Book Review: Swipe

Swipe by Evan Angler

Dystopian/Post-Apocalyptic books are some of my favorite, but it can be hard to come across a true dystopian novel. However, Swipe is one of them: all remnants of an old life have disappeared for a corrupt, totalitarian government.

Swipe is set in a future North America where the current country is struggling to recover after war and famine. In this society everyone gets the Mark—a symbol of citizenship—at the age of 13; this allows every citizen to reap the benefits of being a citizen. The tattoo allows citizens to do everything from getting a job to shopping. However, ever since Logan (the main character the book opens with) witnessed his sister go in for the Mark and never come back, he’s had doubts about going in for his. And when Logan befriends the new girl in town, they begin on a journey to answer all his questions.

Why Interning In Educational Publishing Is Really Important

Educational Publishing from an Intern's Perspective

This summer, I had the pleasure of interning with a great company called Publishing Solutions Group based in Woburn, MA. As I finished my freshman year at Emerson, I was at the cusp of my career; I had no experience except for the minimal work I had done for a few campus organizations and I had a lot to learn.

PSG is a full production publishing company that takes on projects involving writing, editorial work, art production and management, design, and translation. They handle assignments in educational publishing and work with sectors of companies like McDougal-Littell, Pearson, and Harcourt. It is a small company with less than fifteen full-time employees, so as an intern I was trusted with a lot of work that was important to the company. I never felt like I was just a decoration or formality as some interns at other companies may feel. 

A Magical Idea

Delusion by Laura Sullivan

**Spoilers**

When I picked up Laura L. Sullivan’s Delusion, I was genuinely excited to start it.  The book appeared to combine two of my favorite things: historical fiction and magic.  Set in World War II England, Delusion follows twin sisters and stage magicians Phil and Fee Albion as the bombs of the London Blitz send them to the safety of the England countryside.  Phil is set on continuing to help the war effort despite the reluctance of the citizens of Bittersweet.  Her twin sister Fee, always the romantic, is caught up in the ambiance of the countryside and is looking for a romance of her own.  However, when Phil discovers a castle in the countryside full of real magicians, all of the twins’ ideas of what their time in the countryside will constitute changes. 

A Dystopian Review

“Slated” by Teri Terry

Rating: 4.5/5

Genre: YA, science fiction, dystopian literature 

Teri Terry really brings the thrills in the start of this new series. In a futuristic dystopian U.K, the government has a way of dealing with young criminals: giving them a fresh start. In other words, they slate them. Kyla has recently been slated, all memories of her past life—and past crimes—have been erased. After an entirely new family adopts her, Kyla is faced with the challenge of reintegrating into society, while Lorders (the new U.K. police), her new family, and other government agents watch her closely for any signs of relapse. And as if that wasn’t enough, Kyla is also forced to wear a Levo, a bracelet connected to a chip in her brain that will stun or even kill her if her anger or violence levels rise too high. However, Kyla is not like other slateds. She has the capacity to dream; she’s simply unsure as to whether these are her real memories or merely fantasy. She is forced to face loaded questions such as, “Why are innocent people vanishing?” and, “Who are the AGT (anti-government terrorists), exactly and what do they want?” With only she and her fellow slated Ben to rely upon, Kyla begins to peel back layers upon layers of mystery, endangering her own life, and the lives of those she has come to love.

This story has several strengths, the first being it’s world building. This is one terrible future that is frighteningly plausible. Teri Terry has created a stifling and repressed dystopia that is reminiscent of George Orwell’s 1984. Simply saying the wrong thing against the new Coalition can be cause enough for disappearance. Although the exact ways in which this dystopia came about are not fully explained, they are alluded to enough to make it convincing. 

A Trip to Remember

Becoming Chloe by Catherine Ryan Hyde

***Spoilers Below***

One of my all-time favorite books is Becoming Chloe, by Catherine Ryan Hyde. I first read it a few years ago after borrowing it from a friend for the ride home from a school trip. What was supposed to be a borrowed book quickly became a you-aren't-getting-this-back-till-I-get-my-own-copy book. The book is short and simple, but it makes you stop and really look at and appreciate the world around you.

Can the Movie Match the Book?

Upcoming Adaptations

Adaptation of books into movies often cause a split amongst book fans. Some fans hate them, claiming that the movies never live up to the expectations set by the books; however, other fans love them, as they are visual representations of some of their most beloved characters and story-lines. In the remainder of 2013 alone, many of these movies are scheduled to come out.

November 8th: Great Expectations
            Based on "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens

This movie is being remade... Again. But with Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes, Robbie Coltrane and more, it'll he sure to draw attention back to Pip's classic story.

http://www.movieinsider.com/m9846/great-expectations/#.UnQtJJm9LCQ

November 8th: The Book Thief
            Based on "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak

A Promise to Keep

Serafina's Promise

In her latest work, Serafina’s Promise, Anne E. Berg (author of ALA Best Book for Young Adults and 2010 Jefferson award winner All The Broken Pieces) has masterfully created a stunning and lyrical depiction of both the hardship and hope within the heart of one Latin American girl and her impoverished family. Written entirely in poetic verse, this work is a quick read that leaves a lasting impression.

www.goodreads.com

Serafina, a young girl in the midst of seemingly insurmountable circumstance, strives to defy her societal restrictions and become a doctor. In order to do so, she finds she must discover a way to attend a school because her family can’t afford it. Finally she finds the courage to assert herself, informing her father that she has promises to keep: a promise to a late grandfather who emphatically dubbed education the road to freedom, and to a late little brother whom had needed a doctor like the one she hoped to become. With the dream of a crisp school uniform constantly on her mind, Serafina works tirelessly to ensure the health of her household and to save enough money to attend school in the fall. With the impending arrival of a new baby brother, Serafina finds a new source of motivation, quickly achieving what her mother initially dubbed impossible. However, when disaster strikes, Serafina must learn to take hardship in stride and to fight for something that so many take for granted, the opportunity to gain an education.

This story is enriched indefinitely by Berg’s poetic writing style and its distinctly poetic structure. Each concise verse is loaded both with unflagging hope and with insightful wisdom in the face of adversity, creating an impactful emphasis on vast and important ideas in few words. A narrative abound with hope, and still strikingly realistic, this book has been expertly crafted in such a manner that I believe it may truly hold the power to offer an enduring impact on young readers.

Addressing such issues as lack of education and opportunity alongside devastating and uncontrollable natural disasters, Berg writes genuinely in the innocent voice of Serafina, and just as deftly in the sagacious riddles of her elders. Simple enough for its target audience (10-14) but still complex and filled with wisdom, Serafina’s Promise is of the rare breed that can transcend age and touch all.

By: Ellie Mitchell