Fall decorations

I love these little wooden color-your-own ornament kits. Historically, I've painted them but I wanted to try something different with this fall kit. My experience coloring them with markers has never been very good. But, it turns out, colored pencils work quite well. It gives them a more muted look.

 

Non-fiction book review - Apollo 8

Apollo 8: The Mission that Changed Everything by Martin W. Sandler

I think sometimes that younger generations (my own included) are at a disadvantage. We don't fully grasp how much of a feat the space program was. We don't really understand the dangers they faced or the political climate it all happened in. Having begun in the Cold War, the eventual accomplishment of Mir is all the more interesting. Without any of that background, this book is a solid choice for a middle grade reader. Sandler presents a wide variety of information without overwhelming the reader with details. The tone is nearly conversational, making very readable. I learned a great deal from this book and it left me excited to learn more.

Looking for more about Apollo 8? A tie-in or something for younger readers? Give Earthrise by James Gladstone a look

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Book review - The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge

Title: The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge
Author: M.T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin
Genre: fantasy
Similar books: The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznik
                          The Enchanted Files: Trolled by Bruce Coville
Rating:

more political than magical

Summary (provided by publisher): Uptight elfin historian Brangwain Spurge is on a mission: survive being catapulted across the mountains into goblin territory, deliver a priceless peace offering to their mysterious dark lord, and spy on the goblin kingdom — from which no elf has returned alive in more than a hundred years. Brangwain’s host, the goblin archivist Werfel, is delighted to show Brangwain around. They should be the best of friends, but a series of extraordinary double crosses, blunders, and cultural misunderstandings throws these two bumbling scholars into the middle of an international crisis that may spell death for them — and war for their nations. Witty mixed media illustrations show Brangwain’s furtive missives back to the elf kingdom, while Werfel’s determinedly unbiased narrative tells an entirely different story. A hilarious and biting social commentary that could only come from the likes of National Book Award winner M. T. Anderson and Newbery Honoree Eugene Yelchin, this tale is rife with thrilling action and visual humor . . . and a comic disparity that suggests the ultimate victor in a war is perhaps not who won the battles, but who gets to write the history.

My opinion: Given the combination of Anderson and Yelchin, it should come as no surprise that this book is complex and dense. It's clearly a fantasy world with elves and goblins and assorted mythical beasts. It's also a heavily political allegory. We have two nations at war for generations with a long history of invations, slaughter, subjugation, espionage, and misinformation. Both parties are forced to face their biases and the lens through which they view the world. The interplay between the way the narrated passages differs from the visual passages and the two perspectives those sections represent adds to the depth. This is a book that a middle grader could enjoy as a fantasy adventure and then read again as an older teen and get more of the political commentary.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Caroler candles

One of the new items I featured this year at my craft fair was some small candle holders. I got a good deal on these small candles and agonized for a while over what type of holder to make for them. I'm pretty happy with these little polymer clay carolers.

 

I'll be back soon

Hi all!

I intended to keep to my regular posting schedule but my craft fair is in a couple of weeks and I'm SUPER far behind. So, I'm going to take a blogging break. I'll be back as soon as I'm caught up, no later than November 10. 

Thanks for sticking with me.

Custom plaque

In my quest to make unique plaques for my craft fair, I've discovered a lot of unique shapes. If you can find the underlying shape, you can find a lot of promise under a sometimes tacky decoration. This particular plaque isn't bad in it's original form, though I'm not a fan of the cardboard banner attached to the front. It's shape presented some unique challenges in coming up with a new design.
 

Book review - The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein

Title: The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein
Author: Kiersten White
Genre: retelling/horror
Similar books: Henry Franks by Peter Adam Salomon
                      This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel

Rating:

early promise doesn't pan out

Summary (provided by publisher): Elizabeth Lavenza hasn't had a proper meal in weeks. Her thin arms are covered with bruises from her "caregiver," and she is on the verge of being thrown into the streets . . . until she is brought to the home of Victor Frankenstein, an unsmiling, solitary boy who has everything--except a friend.
Victor is her escape from misery. Elizabeth does everything she can to make herself indispensable--and it works. She is taken in by the Frankenstein family and rewarded with a warm bed, delicious food, and dresses of the finest silk. Soon she and Victor are inseparable.
But her new life comes at a price. As the years pass, Elizabeth's survival depends on managing Victor's dangerous temper and entertaining his every whim, no matter how depraved. Behind her blue eyes and sweet smile lies the calculating heart of a girl determined to stay alive no matter the cost . . . as the world she knows is consumed by darkness. 

My opinion: Initially, I was on board with this version of the Frankenstein story. It's a unique approach. Usually, retellings either modernize the story (Teen Frankenstein) or take us through the depths of Victor's thoughts and motivations, making him a more sympathetic character (This Dark Endeavor). It was nice, then, to get a new perspective. It's a darker exploration, to be certain. White's version makes Victor something of a sociopath, a budding serial killer. It's Elizabeth's motivations and desperation that make it compelling. Which is why I feel like it starts to fall apart around the mid point. At this point Elizabeth's position is more secure. Yes, her relative comfort allows her to view Victor's actions more objectively and thus brings us to the final confrontations. But it also allows the plot to devolve from tight psychological exploration to more sensational violence and degradation. Had it kept the interest up through the whole length I'd give it my whole-hearted endorsement. Instead, I suggest going in with managed expectations.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.