Interesting Bits From The Horn Book
Though I haven't read any of its articles, I have whipped through the new Horn Book's reviews. Two things jumped out at me.
1. I had never even heard of the Cathars until a couple of months ago when I read the second book in The Youngest Templar serial. Then I stumbled upon them again while doing some quick research on the historical figures in a book by Geoffrey Trease. Well, the Horn Book's review of White Heat by K.M.Grant tipped me off that the Cathars are back in another novel. White Heat is the second part of a Cathar story. K. M.Grant wrote one of my favorite recent historical novels, How the Hangman Lost His Heart.
2. In all the angst this past summer over the cover of Justine Larbalestier's new book, Liar, I totally missed that it's a...Oh, wait. Larbalestier makes a big deal at her website about not giving away any spoilers, and perhaps this is a big one. So I won't repeat what The Horn Book reviewer let slip. (Assuming she let anything slip, because the book is called Liar.) But, still, somehow I got the impression earlier this year that the book was just a teenage problem novel. I am much more likely to read it now that I know that it's a...um...hmmm.
Labels: The Horn Book
5 Comments:
Ha! And that's the reason that I almost threw the book across the room halfway through reading it.
Because you found out it was a...something...story? You didn't find out until the mid-point?
I just got my copy, and with all my Cybils reading, it's not at the top of the heap... but now I'm DYING TO KNOW...!
Over on Twitter, the author said the Horn Book review made her cry because it gave away the allegedly big secret. Echoing my response to The Crying Game, the book review editor said, "THAT was the secret?"
While I'm sensitive to the author's wishes, realistically speaking, I don't think surprises in books, films, etc., can be kept secret for long. I've also been under the impression that the professional review journals frequently give a synopsis of books being reviewed for the benefit of librarians who need to build collections but can't, themselves, read every book that's published. That means that if I hope to have my books reviewed, chances are the basic storyline is going to be out there before long. With any luck, review readers will find the basic storyline so compelling, they'll want the book, anyway.
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