The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin

Rating: 6 out of 10
Summary: It all starts when Matthew observes a heroic scene in a convenience store: A man named Murdoch puts himself between an abusive father and his son. Matt is determined to get to know this man. And when, amazingly, Murdoch begins dating Matt’s mother, it seems as if life may become peaceful for the first time.

Matt and his sisters have never before known a moment of peace in a household ruled by their unpredictable, vicious mother. And so, after Murdoch inevitably breaks up with her and the short period of family calm is over, Matt sees that he needs to take action. He refuses to let his family remain at risk. Can he call upon his hero, Murdoch? And if not, what might his desperation lead him to do? From Barnes&Noble.Com

Commentary: Pretty in-depth Young Adult novel. Presents the complexity of abuvsive parents pretty well. Matthew was an interesting narrator and the novel in the format of a letter or narrative to his little sister was a good idea.

Mmm, not much else to say. Nice hero.

Threshold by Sara Douglass

Rating: 7 out of 10
Summary: Over the hot southern land of Ashdod looms the shadow of Threshold, the pyramid which the Magi of Ashdod are building to propel themselves into Infinity.

Over the years, thousands of slaves have given their lives to the construction of Threshold. Now construction is almost complete; the Magi need only to add the finishing touches.

The Master of the Magi knows the glassworker slave Tirzah is hiding something, but he would never guess her secret is forbidden magic. Tirzah can communicate with glass-and the glass in Threshold screams to her in pain. For it knows what neither Tirzah nor any of the Magi suspect:

Something waits in Infinity, watching, biding its time, and when the final glass plate is laid and the capstone cemented in blood, it plans to use Threshold to step from Infinity into Ashdod…

Commentary: This is a re-read; I first read this novel a couple years ago. I remember enjoying it a lot and recently it popped back into my mind and I put it on hold at the library. Then I stopped by the local Borders store and saw it was in stock and picked it up there instead.

Threshold involes serious world-building and lots of magic and the usual fantasy fare. Douglass based her world on a sort of medieval/middle-eastern template, and it worked out pretty well. The pyramids, the middle east, hot desert sands, the obscure and mystical, polytheistical religion of the Egyptians… except with magic. Nothing super-spectacular.

I didn’t expect it to be so romantic when I first read it–in fact, I had my doubts about how Douglass would navigate this tricky situation. Boaz and Tirzah start on opposite sides of the story as deadly enemies. There’s abuse and pain and ugly happenings–but somehow, the author made it work out in the end and had it make sense and be romantic at the same time. No small feat considering how the two characters began.

I definitely enjoyed the first half a heck of a lot more than the second. The latter half was just a bit of a letdown… like the climax has already happened and we were just wrapping up loose ends.

Overall a good read–I would have given it a higher score except that the ending sort of let me down.

The Memoirs of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Thomas Roszak

Rating: 8 out of 10
Summary: In The Memoirs of Elizabeth Frankenstein, Theodore Roszak offers us a subversive, erotically charged counterpart to Mary Shelley’s classic, Frankenstein. It is presented in the form of a secret autobiography, a soul-baring document intended for the eyes of a single reader: Elizabeth’s brother, lover, and spiritual other half – Victor Frankenstein.

The writings are discovered by Sir Robert Walton, the Arctic explorer who, in Mary Shelley’s original novel, recorded Victor’s deathbed confession. Walton becomes obsessed with learning the full story behind the mad doctor’s last words. From the tattered pages of Elizabeth’s journal and the scattered clues Walton finds as he re-creates her life, a compelling tale of moral horror unfolds. In her memoirs, Elizabeth emerges as a spirited woman far ahead of her times. Rescued as a child from the Gipsies by the brilliant Lady Caroline Frankenstein, she is raised as young Victor’s adopted sister.

Under Lady Caroline’s guidance, Elizabeth is initiated into a circle of “cunning women” – outsiders would call them witches – who are the guardians of long-forgotten pagan ceremonies and healing arts. She and Victor are schooled in ancient teachings that have been transmitted through female adepts who understand the mysteries of nature. The goal is to unite the two in the “chemical marriage,” a step toward the union of all opposites that will restore the Earth to balance.

The two youths pursue their education through the shadowy realms of alchemical lore and tantric sexual rites until a moment of weakness disrupts the quest. Tormented by shame and anger, Victor turns to the “unhallowed arts” that result in his misbegotten Creature, the vengeful fiend who will haunt Elizabeth’s fatal wedding night (from BN.com).

Commentary: Read this on the plane back from Mexico and finished it (425 pages) in about 2 hours–it was engrossing and I could not put it down. I was kept reading it as I was waiting for the American Airlines representative behind the counter to find my ticket and check me in to my flight.

I read the real Frankenstein novel by Mary Shelley a couple of years ago and loved it. I passed Elizabeth Lavenza off as a weak-minded, shallow woman who was much too dependent on Victor even after all he had done to her–leaving her alone with no notice for long periods of time, creating this horrible monster that ended up destroying her on her wedding night.

Although nobody will ever know Shelley’s reaction to this novel, it’s definitely feminist and goes on and on about the wrongs of the patriarchal society. At many points throughout the novel I was surprised and had to keep reminding myself that, yes, it had been written by a man. It had many valid points (although I don’t consider myself a full-blown feminist, I ardently agree with gender equality and all those things we’re supposed to have in today’s free-thinking, modern world) even when it delved into the slightly more fantastical world of alchemy and secret female cults.

The above mentioned “magic” was interesting and provided some good mysticism and mystery for the novel, as well as a substantial amount of eroticism. Not a novel for the young reader who thinks it’ll be a sequel to the classic, humorous kids’ Halloween movie Young Frankenstein. Sex and the glamour/mystery/ associated with it in Romantic literature is a very prevalent part of the novel, contributing greatly to the plot and tone.

Quite entertaining and a good, fast read. I’d definitely recommend reading the original Frankenstein first.