Skyward by Brandon Sanderson

Reviewed By: Katie Smith, Reference Specialist

Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy

Suggested Age: Teen and Adult

What is the book about? Spensa has never been good with confinement. Her planet, bombarded by alien attacks and surrounded by a crumbling metal sphere, is what keeps her people trapped in caverns below the surface. In order to find freedom, she dreams of becoming a pilot – but her father, the legendary pilot called Chaser, was shot down and branded a coward during a fateful mission nine years ago. Guilty by association, her family inherits the label of “coward” and are now shunned by those who once idolized them. However, when colony leaders try to thwart her efforts in joining the pilot’s academy, Spensa refuses to accept defeat. She also happens to stumble upon the abandoned wreckage of a spaceship, which is equipped with a sassy, fully functional AI system called M-Bot. Together, Spensa and M-Bot will attempt to fight off the full force of the Krell – the alien space-race determined to battle her colony into extinction.

My Review: When I first heard about Skyward, I thought it would be similar to Ender’s Game – and even though there’s a flight school where teens are trained to fight aliens in space combat, that’s really where the similarities end. Sanderson is an amazing storyteller, crafting worlds and peoples that are equally unique, fascinating, and mysterious. The humans in this story survive insurmountable odds and find thrilling new ways to defeat their adversaries, though their society is similarly flawed and broken. Spensa is head-strong, courageous, and even (delightfully!) barbaric. She aspires to clear her father’s name and become a fighter pilot, which is noble and inspiring – and as for the space action, the stakes for Spensa just keep rising! Why are the Krell attacking? Who abandoned M-Bot in the caverns? What is this strange power that allows Spensa to feel the stars? With each new discovery, there were so many more questions to answer – and even though it was an emotional roller coaster, I loved every second of it.

Three Words That Describe This Book: Heroic, Thrilling, Epic

Give this a try if you like… Star Wars (movies), Battlestar Galactica (TV series), or The Illuminae Files series by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Rating: 5/5

About FDL Reads

FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood By Trevor Noah

Reviewed by: Melissa Friedlund, Reference Assistant

Genre: Autobiography

Suggested Age: Adult

What is the book about?  Trevor Noah, the host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central, was born in South Africa just before the end of apartheid when the act of conceiving an interracially mixed child was punishable with prison time. Being the son of a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother, Noah was literally “born a crime.” This book is a collection of essays that Noah has written showcasing a wide variety of events during his unusual upbringing. With his unconventional mother, Noah navigates his way through South Africa’s post-apartheid society using creative and sometimes legal solutions for his struggles.

My Review:  I listened to the CD book that is narrated by the author, which I enjoyed quite a bit.  Noah’s sharp wit and self-effacing humor is quickly evident while listening. There is a “young reader” version that cuts back on the mature content and is appropriate for grades 5-12.  As is, the adult version is funny, surprising, and sometimes a little disturbing. His firsthand account of living with poverty and institutional racism are sobering at times.  His mother seems to be an extraordinarily astute person whose parental instincts armed him with skills like fluency in the languages of South Africa’s many ethnic groups. Along with a discerning intellect, he was able to be a chameleon of sorts. I was particularly impressed with how he found a way to move in and around the racial cliques in high school (none of which he could fit into easily) in order to avoid the dangers of identifying himself as any specific racial class. The only criticism I would have for the book is that being a collection of essays, the subject matter and timing of events jumped around a bit. Overall, it was an insightful read.

Three Words That Describe This Book: Post-Apartheid, Multicultural, Eye-Opening

Give This a Try if You Like…The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Unbowed: A Memoir, Notes from a Young Black Chef

Rating: 4.5/5

Find it at the library!

The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery

Reviewed by: Sarah Baker, Library Volunteer

Genre: Historical Fiction

Suggested Age: Adult

What is this Book About?  Valency is 29, an old maid with no prospects in 1920s rural Canada. She’s miserable – her family have pigeon-holed and hen-pecked her to the point that she won’t stand up to them or disobey. And she’s had this strange pain in her chest of late. When a doctor gives her a grim diagnosis, Valency decides to live life on her own terms.

My Review:  I wasn’t sure what to expect from this but it was delightful! Valency’s family is stiff and formal, never letting anyone forget even tiny transgressions, and poor Valency is pushed down from a young age. So when she rebels, you can’t help but cheer for the girl. She shows more pluck and care in the course of a few days than most her family have shown their whole lives. And when she leaves to go take care of an ostracized girl who is dying, she does so because she knows it’s the right thing to do. Her time with the Gays lets her blossom and become the woman she always should have been. And she does​ take a husband, the most disreputable Barney Snaith. It’s not a love match, but Valency loves him and he has affections for her. The ending did my poor heart some good.

Three Words That Describe This Book:  Thoughtful, Fun, Inspiring

Give it a Try if You Like:  Anne of Green Gables, Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters, When Calls The Heart

Rating: 5/5

Find it at the library!

About FDL Reads

FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.