Disreputable Proves Reputable

We thought The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks was a pretty neat book. We've read a few "boarding school" novels in our day (we even made it through Prep), and thought that DH makes it near the top. We know a lot about boarding school in general, as we're constantly threating to send our worst widgets there (the fidgety ones). While this particular story probably hasn't been told before, all of the pieces are relatively formulaic. We have a young, average (read: bland) girl who suddenly explodes onto the social scene as she grows up, a inter-grade relationship, and intrigue in a secret society. Surely all of these things have popped up in books before. The author does in interesting job of telling the story of Frankie's time as a secret-society subverter.

We enjoyed this book because of its fun use of words and language (it gruntled us). We also enjoyed the messages about class and gender. No one respects everyone more than Patricorp, and this book certainly suggest that's a good idea. How about you show us some respect and go pick up Frankie.

The Astonishing Life of Octavian...Nothing?

We've tried to like historical fiction in the past. We really have. Maybe there's something about being forced to read Johnny Tremain and My Brother Sam is Dead when we widgets and ball bearings were just a twinkle in our eyes, but frankly, we're a little burnt out on it. That's why The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing; Volume 1: The Pox Party, or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Exist In A Storyline Concurrent With The Revolution (okay, we added that last part) really didn't do much for us as readers or literary critics.

TALoON;V1:TPP is the story of young Octavian, the son of an African princess, growing up in colonial New England in the so called "College of Lucidity" filled with philosophers and scientists. We will attempt to !SPOIL! as little as possible here, but we must DIVULGE A LITTLE. Octavian grows to learn in his early years that he lives with the philosophers and scientists that they may study him and determine the worth of Africans versus Europeans.NO MORE SPOIL!

This is all well and good. The book's author has an interesting problem, which may indeed lead to a good story. Unfortunately, M.T. Anderson (said author) kills it. In a bad way. We've seen the vernacular used to good affect. While there have been doubts about the vernacular in Huck Finn, most would say it adds to the story. This can not be said for the vernacular in TALoON;V1:TPP. Anderson's attempt at using period dialog and narration. It gets in the way of the story. We got about thirty pages in and had certainly had our fill of thees and thous.

We don't know if we'll give Anderson's next book (which we can only imagine has an even longer acronym) a chance. We'd like to find out what happens in the plot, but we prefer to read a book, not trudge through it.

The Hunger Games Wins

We here at Patricorp have only failed once. As most of you readers are stockholders, friends of the company or otherwise enthusiastic about widgets, ball bearings and/or literary criticism, you will undoubtedly remember the Patricorp Gladiatorial Fiasco of '62. We were a young company, and tried to influence legislation to legalize gladiatorial games. We initially had broad public support until a lesser ball bearing manufacturer (which has now perished to the ages because of its stubborn decision not to diversify to widgets) started a rumor that we only wanted bloodsport legalized to sell more ball bearings. Obviously, the sting of failure is not something that is easily forgotten.

That failure gave us plenty of time to ruminate on the issues inherent in gladiatorial contests. It is with this firm background that we now speak to the literary merit of The Hunger Games.

THG is a futuristic novel that envisions North America after a collapse. A new civilization, Panem, has risen, and the political atmosphere has changed greatly. Every year, 24 children are summoned to the Capitol by means of a lottery (which is set up to unfairly affect the poor). These children are placed in an arena, and must fight to the death. Only one child can be the victor. Young Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take the place of her even younger sister, and joins Peeta Mallark on the journey to the Capitol.

We like to be upfront: THG is a champion of a book. Suzanne Collins was successful in weaving an incredibly compelling story full of conflicted heroes, romance (or not?) and action. The book makes arguments about social class and human nature, but never preaches. Of all of the characters we have encountered since entering this field, Katniss is one of our favorites. She is cunning and resourceful, violent and defiant.

We enjoyed the plot of THG so much that we left the Patricorp Central Headquarters and purchased Catching Fire, the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy. We enjoyed that book just as much (if not more), but that is the subject of another review.