Review - Unearthly, by Cynthia Hand

Title: Unearthly

Author: Cynthia Hand
Released: Jan 2011

Publisher:  Little, Brown and Company

Pages: 341

Rating: 4/5
Source: NetGalley
Purchase: Amazon

Summary from Goodreads

In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.
Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.
As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?
Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.

Review:

I don't know why, but I'm having such a difficult time writing a review for this book! I mean, it was really good, but I just can't seem to put my thoughts into words without giving anything away.

The only books I've read that touch on the subject of angels are Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments series. Other than that, my experience with paranormal beings has been with vampires, wolves, shadowhunters, wizards & any other creature in the Harry Potter series. So, what were my thoughts on reading a book about a part-angel, part-teenage human girl? It was refreshing. This story was not dark like so many others in its genre. Sure there were dark moments, but overall, it had such a light, happy feel to it.

I loved the main character, Clara. While first getting to know her, I worried she was going to be another whiny, awkward, swooning girl. At times she showed hints of this (what teenage girl hasn't?), but as I got to know her, I realized that while not perfect, she was strong, independent, self-sufficient, competitive, & easy to relate to. She was awesome!

While this book can be categorized as paranormal fantasy, & the overall premise of the story had to do with Clara & her angel purpose on Earth, I was amazed by Hand's ability to make it so realistic. So much of the focus was on the characters & what it's like to be a teenager - trying to get a boy's attention, making friends, fitting in, & being teased by the Gilbert Blythe of Jackson Hole, WY (when said boy called her "Carrots," I'm pretty sure I started rooting for him right then & there!). At the same time, Hand threw in magical qualities: flying, visions, glowing, hair having an almost life-like mind of its own. This book felt more like magical realism than paranormal fantasy, & I loved that about it. It made it easier to escape in the story & feel as though it could really happen.

Another thing I appreciated about Hand's story was the fact that she didn't make the romance aspect of it ridiculous. It felt natural & was very well-developed. It wasn't about fantasy, obsession, love at first sight, & lust (well, maybe a little), but rather, they were equals & grew close through actually spending time together & getting to know each other. And while the swoon-worthy boys were comical at times in their stereotypes, I enjoyed them. Tucker especially made my list of literary crushes, while I imagine Christian isn't far behind!

I am so excited for the next book in this series to come out! Unearthly left us with some unanswered questions, & I can't wait to see where this story goes! I wish I could just relive the story all over again - if this were a movie, I would have pushed "replay" as soon as I finished watching it, just so I could experience it all over again.

4/5

"So often we only do what we think is expected of us, when we are capable of so much more." ~ Cynthia Hand, Unearthly

Through the Pages (3) - Unearthly: angels & the YA trend

"Through the Pages" Thursday

(Anyone is welcome to join me with their own current read's "Through the Pages" - just add your link to the comments section & link back to my blog to spread the word. Click on the link to find out more about this weekly meme.)

I am currently reading Unearthly, by Cynthia Hand, where the main character, Clara, is part-angel & has a purpose she has been assigned to fulfill.

Angles - messengers of God, ministers to mankind, teachers of doctrines of salvation, guardians, full of goodness & love.

 Angels are often depicted with wings & believed to be creations of God to fulfill his purposes. They have also been described as beings who once lived on the earth or who will live on the earth, who give messages to & lead humankind in righteousness. They have been described as floating above the ground, & having the appearance of extreme brightness & light. They have also been said to take human form with the purpose of helping & guiding others.

Angels are depicted in many religions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam . . . where witnesses claim to have seen or felt angels, either as a messenger from God or as a protector. Many well-known angels - Gabriel, Michael, Raphael, Moroni - are not only spoken of in scripture, but witnesses claim to have had personal experiences & interactions with them.

A Recent Trend ~ Angels in YA Fiction

What do you think of the angel trend? Do you like it? Is it a nice change from other paranormal beings? Do you have a favorite book featuring angels?

"Waiting On" Wednesday (2) - Unearthly

Jill at Breaking the Spine hosts the weekly meme,

"Waiting On" Wednesday. 

It offers the opportunity to share the soon-to-be-released books that I am excited to get my hands on.

I am really anxious for Unearthly by Cynthia Hand to be released. I love paranormal fantasy & am especially excited since this one deals with angels, something I've only briefly enountered in The Mortal Instruments series. I think it will be a nice change from vampires, werewolves & shadowhunters (not that I'm opposed to any of these!).

In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees. . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what it is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place--and out of place, at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make--between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

Release Date: 1.4.11

I'm taking a break from blogging until after Christmas - Happy Holidays!

"Time Out" from Reading (1) - Eclipse DVD-Release Party

The purpose of "Time Out" from Reading is to take a step back from actual reading & to do something (big or small) that is inspired by a book. (examples: watching a movie adaptation of a book, trying out a recipe (chocolate pie for The Help), adapting an activity, theme, or subject into your day: plant flowers for The Forgotten Garden, build a sand "cathedral" for The Pillars of the Earth, have a Family Fun Day for . . . a book about families) Be creative, make it a stretch if you need to!

I would love to see what other people come up with, so feel free to join along any time - just post a comment with a link back to your blog, so others can see what you did! :)

Earlier this month, my friend from Party Profiles & I hosted an Eclipse DVD-release party. We prepared everything in red, black & white (the decorations, food, drinks), printed up pictures with quotes from the book, & invited some special guests to come join us. It was so much fun to see the story played out on film & to laugh at ourselves for being such total dorks!

 

Review - The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson

I love the cover - it is so gorgeous!

Title: The Gargoyle

Author: Andrew Davidson

Release: August 2008

Publisher:  Doubleday
Pages: 480
Rating: 5/5
Purchase: Amazon

Summary:
An extraordinary debut novel of love that survives the fires of hell and transcends the boundaries of time.

The narrator of The Gargoyle is a very contemporary cynic, physically beautiful and sexually adept, who dwells in the moral vacuum that is modern life. As the book opens, he is driving along a dark road when he is distracted by what seems to be a flight of arrows. He crashes into a ravine and suffers horrible burns over much of his body. As he recovers in a burn ward, undergoing the tortures of the damned, he awaits the day when he can leave the hospital and commit carefully planned suicide—for he is now a monster in appearance as well as in soul.

A beautiful and compelling, but clearly unhinged, sculptress of gargoyles by the name of Marianne Engel appears at the foot of his bed and insists that they were once lovers in medieval Germany. In her telling, he was a badly injured mercenary and she was a nun and scribe in the famed monastery of Engelthal who nursed him back to health. As she spins their tale in Scheherazade fashion and relates equally mesmerizing stories of deathless love in Japan, Iceland, Italy, and England, he finds himself drawn back to life—and, finally, in love. He is released into Marianne's care and takes up residence in her huge stone house. But all is not well. For one thing, the pull of his past sins becomes ever more powerful as the morphine he is prescribed becomes ever more addictive. For another, Marianne receives word from God that she has only twenty-seven sculptures left to complete—and her time on earth will be finished.

Already an international literary sensation, The Gargoyle is an Inferno for our time. It will have you believing in the impossible.

Review:

When I think about Andrew Davidson's The Gargoyle, the words that come to mind are grotesque, graphic, disturbing . . . magical, beautiful, unforgettable. After hearing so many wonderful things about this book, I was really excited to read it. But I have to admit it was difficult for me to get into, & I was kind of disappointed. Don't get me wrong - I think Davidson is an INCREDIBLY talented & creative writer, & I ended up changing my tune, but I struggled at first with the slower pace & quite depressing subject matter. I was shocked by the narrator's career as a porn star & didn't care for the explicit descriptions involved, (You've been warned!) but was glad I continued reading after some encouragement from my friends.

I found the description of the accident, burns, & medical procedures horribly disturbing & had to skim through parts. At the same time, Davidson's descriptions were so real, uncensored & blunt that I found them surprisingly beautiful!

I very much enjoyed the stories within the story as they transported me to the past & to different lands: Japan, Italy, Iceland, Germany, England; relating the difficult yet beautiful accounts of human love & devotion. It was a constant battle trying to distinguish between a storyteller's wild imagination & the possible reality of a love that had truly lasted through the ages.

The haunting imagery from Dante's Inferno ran throughout the book & was definitely the highlight for me. I also loved the way the character's mindset & horrific situation had me reflecting on my own attitude & appreciation for life, my feelings of self-doubt, the worth of a soul, & the redeeming power of love.

I highly recommend this book (if you can get past some of the difficult-to-read parts). It was one of my favorite reads of the year!

5/5

"None are here by accident. Hell is a choice because salvation is available to anyone who seeks it. The damned choose their fates, by deliberately hardening their hearts."
~ The Gargoyle, Andrew Davidson