{"id":836,"date":"2007-08-20T00:01:56","date_gmt":"2007-08-20T06:01:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=836"},"modified":"2007-09-09T09:45:20","modified_gmt":"2007-09-09T15:45:20","slug":"seven-impossible-tri-reviews-before-breakfast-1-featuring-betsy-bird-of-a-fuse-8-production","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=836","title":{"rendered":"Seven Impossible Tri-Reviews Before Breakfast #1: Featuring Betsy Bird of A Fuse #8 Production<\/em>"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"RandomJules<\/strong>: We at 7-Imp, as you may know, are fond of co-reviews, our euphemism for flappin’ our gums about a book. We are happy today to have a guest co-reviewer \u2013 our tri-reviewer, we suppose \u2013 Betsy Bird of A Fuse #8 Production<\/a><\/strong><\/em>. Yes, she agreed to be the the Mo to our Curly and Larry; the Groucho to our Chico and Harpo; the Bart to our Maggie and Lisa; the Harry to our Ron and Hermione; the Gleek to our Zan and Jayna. Oh, you get the idea, and someone stop us now . . . <\/p>\n

And you may notice this is numero uno in a new series, ’cause we thought it was so much fun that we’ve got another one lined up soon. And another one after that. And another one. Someone stop us again<\/em> . . . Really, the chance to talk books with some of our favorite bloggers? We couldn’t pass up the idea. <\/p>\n

Back at the beginning of this year, I reviewed Barkbelly<\/em><\/a><\/strong> by Cat Weatherill<\/a><\/strong> and noted that a sequel would be forthcoming. Betsy read the review (indeed, she had reviewed the title herself<\/a><\/strong>) and left a comment<\/a><\/strong>, asking if we imps were game for reading said sequel, Snowbone<\/a><\/strong><\/em> (Knopf Books for Young Readers<\/a><\/strong>; July 2007; with cover and interior art by Peter Brown<\/a><\/strong>), when it was released. And, since I have the memory of an elephant when it comes to my to-be-read piles, I reminded Eisha and Betsy of this pledge these six months later, secured some review copies, and we all three read away at (about) the same time. And now we’re here to yak it up about performance storyteller and UK author Cat Weatherill’s sequel to her ’06 story (’05 in the UK) about a boy hatched from a wooden egg who flees his loving home (with human parents) after a dreadful accident at school, beginning a quest for his real home and family.<\/p>\n

{Note: <\/em>Snowbone Spoilers revealed below} . . . <\/em> <\/p>\n

\"RandomHowever, as the title of this sequel makes it clear, the new novel is not about that boy at all (though he does make an appearance). Instead, it is about a pale wooden girl whom Barkbelly met, albeit briefly, in the first adventure that bears his name. In this sequel, the stoic, rather closed-up Snowbone (\u201cOh, how she hated touching people!\u201d) becomes the leader of a band of other wooden children (“tiddlins” they are called) — as well as a human or two thrown in for good measure — whose quest is to put an end to the slave trading of the wooden folk of Ashenpeake. Ashenpeakers are born into slavery, a fact about his heritage that Barkbelly had learned in the first novel. In Snowbone<\/em>, the intrepid group’s quest is complicated by the fact that human slave traders are hot on their heels and determined to stop them. Along the way, they encounter the High Prince of Balaa; enormous wooden flying machines with feathered blades; the murder and attempted massacre of ashen trees (the members of the wooden race of people who are doing what is called Moving On in life), all in the name of their sap that possesses extraordinary healing powers; one Ms. Butterbur Baxter-Figgis, cook and surgeon extraordinaire; a mystifying prophecy; the magical, dried-up, wish-granting tongue cut from the mouth of an ancient mapmaker (I’m not making this up, people); an angry volcano; giant tiddlin-eating flytraps; hungry cannibals; a slave quarry; and much more. They also learn a bit about the ancient history of their wooden race and determine who among them is truly a pacifist, while one of the tiddlins discovers his unique ability to, essentially, have out-of-body experiences and explore the “belly of the earth: the Otherworld,” the home of the Ancients. And, when it’s all said and done, Snowbone has learned a thing or two about what it means to truly be a leader.<\/p>\n

Whew. Betsy, would you like to do the honors of commencing with the Running of Our Mouths that we call co-reviews, since you are our honored guest? What did you think? Did you enjoy the book?<\/p>\n

Betsy<\/strong>: Well, first off let me say how pleased and delighted I am to be doing this with you guys. This is all new to me. You’re going to have to keep me in line and out of trouble while we’re in motion.<\/p>\n

Now I’d like to make it clear right here and now that I think Snowbone<\/em> surpasses Barkbelly<\/em> in terms of literary merit. Don’t get me wrong. I loved Weatherill’s debut, but remember the end of the first book? The whole magical let’s-pull-a-Lazarus motif that came out of nowhere? Obviously it didn’t ruin the book for me, but I was less enthused after reading that deus ex machina little ending. Snowbone<\/em>, in contrast, doles out the magic sparingly. Off the top of my head there’s only one “wait\u2026 what?” moment in the whole book and it happens so quickly that I’m willing to look over it. Altogether this was a more mature effort on the author’s part, with stronger themes, characters, and plotting. Of course, some people might pause over the take on death and slavery. Eisha, how did you feel about the enterprise as a whole?<\/font><\/p>\n

eisha<\/strong>: I agree that it’s a stronger story than Barkbelly<\/em>, especially given that I didn’t like Barkbelly<\/em> all that much. Which I should probably back up and explain, since you two wrote reviews about it, and I don’t know that Snowbone<\/em> would really stand alone as a story…<\/p>\n

I liked Barkbelly’s<\/em> tall-tale feel, I liked the originality of the concept, and I liked the journey that Barkbelly’s character took. What I really didn’t like were the conflicting ways that death was treated throughout the story. When a kid accidentally gets mortally injured while playing a rough version of Red Rover? Very big deal. When pirates attack the ship where Barkbelly serves as cabin boy and murder sailors right in front of him? Not a big deal – in fact, he’s all buddy-buddy with them for the rest of the journey. And then, of course, the Lazarus moment you mentioned – ill-conceived, and it did not work.<\/p>\n

So I had misgivings going into Snowbone<\/em>, and for the most part I was pleasantly surprised. Tighter plot, better writing, all the plusses you mentioned. At first I wasn’t sure about having such an emotionally-closed protagonist – Snowbone was interesting, but not always sympathetic or relatable for the reader. But I really liked how she grew in that regard – not a whole lot, just enough to humanize her and make her even more interesting.<\/p>\n

Death and slavery, though… <\/p>\n

I think death is handled better here than in Barkbelly<\/em>, for sure. The violence and deaths that occur in the book are disturbing to read – but they also disturb the characters, and the “good” characters who take lives show remorse and\/or deal with consequences. And as for slavery, I think it’s worth noting that Weatherill is English, and therefore maybe doesn’t have the knee-jerk reaction to the subject that Americans do. I don’t think the topic is handled indelicately, but I do wonder how an African American reader would react to the suggested solution to ending slavery for this fictional race: essentially, mass-suicide. It made me a little uncomfortable, even given the fact that “moving on” isn’t technically dying for an Ashenpeaker. <\/p>\n

What did you think, Jules?<\/font><\/p>\n

\"PenguinJules<\/strong>: I see what you mean, Eisha. My one thought in reading that ending was that it was, I dunno, too convenient perhaps \u2013 that it wouldn\u2019t necessarily go that smoothly, that everyone wouldn\u2019t necessarily comply so well, but perhaps that will be handled in a third book? (There better be another book; I need way more info on Manu and more back story on what Mouse did all that time. I liked Manu\u2019s \u201cI don\u2019t want to sit on a throne all day, sorting out petty squabbles and marrying a princess I barely know\u201d moment). I will add, though, that I thought the image of \u201cgreat armies of trees . . . converging in the darkness,\u201d sending their roots into the earth and creating their own Otherworld was well-written (the very last page of the book) and rather unforgettable. <\/p>\n

On that note, this is one thing I love about Weatherill\u2019s writing: the rhythm of her words, the poetry that is imbued in her prose. I dog-eared so many pages in this book that included examples of this, such as when Snowbone and the gang first boarded the Stormrunner with Stellan: \u201cShe could feel the machine beginning to lift. It was straining against the mooring lines. So many cracks and groans and roars and rushes! Bumps and grinds and moans and shushes!\u201d There are so many moments like this in both this title and Barkbelly<\/em>, moments of such melodious prose that make me want to read it aloud. And she\u2019s capable of moments of such evocative metaphors \u2013 the low, wispy clouds, while flying in the Stormrunner, which are like mermaids\u2019 hair. And I really liked: \u201cIt was twilight: that magical, middle moment when the sun has gone home to supper but the moon is running late and simply won\u2019t come out till she\u2019s washed her face.\u201d I think it\u2019s obvious she has a background as a storyteller. <\/p>\n

So, yes, you two already covered the unfortunate Lazarus-esque ending of Barkbelly<\/em>, which disappointed me, too; I saw that ending as going somewhere else altogether more poignant, and so I was bummed. But I was happy to see plot elements handled more smoothly in Snowbone<\/em>. I also really liked the spiritual element of this one, the \u201cshadow-sight\u201d ability that Blackeye possessed. Meeting the Ancients in the Otherworld was freaky-weird and fun.<\/p>\n

Betsy, do you mind me asking what was the one \u201cwait . . . what?\u201d moment for you? I thought the Tongue of Torbijn was flat-out weird. I had to pause and wonder just exactly how Weatherill thought that one up. Not that it was ineffective \u2013 just wildly, uh, original! And, Betsy and Eisha, what did you think of Blackeye\u2019s \u201cshadow-sight\u201d? Did it work for you? And did you all think that Weatherill handled all the multiple points-of-view well in this sequel? I, for one, enjoyed that about this one \u2013 that we had the perspectives of more tiddlins and not just primarily one, as in Barkbelly<\/em>. <\/p>\n

Betsy<\/strong>: Ah. The \u201cwait\u2026 what?\u201d moment for me was the moment when the villain wished that our heroes would \u201cSHUT UP\u201d and then she magically disappears. I read and reread this passage over and over and I still couldn\u2019t make heads or tails out of it. So let\u2019s recap. Villain is unaware that she is carrying a magical muscle (strongest in the body, eh?) that grants wishes. Villain wants heroes to be quiet. Villain disappears into \u201ca cloud of blue smoke\u201d. Wait . . . what? After a rereading I discovered that if a person made the same wish twice they\u2019d disappear, but there certainly should have been a call back to that fact. Even the mention of it is done in a kind of throwaway line early in the book. Weatherill doesn\u2019t confuse often, but when she does it\u2019s a doozy.<\/p>\n

I thought the multiple points-of-view very important in a story of this kind. I would have liked a couple more moments from Tigermane, of course, since I didn\u2019t get much of a sense of her character. As for the shadow-sight, I didn\u2019t mind the use of it so much as I did the bizarre request made of Blackeye to not mention this ability to his fellows. Why? He brings it up the first moment it\u2019s going to come in useful anyway. Why not let him tell people about his \u201clessons\u201d right from the start? Narrative tension, I suppose.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not all complaints from me. After all, I know what you mean, Jules, about the language. First of all, how great is the introduction to the character of Snowbone? She\u2019s crawling about as a baby and she sees a pirate sitting there. And then she sees his leg. \u201cHairy, with torn britches flapping at the knee. Lip-licking, mouth-dripping, fat, fine, juicy.\u201d One of the things I loved about Barkbelly<\/em> was a description near the beginning of the book where a bird was gnawing on a wooden egg. I wish I had the book in front of me now to repeat the image. The description of the taste of the egg, like spices, has stayed with me ever since. To this day it\u2019s the thing I associate the most readily with Weatherill\u2019s work. <\/p>\n

It was interesting to note that so much of this book concentrates on the importance of being a good ruler. Snowbone wants to rule her tiddlings fairly. Manu his people (if he ever returns to them). In fact I loved Manu\u2019s line about his people that \u201cI wouldn\u2019t lead them into a war that had nothing to do with them,\u201d if only because I felt it had more than a drop of timeliness today. But then Filizar, whose life has been saved by cannibalistic natives and who has been treated as a god by them for years, betrays his people lickety-split and that\u2019s supposed to be okay? It reminded me of the inconsistencies you mentioned Eisha, regarding violence and death in the first book.<\/p>\n

This being an interesting year for children\u2019s fiction, how do you think Snowbone<\/em> stacks up in terms of some of the other titles you\u2019ve seen thus far?<\/font><\/p>\n

\"Penguineisha<\/strong>: First, good call on the shadow-sight secrecy, Betsy. That was totally weird, and totally unnecessary. It bugged me too.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re right, too, in that it\u2019s been a very interesting year for middle-grade fiction so far. There have been crime-fighting skeletons (Skulduggery Pleasant<\/em>, co-reviewed here<\/a><\/strong>), supernatural rats (Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat<\/em>, co-reviewed here<\/a><\/strong>), alien invasions (The True Meaning of Smekday<\/a><\/strong><\/em>), teenage urban explorers battling Chinese crime lords and exiled European royalty (Kiki Strike and the Empress\u2019s Tomb<\/a><\/em><\/strong>)\u2026 A book about wooden children trying to overthrow slave traders should feel right at home.<\/p>\n

Seriously, though, I thought Snowbone<\/em> was pretty good. You both mentioned Weatherill\u2019s skill with imagery, and you\u2019re absolutely right. There were some lovely turns of phrase in this book. You can really tell it had its origins in oral storytelling. And Snowbone herself is a great character. I think my hesitation to put it near the top of the pile of what I\u2019ve read so far, besides the whole touchy slavery issue, had to do with personal taste. It just doesn\u2019t do it for me, but I fully recognize that it could do it for plenty of other readers. What about kid appeal, though? Do you think it\u2019s a book that kids would choose, and enjoy?<\/font><\/p>\n

Jules<\/strong>: I really didn\u2019t think twice about the secrecy behind the shadow-sight gig. I figured we\u2019ll find out later why it was so insisted upon. Perhaps we will find out that there is some sort of sinister aspect to it, though I doubt that, since we didn\u2019t get that sense at all in this title. But, yes, I suppose within the context of this novel (potential sequels be damned), the length of time it remained a secret was rather unnecessary. <\/p>\n

I\u2019m only assuming, by the way, that more books are to come . . . <\/p>\n

I\u2019m with Eisha on how Snowbone<\/em> ranks for me thus far this year. First of all, speaking for myself, I don\u2019t read half the middle-grade novels you do, Betsy. I consider myself well-informed, I read and keep up, and I do my part. But since I also try to cover YA and picture books at 7-Imp, I\u2019m not the middle-grade-novel reading goddess that you are (that\u2019s a compliment; I\u2019m not being flippant). So, I am a tad bit hesitant to respond to that question, since I\u2019m not an authority here, but I\u2019d love to here you answer your own question on that: How does Snowbone<\/em> rate to you, compared to what you\u2019ve read at this little-over-the-midway mark in 2007?<\/p>\n

Secondly, I agree that it\u2019s a well-crafted novel, and I think it has definite kid appeal. In terms of personal taste, I enjoyed it — but not as much as some others I\u2019ve read this year (keeping my aforementioned limitations in mind). I suppose for me Emma-Jean Lazarus, who \u2013 if you haven\u2019t heard<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 fell out of a tree, is My Favorite Protagonist Thus Far (though Storm of Lyn Gardner\u2019s Into the Woods<\/em><\/a><\/strong> isn\u2019t one to sneeze at either; the first U.S. edition of that title was this year anyway). <\/p>\n

But I\u2019ll say it again: I like Weatherill\u2019s poetic, dulcet prose. I\u2019ll line up to read whatever she brings us next, whether or not it\u2019s related to little wooden people and no matter the target age at which it is written. <\/p>\n

Betsy<\/strong>: Agreed. As far as I can tell, Snowbone<\/em> is going to go the way of Barkbell<\/em>y. It\u2019ll find its niche but nationwide popularity is not its fate. As far as I can tell, 2007\u2019s been a pretty so-so year. Usually you get some particularly strong contenders by June, but this season the books have been fairly low-key. Even then, while I liked and enjoyed Snowbone<\/em> but I think it\u2019ll sink into the greater mass of fantasy fiction this year. Gosh I wish I had a group of test children to hand this book to. I guess the homeschooler bookgroup I run might work, but they let out for the summer, so I won\u2019t know how they feel about this one for quite some time. For me, it has appeal but I cannot call it extraordinary. Original, yes. Enjoyable, heck yes. But it didn\u2019t stand alone. I think there will definitely be sequels to come. Weatherill\u2019s certainly set herself up for some and I\u2019d by lying if I said I didn\u2019t want to read them.<\/font><\/p>\n

eisha<\/strong>: True, she did leave some tantalizing threads hanging. No doubt we haven\u2019t heard the last from the Ashenpeakers. I\u2019d probably read the next one too \u2013 she seems to get better with each book, and the concept is pretty cool. I\u2019d definitely read it if it meant we three would tri-review it \u2013 this has been totally fun! Thanks, Jules, for suggesting it; and thanks, Betsy, for playing along. And hey, we didn\u2019t even have to keep you in line.<\/font><\/p>\n

Jules<\/strong>: Yes, it was fun. Thanks, Betsy! Let\u2019s do it again one day. Until then . . . <\/p>\n

* * * * * * *<\/center><\/p>\n

Read Chapter 1 of Snowbone<\/em> here<\/a><\/strong> at this Penguin Australia link . . . <\/p>\n

Read Chapter 47 of Snowbone<\/em> here<\/a><\/strong> at this Puffin UK link . . . <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jules: We at 7-Imp, as you may know, are fond of co-reviews, our euphemism for flappin’ our gums about a book. We are happy today to have a guest co-reviewer \u2013 our tri-reviewer, we suppose \u2013 Betsy Bird of A Fuse #8 Production. Yes, she agreed to be the the Mo to our Curly and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-836","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-co-reviews","category-intermediate"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/836","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=836"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/836\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=836"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=836"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=836"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}