Coraline

I didn't even realize we had this book in the library at work until a week or so ago. A girl came up to me to renew Coraline by Neil Gaiman and my next thought (after "we have that?") was... "Sweet!" Ok, so I sometimes read on the job. But really... it kind of actually is my job. Part of my duties as librarian is to know the collection... just like part of my duties as "Media Specialist" is to crawl around on the floor unplugging and plugging things. All of that to say... I read Coraline during my down time at work yesterday.

Creepy. Really. It goes like this: Coraline's life is a bit blase. Luckily she discovers a passage in her apartment that takes her to another world with her other family waiting for her. The most noteworthy aspect of her other family (and the other people) are their shiny black button eyes. Coraline soon realizes that this other world is hella creepy (excuse my language, but really, I do mean "hella"). Too bad she's locked in. Now Coraline must locate her true parents, free the souls of dead captive children, and defeat her evil other mother... not to mention the singing rats. And all the while the other world is retracting into a two dimensional drawing... Creepy. In a good way.

Gaiman is also the author the 2009 Newbery award winning The Graveyard Book. I haven't read it yet since it was deemed a bit too scary for the elementary crowd, but I hope to soon. The dude is a bit twisted.

Recommendation: When you're in the mood for something dark but still want to keep it light and easy.

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

I'm not going to lie. I first became interested in reading this book while in a friend's kitchen. I picked it up and quickly fell upon the phrase, "pelvic pump." I knew it was going to be good. It took me several months to get back to The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz, but it was worth the wait.

Unfortunately, I also waited awhile before writing up this review... and a lot of the details are hazy. Basic plot line, Oscar is a loser growing up in a culture that does not allow for losers. I mean, you can be a totally jacked up person, as long as you are romantically inclined. Oscar is not. [Oscar actually reminds me of an extreme Dominican version of several boys that lived in my dorm]. Only adding to the trouble is the curse that has followed Oscar's family for several generations.

Diaz expertly weaves a collection of viewpoints, time lines, and stories into one cohesive novel.

Recommendation: Keep a Spanish dictionary handy.