Going Bovine by Libba Bray Book Review

Going Bovine by Libba Bray
(Random House, Hardcover, September 2009)
Rating:

Cameron's main goal in life is to coast through high school. His younger sister is the over-achiever in the family, so Cameron has given up on trying. He has a hard time connecting with his parents, his classmates, and even music, save for one awful sounding band called the Great Tremelo. Then Cameron is diagnosed with mad cow disease and his life really begins. Dulcie, a cute winged punk angel, comes to him and presents him with a quest to save the world. With nothing to lose, Cameron heads out on the ultimate of road trips.

Going Bovine is a weird mix of string theory, classic literary references, and teenage sarcasm that actually works—in fact, it works quite well. Cameron's voice is smart, disillusioned, and priceless; take his thoughts on high school English class, for example:

"These works—groundbreaking, incendiary, timeless—have been pureed by the curriculum monsters into a digestible pabulum of themes and factoids we can spew back on a test." (p.6)

The dilemma that Bray presents is irresistible: the underachieving, yet extremely smart high school boy thinks that he has all the time in the world to experience life, but he doesn't. Cameron's road trip buddies, a hypochondriac dwarf named Gonzo and a Norse God turned yard gnome named Balder, offer tons of fodder for existential musings and crude teenage boy humor. Libba Bray has definitely established herself as a leading voice in contemporary literature. Though this book is nothing like her Gemma Doyle trilogy, I devoured it with the same interest and intensity. And if any booksellers or librarians are reading this review, you are selling this book short if you let the teen label on the back define your audience for it.

You can read this novel in two ways, either Cameron is lying in a hospital bed, hallucinating as the disease eats away at his brain, or Cameron really is battling the forces of good and evil while seriously crushing on a candy-addicted punk angel. Either way you see it, Going Bovine will have you laughing out loud, folding down pages that have some of the best quotes you've read in years, and vowing that, starting today, you will live your live to the fullest. As the old lady in the hospital tells Cameron,

"I don't think you should die before you're ready. Until you've wrung out every last bit of living you can." (p.97)

The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray Book Review

The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray
(Hardcover, Delacorte)
Rating:

Definitely my favorite of the trilogy. Rebel Angels left off with Gemma binding all of the magic to herself and in the beginning of The Sweet Far Thing, Gemma is afraid that she has lost the magic. She is unable to enter the realms until she, Felicity and Ann find a secret entrance in the burned East Wing. Unfortunately, the magic is too much for Gemma to control and she is in desperate need of guidance. She doesn't know who to trust and finds herself turning to unlikely allies.

The Sweet Far Thing takes us further into the minds of Gemma, Felicity, and Ann. These three girls are desperate to be free of the reigns of society. I loved the historical elements that Libba Bray wove into this novel, in particular the parts that hinted of social revolution - the women's movement and the worker's rights movement. I also must admit that until this book, I didn't have much faith in Felicity and Ann. They seemed weak in comparison to Gemma but I was pleasantly surprised at their roles in this novel. Kartik's character was also highly developed in The Sweet Far Thing. We learn more of his history, and his devotion to Gemma can no longer be doubted. Perhaps the most affecting part of this novel was the message of peace. Libba Bray makes it known, through both quotes from famous people and through Gemma's experience, that peace is attainable and that once attained we must all work as hard as possible to keep it that way. The Sweet Far Thing is set up in five acts, alluding to the fact that this is a tragedy. There is war and sadness in this book. But as Libba Bray quotes George Bernard Shaw in the beginning of the novel: "Peace is not only better than war, but infinitely more arduous."

Overall, a fantastic read. If you haven't already read it, prepare yourself to devote several days and several tissues to it. Oh, and The Sweet Far Thing refers to a line in the poem "The Rose of Battle" from W.B. Yeats. I'll leave you to make of it what you will.

And if you've already read The Sweet Far Thing, Libba Bray offers some answers to our questions. Answers Part I and Answers Part II. Warning: her site does contain spoilers.

My review of A Great & Terrible Beauty
My review of Rebel Angels

Rebel Angels by Libba Bray Book Review

Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
(Paperback, Delacorte)
Rating:

Rebel Angels picks up where A Great and Terrible Beauty left off. Gemma continues to learn about the magic that courses through her and she and Ann and Felicity visit Pip in the realms as often as possible. Gemma and her friends also spend a lot of time in London attending various society dinners and teas.

Rebel Angels starts to bring in more of the restrictions of Victorian society. Gemma is swept off her feet by a well-to-due London boy, Simon Middleton. Even though she likes Simon, she is hesitant to tie herself to him and give up her freedom. My favorite part of this book was learning more about Felicity. I didn't like her very much in A Great and Terribly Beauty, but after reading this book I begin to understand why she is snobby and spiteful.

The title, Rebel Angels, is a reference to John Milton's epic poem "Paradise Lost". Gemma, Felicity, Ann, and even Pippa are all rebels in that they don't want to conform to Victorian society.

My review of A Great & Terrible Beauty
My review of The Sweet Far Thing

A Great & Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray Book Review

A Great & Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
(Paperback, Delacorte)
Rating:

Gemma Doyle has lived an unusual life in India until she has a vision of her mother being murdered. After the vision comes true, Gemma is sent to Spence Academy for Girls near London. In between learning how to curtsy and speak in French, Gemma has strange visions that speak of otherworldly magic. Add in shy Ann, fierce Felicity, beautiful Pippa, and the mysterious boy Kartik who followed her from India, and adventures abound.

I absolutely loved this book about Gemma. I loved the proper boarding school setting. I loved the magic of the realms. And I especially loved Gemma. Even though she is not always likable, it's fun to hear her voice her sarcastic thoughts and to see the reactions of the other school girls.

Interestingly, the other two titles in this series, Rebel Angels and The Sweet Far Thing, derive their titles from famous poems. Although A Great and Terrible Beauty begins with the poem "Lady of Shallot", there is no line that mentions "a great and terrible beauty". I did a little research but can't come up with any historical significance for the title. Does anyone know of where it came from? If it's the author's original idea, it's definitely one of the best titles I've ever heard of.

My review of Rebel Angels
My review of The Sweet Far Thing