Title: Atonement
Author: Ian McEwan
Reviewer: Alyssa

During her childhood years, Briony Tallis committed a terrible act; one that sent shudders through the well-respected Tallis family, and one that tore two young lovers apart on the very cusp of World War II. It is on this back-drop that McEwan paints his wrenching tale of culpability and repentance.

And paint it he does. McEwan’s writing style seems to hold a mathematical precision in its description, and a mild wit that is penned through the eyes of a character that remains child-like even into her elderly years. In Briony Tallis we find a protagonist who is obviously flawed and easy to dislike as she trips through childhood with an inflated, egotistical impression of herself. As self-important as she is, Briony feels very little guilt when she gives false testimony and signs her older sister’s lover over to imprisonment. Later in life, however, does Briony begin her atonement for this wrong-doing during her stint in London as a nurse during The Blitz. It is this search for forgiveness that is the novel’s pivoting point, and it’s arc takes the reader on a deliciously emotional ride to the very last pages.

Atonement is a beautifully crafted novel from an author who is well-versed in his trade. McEwan’s tale becomes both a romantic and historical mise en abyme that was thoroughly enjoyable. I cannot wait to give it a second reading.

War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells

War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells is a novel in which the Martians invade and take over the planet Earth because their own world, Mars, is dying. The Martians attack Britain because it is the world's superpower. The Martians sweep aside almost all of the Earth's defenses in a couple of weeks using many different weapons. They use a Heat Ray, which flash fries anything that gets in its way. They also have a missile launcher, which doesn't explode, but instead it releases a poisonous black gas which kills all animals and then turns to powder when it touches water.

But, the above is not the message that H. G. Wells wanted to convey. H. G. Wells was conveying what the British did on a regular basis, which is invade and take over indigenous cultures, such and many South African tribes, and either enslave them or kill them. Wells was showing what it would feel like for the British if they were invaded and then exterminated and there was nothing that they could do about it.

Over all, this book is a very interesting and fun book to read. It gives you a perspective that you don't usually get in many books. I believe that everyone should read this book.

Good for Nothing by Michel Noel

The government builds new houses for aboriginal peoples and they “trash” the house on the first day. Does this make sense? How can you empathize with the complaints by native peoples with these kinds of actions?

I came to a better understanding of the issues facing native peoples by reading Good for Nothing. Set in during the fifties in Northern Quebec, the reader follows the experience of a young Metis as he moves from being a victim to taking control of his personal and community’s situation. (Starred review in the School Library Journal)

Review - Surviving The Applewhites Stephanie S. Tolan

After reading this book I wish I had been home-schooled!
I truly enjoyed this young adult book. It was bit over the top in some ways. However, it was funny and heartwarming which all of us need sometimes.

The main character, Jake Semple, is sent off to a private school as no other schools are willing to take him. He ends up with a wacky family of artists from just about every genre. Thrown into the mix, is the odd one out, E.D., who is struggling with finding her place in a family that seems so different from her. Together, she and Jake learn quite a bit about their own talents and strengths.

The book itself is a very quick but entertaining read that is sure to put a smile on your face. While it is not the most realistic of circumstances, that is what makes it so fun to read. I would recommend it to anyone in need of a pick-me-up!

The Year of Secret Assignments by Jaclyn Moriarty

The students of Ashbury and Brookfield schools just don’t like each other. It’s tradition, it’s the accepted paradigm bias of the generation, and it’s the reason why, when a tenth grade English teacher attempts to mend ties by starting a pen-pal project between the schools, best friends Cassie, Emily and Lydia find it not the least bit shady. Of course, a book wouldn’t be worth the paper it’s written on if things weren’t shaken up a bit as the girls learn that, perhaps, there’s something to be said for getting to know people outside your own circle. Equally enough, I learned that there’s also something to be said for getting to know books outside of your general reading habits.

When I first looked at The Year of Secret Assignments and first saw the bright, yellow smiley face, I felt a hint of intrigue...but that had almost all disappeared by the time I had read the back. Was this just another stereotypical-teenage-girly-slushy-novel? I’d never have started it to find out if not for the fact that I had some spare time and would have been bored out of my mind without a book to read. I was, however, quickly drawn in by the vernacular writing. Each chapter consists of personal writings, journal entries, and letters of the characters–each of them with their own unique way of writing–and the chapters are just filled with what can only be described as literary situational humour. Trekking through the lives and correspondence of these girls brought laughs and smirks at almost every turn. The inner musings of these characters are altogether quirky, exciting, and deeply emotional.

It was a strong, amusing, satisfying read that I would forcefully push into the arms of anyone who had a little spare time to have their own reading habits invaded by a great book that they might not, under normal circumstances, read.