Month: January 2009

Clue: 15 Whodunits to Solve in 15 Minutes by Vicki Cameron

I found this on the sale rack at National back in January, and it was screaming to be mine for only P95. Based on the popular game, Clue, this book is an anthology of short mysteries surrounding the death of Mr. Boddy (always the victim, of course) played out in different scenarios.

It’s great to see the game in action throughout the book, with all the characters brought to life. Mrs. White is the long-suffering matron housekeeper, Mrs. Peacock is the wealthy lady who’s inherited her numerous dead husbands’ estates; Ms. Scarlett is Mrs. Peacock’s flighty but foxy daughter; Rev. Green is the holier-than-thou crook who clearly doesn’t practice what he preaches; Professor Plum is the deadbeat intellectual who’s been laid off from his job at the museum; and Col. Mustard is the retired military man whose medals were never received out of any true valor.

And of course, Mr. Boddy manages to get himself killed every single time, by one of the usual suspects, with the usual weapons (knife, candlestick, rope, revolver, leadpipe, wrench).

I liked the idea of the book, and the quirky characters, but it leaves a lot more to be desired as a mystery anthology.

First off, the characters just kill Mr. Boddy out of whim. I mean, of course I’m not expecting a long, drawn-out motive, but well, all fifteen stories have the characters killing Mr. Boddy because he knows something about the murderer that’s not supposed to be out in the open, or something to that effect. And then when people discover the body, they’re all like, “Oh, he’s dead,” like it was the most normal thing in the world, and say “Let’s go have coffee” or some other inane remark.

The stories aren’t well-developed, and you really don’t end up solving the whodunit (other than randomly guessing at who the murderer is).The evidence presented to lead up to actually solving the whodunit is severely lacking, and when you read the solution, the story draws on pulling out unknown information out of thin air, and there you have it, you have a murderer.

Sigh, good whodunits are really hard to find.

***
My copy: paperback, on my shelf

My rating: 2/5 stars

Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke

Dragon Rider is a fantasy novel featuring the quest of a dragon (Firedrake), a forest brownie (Sorrel), and a little boy (Ben), and the delightful assortment of characters they meet along the way. Firedrake, Ben, and Sorrel are off to the Himalayas to find the legendary Rim of Heaven, to seek a sanctuary for the colony of silver dragons that still exist in the world. The quest is thwarted by the evil Nettlebrand, an evil man-made golden dragon with an attitude problem and an army of spies, determined to destroy all silver dragons.

After reading Cornelia Funke’s The Thief Lord, I wanted to read Dragon Rider to find out if that was a fluke or if I really liked her style.

The verdict…

Dragon Rider is a bit lighter than The Thief Lord, perhaps because of its whimsy. Even the villains have some sort of entertainment value, and the dragon lore isn’t as complicated as say, Anne McCaffrey’s or even Christopher Paolini’s.

The characters are lovable, if not well-rounded. I think Funke kept in mind that kids can’t be overburdened with too much lore The dragons are whimsical, and totally uncomplicated. They’re just nice creatures who live on moonlight and seek to co-exist peacefully and anonymously on the earth. Ben is the simple boy with a grand mission, Sorrel is the feisty sidekick, and they meet a delightful band of characters along the way.

I think I’d have to say though, that The Thief Lord’s translation (Cornelia Funke writes in German) was better. I think there was a bit (just a bit) of a disjointedness in Dragon Rider that makes me think there were some things lost in translation.

It’s really a light-hearted book, with talking animals, lovable characters, a romp around the world, and Funke’s specialty: good, old-fashioned triumph of good versus evil. Yeah, the sort that makes you think the world is a much better place. It’s really great for kids, and well, it’s also a good pick-me-up for more jaded adults.

Cornelia Funke is certainly one of the better contemporary children’s book writers around, and her works have a classical feel to it that I rarely find in other children’s books.

***
My copy: trade paperback upgraded into a hardcover, mooched from the US

My rating: 4/5 stars

The Stinky Cheese Man and other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith

I’ve been looking for this book for ages, and I temporarily lifted my book-buying moratorium because I chanced upon it at book sale (I love you guys, whoever’s behind the store, even though that beatrix potter book I’ve requested online from you still hasn’t been confirmed, and that was a whole year ago!)… Whee!

I discovered The Stinky Cheese Man and my love for Lane Smith when I was taking Illustration classes under Panch Alcaraz, when she lent me the book to use as a reference for my thesis. I’ve been looking for it for three years now (heartbroken at the INKmas party, when someone turned it in as an exchange gift, and it missed me by a couple of persons during the passing), and I finally have it! Yehey!

To those not familiar with the book, it’s an irreverent parody of fairy tales, one of the best examples of post-modern children’s books today, deconstructing not only the fairy tale but the concept of a book as well. It’s funny in a way both kids and grownups can enjoy (Chickoy and I had a fun time reading it together!), no matter how many times you read it.

I love it love it love it!

***
My copy: hardcover with dust jacket, from Book Sale

My rating: 5/5 stars

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time is a short novel about Christopher Boone, a 15-year old autistic boy, who one day finds his neighbor’s dog murdered, with a garden fork sticking out of it.

Because he loves puzzles (he is exceptionally gifted in Math), Christopher decides to solve the mystery of the murder (and write a book about it)… Except that he discovers more than he ever bargained for.

The book is a refreshing read because it’s told from the point of view of an autistic kid, and you get an insight into how Christopher’s mind works, how he deals with people, his emotions, and all his quirks. I actually thought it was a murder mystery, but it was more of a coming-of-age novel, revealing how an autistic boy deals with the different events in his life, and how he makes sense of the chaos using his own logic.

All in all, a very insightful read.

***
My copy: Vintage contemporaries mass market paperback, yet to be upgraded

My rating: 4/5 stars

The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke

The Thief Lord opens in a detective’s office in Venice, where the horrible Hartliebs are engaging the services of private detective Victor Getz to find their two runaway nephews Bo and Prosper. The Hartliebs want to adopt Bo and send Prosper off to boarding school, but the brothers do not want to be separated so they run off to Venice.

In Venice, Bo and Prosper hook up with a feisty runaway girl named hornet, the hulky Mosca, the mischievous spiky-haired pickpocket Riccio, and Scipio, the Thief Lord, who takes care of all of them inside an abandoned old theater.

The plot thickens when a crooked antique dealer enlists the gang for a special mission, and Victor Getz is hot on their heels.

I’ve never read Cornelia Funke before, but I’d have to say that The Thief Lord is one of the best children’s books I have read. Since Cornelia Funke is German, it’s translated into English by Oliver Latsch, but I think it was an excellent translation because nothing seems to be awkward or vague.

It’s such a charming book with such endearing characters you can’t help but like it. It’s very Dickensian, sort of like Oliver Twist, with a bit of magic thrown in, and a whole lot funnier.

The book brings out the sights and sounds of Venice, and the description is so vivid that you can actually imagine you’re right there with the characters.

As books go, it’s not pretentious or ambitious, nothing groundbreaking, but it’s got a very classic feel to it, like it makes you feel good just reading it. You know, the sort of book that makes you want to live, because there’s such goodness in the world (haha, now where did that come from?) Just a beautifully written and exciting feel-good story.

***
Saw the movie recently and it’s an excellent adaptation, with unknown actors and excellent Venice scenery!

***
My copy: trade paperback upgraded into a hardcover with dustjacket, bought at Books for Less

My rating: 5/5 stars