Word count for the day: 2, 295
Total word count: 61,367
Total Words to Write to be on track: 35,000
Word Count Day 20: 2,402
Book Review: The Siren Suicides Series by Ksenia Anske
Book Review: The Siren Suicides Series by Ksenia Anske
I Chose to Die (Siren Suicides) (Volume 1)
My Sisters in Death (Siren Suicides) (Volume 2)
The Afterlife (Siren Suicides) (Volume 3)
A YA Fiction Series published through CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (8/5/13)
Summary:
It all starts with a death wish, hope for paternal love, and Ailen wanting to get revenge on her father for what he did to her and her mom. Ailen Bright was the daughter that was supposed to be a son. She was the woman who was a weak creature needing to be controlled lest she decide to charm off men’s pants and make them do stupid crap (according to her father).
Ailen turns into a Siren, the embodiment of an otherworldly thing that feeds off men’s souls, but she is not alone in this world. She was created by the Siren of Canosa and the three underling Sirens: Pisinoe, Ligeia, and Teles. They hunt for souls and are hunted themselves by Siren Hunters. Will Ailen learn to accept who she is? Will she be able to accept the life she jumped out of?
Keywords:
Suicide, 16-year olds, abusive relationships, violence, Sirens, Otherworldly Creatures, Teen Issues, Regret, Love
My Review:
I hold a special place in my reader’s bookshelf for Ksenia Anske. I have read Rosehead and Irkadura and I know she is a special person and a special writer. The Siren Suicides was written as a three part book, as Ksenia pointed out at a live reading, because it was too long to be one book. The point being that a reader cannot simply read one book, but needs to read the entire series as if it is one lengthy novel. This review, then, is of the entire three-part series.
There were so many aspects of the Siren Suicides that I loved that it’s difficult to even start writing a review. I’m in awe of Anske’s talent as a writer. I always wanted a writer like Neil Gaiman, who would write something I wanted to read, something with the sympathies of a plot and characters on the verge of reality that could hold my attention, even while the author’s imagination is running wild. I have found that in Ksenia Anske. She is everything a reader could ask for, and I’m glad that she quit her day job to devote herself to writing.
Anske perfects a writing style devoted to beautiful phrases and well-crafted words that I cannot believe she didn’t grow up with English as a first language. I only wish that I didn’t read so fast so that I could savor the sounds and images Anske creates. This is a book well worth listening to as an audiobook if ever the author converted her novels into audiobooks.
“My saliva is acid syrup. My blood is concentrated seawater pumped through my veins by a dead heart. My power is my voice, and I’m using it—using it plenty. Eating my dinner, humans served live, their souls draped over the garnish of soulless siren. It’s supposed to satisfy me, but makes me hungrier still, as if it’s the last meal I’ll ever eat.” (Page 31 of book 2).
The concept of a Siren is not new, but the image and voice Ksenia gives to this creature is creative, a new spin on the vampire/werewolf genre with their incessant need to feed off of humans. Ksenia’s Sirens are not always the beautiful ethereal creatures that call to sailors from the depths of the ocean, they personify people and travel on land and water. They have powers of oneness with the water, not superpowers, but a true calling with the natural element. What baffles me about the Sirens is how they are not discovered by any other than the Siren Hunter(s) when they presumably have killed so many. Sirens feed on souls and Ksenia gives life to the very essence of a person using all her senses so that the reader is enveloped in a short truth of a person: their soul. No wonder sirens find them so tasty.
“I try to imagine the sound of his soul, to bring back that feeling of home—the clatter of food cooked on the stove, the clanking of dishes, the shuffling of feet in slippers on a wooden floor, laughter, the anticipation of a meal, birds chirping behind an open window, the buzzing of insects basking in rays of the morning sun. Vivaldi’s Summer, its violins.” (Page 241 of book 3).
Ailen is not the perfect character. She bugs me at times throughout the books. She is moody and stubborn. In the first book I’m not even sure I can trust her feelings and I’m not sure she can think clearly about the world, but by the second book I’m believing everything she sees and feels. I want to sympathize with her so badly that I believe everything. When she gets upset at herself for her shortcomings and when she breaks her promises to herself, giving in to her weakness, I want to tell her that she is not perfect and that is alright. I want to give her the words she craves from her father. Anske has a knack for creating characters you want to comfort and protect.
Ailen Bright is such a strange troubled character that I held my breath as I wondered what she would do, what would happen to her next. At times I worried that Ksenia didn’t have a final purpose or point to the book, or even a good conclusion because Ailen doesn’t know what is going on or what will happen. We are left at the mercy of this poor sad teenager’s unending fantasy nightmare… Until the last chapter. Anske delivered the only logical conclusion to the story. I was disappointed because she tells us over and over throughout the series what will happen and when I’m given the end I can’t help but think it was coming all along, even though I wanted something else, something different. Even as an author myself, I couldn’t think of a better conclusion that I would have been satisfied with, it just isn’t possible. There is only one possible ending and I’m glad Anske delivered it, because any other ending would have been terrible.
The only major shortcoming was the length of the three novels combined, as they only work as parts of a whole.
On a final note, this series is based in Seattle and is entirely true to the environment of Seattle and the characteristics (including weather) one can find in this place and for that I love Anske.
I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys the imagination of Neil Gaiman, the seduction of a vampire book, anything else by Ksenia Anske, or a fantasy suicide novel.
This novel was published through CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform August 5th, 2013 and is available on Ksenia Anske’s Website here.
TLDR Star Rating: 4.50
Links for more information:
Nano ’14: Day 19 Update
Word count for the day: 2,286
Total word count: 56,670
Total Words to Write to be on track: 31,667
Word Count Day 18: 1,622
Book Review: Irkadure by Ksenia Anske
Irkadura by Ksenia Anske
A YA Fiction Novel published through CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (11/03/14)
Summary:
You know who you are, Irina Myshko? You’re not a mouse and you’re not an eagle, you’re just a dumb mute dura. You’ve never talked and you never will. (Locations 2920-2921).
Irkadura is not dumb, she just said the wrong word at the wrong time to the wrong woman (Locations 917-918) and at the age of two was scarred into a PTSD like silence. Her silence travels with her, affecting her life and how people view her. Most think of her as crazy, stupid, without opinion or protest, or as an invalid. The government has issued her a certificate of disability, which she uses to get a job at a local theatre. Irina is not just mute, but she refers to people as animals. Her mama is a catfish, the man who raped her is a boar and the boy who she is entranced by is a butterfly. Irina herself is a mouse, a timid creature that is stomped and crushed and bitten.
Keywords:
Russia, Hard Times, Struggle, Teen Issues, Strong Female, Mute, Magical Realism
My Review:
What is Irina’s reality? She escapes as much as possible from the unbelievable horrors of her life through the animals that she imagines inhabiting her environment. Her reality is so horrible and unreal that the only way she can escape is by doing something drastic, to take her mind away. For this, most think she is stupid or crazy. The big finish at the end will toy with your reality and make you wonder what’s really going on.
Just as Irina is a master of making reality disappear in the vividness of her animal descriptions and actions, Ksenia Anske is adept at her vivid descriptions that make the environment and characters seem real. Anske makes Irina come alive through the telling of this harsh and at times depressing story. Anske has created a world that is brusque and to the point. The world for Irina is dim and dreary and hard to survive in. On top of this compelling narrative is the side story of the political environment where the story takes place that flows in and out of the background, intermingling with and influencing Irina’s story. She may be indifferent to what’s going on, but it does have a significant impact on her story.
Irkadura tells more than the story of Irina or the political upheaval in Russia, but of a world where women don’t get to be independent and free. This fact that most people in my world (the USA) take for granted is a fact that does not even register in Irina’s mind because it is not a possibility for her. She has to rely on the charity of others. She has nothing. She owns nothing. She does not even possess full control of her own body. This is like the worst nightmare for any strong independent woman. Irina never got a chance to be one in the traditional sense, but she has her own fight to win. There is a point where she can take control of a part of her life, but she has to overcome so much to get there. There is an immense struggle in Irina’s life, starting from the time she was two and became mute up until the moment she must decide whether she has a future.
Irina has her own kind of strength. She is stubborn. She runs away. She makes plans for revenge… Her triumph is in speaking the truth (at least writing it). She grows her wings off the truth, because in this sordid world she lives in, that’s all she has.
My only unease in the book is the author’s insistence that Eaglet is male because he conforms to the male stereotypes, but I thought the story could have been just as strong had Eaglet been female because then both the females would be getting their revenge. Still, I didn’t think this detracted from the novel at all, just my personal opinion in finding the book’s only criticism.
This novel was published through CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform November 3rd, 2014 and is available on Ksenia Anske’s Website here.
TLDR Star Rating: 4.75
Links for more information:
Nano ’14: Day 17 Update
Word count for the day: 1,117
Total word count: 52,763
Total Words to Write to be on track: 28,333
Slowing down as I work through some final scenes.
Nano ’14: Day 16 Update
Word count for the day: 1,320
Total word count: 51,646
Total Words to Write to be on track: 26,667
Looking to finish the first draft around 70k words. Last 20k here we go!
Nano ’14: Midway Update
Word count for the day: 10,030
Total word count:50,326!!!!
Total Words to Write to be on track: 25,000
Nano ’14: Day 14 Update
Word count for the day: 3,297
Total word count:40,296
Total Words to Write to be on track: 23,333
Word count on Day 13: 0
Word count on Day 12: 721
Ah for being sick! Look what it did to my productivity! Splat and leveled off! Bah, time to catch up my writing friends.
In other news, I’ve wrapped up my goodies for December events! Grab your pre-wrapped copies of Ataxia and the Ravine of Lost Dreams, At One’s Beast, or Wandering Imagination by Rachel Barnard at the following wonderfully fun-filled winter events:
Si View Community Center Holiday Bazaar
12/06/14 10 A.M. – 3 P.M.
Cost: Free
More info
Gifts for Geeks at the AFK Elixirs and Eatery in Renton
12/13/14 2 P.M. – 9 P.M.
Cost: Free
More Info
Book Reading and Release Party for FreeValley Publishing Anthology
12/18/14 7 P.M. – 9 P.M.
Cost: Free
For more information on these December events, visit the news and events page here or stay posted for more information on the events as it gets closer to December.
Book Review: Moonlight by David Rose
Moonlight by David Rose
A Short Story Romance published by David Rose (04/13/14)
Summary:
Tadao and Yuzuki spent three years together as the best of childhood friends, brought together by the wandering cat Gekkō-san and their loneliness. It is not until Tadao must leave the city with his parents at the age of 14 that he and Yuzuki realize they were more than just friends. The two young kids make a pact by the moon, that in seven years they will meet again in their special place on the beach. “And then, too soon, we were parted, with nothing to sustain us but faith and moonlight.” (Location 419).
Keywords:
Romance, Short Story, Japan, Young Love, Enduring Love, Magical Realism, Cat
My Review:
Moonlight is an adorable short novel at just around 50 pages and the entire time I was reading it I was reminded of an animated short. Moonlight has a wonderfully delightful twist to the romance that involves what I would call magical realism. In order not to spoil the book, I will not go into further detail but I will say that it was a well-executed twist that gives the story more depth and meaning.
Moonlight involved a cute story of a romance between two of the sweetest characters. Unfortunately because it was such a short book, the reader is not given much information about the characters as individuals, although I believe the story stands alone solidly without the need for more background or description. Personally I would have liked more information, but that’s because the story was so well-rounded and easy to read that I wanted more of it.
David Rose gives us something a little different with Moonlight and I was thoroughly delighted with this short romance story set in Japan.
I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys short stories, cute romances, stories set in other countries such as japan, or animated shorts.
This novel was published by David Rose April 13th, 2014 and is available on Amazon here.
TLDR Star Rating: 4.5
Links for more information:
Book Review: Marionette by T.B. Markinson
Marionette by T.B. Markinson
A YA Novel published by T. B. Markinson (11/01/13)
Summary:
Paige is a troubled freshman in college who is trying to start fresh. She is continuously held back by her family’s sordid secrets and the way her past binds her and drags her back into it. When she tried and failed to commit suicide, Paige is forced to deal with her conflicted feelings, and upon the insistence of her girlfriend Jess, promises to see the college counselor once a week. From her homophobic Catholic roommate to her girlfriend’s misguided mission to help everyone around her, Paige will have to learn to deal with who she is and what happened in her past. In learning who she is, Paige will discover the most juicy, horrific secret of them all.
Keywords:
Suicide, Intrigue, Lesbians, College-Life, LGBTQ issues, drama, friendship, loyalty, teen issues, dark secrets
My Review:
From the very beginning through to the very end, I was hooked. The opening was wonderfully executed by introducing a fluid and fantastically intriguing writing style. The end was one of those one liners that is so satisfying as the final sentence of a novel.
Paige is such a dynamic character. She may talk about herself as having specific characteristics and personality traits, but her character has depth. The narrative style reminds me of the style used in the movie Warm Bodies. T.B. Markinson and the Warm Bodies screen writer Jonathan Levine employ continuously running inner-dialogue that is amazingly interesting and spot on for the character. I am in love with Paige and how she tells her story. Her thoughts are juicy, spicy, and vivid. This would make a very good audiobook.
This book had me laughing as much as the Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion. The main character Paige is one for a witty comeback that makes for such a fun read. Her unintentional humor as a person makes these situations even more funny. One of my favorite lines was Paige’s response to one of Liddy’s comments about how Liddy doesn’t do her job for the money. Paige says to Liddy, “I suppose prostitutes could say the same thing.” (Location 462).
I recommend this book for anyone who enjoyed the witty comments in Warm Bodies, wants a book that integrates the LGBTQ community without being obvious about it, or would like a dynamic YA book featuring a troubled college-aged female protagonist.
This novel was published by T. B. Markinson November 1st, 2013 and is available on Amazon here.
TLDR Star Rating: 5.0
Links for more information:
Rachel Author Barnard 