar’s costume. Delort’s elaborate chain-mail version of the outfit (see the cover) is even better. His reimaginings continue to enliven the book: There’s Luke musing on the storm trooper’s helmet, Han facing Jabba, and (another favorite), Vadar looking at the smoking ruins of a model Death Star.

Is this book worth reading? Yes, if you like Shakespeare, if you like Star Wars, if you like literature, or if you enjoy laughing, it’s worth reading. Now I can settle back happily to wait for The Empire Striketh Back and The Jedi Doth Return, next year!

Now, for the third time, here's the trailer!



Links of Interest
Victoria Irwin reviews Ian Doescher for The Geek Girl Project
Quirk Books' page for Star Wars: Verily a New Hope.
Ian Doescher's Page

Other Reviews
Victoria Irwin's review on The Geek Girl Project.
Bookin' with Bingo
In Bed with Books
Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

Did I miss a review I should have included? Let me know, either here in the comments section or by using the Contact Me link above.

Tales from Lovecraft Middle School by Charles Gilman

If you're the sort of person who likes rats mysteriously finding their ways into sealed lockers, thinks a heroic two-headed rat makes a fantastic addition to the cast, finds giant bugs in disguise deliciously creepy, and likes horror with a side helping of humor plus truly courageous and yet ordinary kids for main characters, and if you think throwing in  tentacled monsters,inter-dimensional portals, and secret plots makes things even more fun, then these books are for you.

In Professor Gargoyle Rob finds himself going to a brand new, beautiful school where he only knows a few of them--one of them Glenn, the school bully from his old school. An unexpected encounter with a multi-tentacled monster forces the two to join forces, and they find themselves becoming friends as they try to figure out just who the mysterious Master is and what his plans are. They are joined in the fight by Karina, a ghost now tied to the school, and an extremely intelligent two-headed rat, Pip and Squeak.  It's a delectable little snack with just the right balance of horror and humor.

In fact, it was so delicious that, after I finished gloating a bit over its wonderfulness₍₁₎, I sat right down and read The Slither Sisters at once, glad that for once I had the next book in the series on hand and didn't have to wait₍₂₎.

By The Slither Sisters,  the demonic forces are trying to take over the school by winning the election for student council president--and it makes sense, in context, that other-dimensional creatures are after a middle school. Rob and Glenn are learning the hard way that anyone and everyone might be a monster in disguise, making it hard to find allies in their fight against the otherworldly evils.

In Teacher's Pest, Rob finds he has trusted someone he shouldn't, and now he and his friends have to figure out how to stop his plans to expand the Master's plot to take over the world. Also, there is an invasion of bugs at the school. This time, they are ordinary-sized, but there are gargantuan numbers. Rob isn't sure how they fit the Master's plot, but he knows it isn't good. Trust continues to be a problem, and though he and his allies (including the school librarian, yay!) have found a way to combat the creatures individually, it isn't enough for wholesale combat.

I adore these books. They're perfect slices of fun and spookiness--and, yes, Lovecraftian mythos (The series' title and the mention of tentacled creatures likely gave you a clue or two there). The pacing is perfect, keeping things moving while giving enough information about this strange, spooky world. Also, the characterization is strong. I tend to be a little leery of "the school bully can be your best friend" stories, but there's plenty here to motivate Glenn and Rob's new partnership and move it on into friendship. Karina's a good character, too, dealing with the difficulties of being a ghost, trying to fight the person who is responsible for her death, and dealing with just plain boredom from being stuck at the school alone on long weekends. Pip and Squeak are far more delightful than a two-headed rat ought to be.

Also, the physical books are things of beauty. They are just the right size to hold, and they have covers that change as you move them. On one angle, you'll see the nice, friendly teacher or student. On the other, the darkness below is revealed. I don't entirely like the way these feel to the touch; they're a little unpleasantly scratchy, but the cover illustrations are worth it.

And, of course, there's a great trailer for the series, complete with spooky, Gothic music:



--
(1) I may have hugged the book and done a little jig in the room. There were no witnesses. I definitely have run around telling people about it.
(2) I keep promising myself that I'm going to review series decently and in good order instead of blasting through them. But these were good. Also, they were short. Nice, tasty, snacky things. Just one wasn't going to happen.

Links of Interest
The Lovecraft Middle School website
Professor Gargoyle on Amazon
The Slither Sisters on Amazon
Teacher's Pest on Amazon.
Substitute Creature (coming Sept 24, 2013) on Amazon.
Substitute Creature on the Quirk Books site. You can get a good look at the cover there as it changes.

Book Review: The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters

The Last Policeman isn't good; it's brilliant.

It begins when Detective Henry Palace is called in to investigate a dead man found strangled in the nearby McDonald's bathroom. Almost everything points to suicide: With the end of the world only six months away thanks to an oncoming asteroid, a lot of people are killing themselves. On the other hand, there are hints that it might be murder, and Henry is determined to investigate.

There's a wonderful layering of mysteries here. There is the central mystery: Did the man found dead kill himself, or was he murdered? Wrapped around this is another question: Why hunt down a (possible) killer when the world is going to end in six months anyway? And somewhere to the side, gradually gaining more importance, is the question of what has happened to Henry's sister's husband, whom she is determined to find.

It sounds extraordinarily depressing, which is why I didn't read it at first, but oddly, it's not. It does get dark, and there are promises of darker things to come: People are scared, some are killing themselves, some are running away to try new things, no matter who it hurts. There's also no indication that any of the attempts people are making to save themselves will work: The asteroid won't swerve, there's no sign of any adequate preparation for this kind of strike. In the middle of this, though, there is also a tale of people moving on, of them doing their jobs despite the disaster. Henry's own motives may be a mix of altruism and an attempt to keep himself sane in the middle of a crazy situation, but he's still out there, working, caring, and fighting, and so are other people whatever their mix of motives.

The plot pacing and development is impressive. Any one of the three main plotlines would be enough to keep the story going on its own. There are enough red herrings and odd angles to each of the two primary cases to keep the reader guessing, and enough tension in the interpersonal relations to make a fine end-of-the-world story. Together, they were a rich, wonderful, read. It's also the best kind of genre mix: noir wound around science fiction in the finest of blends.

Now I have to read book two, Countown City, and quickly! Then I shall wait anxiously for book 3. I love falling in love with a series.

--

Other Reviews
Jen's Bookshelves
Reading on a Rainy Day
Chamber Four
Rhapsody in Books

Links
Ben H. Winters' website.
@BenHWinters
The Last Policeman on Amazon

And the book trailer:



As an entire sideline: What do you guys think of book trailers? I partly like them and I partly hate them.

I like them because, yes, they catch my attention, they're interesting. I hate them because they make me feel like watching the TV show or movie, not like reading the book. I like TV, but it's not the same as a book, not by a long shot!

Quirk Books Publishing William Shakespeare's Star Wars--and they have the most awesome trailer!

The only problem is... It makes me hungry for the movie version of William Shakespeare's Star Wars, not the book version.

There's more about the book on the Quirk Books website, and it includes a decent-sized excerpt as well.

Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters

Sense and Sensibility is one Austen book that I have never been able to manage more than a mild sort of liking for.

It turns out, all it ever really needed was a dash of Lovecraft and a liberal helping of sea monsters to make it work.

True, the first 100 or so pages are a bit dull, but that is as much Austen's doing as it is Winters', and after that, the sea monsters provide lively interludes to wooing, gossiping, and false confidences. Lots of people get eaten, and there are plenty of bodily fluids splashed about.

Two wistful afterthoughts:
1) In Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Elizabeth is a noted zombie slayer. In Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, Elinor is a noted driftwood carver. There really is no comparison.

2) Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters provided what I wanted and expected--a light read and some laughter. There is just a niggle at the back of my mind, though, that is suggesting that a real combination of Austen and Lovecraft would be truly, breathtakingly awesome, worth reading multiple times. Oh well. It was fun!

Oh, and hey, here's the book trailer: