Meh.

[checkers65477]

It has taken me forever to finish Undine by Penni Russon.  I kept putting it down for a day or two before I'd remember, "Oh, yeah, I'm reading a book.  I should finish it, I suppose."  It just didn't hold my interest, and although I liked aspects of it, on the whole I was disappointed.

The magic/fantasy part of the story was weak and I kept wondering when something was going to happen.  I had heard that it was the first in a series of books, and it seemed as if the author used the entirety of the first book to set up the story at the expense of the plot.  Trout was more likable than Undine and he had a spark of something I really liked.  I hope the author doesn't torture him with his unrequited love for Undine throughout the other books.  He deserves better than that.  A reviewer on Amazon called Undine a Mary Sue character and I think there is some validity in that.  The book had a small bit about a creepy online character thrown in for a few pages, but nothing ever came of it.  Undine's mother was not very well developed and struck me as cold and strange, but her father was interesting--mysterious and more complex.  I think a big part of my dissatisfaction was from so many unexplained story lines--Undine's parents' relationship, how the magic works, what happened to the bay, etc.   Some random kittens were thrown in at the end.  

What the author did well, though, was describe the feelings of the teen characters in a way that was real and brought back similar feelings from when I was that age.  At times her writing reminded me of Deb Caletti's Honey, Baby, Sweetheart, and I wonder if she could write a great realistic fiction book.  The Australian setting was well-described, and made me want to visit there even more.

Comments

[emmaco.livejournal.com]

I read the book very quickly which may be why I didn't notice any pacing problems :) But I thought the second book was a bit weaker than Undine (so you probably won't like it!), so the third will need to pull it all together to make the series work.

Yay! Come to Australia! Although I admit I haven't been to Tasmania yet, and it's always embarrassing when an overseas visitor goes somewhere in your own country you haven't got to :)

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

I really, really want to vacation in Australia, and when the day finally comes, we will have to go out to dinner together. :) But who knows when the opportunity to take that kind of vacation might finally come!

*goes to look at map to see where Tasmania is*

[emmaco.livejournal.com]

At least coming from the US means you are used to large distances between places. We're always having to surprise UK visitors by telling them that they can't drive between Brisbane and Ayers Rock (in the middle of the country) between breakfast and lunch.

When you finally get here I can promise yummy Australian food and wine. And tourist guide type info due to many other overseas relatives/internet friends etc visiting before.

Is that Beatles lego?!

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

Hee hee. Yes, from a site of Band Legos.

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=93340

I do realize that Australia is BIG, but if when I come there I'll have plenty of time to see what I want to see. I will take you up on the yummy food and wine. :)

[emmaco.livejournal.com]

There appears to be lego everything! We only had little bricks and flowers and stuff when we were kids. And we never thought to paint our lego people.

See, you're all set once you know it's big. And presumably are used to driving two hours without a tea break (unlike some other visitors).

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

Ooh, that reminds me of something I wondered when I read Undine. She said they went to have tea, then described a meal I would call dinner. What do you call your evening meal, and where does this whole tea-as-meal fit into the Australian day? When I say I'm going to have tea, I mean that I'm going to brew a cup of tea and just drink it, maybe with a cookie, if I'm lucky.

Or do I mean a biscuit? :)

Have you ever been to the US?

[emmaco.livejournal.com]

The evening meal is interchangeably called tea or dinner. Some old people call lunch dinner (from when the midday meal was the main meal) so maybe that's where the tea/dinner confusion came from!

A cup of tea (with a possible biscuit or cookie...they're both used a bit now) is generally called that, or a cuppa.

I've only been to LA for one and half days in a stopover so I don't really think I've been to the US. I did go to Hollywood, Santa Monica and a drive up the coast though so it was still fun. And a supermarket! Even more fun - all the food from books!

I'd love to go for a proper holiday to the States but there's so much to see I think I'd just like to live there sometime in the future. After the whole UK move and then living back here thing, which means it's likely to be a long time away!

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

You should sign up for a chapter of the readaloud. We'd all love to hear your accent.

[emmaco.livejournal.com]

Accent? What accent? It's everyone else who has one! :)

I was going to sign up but then realised all my MWT books are out on loan at the moment, sucking in new fans. But I will get a copy from the library and decide if I am brave enough to do it!

[emerald-happy.livejournal.com]

Nice new LJ: i like the flowers!

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I liked the flowers, too, and I wanted a template that had all the stuff on the sidebar. I hate that you have to scroll to the side, but I think I've got everything I'll use on the part that shows all the time. It's amazing how making one "little" change like that can turn into 2 hours of work.

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

Oh, and I keep forgetting to tell you to mention to punkispurple (isn't she the one on her way to the Carolinas?) that if she needs anything when she gets over here, to get in touch with me and I'll do what I can to help/advise. If she, for example, needs to be bailed out of jail or driven to the hospital or something. :)

[rowana.livejournal.com]

I like your new layout Checkers. :) (Nice icon too :D)

I'm making a mental note to Undine. It's nice to erad a review post where for once I don't immediately have to add to my to-read list. :)

On wanting to visit Australia, it's been (memorably) described to me as 'like Britain on prozac', which I guess means, like England, but bigger, sunnier, and livelier. Which all sounds great to me - it must be a fantastic place to live.

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

My two top places outside of the US where I'd like to spend time are in the UK and Australia. Well, then there's Italy, Greece, etc., etc. *sigh* So many places to go. Maybe someday.

[emerald-happy.livejournal.com]

Come to the UK! ...In the summer (winter is too depressing, though you would cheer it up)

If you need to be bailed out of jail or driven to the hospital or something I'll be there to help!

LOL: I told Punkispurple! I'm sure she'll be pleased! I didn't know you were in/near the Carolinas. I guess you're better at the whole privacy thing.

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

No, I don't mind anyone knowing that I'm in North Carolina. Even if she just wants ideas of fun places to go, she can get in touch with me.

I really hope in the next few years, I'll make it to the UK. If only those sorts of trips weren't so expensive!

[emmaco.livejournal.com]

Noooo! stop trying to lure Checkers to your country!

I went the UK in winter (our summer holidays) and it was fun! Wintery looking. I got to wear a coat and hat and gloves! Plus there weren't too many other tourists around. I admit I am looking forward to going back and seeing trees with leaves though.

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

like Britain on prozac

That's great! :)

Tea Time

[peggy-2.livejournal.com]

I like the new look! It's easier to read too (although not quite as red).

And I second the request to have "Tea" explained, both the Australian version from Emma and the British version from the local Brits would be fun.

Of course, you should explain what you mean by "dinner" - would that be your evening meal or the mid-day one? I think of it as the evening meal, but I know a lot of people put it at mid-day (what I call lunch).

Re: Tea Time

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

Growing up, we called the noon meal lunch and the evening meal supper. On Sundays we had "dinner" after church (pot roast, usually), and supper at night.

Now I have lunch in the day and dinner at night. And I hardly ever get pot roast. What do you call it all, Peggy?