Lost in a Good Book

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

13 May 2013 Leave a comment

by Amy in 5 Stars, General, Young Adult Tags: five stars, john green, young adult

Published: October 16, 2008
Publisher: Speak
Pages: 236
Format: Book
Genre: Young Adult
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ – 5 Stars

When it comes to relationships, Colin Singleton’s type is girls named Katherine. And when it comes to girls named Katherine, Colin is always getting dumped. Nineteen times, to be exact. On a road trip miles from home, this anagram-happy, washed-up child prodigy has ten thousand dollars in his pocket, a bloodthirsty feral hog on his trail, and an overweight, Judge Judy-loving best friend riding shotgun – but no Katherines. Colin is on a mission to prove The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which he hopes will predict the future of any relationship, avenge Dumpees everywhere, and finally win him the girl.

I liked this book, I really did. For me it was something so very different and peculiar, yet very emotional without possibly intending to be. This is the story of Colin Singleton, a former child prodigy who is now desperate to stop the pain of being dumped by Katherine XIX and to find a way to matter.

To try and recover from being dumped, Colin and his friend Hassan go on a road trip, which ends shortly after in Gutshot Tennessee after a quest to see the Archduke Franz Ferdinand leads them to Lindsey, Hollis, and a town intriguing enough to stay in. The story is in their time there, something I won’t delve too much in, you have to go on it yourself, there is too much and too little to actually describe to make it not just a simple plot breakdown. I know this book is not a favourite by a few people, but I see that as the same reasons why I loved it. There is a lot of judgement at face value, and either a misunderstanding, misinterpretation, or simple inability to understand Colin as a character that people couldn’t connect with.

As a character there is an awkwardness about Colin; he is slightly too quick to judge, but not necessarily in a harsh way, almost logically based on what is presented to him. Though he is not against changing his opinions, he just needs cause to do so. We see through the story histories and flashbacks that this is who Colin has always been, and the struggle Colin has in being who he is can be insightful. He apologises when he is called out on displaying knowledge, that is a bit depressing, but there is enough in Colin’s straightforward character to know he is not too worried. This is the starting point of his character, a place we get to see change begin, in all the right areas but also not too much.

There is a deep thread of intellect in this entire story, and especially through its characters, but not in a way that feels forced. The knowledge and intellect that are displayed fit perfectly with each character and with who they are as people, and as young adults. Whether this seems pretentious to some, I took as being an excellent addition of a story and new approach to characters.

Also the use of footnotes was a new thing I had not seen in a fiction book before and I thought they were an excellent addition, they didn’t distract from the flow of the story or reading at all, often they were additional thoughts regarding Colin, or an explanation of terms and translations, or simply extra commentary. Their role was to add a little bit extra to the story and do what footnotes are designed to do, hold important information but do not need to be in the main body of work. There are also graphs, but these are woven into the story a bit more than the footnotes, they have narrative purpose, but are nonetheless just as intriguing.

John Green as an author likes to give his characters uniqueness about them, whether it is loving an abundance of Katherines and making anagrams, or, like in Looking For Alaska, it is knowing famous people’s last words. What he puts into his characters gives them uniqueness, a quirk that is not something that is obvious and makes them stand out, but it is just like reality, we all have a strange thing we enjoy, and that is just who we are and what we do.

I often find it interesting about people’s relationships in books. Colin’s friend Hassan continuously tells Colin that what he says and knows is not interesting and no one wants to hear it, but the thing is, I actually do. I am interested that Niko Telsa’s hair stood on end for a week after 50000 currents went through his body. That is interesting to know. I do not understand why people do not like to know things. How is knowing things about the past and the world around you uninteresting, even if they are trivial? Why is it such a bad thing to find things interesting? Niko Telsa, the pigeon lover, is interesting.

The sad thing I found is that Colin listens to his friend Hassan where he shouldn’t, and other times he ignores him when he shouldn’t. Just because Hassan thinks Colin shouldn’t be something, doesn’t mean he should try and change it, however there are some aspects of Colin that need improving so it can be complicated. Hassan himself has his own flaws, everyone has their own flaws, this is not an ideal world with magic and perfection, it is a representation of life. Colin is a failed prodigy, unable to figure out what he is doing, what life is about, and what he should be doing with his time. Hassan on the other side is obsessed with Judge Judy, is one of those friends who seemingly bullies his friend and makes it seem like a joke, and he is too is looking for something to do with his life, even if it is in a less scientific way than Colin.

I’d almost say it is not exactly a coming of age story, in the same way that it is. Colin is essentially lost, he does the metaphorical and physical (albeit relatively short) road trip to find answers, and in doing so he learns about himself. The people Colin and Hassan meet influence them, as does the events they get embroiled in, but all the while Colin continues to find his way to matter. The idea of trying to prevent others from being in the same dumped situation he begins working on trying to prove The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability which he hopes will predict the future of any relationship by using the information from his failed relationships.

But despite being set up this way, there is a lot more to this story. Green has not made it the lifetime adventure or two friends who are off to see the world. They always seem to be wandering and looking for something, even when they are not travelling; and when opportunities come you can clearly see the cracks, and the desires to change who they are. The people they meet influence them and offer outside perspectives on who they think they are and perceive themselves to be, while offering a chance to step outside their comfort zones, whether it is for the better or not is almost irrelevant. That is part of a coming of age story, right?

As for the Katherine’s, we are given a less than chronological history of Colin’s past relationships with Katherine 1 through 19 in this story, and all the while we see how they all played out and how it affected Colin and his desire for the Theorem. What Green has done rather well is he introduces us to information, and either in footnotes or through dialogue he essentially tells us that it will all be explained in the end. We are given references and clues, or mentions of the Katherine’s past, and we must read on to see the connections, where these references originate, and why they are important. This is the case not just for the Katherines, but for other information as well.

The characters certainly drive this story, you see how they grow and interact with their surroundings, and with not a lot going on in Gutshot, there is a lot of value placed in the people within the town. This helps because you really get to see the characters as they are, who they are around other people, and who they are desperately trying to be without the weight of an intense and dramatic scene overshadowing those involved. Surely that is the magical part in this story, no matter who you are, everyone tries to be somebody else at some stage before realising that being who they are is just fine.

I know some people say that this is the least impressive John Green book, but I don’t think this is so, the books are all so separate from one another, and trying to compare them is not going to work. These are not works in the same world with the same characters, they are their own stories, and I would certainly not expect to compare a story against another simply because the other was better. Why would Katherines be worse just because it is not like Alaska? This is flawed thinking. As its own book it is what it is, and I enjoyed it. Comparisons are inevitable of course, but see it for what it is, not because of what it isn’t.

I think you should read this book, and even if you don’t like it, dislike it for what is it, not for what it isn’t. Though if you get nothing else from this book, something it does do is make Pi look easy enough to remember if you’re committed enough; I have only been able to get to six decimals, that’s my achievement, it seems I should be able to do more.

The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear

12 May 2013 Leave a comment

by Amy in Birthdays, General Tags: birthday, edward lear, limericks, poetry

The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea
In a beautiful pea green boat,
They took some honey, and plenty of money,
Wrapped up in a five pound note.
The Owl looked up to the stars above,
And sang to a small guitar,
‘O lovely Pussy! O Pussy my love,
What a beautiful Pussy you are,
You are,
You are!
What a beautiful Pussy you are!’

Pussy said to the Owl, ‘You elegant fowl!
How charmingly sweet you sing!
O let us be married! too long we have tarried:
But what shall we do for a ring?’
They sailed away, for a year and a day,
To the land where the Bong-tree grows
And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood
With a ring at the end of his nose,
His nose,
His nose,
With a ring at the end of his nose.

‘Dear pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling
Your ring?’ Said the Piggy, ‘I will.’
So they took it away, and were married next day
By the Turkey who lives on the hill.
They dined on mince, and slices of quince,
Which they ate with a runcible spoon;
And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,
They danced by the light of the moon,
The moon,
The moon,
They danced by the light of the moon.

This is one of my favourite Edward Lear works, and one of my favourite poems. What I did not realise was that he actually had another poem called The Children of the Owl and the Pussycat, it is interesting, and told from the perspective of the children. It is unfinished so it is interesting to see how it would have ended up, but it was published posthumously, you can read it here.

Edward Lear’s 201st birthday is today, and as a writer he is known mostly for his nonsense poems and stories and for popularising the limerick. His vast collections of The Old Man from Peru, The Young Lady of Leeds, and all the other people who were absurd and outrageous are long remembered. It is the time to also note that Edward Lear is not responsible for The Man from Nantucket, I just want to put that out in the world. Lear’s Old Men and Women were a lot less ribald and vulgar.

Lear was born in 1812 in England and was the youngest of twenty one children. He was a strange man, apparently he was known to introduce himself with a long pseudonym. It seems the idea came from a game in Aldiborontiphoskyphorniostikos by R. Stennett, which itself is strange. It seems players had to read the snippet for each letter of the alphabet as fast as they could without making a mistake. If you are intrigued there is more information here, but it seems Lear took a fancy to this and introduced himself as “Mr Abebika kratoponoko Prizzikalo Kattefello Ablegorabalus Ableborinto phashyph” or “Chakonoton the Cozovex Dossi Fossi Sini Tomentilla Coronilla Polentilla Battledore & Shuttlecock Derry down Derry Dumps”. Wouldn’t we all want to do that if we could?

But aside from that strangeness he made his living as an artist before moving into the world of wit, word-play, and fantasy in his books of nonsense. He was an avid traveller across the globe, partially to maintain good health, but also to find fresh material. Over the years he wrote many books of nonsense prose and poetry, but he was also an artist and many of his books had illustrations of animals and plants, and there are also music and songs in his collection of works too. The first Book of Nonsense was published in 1846 and was added to with additional volumes. It was originally designed to please the children of an artistic patron but soon became Lear’s calling.

In honour of his birthday I compiled a limerick of my own, if you were on Twitter you would have noticed my attempt to share some of his own works, but it seems that 140 characters does not assist in creating poetry, even a little limerick. I feel a Haiku may have just fit but what can we do, the man wrote limericks. But I managed to get mine in and I will share by creativity here with you. Here is my limerick to honour the man who gave us the wonderful Owl and his adoring Pussycat, and when you are feeling low, just take some time, read a limerick or three and it will do you the world of good.

There once was a blogger in Oz,

Who wrote a limerick because,

It was Eddie Lear’s day, and she wanted to say,

Happy birthday with one of his songs.

Legacy Lost (#0.5)

10 May 2013 Leave a comment

by Amy in 2 Stars, Of Poseidon, Young Adult Tags: anna banks, fantasy, The Syrena Legacy, two stars, young adult

Published: 22nd May 2012
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates
Pages: 32
Format: Ebook
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy
★ ★ – 2 Stars

Legacy Lost is a prequel story to Anna Banks’ debut novel, Of Poseidon.
He is a mer-prince, she is the mermaid princess that his family orders him to marry so that their kingdoms unite. Grom dreads this arrangement, until he meets Nalia — both beautiful and smart, she’s everything he ever wanted. But just when their connection grows deeper, tragedy strikes.

I thought since I mentioned it we need to add in the review. It is short, mainly because the prequel was short, but there isn’t much I want to say about it, partly for spoilers, and partly because it was annoying. Oh my was it annoying. I don’t think my eyes have rolled that much in a story until I read this story. Like most prequels, this is one that really should be read before the main first book because it makes you read it very differently when you know the future, even if you miss out on a lot of information given in the book. It is supposed to be an extension on the backstory of events mentioned in Of Poseidon.

The main players are Grom, who we see in Of Poseidon, and his intended mate Nalia. This is a story of the past so Grom is younger than in the book, and the story revolves around the events leading to the union of the pair. By the end of this story it does become something pretty reasonable, but for the most part it was very weak. Grom is a complainer for the first part of the story and after awhile it gets a bit annoying, but then he changes it to being this forward, clichéd and failing to be romantic guy and it makes you wish he was complaining again. There is a scene between Nalia and Grom reuniting after a period of time and it is eye rolling at best. It is stilted and corny and there is a line in there that reminded me of Princess Bride – you know the one, that one, but I think that was my mind trying to think of anything except the story.

Grom’s intentions for his actions are clumsily revealed as the story progresses and they are quite petty with rather childish reasoning behind them, all as consequence for a prophecy and agreement, something that was always known so it was no surprise to anyone. As a character Grom is quite unappealing, in Of Poseidon he seems stronger and tolerable. I know that is set in the future where he would be grown but it is hard coming from the book to this short story prequel and accepting he is the same person. My mind also wandered and certain bits reminded me a lot of Disney’s Little Mermaid which was interesting. As its own story it was poor, and even as a prequel I think it was just ok, but something I think, since this was done so badly, the storyline could have been introduced into the second book in a better way. Perhaps if it was a bit longer Banks could have made it flow a bit better and make the interactions more convincing.

You can purchase Legacy Lost via the following

Amazon

Amazon Aust

Or you can read it here.

Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie

09 May 2013 Leave a comment

by Amy in 5 Stars, Birthdays, Classic, General, Junior Fiction Tags: classic, five stars, j. m. barrie, junior fiction, movie

A huge happy birthday to James Matthew Barrie, author of the wonderful Peter Pan! I loved this book, I love that Barrie creates this world and these characters that are wondrous and engaging, but he also writes the story with heart and sometimes blunt truths, there is no real romanticising about life, Neverland is the wonder away from the rest of the world and that is why it is marvellous.

In Kensington Gardens in London there is a status of Peter Pan honouring Barrie. Peter is playing his pipes and has animals at the base; it certainly lends itself to the theory that Peter Pan has a connection somehow to the Greek god Pan. I know him best for the novel Peter Pan, but J. M. Barrie had dozens of others works before and after of both stories and plays, right up until his death in 1937. He was knighted in 1913 for his literary work and in the same year became Rector of St Andrews University. His other successes include becoming the President of the Society of Authors, a title which he took from Thomas Hardy which is cool.

I never knew he was knighted, but I do remember that when I was studying Barrie and Peter Pan at university, it became very clear that he was certainly peculiar, or at least lived a strange life, one that no doubt impacted on him. He was not all strange though, he knew some excellent writers of the time including Robert Bernard Shaw, H. G. Wells, and Robert Louis Stevenson.

He was the ninth child out of ten, two having died before he was born, and as an adult he was only 5″ 1′ (about 155 cm). When he was young his brother David, who was the next eldest and his mother’s favourite, died just before his 14th birthday. It devastated his mother and Barrie then it seems devoted himself to trying to fill David’s place, to the extent that he even dressed in his clothing. Barrie wrote a biography of his mother called Margaret Ogilvy, and in it he discusses his mother’s reaction to David’s death, as well as his attempts to please her afterwards. If you want to read it it is available from Project Guttenberg for free.

There was a wonderful theory that we heard in class that Barrie wanted so badly to be David and be the “son who never grew up” for his mother that he developed psychological problems and even managed to stunt his growth and proper adolescent development. This does not seem to have any grounds in fact I think he was just short, but he was no doubt strange enough that he probably tried. His innocence that he held until adulthood made him the perfect candidate to write a story like Peter Pan, he never properly grew up, and loving to write and tell stories probably helped this, he could stay young and innocent forever through words. He was initially discouraged from becoming a writer, I for one am very glad he chose to write, where would we be without Peter Pan to fill our dreams and fantasies and to fly us to Neverland in the middle of the night?

Peter Pan has many influences, but the main ones that inspired the play and the characters of the Darlings was the connected to Mr and Mrs Llewelyn-Davies and their boys George, John, Peter, Michael, and Nicholas. And before the legends and did you know facts appear, no he did not create Wendy, it was a name prior to the first appearance of Peter Pan, Barrie simply popularised the name.

There is truly so much going on with Barrie, his relationship to the Llewelyn-Davies family that helped create this Peter Pan world, not to mention the sad fate that many of them had. The entire history and environment and life of Peter Pan is absolutely fascinating I could write forever on, but I won’t, I will however review Peter Pan, one of the greatest books, certainly became established in society and popular culture, and definitely a classic for all ages.

Published: January 1st 2002
Publisher: Puffin
Pages: 242
Format: Book
Genre: Junior Fiction
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ – 5 Stars

The boy who refuses to grow up teaches Wendy and her younger brothers how to fly. Then it’s off to magical Neverneverland for adventures with mermaids, Indians, and wicked Captain Hook and his pirate crew.

Everyone seems to know the story of Peter Pan, the boy who wouldn’t grow up, Tinkerbell and Wendy, and the mystical world of Neverland. I first knew of this story through the Disney version, but I also had a video of an Australian cartoon version which I also loved. Many of the versions of this story keep a lot of the same elements in it, there is no Peter Pan without pirates, Indians, or mermaids, but there are certainly some varying elements compared to the book.

The story of Peter Pan first appears in The Little White bird, a story written in 1902 by Barrie and was intended for adults, not children. The first real sighting of Peter is in the stage play in 1904 where it was titles Peter Pan, or the Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up. The novel version, which is probably the most well known version (aside from the movie interpretations), was extended from the original play and published in 1911 as a novel.

With the extended novel there is a chance to expand on character and ideas. There is also a lot more story within the book compared to what people know from the popularised Disney film. There is a lot more involvement of Mr and Mrs Darling in the book, and they come home as their children are flying out the window and know that their children are missing. Wendy, John, and Michael’s visit to Neverland happens in real time, and the time they spend there with the Lost Boys, Peter and Tinkerbell is time passing back in London. We get to see the reaction and life Mr and Mrs Darling have while their children are gone.

Barrie actually opens Peter Pan telling us the story of Mr and Mrs Darling, it is all very sweet. This also helps you understand them as people and parents, they are not just the parents with the story focusing solely on the children and their adventure, it is about the whole story sequence, not just the characters, but in the same wonderful way it is also so much about the characters.

I remember when I first read this story and realising that having a dog as your nanny was not a Disney invention of movie quaintness, it is actually in the book. Nanna it seems gets to have opinions about things and is a very good nanny. There is no first person narration for any of the characters, but Barrie does tell us what everyone thinks when it is required. Though this is not the only strange thing, there are other peculiarities, Mr Darling literally spends time in the doghouse out of guilt for his missing children, neighbours walking by and judging and everything. That was rather strange, but it has its humorous sides as well. It isn’t so much an absurd, only very strange at times.

There are many great moments in this book, even just reading about flying, the journey to Neverland and the adventures that await them. There is a little violence in this book regarding pirates and fairies, but it isn’t described in great detail, but it is still there. Peter helps this a little, in his own childlike way, brushes over things and quickly moves on to the next thing, always chasing another adventure as we are told. Tinkerbell speaks in the book, and there are additional characters and variations of scenes which make it that much better. A lot of Peter’s character is seen in his actions and his leadership. He can change from being proud and selfish to being rather noble and sweet very quickly.

Peter Pan is certainly not the exact character that the movies portray him as; in the book Peter Pan has much more selfish childishness as well as the naivety and cockiness. It is actually mentioned one of the reason Hook hates Peter so much is that he is always so cocky.

Peter is not the only bunt one, Barrie does enough of his own in his narration and explaining, it is very matter of fact, but Barrie expands on what needs to be told and what does not. The voice Barrie uses is one of a storyteller, you get the feeling he is speaking to readers as he recounts the lives and adventures of Peter and Wendy, this certainly adds to the magical nature, like a tale of times that once were.

Barrie definitely brings us some memorable characters in this book, not to mention quotes like “Second star to the right, and straight on till morning” and particularly “To die will be an awfully big adventure”, which is one that has stayed in my mind for years. It is rather telling of Peter’s mind when he says this. He has such a carefree attitude, never worrying and is not typically one to fret over anything. He definitely has a child’s mind, he moves from one thing to another, and quickly forgets things if they are over or no longer concern him. Though the connection and relationship he has with Wendy is sweet, you can feel that he loves the idea of having a mother and being cared for, but he wants things his way in his land, being the child forever.

The ending of Peter Pan and the events in the final chapter I found to be some of the most heartbreaking moments in this book, and certainly was not something I was expecting. I think it is a brilliant ending, but I felt such a pain as I read because it was so innocent, but also so sad at the same time; Barrie did an excellent job. There are entire moments of brilliance in this book, heartfelt, magical, and all round beautiful. You take the abruptness and the selfish Peter and you see him and others in so many other lights that it is all part of the magic and wonder that is Barrie’s story. There is so much to gain from reading this over a movie, the movie can bring you to the book, but the book can give you the soul of the story.

Of Poseidon (#1) by Anna Banks

08 May 2013 Leave a comment

by Amy in 3 Stars, Of Poseidon, Young Adult Tags: anna banks, fantasy, The Syrena Legacy, three stars, young adult

Published: June 1st 2012
Publisher: Hardie Grant Egmont
Pages: 324
Format: Book
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy
★ ★ ★ – 3 Stars

Galen is strong, protective and gorgeous, with striking violet eyes and a body to make you shiver – and that’s just when he’s in human form. He’s from the House of Triton, god of the sea, and he’s searching for a girl with the gift of Poseidon to save his brother from marrying a fraud. Emma is a human. Or so she thinks. When Emma meets Galen on the beach, they both sense a sizzling chemistry. But can Galen convince her that she holds the key to his kingdom – without letting on that he’s falling for her?

The second installment in this series is due to be released later this month so I feel an introduction of the series is in order. Of Poseidon is a novel by Anna Banks, and mixes in the mythic with the real. When I finished this book I was rather at a loss of what to say about it. I read it extremely quickly, it dragged me along and I didn’t want to stop, but when I put it down at whatever hour of the morning it was, I actually couldn’t figure out what to say.

This is the story of Emma, an ordinary girl who finds out that she has an extraordinary gift. When Galeb, prince of the underwater kingdom Syrena, is sent on to land to seek out a mysterious girl who it is rumoured to have the ability to speak to fish, he find Emma and a connection is felt between the pair. Convinced she is the girl to save his kingdom Galen sets out to convince Emma of her abilities. Banks tells us this story from both Emma’s and Galen’s point of view allowing us to see both sides of the story and see reasons and secrets for the events, as well as the consequences on both sides.

I had read a summary in a magazine and had been looking forward to reading this for months. I liked the thought of it concerning Greek mythology which is never a bad thing, and similar to Percy Jackson I suppose it brings it into the modern era. From page one I could tell this was going to be written with the voice and thoughts of a very typical teenager. The language and narration screams teenage girl with all the attitude and colloquial approach. What struck me at the time was the mention of Google and some other things. I knew the day would have to come, but everyone had been so good (in everything I had read) as to set something in the modern world without referencing everything from Google to Facebook or modern TV shows. Where was the modern but alternate universe where these things were not there and the best we got was generic email mention and a mobile use? It was a fleeting reference but it still stood out from the story having it there.

I felt that the pace was rather fast, everything happened over a short period of time and everything was accepted fairly quickly. Emma accepts her changing life and everything around it well but not without conflicts and problems mind you. Sometimes you forget she is suppose to be eighteen when you read how she sometimes speaks and acts, more towards the mid teen range I thought until I remembered. Banks gives us the unbelieving side, but as soon as she accepts what is going on everything seems perfectly normal once more.

Minor characters are unique in their own way, with Emma being new to their lives and with every one having long histories helped those interactions seem real. She was introduced to their world and no one was trying to learn everything together, nor did they try recapping more than needed. Some characters like Emma’s mother and Rayna stood out for me throughout the book for their own reasons, but everyone has key elements of their back stories explained and how they came to be where and how they are, even if it appears in odd places.

The mystery in the book, as well as Emma and the underwater conflict is slowly revealed but by the end, I had already figured it out. Which wasn’t a bad thing, the clues are there, Banks wasn’t trying to hide anything. It is just up to the reader to either follow along with Emma and Galen or work it out alone by themselves.

I really did like the book, the story was great, it wwas very engaging and easy to read, the mystery was good and was dealt with in a logical and reasonable way given the situation. As I write this I realise what bugged me ever so slightly. It was more the little things like moving on so quickly from the events at the start no matter how hard Banks tried to portray them, and also the peculiarity that Emma displayed at times. I enjoyed the interaction and conversations between all the characters when Emma wasn’t around. They were strong, in-depth and believable, very adult. When she was involved everything became a trifle strange and a bit childish and unbelievable regarding everyone’s actions and conversations. There were glimpses of great moments from Emma where you thought she’d had an enlightened moment and would strong and powerful from then on but they were unfortunately fleeting. I think if she had been a strong character with the wit and an independent personality she would have been ok, but more often than not she doesn’t seem to act her age.

The sequel is definitely on the cards to read given the conclusion, but also the fact that it is a great story concept no matter what faults it has in execution, and until there is a short story prequel that was released as well. It is briefly mentioned in this book but it goes into greater detail apparently story wise. Not a necessity but for those wanting more from the unseen and passing characters it might be of interest.