Wolf by Wolf #1 Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin 3,75/5 Award: Milwaukee County Teen Book Award Nominee (2017) Français: Je suis Adèle Wolf Summary The year is 1956, and the Axis powers of the Third Reich and Imperial Japan rule. To commemorate their Great Victory, Hitler and Emperor Hirohito host the Axis Tour: an annual motorcycle race across their conjoined continents. The victor is awarded an audience with the highly reclusive Adolf Hitler at the Victor’s Ball in Tokyo. Yael, a former death camp prisoner, has witnessed too much suffering, and the five wolves tattooed on her arm are a constant reminder of the loved ones she lost. The resistance has given Yael one goal: Win the race and kill Hitler. A survivor of painful human experimentation, Yael has the power to skinshift and must complete her mission by impersonating last year’s only female racer, Adele Wolfe. This deception becomes more difficult when Felix, Adele twin’s brother, and Luka, her former love interest, enter the race and watch Yael’s every move. But as Yael grows closer to the other competitors, can she bring herself to be as ruthless as she needs to be to avoid discovery and complete her mission? – Goodreads My review Just when I thought my love for teenage dystopia had vanished, I stumble upon a book that makes me fall in love with it all over again. Wolf by Wolf is the first novel in the duology of the same name which asks the famous question: “what if the Nazis had won the war?” While I don’t like asking “what if's” in an academic context, for a creative literary exercise I think it was perfect and definitely entertaining. I almost missed my train stop twice because I was so entranced, flipping through the pages like a madwoman. In general, there are few genres that make me forget where I am like Young Adult (YA) dystopia. There is just something about the drama and the accessibility of the writing style that draws you in and doesn’t let go until the final page, especially if the novel is nicely constructed. However, Wolf by Wolf was not perfect. I found the writing style immature which is surprising considering Graudin is an experienced writer. Young Adult literature does not equal bad or superficial writing, it just means that the audience is not receptive to grand and pompous phrasing. That does not mean that it is easier, on the contrary writing in an easy-to-digest way is much harder than putting metaphors and symbolism every sentences. Graudin’s style was, however, just too naked. I did not feel much artistry, and when I saw glimpses of it, it felt forced and unoriginal. By no means was it awful, but with a story that has the potential to carry such a strong message with the topic choice, it felt very underwhelming. Nonetheless, Wolf by Wolf was so much fun. It was fast and well-paced. The plot was nicely crafted, it all felt really logical. There were clear separations between beginning, middle, and ending which was nice but felt a bit too methodical. As a result, I predicted some of the twist and turns. Actually, there are few YA novels that surprise me with their plots in general. Still, the story is incredibly addictive, and it will not let you go until you close the last page plus a few more because the author’s note is frankly one of the best ones I’ve ever read. If you liked Wolf by Wolf, you will love… The Lunar Chronicles #1 Cinder by Marissa Meyer Shatter Me #1 Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi Villains #1 Vicious by V.E. Schwab
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Royal par Jean-Philippe Baril Guérard 4,5/5 *Avertissement : langage pouvant choquer & contenu sexuel explicit. Je dirais même 16+ *Une adaptation cinématographique réalisée par Francis Leclerc a été annoncée Prix : Finaliste pour le Prix littéraire des collégiens (2018), liste préliminaire du Prix des libraires du Québec (2018) English : No announcement for an English translation has been made Résumé La faculté de droit de l’Université de Montréal est le dépotoir de l’humanité. Tu le sais : t’en es le déchet cardinal. Tu viens de commencer ta première session, mais y a pas une minute à perdre: si tu veux un beau poste en finissant faudra un beau stage au Barreau et si tu veux un beau stage au Barreau faudra une belle moyenne au bacc et si tu veux une belle moyenne au bacc faudra casser des gueules parce qu’ici c’est free-for-all et on s’élève pas au-dessus de la mêlée en étant gentil. Être gentil, c’est être herbivore, c’est se vautrer dans la médiocrité, et toi tu comprends pas la médiocrité, tu aimes pas la médiocrité, tu chies sur la médiocrité. Toi, t’es venu ici pour être le roi de la montagne, et le début des cours, c’est le début du carnage. – Goodreads Ma chronique Si tu penses que tu as tout vu, tout lu, tu n’es pas prêt pour Royal. En tant qu’aspirant étudiante en droit et ayant étudié pendant la majorité de ma vie dans des écoles privées, je savais que j’allais adorer Royal. Je possède assez le sens de l’autodérision pour ne pas être offusquée des blagues sur les classes hautes et les préjugés associés (snobisme, argent…) Le personnage principal a exactement mon parcours, et je suis assez confortable avec celui-ci pour être capable d’en rire et d’admettre la superficialité de certains comportements des étudiants qui sont prêts à tout pour réussir. Bien que je sois certaine qu’il y ait de l’exagération à certains égards, nous avons tous entendu des histoires d’horreur qui s’apparentent aux événements du roman, même s’il est certain que ce n’est pas le cas de la majorité des étudiants à l’Université de Montréal. (D’ailleurs, je me demande comment celle-ci à réagit à la parution de ce livre…) L’histoire de Royal m’a prise par surprise. Je croyais qu’il allait s’agir une guerre inter-élèves du début à la fin, mais on découvre l’univers du personnage bien plus que celui de l’école. Baril Guérard décortique le cerveau du personnage et l’expose au lecteur dans toute sa laideur et ses complexes. Le personnage principal est détestable : il est égocentrique, antipathique et cynique. Le parfait antihéros. Baril Guérard aborde la notion du suicide d’une manière différente que la majorité des bouquins qui ont tendance à stéréotyper le suicide : un personnage marginal qui n’aime pas sa vie et qui n’a aucun ami ni famille… Bien qu’il n’y ait rien de mal à présenter cette facette de la maladie mentale, Royal touche beaucoup plus sur la notion de la dépression lié au burnout professionnel. On a tous déjà questionné si on voulait continuer, si notre vie veut vraiment dire quelque chose dans l’espace-temps. Il se tue pratiquement pour atteindre ces buts, et lorsque son plan de vie ne va pas comme il l’avait prévu, il panique et sombre dans la dépression. Le motif du suicide est pratiquement égocentrique. Le but n’est pas de ressentir de la pitié pour le personnage, mais plutôt de le détester dans ces actions. Le personnage de Royal a tout pour réussir, des « amis », une amoureuse, des bonnes notes (pas assez bonnes pour lui, mais plus qu’acceptables), un beau corps et un désir de se battre pour atteindre son but. On devient frustré de voir une personnage qui a tout se plaindre d’être en manque. Les péripéties qui déclenchent la maladie mentale changent d’individus en individus, et Royal exacerbe les craintes de plusieurs jeunes adultes à la recherche d’une destinée. Il est clair que quelqu’un ne va pas mieux lorsqu’il continue à prendre des drogues, ne pas dormir et sans avoir de débouché pour libérer ces émotions. Royal nous pose une réflexion intéressante, dans la vague de l’émission très contestée « Thirteen Reasons Why », sur la maladie mentale et le suicide. Je n’ai jamais lu une histoire similaire à celle de Royal. Les péripéties sont absolument folles et effrayantes. Ce n’est pas une dystopie, mais pourtant c’était mille fois plus épeurant que des zombies parce que l’histoire n’est pas si farfelue. Elle nourrit les craintes et les stéréotypes des étudiants en droit, même si je sais de source certaine que pas tout le monde n’est comme ça. Par contre, attention aux âmes fragiles puisque le roman contient de nombreuses scènes sexe très graphiques et violentes, incluant une scène de viol. La sexualité est présentée comme une bataille pour reprendre le contrôle sur sa vie, se sentir en puissance. Le crash émotionnel du personnage paradoxalement à son succès a un effet mixte. On veut être empathique qu’il ait mieux, mais en même temps on le déteste pour sa misogynie et son tempérament exécrable. Lorsqu’il a des petites victoires, on est heureux pour lui, mais tellement fâché qu’une personne comme lui réussisse. On ne s’ennuie pas du tout avec Royal malgré les quelques longueurs au début du roman. Baril Guérard réussit un tour de force. Le cynisme du personnage aurait pu rapidement tomber dans le caricatural ou l’ennuyant, mais ce n’est pas le cas. Les pointes sarcastiques et viles sont parfaitement bien calculées et font bien rire le lecteur. J’ai remarqué dans mon entourage que les personnes qui ont aimé Royal ont tendance à avoir des comportements plus compétitifs et anxieux, tandis que ceux qui ont détesté sont plus calmes et positifs (très rare sont les gens qui sont restés indifférents à la suite de leur lecture). Évidemment il y a des exceptions, mais je crois que le snobisme et la méchanceté du personnage peut repousser le lecteur si le contraste est trop grand avec ses valeurs personnelles. La narration à la deuxième personne semble être populaire ces temps-ci! Dans ce cas, je l’ai trouvé bien maîtrisée. Il n’était pas difficile de s’engouffrer rapidement dans l’histoire. Je ne crois pas que le « tu » était utilisé pour que le lecteur s’identifie au protagoniste, je l’ai compris plutôt comme un avertissement que personne n’est à l’abris de la dépression. La jeunesse à beau nous convaincre que nous sommes le.a roi.eine de la montage, il y aura toujours des embuches. Je ne crois pas que Royal gagne le prix cette année. Je le compare beaucoup avec Des femmes savantes de l’édition 2017, car les deux avaient des propos choquants et les deux avaient été très controversés parmi les étudiants. J’aimerais toutefois le voir gagner si ce n’est que pour encourager la réflexion autour des stigmas de la maladie mentale. Royal est une œuvre polarisante, mais tout chef d’œuvre ne fait-il pas face à des controverses? Si vous avez aimé Royal, vous allez adorer… It’s Kind of a Funny Story de Ned Vizzini Des femmes savantes by Chloé Savoie-Bernard All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven Duration: 6 days (more like 4 because we landed late at night and left early in the morning) Group: Two adults, two adolescents (under 21) Four years ago, I stayed in the Club Med in Sandpiper Beach (around Fort Lauderdale) in Florida, United States of America, and I hated everything about it. Staying on the beach and doing nothing for a couple days drives me crazy. It makes me feel unproductive and like I’m wasting time. I would much rather be exploring the culture and the history of the place I’m visiting than lounging on the beach. Looking back on it, it was probably the “resort” format that I hated, and not Florida itself yet I carried this resentment towards Florida as a whole. When my family and I settled for Miami to visit during the March Break, I was mildly excited. We usually never travel during March for schedule reasons and I was desperate to go away, yet I was reminded of Sandpiper Beach and my disappointment. However, I decided to hit Miami with an open mind and it was worth it. Miami was the penultimate city on the American East Coast that I wanted to visit before I die (next is Washington D.C). Its history from being a Spanish settlement to being a colony of France, Britain and Spain, to hosting mass migration from Cuba and Haiti, was fascinating to explore. The city’s architecture of skyscrapers, Spanish villas and Art Deco shops shows the diversity of Miami, honouring the past yet looking at the future. It really is a melting pot of history, leisure and tourist attractions. Sorry to everyone whom I denigrated Florida because I was wrong. Miami will see me again. I am in no way an expert of Miami, as I said it was my first time being in the city. This itinerary just explains what I did or thought to be essential for a 4-day visit, but I probably missed some very important things. Always consult local websites when planning a trip to find the best gems for you and your group. N.B.: All pictures featured were taken by CB. Thank you. Day 1: Beach day “Wait, didn’t you just say you hated laying on the beach and doing nothing?” Yes, I did, but that was four years ago. I decided to try it out just for one day again to see if my tastes had changed, and they did! It was tolerable! I won’t lie by 3-4pm I was getting tired of looking at the ocean, but it had also been a while since I last saw the Atlantic, and even longer since I swam in it. Our hotel, Grand Beach Hotel, had direct access to Miami Beach, and it was perfect. The beach was clean and full of seashells. The waves were strong and shattered against the sand in the iconic sound. Obviously, the ocean might not be the best place to bring young children since the stream is very strong. We brunched at our hotel’s restaurant, Chez Gaston, which was overpriced. However, one must try all the fruits in Miami. The travel time from farm to table is much shorter than in Montreal, therefore, they taste fresher and sweeter. We had dinner at Sardinia Enoteca Ristaurante on a friend’s recommendation and it was the best food of the trip. The mozzarella bar tasting platter with all 100% homemade mozzarella was exceptional. Everything from the pasta to the pizza was made from scratch and it tasted like Italy (at least what I imagine it to taste like). Day 2: Outer boroughsWe started the day visiting the Villa Vizcaya, John Deering’s winter residence, built in 1912. The house’s architecture is inspired by the Italian Renaissance of the XVIth century. The Villa itself is gorgeous, but the true magic lies in its gardens. We saw at least two quinceañera and one wedding photoshoots in them. It is the best place to see Florida’s lusciousness. Palm trees and mangroves were dancing side-to-side with colourful orchids. It’s kind of like a mini-Versailles. For lunch, we headed to Little Havana at the famous Versailles, the most famous Cuban restaurant in the world! It felt like being thrown back in communist Cuba with all the waiters dressed in 50s-style outfits and serving classics like the Cuban sandwich with sweet ham and Swiss cheese. You can truly feel the pulse of the Cuban community in Versailles. I wish I had explored more of Calle Ocho and Little Havana (the Bay of Pigs War Museum sounds particularly interesting), but alas, there was not enough time. Day 3: Arts and Science*Pictured is art by Andrea Bowers, Penetrable BBL Blue 2/8 by Jesús Rafael Solo, and For Those in Peril on the Sea by Hew Locke The day started with breakfast at the hotel Edition. Many of the best places to eat in Miami Beach are in hotels. Since there is so much competition for hotels on the island, owners have to differentiate themselves notably with the best food. I promise they don’t taste like hotel restaurants. Then, half of the group decided to stay at the beach while the others (including me) headed downtown Miami to explore the famous Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM). The PAMM is now one of my favourite contemporary art museums. Not only does it have a beautiful sculpture garden overlooking the bay, but it also has a great collection and expositions. I particularly appreciated Within Genres which observed the five different genres of Western paintings (still life, landscapes, scenes of everyday life, portraiture and history painting) and how they can be reinterpreted with a modern approach. A C I D G E S T by Haroon Mizra, For Those in Peril on the Sea by Hew Locke and The Words of Others: Léon Ferrari and Rhetoric in Times of War were also standouts. We crossed the Museum Park to enter the Philip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science (FS). The FS is a little bit of everything. It has a planetarium, an aquarium, an exposition on the human brain and a few birds and snakes. The planetarium is like the one in Montreal with the dome ceiling that projects shows like Dynamic Earth (narrated by Liam Neeson!) Usually, I am not a fan of aquariums because I hate seeing fishes and animals being trapped in a small space with nowhere to go, but the FS only has small animals and fishes that don’t need that much space. The aquariums are huge and not overcrowded, and represent the ecosystems of Florida’s coastline. Coming back on Miami Beach for dinner, we went to Cecconi’s which has a gorgeous little terrace and fed me the best baked gnocchi. Day 4: Shopping and thunderstormWhen one goes to the United States, one has to shop at all the stores not available in Montreal. The dollar is not in Canada’s favour now, but you can’t skip past the opportunity! Lincoln Road Mall is an outside mall designed by Morris Lapidus (architect of the Fontainebleau and the Eden roc hotels) in the MiMo style (Miami Modernist architecture) so it is both architecturally interesting and a nice shopping spots with American classics like Macy’s and fancier spots like Ladurée macaroons.
We had lunch at Dirt Restaurant near the mall which was the quintessential hipster spot with poke and salad bolls, green juices and funky flavoured water. Then it started pouring rain which ruined our afternoon. I would have loved to visit Wynwood District and see all the graffiti and art galleries, but alas weather was against us! Hopefully next time I land at MIA I will be able to complete my Miami checklist. I would love to come back once I am old enough to experience the traditional Cuban bars and salsa dance classes. Miami has a lot to offer, and I can’t wait to come back! |
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