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Thursday, October 27, 2016

Book Review (Canon): If I Stay

If I Stay
Written by Gayle Forman in 2009

The Raccoon: While her body lies comatose after a car accident that kills the rest of her family, 17-year-old cellist Mia Hall must choose between life and death.

UNMASKED: If I Stay is the first book to address the heroic amount of willpower involved in staying alive, making it stand far above any other work in which a character hangs between life and death.  Forman openly explores the controversial idea that the decision to live is not always a clear one, and her courage makes the character of Mia much more human.  I was dared to judge Mia’s seemingly flawed personality; could I really say that her hesitation to live is objectively wrong?

Because the plot takes place over the course of only one day, much of the story comes from flashbacks. Forman utilizes the nonlinear structure to spare readers the pain of a drawn-out love story, similar to how the movie “Captain America: Civil War” relieves audiences by introducing Spiderman without the now oversaturated hero origin.  Instead of the typical pattern, I was introduced to Mia’s boyfriend, Adam, as someone she had loved for a long time.  After I had become invested in Adam’s character and the nature of his relationship with Mia, Forman filled in their history as the novel went on.

This style of storytelling kept me in a constant state of excitement.  Mia tells four stories simultaneously in If I Stay: her hospitalization after the crash, her relationships with Adam and her best friend Kim, her journey as a musician, and her parents’ experiences.  Each chapter brings the next fragment of one of these plot lines, thereby quenching my thirst for that story, while increasing the suspense for the other three.

The other aspect of If I Stay that primarily kept me turning the pages was how complex every character is.  Despite Mia being alone in her position and being the only narrator, everyone close to her has his/her own story that is revealed over time through his/her actions in the past and present.  Forman adds incredible depth to these characters by showing their words and behaviors when they are unaware that Mia is watching.

Strengths:
  • Although several specific artists and pieces are mentioned, Forman presents them in an easily swallowable way.  One does not need to have any musical knowledge to understand the characters and plot.
  • The relationships between characters are realistic and have a strong emotional impact.
  • The chapters are the perfect length to fully explain situations without dragging on.

Weaknesses:
  • The characters are arguably too perfect.

Rating: 18/20 hours

Ideal Setting: Read this before a concert to both appreciate the music more and experience the feeling of existing but being unable to affect your surroundings.

Saturday, October 22, 2016

CANDY BOX: Neal Shusterman's Technology

An exploration of the strange mind of Neal Shusterman, author of most notably the Unwind Dystology and the Skinjacker Trilogy


Spoiler Warning: Major plot points of UnWholly and The Dark Side of Nowhere; semi-significant elements of UnDivided


One of the most exciting aspects of reading is getting the chance to explore the worlds that authors have created.  The main reason I read so much is for that escapism; a well-written book makes the reader forget what is around him/her in favor of a new journey and the discoveries that come with it.  What helps draw me personally into an author’s world the most is technology, and nobody does a better job of creating technology than Neal Shusterman.  


Here are the three wildest inventions within Shusterman’s books.


ONE. The Orgão Orgânico
An artist's interpretation
The Orgão Orgânico,
as it appears on the
cover of UnSouled
The Unwind Dystology is a dystopian series which revolves around the idea of “unwinding,” the process of using every single part of a person’s body for transplant (so they are not technically killed, making the practice socially acceptable).  The popularity of unwinding creates a surplus of human tissue, leading some artists to use organic matter in their work.  One such artist, featured in an advertisement between chapters, creates the Orgão Orgânico, a massive instrument lined with eighty-eight human faces to produce its sound.  Yes.  Rather than the usual hammers, wires, and pipes of an organ, Shusterman brings us the lovely image of keys connecting directly to human vocal cords.  The character who purchases this disturbing instrument even remarks that “the eyes do open from time to time, which can be disconcerting.”  


TWO. Camus Composite-Prime
An artist's interpretation
With most Americans in the Unwind Dystology dismantling their children left and right, it is not too far-fetched that someone would eventually choose to reverse the process.  In clever, anxiety-inducing chapters of jumbled thoughts and observations of a body unwilling to respond to its brain, we are introduced in UnWholly to the character of Cam Comprix (short for the aforementioned full name), the first “rewound” human.  Cam, the modern Frankenstein (granting his creators the title of the modern Modern Prometheus?) is born at roughly age 16, stitched together from hundreds of other teenagers.  As Cam attempts to assimilate into normal life, he is both revered as the next evolution of humanity and considered a monster.  There is an especially awkward reunion when another character recognizes her now dead boyfriend’s hands on him.
Cam, as he appears on
the cover of UnWholly
An artist's interpretation












THREE. The Unnamed, Alien Glove Weapon

The glove, as it appears on the cover
of The Dark Side of Nowhere
While many YA novels are about discovering one’s identity, this idea becomes significantly more convoluted in The Dark Side of Nowhere.  Narrator Jason Miller slowly learns that he, and most of the other people in his town, are aliens, hiding among humans as they wait for reinforcements to complete their mission of conquering Earth.  As a beginning step to reclaiming their glory, the school janitor gifts all of the inhuman children with “training gloves.”  These heavy gauntlets function like guns, rapidly shooting small metal balls from each finger when extended.  Of course, while potentially dangerous, the training gloves are only practical for target practice and play, which makes it all the more shocking when Jason graduates to the actual weapon, a light mesh glove that fires 
concentrated lasers.

Announcement: Changing the Upload Schedule

Hi everyone,

While I would love to spend all of my time reading and writing for The Unmasked Raccoon, other missions beckon me, among them a graphic novel I have been leaving on the back burner in order to maintain my review schedule.

In order to keep the blog, my other writing, and my life running smoothly, I am scaling back my Canon reviews to once every other week.  Expect in your inbox one review each week, alternating between Canon and Rucksack.

Thank you for your understanding, and I look forward to continuing writing for you.

Love,
Jonah

*Come back tonight for this month’s opening of the Candy Box.

**Come back in about three months for my first animated review.

***Come back in a little over a year for the publishing of Simon Saisse, Platypus Man.


****Come back in the distant future for the official The Unmasked Raccoon app, which will allow you to scan any book cover and see my pocket-sized or full review of it, along with the links to any corresponding Candy Box posts.

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Book Review (Rucksack): Of Mice and Men

Of Mice and Men
Written by John Steinbeck in 1937

The Racoon: Of Mice and Men tells the story of two friends struggling to find jobs and keep them amidst the Great Depression.

UNMASKED: As a novella housing a mere 107 pages, Of Mice and Men struggles to move forward.  Rather than the many experiences most characters of classic literature face, leading them to develop their views and subsequently change their actions, Steinbeck is unable to offer more than a small slice of George and Lennie’s lives.  While every great book leaves the reader craving more, Of Mice and Men feels incomplete; I am left with several unanswered questions.

However, it is the fun-sized packaging of the book that shapes it into a literary stuffed animal.  Steinbeck’s work is something to carry with you for comfort; it will provide an unchanging, loyal anchor as you evolve and move through life.

Strengths:
  • When Candy and Crooks, two characters that George and Lennie meet on the ranch, overhear George and Lennie’s aspirations, they choose to join them in their dreaming, adding their own contributions and ideas.  These scenes are simply beautiful.
  • The scene featuring Crooks illustrates all of the hardships of African Americans living during the early 1900s.  He is a strong character with multiple layers.
Weaknesses:
  • All but one of the characters are one-dimensional and do not grow throughout the story.
  • There is very little explanation of events before and after this section of the characters’ lives.

Rating: 12/20 rabbits

Ideal Setting: Read this while stroking your pet, snuggling your fluffy blanket, or casually rubbing your thumb against the dead mouse in your pocket.

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Book Review (Canon): This Monstrous Thing

This Monstrous Thing
Written by MacKenzi Lee in 2015


The Raccoon: This Monstrous Thing paints a world in which Frankenstein was Mary Shelley’s attempt to process witnessing her best friend resurrect his brother.  The book is set in a steampunk re-imagining of Geneva.

UNMASKED: Like The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and The Neverending Story, This Monstrous Thing is a book about a book.  What elevates this story above the other two is its exploration of the earth-shattering impact Frankenstein could have had on society if people even slightly considered that the events within the pages were grounded in truth.

The book brilliantly illustrates how different factions grapple with the idea that Man can create life as well as God, from claiming that people with mechanical parts disrespect God’s image to becoming obsessed with the scientific potential of the discovery.  This culminates in a social revolution that seems too thrilling and eventful to be contained in a book.

The struggles and decisions faced by all of the characters, especially Alasdair, the narrator, also make This Monstrous Thing an emotional journey.  I found myself pondering what I would do in most situations and feeling strongly connected to all four of the main characters at different times.

Ultimately, This Monstrous Thing is a masterfully constructed “what if” that takes the best parts of Shelley’s iconic story of the scientist and his creation and delves into how each of us must wrestle with the man and monster within us when faced with life’s sudden turns.

Strengths:
  • The creative technology, most notably the shock-producing ‘pulse gloves,’ helps excite the reader and immerse them in Lee’s world.
  • Alasdair’s life draws several subtle parallels to Victor Frankenstein’s, along with the more obvious ones called out by other characters.
  • The characters are content at the end, with a purposeful lack of romance needed for their fulfillment.
  • The book unintrusively comments on our society’s history of segregation and intolerance.
  • Unlike Mary Shelley, who decided that Victor Frankenstein would REFUSE TO TELL THE READER THE SECRET TO CREATING LIFE, BREAKING MY HEART AND STEPPING ON MY THIRST FOR WONDER AND KNOWLEDGE, Lee explains how Alasdair is able to resurrect his brother.  Thank you for that.

Weaknesses:
  • Lee uses the word “clockwork” more than I use “like” in conversations.
  • There is a frivolous amount of suspense around the obvious revelations that Mary Godwin became Mary Shelley (after marrying Percy Shelley) and that she wrote Frankenstein.

Rating: 18/20 oil-paper lungs

Ideal Setting: Read this while nestled up in a tower on an October night, as the specters and rebels dance in the streets.

Thursday, October 6, 2016

Book Review (Canon): The Art of Racing in the Rain

The Art of Racing in the Rain
Written by Garth Stein in 2008

The Raccoon: Enzo, a dog owned by professional racer Denny Swift, recounts the many obstacles he and his master faced together during his lifetime.

UNMASKED: Anyone who knows me personally has heard of The Art of Racing in the Rain; a novel which has curled up in a room within my heart and shows no sign of leaving.  Stein delivers a powerful exploration of the human condition through the eyes of an outside observer, destined to learn and reflect because of his inability to communicate.

On the surface, the story is simple, and The Art of Racing in the Rain is not unique for its atypical narrator.  However, in every other work I have encountered that is told through the voice of an animal, there is human-like communication between the narrator and his human companions, or, at the very least, other animals.  Stein establishes a much more realistic character in Enzo.  While Enzo does think like a human, the one and only aspect of the story requiring suspension of disbelief, the author does not grant any other animal this ability.  Furthermore, with humans, Enzo must cling to the one idea he is able to articulate (“two barks means faster, got it?”) and use gestures for everything else, hoping that his meaning comes across.  The fact that he is often unsuccessful both enhances the realism of the book and highlights Enzo’s strength of character.

It must also be acknowledged how well the title fits into the story.  Enzo, despite being a dog, has a deep passion for racing.  Just as a child might treat a playground game as if it were part of his favorite video game or action movie, Enzo views life, and specifically the lawsuit that Denny faces, as a race. The many comparisons he draws between his experiences and the great racing champions he has seen on television are both witty and profound.

Strong Points:
  • Stein does not forget that Enzo is still a dog, and he finds fitting ways for Enzo to explain his animalistic behaviors.
  • Enzo’s commentary about life as a human and a dog’s “true” place in the evolutionary hierarchy is hilarious, yet it does not take away from the gravity of the story.
  • One does not need to own a dog to appreciate the subtleties of Enzo’s story, although I highly recommend acquiring a dog so that you may better appreciate life as a whole.
  • This was my third time reading The Art of Racing in the Rain, and it was just as enjoyable and humbling as the first two times.
Weak Points:
  • The epilogue presents the unrealistically happy ending of a Disney movie.  Certain other plot events can be interpreted as childish as well.

Rating: 19/20 hot laps

Ideal Setting: Read this next to your dog. You will slowly grow to love him/her more and more as the book goes on, and the idea that an animal may have a human intelligence and soul will never entirely fade from your mind.

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Book Review (Rucksack): Think and Grow Rich

Think and Grow Rich
Written by Napoleon Hill in 1937

The Raccoon: Napoleon Hill’s famous financial development book outlines thirteen steps to riches, which he compiled after analyzing the actions and principles of hundreds of America’s most successful businessmen.

UNMASKED: Whether you believe that airplanes operate by magic or by mathematical use of fuel, it does not change the fact that they are the fastest method of traveling far distances.  Similarly, although Think and Grow Rich is founded on several pseudoscientific ideas, namely the Law of Attraction, the lessons it presents are still immensely helpful and have stood the test of time.

Think and Grow Rich is the product of 25 years of research, and this is evident in the abundant anecdotes he cites of America’s wealthiest men, including Thomas Edison, Edwin Barnes, Andrew Carnegie, and Henry Ford.  Hill has broken down the journeys and mindsets of these men into concrete principles and a methodology for becoming “success conscious.”

Unlike the two other members of the self-development triad, Stephen Covey’s The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People and Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People, which focus almost entirely on actions and habits to achieve success, Think and Grow Rich highlights proper attitudes and mindsets.  The book delivers a strong case that if one knows how to think, their actions as well as their desired results will follow naturally.

The one issue I found with Hill’s philosophy is that the author and I have vastly different definitions of the word “naturally.”  While the successes of R.U. Darby and Steven Spielberg indicate, to me, that persistence and “definiteness of purpose” lead to attainment of one’s goals, Hill brushes these ideas aside to assert that “our brains become magnetized with the dominating thoughts we hold in our minds… these “magnets” attract to us the forces, the people, the circumstances of life which harmonize with the nature of our dominating thoughts.”  Hill repeatedly claims that our thoughts are tangible; their vibrations link directly to an Infinite Intelligence that manifests all desires if only we have faith and think each day about our dreams.

I know that I will return to Think and Grow Rich as the year goes on to complete the recommended exercises and inspire myself to shrug off defeat.  However, I prefer to believe that any future achievements of mine come from my dedication and creativity, rather than a universal ether hypersensitive to my subconscious thoughts.

Strong Points:
  • Hill uses examples from dozens of highly influential and successful entrepreneurs, most of whom he knew personally.
  • Think and Grow Rich is well-organized, allowing it to stuff a massive collection of advice into a relatively short book.
  • There are several useful exercises and procedures throughout the work.  They are specific enough to find and eliminate problems at their source, yet general enough to be applicable parts of life other than finance.

Weak Points:
  • There is a slight but steady decline in the rationality of the book from the first chapter (Desire: The Starting Point of All Achievement) to the last (The Devil’s Workshop).  By the end, Hill has substituted examples of entrepreneurs for an entirely spiritual ideology.
  • Hill continually references a “secret” which he refuses to name outright.  I am still not certain that the conclusion I have reached about its identity is the correct one.
  • Only men’s accomplishments are cited, and the chapter “The Mystery of Sex Transmutation” is much clearer from a male perspective than that of a female.  Then again, the book was written eighty years ago.

Rating: 16/20 members of your Master Mind group

Ideal Setting: Read this immediately, and then follow it with The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People straightaway.  If you know what to take out of each of these works, they will propel you to to new levels of success and happiness.