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March 16, 2007

n Plus Bored

Am I the only person who would stab myself in the eye if litblogs started routinely posting 5,000 word critical essays? I'm betting no.

It may be "lit," but it's first and foremost a BLOG, people. There is a reason no one reads Yr Serious Lit Journal. It starts with a B.

Keep moving. Do not gawk.

A little clarification: I'm not against lengthy critical essays, but I mostly don't think blogs are the right venue for that. Five thousand words is LONG. Longer than most of the posts you might be thinking of as Really Long Posts. When I want that, I prefer to get it on paper in a magazine or, um, not at all. The idea that to say something meaningful you have to be verbose is ridiculous, like the other arguments in play here.

Comments

Read Read

  • Cynthia Leitich Smith: Eternal

    Cynthia Leitich Smith: Eternal
    Set in the same world as Tantalize, Cynthia Leitich Smith has written the best kind of sequel--the kind that's even better than the first book. The novel follows teen Miranda into an undead afterlife, alternating her story with that of her guardian angel. If you never thought guardian angels could be awesome, we have something in common: We were wrong. Dark, witty, fabulous. Read this now.

  • Janni Lee Simner: Bones of Faerie

    Janni Lee Simner: Bones of Faerie
    In her debut young adult novel, Janni Simner inventively and memorably adds to the post-apocalypse tradition, gracing it with a dark fairy tale of being lost in the woods--the terrifying, murderous woods. The meticulous creation of the human and faerie worlds, and the attention to the new operating tendencies of nature, makes this a good bet for anyone who likes to read about life after the end of things familiar. Full take here.

  • Kelley Armstrong: The Summoning (Darkest Powers, Book 1)

    Kelley Armstrong: The Summoning (Darkest Powers, Book 1)
    Chloe Saunders has one freak out too many after seeing dead people, and gets sent to a small, private home for special kids. WAY special kids, we learn, as Armstrong teases out the reasons they're all there. One of the things I liked best is that the novel doesn't wear its context on its sleeve--I didn't discover it was set in the same world as the author's very popular urban fantasies for adults until after I read it. A wise decision, because in no way did this book ever feel overburdened by an immense back story. It's quite simply a page-turning pleasure, reinventing well worn tropes without a hint of laziness.

  • Jo Graham: Black Ships

    Jo Graham: Black Ships
    A riveting blend of history and invention, of fantasy and realism--Graham proves herself more than up to the task of interpreting The Aeneid for today's readers. By focusing on a young Sybil named Gull, the book ably explores the ancient world without sacrificing the view from either the generational royalty at the top, or the displaced slaves and commoners at the bottom. And if you geek out over the mysteries and familial connections of gods like I do, you'll love this even more.

  • Suzanne Collins: The Hunger Games

    Suzanne Collins: The Hunger Games
    Just read this one already. Oh, and block out the day, because, yes, it really is that absorbing.

  • Justine Larbalestier: How to Ditch Your Fairy

    Justine Larbalestier: How to Ditch Your Fairy
    This novel isn't easy to find simple comparisons for, and that's one of the main reasons you should read it. Justine has crafted a unique confection -- equal parts light and density. Set in a world where most people have invisible fairies (or do they?), teenage Charlie is cursed with a Parking Fairy, and resolves to get rid of it. Complications, of course, ensue. Rarely have I seen such exquisite worldbuilding in service of such a witty, fun story. Her best novel yet, this one is a treat not to be missed.

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