She's one of 'em.
One of those writers you just get obsessed with, because reading their stuff isn't reading the same thing over and over again. They always give you something different.
J.K. Rowling was the first on that list, and then there was an embarrassing Stephenie Meyer phase (in my defence, I know FB like a page called 'Bella Swan is the biggest setback in the feminist movement since the sandwich'), and also Holly Black.
Malinda Lo caught my eye with her novel Ash, which is supposed to be a retelling of Cinderella, with a twist.
Rephrasing required.
It is a twisted retelling of Cinderella.
Strangely enough, I enjoyed this novel. A lot. Her almost ethereal writing style just holds you in a place which is but one town and one forest, yet a magical dimension on its own.
Now she's got out Huntress, which unlike the previous novel which had the Cinderella happy ending, this one didn't have a happily ever after. Even better.
The lead picked a destiny over love.
And embarrassingly enough, I couldn't find the book online and was simply dying to find out what happens...so I went to this 'Library On The Move' blog and just...read...the synopsis. Ending and all. *cringe*
In my defence, I have no idea if the book is even available here, and since I couldn't get an ebook...first and last time. Promise.
Anyhoo, the lead in Huntress can abandon her destiny as a sage (which requires celibacy as a vow) for the girl she loves (yes, Malinda Lo seems to have a...thing for lesbianism, in both her novels) or she can give up what seems to be the love of her life.
And contrary to what we would all like to think, 'Love conquers all' accompanied by a roll of our eyes, she gives up her love. She becomes a sage.
I don't know why I find this ending satisfying, since I'm generally a silly hopeless romantic at heart (try not to show it) but I do. Makes you feel like there are more important things. Something I knew before and have to reconcile with - again.
Veronica Roth, on the other hand, seems to have brought in a completely different element to fantasy, because I can't put down her book to any other genre. It was beautiful. Just, ohmyGod addictive. I dreamt about it.
Amazingly crafted, you can't for a second doubt the world they live in, though if I ever suggested it in real life I would be risking getting locked up in a padded cell myself.
A world where we're divided based on our qualities and choices? Not race, religion, gender. Based on whether I'm honest (Candor) or brave (Dauntless), selfless (Abnegation) or inquisitive (Erudite), or just peaceful (Amity), I have a faction. And my faction is more important than the family I was brought up in - "faction before blood".
(Read the book for the rest - believe me, worth the three hours. I could just provide a synopsis, but I just finished it and I would've HATED it if someone told me the whole story.)
Of course, I could immediately relate to the chief character - that's the difficulty, establishing a lead we can all understand. And there's the hunky lead guy - mysteriously named Four. (yes, he is my new fictional-character-crush. I haven't had any in three years now, and thought I was over it. Thank you, Veronica Roth.)
But he's just so...
(No no. Don't get started.)
Aaaaanyway, the book was a massive success, staying on the NY Bestseller's list for ELEVEN WEEKS (Man!) and the sequel, 'Insurgent' is still being written. The tentative release date has been set as May 2012 (oh noez. Countdowns. And I thought it would end with Harry Potter.)
And there's Four...
Right. Signing off for now. READ THE BOOKS.
