Review: From Where I Watch You

By Shannon Grogan

Available now from Soho Teen

Review copy

From Where I Watch You was Shannon Grogan's debut (and so far only) novel. I think it is an ambitious novel with lots of promise, but that Grogan didn't quite have the experience to bring all the storylines together naturally.

Kara McKinley is a star baker. Only 16, she's in the running for a baking competition that would get her a scholarship to culinary school in another state. She wants to escape from her home and the shadow of her older sister's death at college, and her mom's resulting holy roller ways. She also wants to escape her stalker, whose notes are becoming increasingly threatening.

 

Those plot drivers are covered by the blurb. What isn't covered is that From Where I Watch You details Kara and her sister Kellan's history between the present chapters, building up the reason why Kara isn't sorry her sister is dead. Kellan's betrayal is horrible, but I'm not sure what happened to Kara fits the rest of the novel. It is a heavy subject to add to a book, and I'm not sure there was enough room to give it proper weight. There could have been tension between the sisters without it.

Kara is also hallucinating her dead sister. Oh, and falling in love with Charlie, who is finally noticing her now that he works in her mother's cafe and who might be homeless. There's a lot going on, and I feel like paring down a few of the minor plots would have helped From Where I Watch You hit harder, particularly the reveal at the end.

As it was, it felt like there was barely time for the mystery. Kara never tells anyone who might help her and never does much to solve it. In the end, the stalker has to reveal himself, which felt anti-climatic to me.

Review: Earth Flight

The third novel in the Earth Girl trilogy

By Janet Edwards

Available now from Pyr

Review copy

When I picked up Earth Flight, I didn't realize it was the final novel in a trilogy. This did leave me lost at some points as Earth Flight is heavy on the future slang and such, but I also enjoyed piecing the worldbuilding together. Janet Edwards doesn't leave new readers too lost, however. There's exposition about what happened in previous novels.

In the future Earth of this trilogy, most humans can portal to other worlds. Those that have an immune system that doesn't allow them to portal are discriminated against. Jarra hid her condition, got caught, but still saved the world and is now a celebrity. Earth Flight tackles what happens after the unlikely hero has saved the world, a plot that seems obvious but that I haven't seen too often.

Jarra's clan are now prepared to adopt her, but not everyone wants someone with her condition to be officially recognized as a clan member. She and her boyfriend are going to get married, which also results in prejudicial objections. Fantastic prejudice can be a way to get out of writing about real prejudice, but I feel like Edwards does a good job in showing how many avenues of life prejudice can affect. Even as a hero, Jarra can't just get married if she wants to. While I didn't have much of an opinion on Jarra's boyfriend Fian (I think he did more in previous books?), I liked what Edwards showed of their relationship and how they work together as a team.

There is an action story to go along with the political plot, involving an alien probe and a scramble to figure out how to get Jarra into space if she can't portal. The action keeps the story moving along nicely.

Earth Flight feels like a throwback to seventies science fiction juveniles, but with a female character front and center and none of the casual misogyny common to that era of science fiction. That old-fashioned approach helps Earth Flight stand out from the current crop of novels. There's not much psychological depth, but there is fun worldbuilding and a cracking, straight-ahead adventure story.

I'll probably not go back and pick up the first two books, but I thought Earth Flight was a fun afternoon read.

Review: Hero Complex

The second Keaton School mystery
By Margaux Froley
Available now from Soho Teen
Review copy
Review of Escape Theory

Because I enjoyed Escape Theory, I wanted to read the sequel, Hero Complex. However, it had been a while since I read Escape Theory, so I wanted to reread it first, and eventually I decided to just dive into Hero Complex any way.

I had forgotten quite a bit, but it came back to me. Devon Mackintosh was working at a peer counselor at the private school she attended on scholarship to help boost her college applications. Her knowledge from those sessions made her suspicious of the apparent suicide of popular Hutch, which led her to become embroiled in a mystery.

At the beginning of Hero Complex, Devon has figured out who killed Hutch but she's still trying to figure out the why, which could be the key to getting the testimony needed to put his murderer away. But soon a new mystery arises when she goes to a boat party with her friend Cleo and gets clobbered over the back of the head. No one believes her that the assault happened, much less that it was attempted murder.

What I found most delightful about Hero Complex was that Devon never would have known the secrets she uncovers in the novel even existed if the villain hadn't attempted to get rid of her. I love seeing a bad guy hoisted by their own petard. At the same time, Hero Complex feels like the middle novel in a trilogy. The mystery at the center doesn't have the emotional drive of Hutch's death, and the revelations feel like they're setup for the fallout in the third novel.

... which doesn't exist. As much as I enjoy Escape Theory and Hero Complex, I have trouble recommending the Keaton School mysteries since the third novel was never published, leaving the story feeling unfinished.

National Theater At Home

The National Theater in London started the National Theater Live program to broadcast performances internationally. You might have seen National Theater Live advertised through Fathom Events before movies, back when you went to movie theaters.

This summer they're making proshot performances available for one week at a time. Last week was a fantastic Treasure Island starring Arthur Davrill, and if I'd watched it earlier in the week, I would've shared it.

This week is Twelfth Night (the Shakespeare play) starring Tamsin Greig. I can't wait to watch!



As for what comes after that ...

We’re excited to announce two new titles for #NationalTheatreAtHome.

#Frankenstein is on 30 Apr and 1 May. Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller alternate the roles of Frankenstein and his creature.

#AntonyAndCleopatra, with Ralph Fiennes and Sophie Okonedo, is on 7 May.

https://twitter.com/nationaltheatre/status/1253217039864520704

I appreciate all these theater, musical, and opera organizations making staying at home a more appealing prospect. I am thrilled at the amazing performances I've been able to see.

You can donate through their YouTube channel or the other places listed here.

Watch The Globe #AtHome

Adetomiwa Edun in conversation with my class

Shakespeare's Globe is making a number of productions available online. These include full productions, and actors performing some of the greatest love poetry from their own homes. There are also more performances available to buy.

You can see a full schedule here. Please consider a donation to help Shakespeare's Globe continue their work in Shakespeare scholarship and performance.

The current play, Romeo and Juliet (2009) is a special one for me because I saw this cast perform it live while I studied in the UK, and my class was able to do a special Q&A with a few of the actors. You might recognize the stars. Ellie Kendrick (Juliet) appeared on Game of Thrones and Adetomiwa Edun (Romeo) appeared in FIFA 17/18/19.

This stream is available through May 3rd.