Review: If You Could Be Mine

If You Could Be Mine

Author: Sara Farizan
Pages: 256
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Publication Date: August 20, 2013
Read: August 7-8, 2013
Source: ARC from BEA

Description from Goodreads:
In this stunning debut, a young Iranian American writer pulls back the curtain on one of the most hidden corners of a much-talked-about culture.

Seventeen-year-old Sahar has been in love with her best friend, Nasrin, since they were six. They’ve shared stolen kisses and romantic promises. But Iran is a dangerous place for two girls in love—Sahar and Nasrin could be beaten, imprisoned, even executed if their relationship came to light.

So they carry on in secret—until Nasrin’s parents announce that they’ve arranged for her marriage. Nasrin tries to persuade Sahar that they can go on as they have been, only now with new comforts provided by the decent, well-to-do doctor Nasrin will marry. But Sahar dreams of loving Nasrin exclusively—and openly.

Then Sahar discovers what seems like the perfect solution. In Iran, homosexuality may be a crime, but to be a man trapped in a woman’s body is seen as nature’s mistake, and sex reassignment is legal and accessible. As a man, Sahar could be the one to marry Nasrin. Sahar will never be able to love the one she wants, in the body she wants to be loved in, without risking her life. Is saving her love worth sacrificing her true self?

First Sentence: "Nasrin pulled my hair when I told her I didn't want to play with her dolls."

Review:

If You Could Be Mine falls into two much-needed categories of YA: GLBT and non-white. As such, I really wanted to read it, and I'm glad I did. Farizan's debut has a fresh narrative voice, one that has a very non-western feel, while still being open and clear. Set in Iran, Farizan tackles first love, being different, friendship, and homosexuality with honesty and heart.

The plot of If You Could Be Mine, while not melodramatic or action-packed, is enthralling. I, for one, love being able to take a journey to another culture in my reading, something that I don't get to do enough. In my experience, a lot of the non-western novels I've read (generally aimed at adults) tend to be unremittingly depressing, but Farizan retains lighter moments and keeps the tone fairly bright while still capturing the restraints that Iranian society puts onto Sahar and Nasrin.

Sahar has loved Nasrin for over ten years, and wanted to marry her. Soon Sahar will be heading off to university, assuming she passes her exams, and Nasrin, who Sahar always hoped would wait for her, is marrying a young doctor. Feeling both betrayed and determined, Sahar would do anything to keep Nasrin with her, beautiful Nasrin who makes Sahar feel more special and confident just by returning her affection. Being homosexual is in Iran a serious crime, one punishable by death, but, for Nasrin, Sahar would risk anything; Nasrin is more practical and more used to a comfortable life.

Since Nasrin cannot be convinced to call the wedding off just for love of Sahar, other plans have to be made. Through her gay cousin Ali, Sahar meets a bunch of gay and transgender people living in Iran. Now, oddly, Iran embraces transgender people and even helps finance the gender reassignment surgeries. In this, Sahar sees hope. By changing who she is can she have everything that she wants? The fact that Sahar would alter herself this way when she has always felt like a woman, all of that for a girl, is startling and terrifying. The harsh laws of society make gender reassignment seem like the only solution to be able to remain with the person Sahar loves.

Farizan does all of this very well, because she keeps the book non-preachy. There's not really a sense of judgment. At most, there's disappointment in those who do not try for what they want, but that feeling of disappointment is aimed more at the unforgiving society than the people themselves. While everyone doesn't come out in a good light, perhaps none really do, no one is demonized either.

I think what held me back from loving and really connecting with If You Could Be Mine was Sahar. I sympathize with Sahar and her narrative voice fits her, but she's a bit...empty. Sahar's young and hasn't really developed to much of a self yet, having always been all about keeping Nasrin happy. She doesn't have an incredibly strong personality, and her desperate need to be with Nasrin, despite the fact that Nasrin had gotten engaged without telling her, was something which I really could not relate to in the least.

An impressive debut, If You Could Be Mine tackles tough and unique subject matter with openness and a lack of judgment. Those looking for more YA set in other cultures and/or glbt YA must get their hands on this one.

Rating: 3.5/5

Favorite Quote: "Maman died five years ago of a heart attack. Her smoking probably didn't help. I told her to stop. She just smiled sweetly and told me not to worry so much. That's what we do. Smile and not worry so much. Riot in the street? Smile and don't worry so much. See the swinging bodies in the square? Smile and don't worry so much. Can't be with the person you love because it's against the law? Smile, damn it."

The Passage of the Marshes - Howard Shore

Peaceweaver
The Coming of the Dragon, Book 2

Author: Rebecca Barnhouse
Pages: 323
ARC Acquired from: Random House via Random Buzzers (and NetGalley)

Description from Goodreads:
This is historical fantasy at its best. Sixteen-year-old Hild has always been a favorite of her uncle, king of the Shylfings. So when she protects her cousin the crown prince from a murderous traitor, she expects the king to be grateful. Instead, she is unjustly accused of treachery herself.

As punishment, her uncle sends Hild far away to the heir of the enemy king, Beowulf, to try to weave peace between the two kingdoms. She must leave her home and everyone she loves. On the long and perilous journey, Hild soon discovers that fatigue and rough terrain are the least of her worries. Something is following her and her small band of guards—some kind of foul creature that tales say lurks in the fens. Will Hild have to face the monster? Or does it offer her the perfect chance to escape the destiny she never chose?

Rebecca Barnhouse's companion to The Coming of the Dragon is sure to appeal to younger fans of Tamora Pierce, Esther Friesner, and Shannon Hale.

First Sentence: "Smoke."

Review:
I just read and reviewed The Coming of the Dragon. Mostly, I thought it was meh, not bad but not especially good either. At the end of my review, I mentioned that I still had hopes for Peaceweaver, because I liked Hild, the girl introduced and barely given any page time at the end of The Coming of the Dragon. Well, I do love it when I'm right.

Peaceweaver focuses on Hild, starting roughly at the same point as the first book. Hild, though, makes a much more interesting main character than Rune. Hild is full of ideas and big aspirations, and she will not let the judgment of others stop her from doing what she believes to be the right thing for herself and her community.

She lives in a society where, while women do perform traditional roles, they also have a bit of ability to make a difference because of the weak-minded King. The woman who performs the role of mead-bearer has a chance to help influence the King to make good decisions. The Queen, now abed with an illness used to keep the King from being to warlike, but after she left, the next mead-bearer, Hild's mother, did not think it her place to interfere in men's matters. In this vacuum, the King has turned to a male adviser, whose testosterone-soaked advice has lead to an increase in hatred for their rivals and more deaths of their warriors. Hild, as the new mead bearer, plans to stop these stupid men from ruining her home.

Of course, men don't much like powerful women, or at least they didn't in those times, so, by being too obvious about her plans, she gets branded as a possessed witch. At least they don't kill her, but they do send her off to the Geats as a Peaceweaver. She, of course, has no say in the matter.

Even if you didn't like The Coming of the Dragon, I would definitely recommend giving Peaceweaver a try. It is excellent high fantasy that ought to appeal to fans of authors like Julia Golding. The time span covered is precisely the same as that of the companion novel, so you can either read one or both without any confusion. I definitely recommend this one. :)

Favorite Quote: "'If a woman tells a man the god favor him, everybody says she's far-minded.' The broom halted mid-sweep and the slave turned to Hild. 'But let a woman do what the gods tell her, without asking a man's permission first? Then she's possessed.' Unwen punctuated her words with her broom, jabbing it into the corner."

Rating: 4/5

Tradition - Fiddler on the Roof

Sisters of Glass

Author: Stephanie Hemphill
Pages: 150
ARC Acquired from: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers via NetGalley

Description from Goodreads:
Maria is the younger daughter of an esteemed family on the island of Murano, the traditional home for Venetian glassmakers. Though she longs to be a glassblower herself, glassblowing is not for daughters—that is her brother's work. Maria has only one duty to perform for her family: before her father died, he insisted that she be married into the nobility, even though her older sister, Giovanna, should rightfully have that role. Not only is Giovanna older, she's prettier, more graceful, and everyone loves her.

Maria would like nothing more than to allow her beautiful sister, who is far more able and willing to attract a noble husband, to take over this role for her. But they cannot circumvent their father's wishes. And when a new young glassblower arrives to help the family business and Maria finds herself drawn to him, the web of conflicting emotions grows even more tangled.

First Sentence: "I feel Giovanna's fire / as Mother prepares me for suitors, / polishes me / while Giovanna polishes glass."

Review:
Having actually been to Murano, I was super excited to read this book. There's nothing better than getting to remember the awesome places I've been! What I did not know going into this book was that it was written in verse. At first, I assumed it was my lack of attention, but it's not in the description anywhere, so go forward with this knowledge as my gift to you.

Ordinarily, this would have been a revelation of tragic proportions, since I'm not typically a big fan of poetry, but I just read and enjoyed Love & Leftovers, so I went into this with an open mind. Besides, the first sentence, while not quite arresting, is pleasant. I like the comparison of the polishing, which implies that the girl is an object like the mirror.

However, the verse really didn't work for me in this one. Maria doesn't really seem like she would think/speak/write in verse; she's an artist, not a linguist. The language did not seem, to me, to flow very naturally from her. Additionally, the lines do not read like verse to me; most of the time, they feel like prose that has been hacked up into smaller lines. Of course, I'm not well-versed in verse, so take that for what its worth.

Also, I totally don't get why Maria's sister Giovanna is so rude about her father having decided to marry off the younger daughter first. Even if she doesn't like that she was passed over, it's not like Maria asked for the honor to be bartered to the highest bidder. That totally made me angry.

The story I liked, although it wasn't especially original; it had a very Shakespearean comedy type feel to it. If you like quick, cute stories, you might like Sisters of Glass.

Favorite Quote: "Learning to be a lady / is like learning / to live within a shell, / to be a crustacean encased / in a small white / uncomfortable world."

Rating: 2.5/5

"And who does Mama teach to mend and tend and fix,
Preparing me to marry whoever Papa picks?

The daughter, the daughter! Tradition!"

Secret - The Pierces

Cross My Heart

Author: Sasha Gould
Pages: 262
ARC Acquired from: Delacorte BFYR via NetGalley

Brief Summary:
Laura was sent to live in a convent as a child. Her parents could not afford to give her a dowry without reducing the marriage prospects of her elder sister, Beatrice. Laura hates life in the convent, so she is thrilled when she finds out that, after years there, she now gets to go home. She imagines a life with her sister. When she gets home, she discovers that her sister has died, has drowned despite her excellent swimming skills. Not only that, but she has been brought home to marry her sister's odious older fiancee. To escape this awful fate, she makes a bargain with the Segreta, a secret society of powerful women. They save her, but there's always a price...

Review:
My heart went out to Laura from the beginning. How could I not feel for all of the poor girls that were thrust into convents for such awful reasons, regardless of the girls' own inclinations. Laura's narration was rather heartbreaking. As you start reading, it's just so evident that she is completely without hope for her own life; she has given up entirely. So young and her life is already effectively over. Although she is not the brightest (and she lacks worldly knowledge because she spent so many years in the convent), Laura does the best that she can, and, because of this, she made a good heroine. The hero was pretty great, too, but I'll leave him a surprise.

Secret societies aren't generally my cup of tea. This one, though, I found much more scintillating than usual. What I loved was that it was a group of women, marginalized in society, but controlling Venice behind the scenes. No one is safe from the actions of the Segreta, even the Doge, the ruler of the city. Of course, they're just as corrupt as male political groups, but I do like to see women getting revenge on the patriarchy.

I also found myself doing a lot of thinking about courtship in that time period. Of course, I knew already that fiancees were regularly swapped to a different child, as though they are interchangeable, and that marriages were arranges after only a handful of meetings. So, none of it was new, but, for some reason, I found myself really thinking about the reality of living that life. Even the guy she gets a crush on, she only meets him a couple of times before they begin an illicit relationship of exchanging letters and talking when they catch a moment alone. Given the limited freedom women had, relationships escalated so quickly.

Cross My Heart is well-written and entertaining. If you love young adult literature or historical fiction, you'll want to get your hands on this one. I know I'll be reading more novels by Sasha Gould! Plus, look at the pretty cover!

Rating: 3.5/5

"Got a secret
Can you keep it?
Swear this one you'll save
Better lock it in your pocket
Taking this one to the grave
If I show you then I know you won't tell what I said
'Cause two can keep a secret if one of them is dead"

When You Believe from The Prince of Egypt

The Girl of Fire and Thorns
Fire and Thorns, Book 1

Author: Rae Carson
Pages: 432
ARC Acquired from: HarperTeen via NetGalley

Brief Summary:
Elisa has some serious self-confidence issues, despite being chosen as the bearer of the godstone. She is the princess of her country, bartered off to marry the king of a neighboring country's king in exchange for an alliance. Her older sister, Alodia, is perfect and she is not. She suspects her future husband took her because he could not have Alodia. Not only is Alodia queenly, she is also beautiful and slim, unlike Elisa, who never lets a tasty treat pass her by. Her only hope is that her husband will be old and ugly...no such luck, though, since he's the most beautiful man she has ever seen in her entire life. How will she survive this marriage and fulfill her service?

Review:
I've been on vacation in New York this past weekend, thus the no posting. I had a great time and I finished this book. Sadly, this book, which I was really excited about, proved rather disappointing. The cover promised fantasy in the vein of Kristin Cashore or Tamora Pierce, but it did not deliver.

For one thing, Elisa is not their kind of heroine. Pierce and Cashore write about extremely strong girls, the kind that, even when completely downtrodden, remain strong and determined. This, Elisa is not, although she does eventually gain in strength and confidence. At the end of the book, she is more like one of their heroines, but, in so many ways, she just does not bring them to mind at all.

I liked that Elisa was not the typical heroine at all, at least if I couldn't have my Cashore-esque heroine. Elisa is overweight, lacks confidence and hopes to be able to marry an ugly man. It's nice to read about someone so atypical sometimes. However, as has been pointed out by others, why would you represent her by the waif on the cover. Sure, the cover drew me in, but it now pisses me off. I mean, who is that? For one thing, she probably ways about 90 pounds soaking wet and, for another, she does not look particularly Spanish, as the character names suggest she should. Fortunately, the cover seems to have been changed for the published version. Good call.

The story kept me fairly interested, but I never felt particularly invested. The godstones always seemed weird and I found their ultimate use pretty dang lame. For those who like fantasy stories, unconventional heroines and don't mind some serious religious content, this is worth a try. If you're expecting something like Kristin Cashore would have written, go reread Graceling or fervently prey for the publication of Bitterblue. However, I know that lots of people have loved this, so go check out some of the high praise by authors before dismissing it completely.

"There can be miracles
When you believe
Though hope is frail
It's hard to kill
Who knows what miracles
You can achieve
When you believe
Somehow you will
You will when you believe"

All the Better for Her - Patrick Doyle

The Girl in the Garden

Author: Kamala Nair
Pages: 249
ARC Acquired from: Grand Central Publishing via NetGalley

Brief Summary:
Now a newly engaged adult, Rakhee remains haunted by the events of her one summer in India. The novel tells the story of that summer in a long letter written to her fiancee, explaining why she must defer their engagement. Until she confronts her past, she cannot face her future. What happened that summer?

Review:
One of these days, I would really love to read a novel set in the Indian subcontinent or with first generation desi folk and not have it be almost entirely depressing. Sure, times are hard there, but there must be some books where no characters commit suicide by jumping into a well. I mean, there just have to be.

I did like this much better than Tiger Hills, but, be warned, its still very sad. Pretty much the only part that isn't completely depressing is the epilogue. Reading both of these novels, I get the idea of just how much family history can haunt people. The mistakes of the previous generation snowball into even worse mistakes by the next. Also, never try to marry your daughter off to an awkward, stuttering creeper, because it never ends well.

The Girl in the Garden confronts tough issues, like depression, arranged marriage, pregnancy and divorce. These issues are dealt with well for the most part, not hitting the reader over the head with an agenda. Through Rakhee, it is clear that issues of childhood take a long time to get over (so true), but that it is important to get closure before trying to be a real person, so that you can close the cycle.

The plot twists were pretty much all things I saw coming from many miles away. There really was no other way things were going to go. There is one twist that I swear was not revealed but must be the case. I rather wish I could talk with someone else who read the book so that they could tell me if I'm crazy or not; all I can say is that it involves Prem.

Overall, this wasn't a book I particularly enjoyed, but, for those who enjoy tragic family stories, this is quite well done.