Jane, Unlimited; by Kristin Cashore
Kristin Cashore's Graceling is one of my favorite YA fantasy series. Not only is the writing wonderful, her world is highly original, something I really value, especially in fantasy literature. So I had high expectations for her first novel written outside that series, and she certainly doesn't disappoint when it comes to originality. I don't even know how to classify this book: fantasy, science fiction, choose your own adventure, experimental - it's all of these at once, plus a welcome grab bag of themes such as LGBTQ, grief, and family dynamics.
Due to its unusual structure, I don't want to say too much about the plot other than these basics: Jane is nineteen years old and has recently lost her beloved Aunt Magnolia, an environmentalist and underwater photographer who raised Jane after the death of her parents when she was two. One of the last things Magnolia ever said to Jane was to make her promise to accept any invitation she might get to Tu Reviens, a giant mansion on its own private island, owned by an extremely wealthy family. Magnolia doesn't say why, and when the invitation comes, Jane has nothing to lose by saying yes and packing her bags. The house, along with the people who live in it or are visiting it, is quite odd, and only gets stranger as Jane gets to know the other people there and her way around. I'll leave the rest for you to discover for yourself.
Being so different from Graceling, I'm loathe to compare the two. I'd have to say that I liked those earlier books better, but still think Cashore has done a marvelous job at world-building, and I applaud her effort to write a truly unique book. She absolutely succeeded in that, though at times I got annoyed by Jane's hostility. Perhaps I'm overestimating teenagers, or maybe it's mostly due to Jane's grief over Aunt Magnolia, but she finds herself in some pretty incredible situations and always immediately responds with anger, never with wonder or curiosity. Some of the characters are a little one-dimensional (Ravi, his mother) while others are more complex and interesting (Kiran, Lucy). What's undeniable is that even when I wasn't totally happy with what I was reading, I couldn't stop myself from continuing, and respect Cashore for resisting the urge to simply rewrite what has already been a successful formula for her. There's a lot to like in this book, and I think teens will appreciate its uniqueness.
Tu Reviens is calling...
Due to its unusual structure, I don't want to say too much about the plot other than these basics: Jane is nineteen years old and has recently lost her beloved Aunt Magnolia, an environmentalist and underwater photographer who raised Jane after the death of her parents when she was two. One of the last things Magnolia ever said to Jane was to make her promise to accept any invitation she might get to Tu Reviens, a giant mansion on its own private island, owned by an extremely wealthy family. Magnolia doesn't say why, and when the invitation comes, Jane has nothing to lose by saying yes and packing her bags. The house, along with the people who live in it or are visiting it, is quite odd, and only gets stranger as Jane gets to know the other people there and her way around. I'll leave the rest for you to discover for yourself.
Being so different from Graceling, I'm loathe to compare the two. I'd have to say that I liked those earlier books better, but still think Cashore has done a marvelous job at world-building, and I applaud her effort to write a truly unique book. She absolutely succeeded in that, though at times I got annoyed by Jane's hostility. Perhaps I'm overestimating teenagers, or maybe it's mostly due to Jane's grief over Aunt Magnolia, but she finds herself in some pretty incredible situations and always immediately responds with anger, never with wonder or curiosity. Some of the characters are a little one-dimensional (Ravi, his mother) while others are more complex and interesting (Kiran, Lucy). What's undeniable is that even when I wasn't totally happy with what I was reading, I couldn't stop myself from continuing, and respect Cashore for resisting the urge to simply rewrite what has already been a successful formula for her. There's a lot to like in this book, and I think teens will appreciate its uniqueness.
Tu Reviens is calling...
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