Review: The Golden Compass Graphic Novel, Volume 1

The Golden Compass Graphic Novel, Volume 1 by Philip Pullman
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

As much as I love The Golden Compass, I absolutely disliked the drawing style in this graphic novel. The illustrator is ok making brown smudges, but is not doing so well with everything else, especially faces. Was it really Lyra? Was that Lord Asriel?!

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Review: The Green Bicycle

The Green Bicycle by Haifaa al Mansour
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was challenged to read a book by an author from Saudi Arabia. And it really was a hard challenge! Mostly because it was really hard to find a book by a Saudi Arabian author. I would really prefer to read fiction, but 1) The Green Bicycle was the one and only Saudi Arabian book in my library; 2) Even if I wanted to ask for a book from another library, there is nothing to ask for. All I found were several stories about the fate of girls in that country written by female authors who happily escaped. I guess the same zeal that was underlying the plot in this book is the reason for the poor literary heritage. The story itself is written well enough and pleasant enough to read, even though it's not overly consistent in terms of tenses and points of view. The plot, however, is not too exciting. Besides, it doesn't seem finished. After the heroine rides off into the sunset on her new bicycle, the should be religious police and repercussions. There is just no other way it could go.

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Review: There's No Such Thing as Bad Weather: A Scandinavian Mom’s Secrets for Raising Healthy, Resilient, and Confident Kids

There's No Such Thing as Bad Weather: A Scandinavian Mom’s Secrets for Raising Healthy, Resilient, and Confident Kids by Linda Åkeson McGurk
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I liked the idea, I liked the writing. This is book is supposed to be inspirational, I think. It would have been, it almost was. After every new idea I started to wonder how can I implement it, why I haven't before, because that's what I was doing myself up until quite recently. But each of these thoughts was interrupted by a sudden realization. Oh, that's why. There is literally nowhere to connect with nature in the middle of Iowa. There is not much nature left. A 50 by 20 m park composed of dying trees, without any young growth, doesn't really count. I mean I probably can walk there with a toddler, and I did, but it lacks the sense of wonder I felt tracking the wilderness. And as much as I tried, I couldn't find "like-minded parents" to share my concern. There is even a forest preschool in our town (where kids can have a change in scenery from indoor play with parents), and a Walk It Baby group (they like to walk in the mall). So after a while, all I feel was desperation. But I guess I'm inspired to move, to some other country probably, until it's too late.

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Review: Divergent

Divergent by Veronica Roth
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Another book about a bitchy judgmental girl in a post-apocalyptic society where maniacs wanna rule the world. Decent writing, but minus a star for being written after the Hunger Games (come on, there must be some new ideas somewhere). Minus another star for a completely unnecessary cliff-hunger. I recently read a monster book that could easily be split in three, but this trilogy is a reverse case. It's apparently a one one-idea book, split into three for mysterious reasons.

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