The Long Way Home (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 Volume 1) by Joss Whedon

Whedon, Joss. The Long Way Home (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 Volume 1). Illustrated by Georges Jeanty. Dark Horse Comics, 2007. 136 pages. ISBN-10: 1593078226. ISBN-13: 978-1593078225

Plot:

It’s been a year since Buffy and her friends destroyed the Hellmouth while taking on The First and its army of uber-vamps. There have been many changes, but one thing always remains the same: they devote their time to fight the demons that attack the human world. The army of slayers has been mobilized in different areas of the world, while Buffy and her friends are primarily stationed in the Scottish moors. There are even two more Buffies now, decoys who have taken on her identity to fool their enemies. Their troubles are just beginning, however. Dawn has become a giant after a spell was cast on her by her former lover. Willow has been gone for weeks. Worst of all, Buffy is being targeted by a new government agency that's being helped by an old enemy. The agency traps Buffy in a dream state and the Scooby Gang must once again band together to defeat this new evil.

Critical Evaluation:

For die-hard fans of the series, this is a decent follow-up. Jeanty’s illustrations complement Whedon’s storyline perfectly. With the storyline picking up a year after the series finale, many changes are able to be made, but doing that does make it rather confusing at times. The retroactive explanations of what has happened during the previous year don’t work as well in graphic novel form as they might have in a television show or book that allowed for more exposition. It does, however, allow for the story to pick up right in the middle of the action, including introducing the type of “big bad” that was the staple of the original series.

Possibly the most satisfying part of the graphic novel is how true to self the characters have remained. Part of Whedon’s talent as always lain in his ability to create likable, realistic characters who are allowed to grow and change without losing any of their original appeal. He continues this trend with the new format. The dialogue is snappy and clever. The characters are well-rounded despite the limited space to develop them. Those who were fans of the series will probably enjoy the graphic novel, but newcomers might be a little lost.

Reader's Annotation:

A year after fighting The First and destroying Sunnydale in the process, Buffy, the Scooby Gang, and the army of slayers have expanded their operations across several countries with new villains to defeat.

Author Information:

Joss Whedon was born June 23, 1964 in New York. Both his father and grandfather were television writers, which is the path Whedon would also follow. He attended Riverdale Country School where his mother taught. He then spent two years at Winchester College in England before graduating from Wesleyan University in 1987. He moved to Los Angeles and worked as a script doctor before writing his own television shows and movies.

His most well-known television series is Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The show is based on the movie of the same name, though the two have little in common. After his original movie script was altered drastically, Whedon was able to use the series to fulfill his original vision. It spawned a spin-off show, as well as several comic book series. He has written and directed several television shows and movies and is the creator of 5 television series. He often casts the same actors in many of his projects.

Genre:

Fantasy

Curriculum Ties:

None

Booktalking Ideas:

• Tell where each of the main characters are at the beginning of the graphic novel
• Discuss the differences between the graphic novel and the television series
• Talk about how the world changed with the creation of the Slayer army

Reading Level/Interest Age:

15 and older

Challenge Issues:

Witchcraft/Magic/The Occult
Violence
Sexual content
Demonic characters

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

This is the follow up to the popular television series. I loved the television series and have been wanting to read the comic for awhile.

The Initiation (The Secret Circle #1) by L.J. Smith

Smith, L.J. The Initiation. Harper, 1992. 320 pages. ISBN-10: 0061067121. ISBN-13: 978-0061067129

Plot:

After spending the summer in Cape Cod, Cassie is ready to go back to California. On her last day there, she helps a mysterious stranger and feels a connection to him. Though she loves him, she assumes that she’ll never see him again. She prepares to go back to California never knowing, but then discovers that she and her mother will be staying in Massachusetts and moving in with her grandmother in New Salem. Cassie starts the new school year hoping to make friends, but ends up on the bad side of a group of very powerful students known as The Club, the worst of which is Faye. After they spend a few weeks bullying her, she is rescued by Diana, another member of The Club. She and Cassie become best friends and Cassie learns that there are kind members. Cassie is still an outsider when it comes to The Club until one night when she is invited to join then and discovers that they are a group of witches and that she and her family are witches, as well. Cassie finally feels accepted and even begins to hope that she will see the mysterious stranger again. She gets her wish, but not in the way she expected. Diana’s boyfriend, Adam, returns to town and Cassie discovers that he is the stranger that she loves. Heartbroken, but loyal to Diana, Cassie vows to keep her feelings to herself. Faye discovers them, however, and blackmails Cassie to help her with some dark magic. Cassie is trapped, but they soon find out that Faye isn’t the only dangerous power in town.

Critical Evaluation:

Like most of Smith’s books, this one includes a sweet female character, close teenage friendships, a snarky villain, a fight for good, and, of course, romance. Smith’s writing style isn’t very sophisticated, but she is a decent story-teller. This is a simple and satisfying read. Despite having first been published almost 20 years ago, this story doesn’t really feel too dated. In fact, the innocence of her characters, even the villains, is almost refreshing when compared to more modern fantasy novels and supernatural romances.

Despite being a fairly minor character, the most interesting of the characters is Cassie’s grandmother. Rather than being transparent or flat like many of the other secondary characters, she is given a personality and a mysterious quality that encourages the reader to continue to search for what it is that she’s hiding. Cassie herself is slightly less interesting, but no less likable. This is a nice story with an ending that will leave the reader questioning what will happen next.

Reader's Annotation:

When Cassie moves to her mother’s childhood home, she encounters a group of mysterious and powerful teenagers.

Author Information:

L.J. Smith, also know as Lisa Jane or LJane, grew up Villa Park, California. She started telling stories before she could even read or write. She decided she wanted to be a writer at the age of six after writing a poem for her teacher. She has been writing ever since with the exception of a 10 year hiatus starting in 1998. After her brother-in-law was diagnosed with stage IV cancer and her mother with terminal cancer, she was unable to write due to the emotional state she was in. She has said this was the worst period of her life. After her mother’s death, she began to write again in honor of her.

Smith only writes fantasy novels, due to her fascination with magic and the supernatural. Her main characters are generally strong young females, because she wanted to write characters that could be role models for her readers. She includes dark elements in her novels, but is careful to say that all the stories will end with a happy ending.

Genre:

Fantasy

Curriculum Ties:

None

Booktalking Ideas:

• Read the passage beginning with "That night Cassie had a dream" placed on page 50 of the reprint omnibus version.
• Present as Cassie after her first day of school.
• Focus on the relationships between the members of the circle.
• Discuss the magic and power the group has.

Reading Level/Interest Age:

14 and older

Challenge Issues:

Witchcraft/Magic/The Occult

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

This was a series I enjoyed as a teen. With the popularity of L.J. Smith's The Vampire Diaries and the talks of this series also potentially becoming a television show, the books may again become popular.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter #7) by J.K. Rowling

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Arthur A. Levine Books, 2007. 784 pages. ISBN-10: 0545010225. ISBN-13: 978-0545010221.

Plot:

Harry has been left a task by Dumbledore: find and destroy the Horcruxes to defeat Voldemort. After fleeing Ron’s brother’s wedding, Harry, Ron, and Hermione set off to search the country for the remaining Horcruxes. The only problem is that they don’t know what they are, let alone where they are or how to destroy them. The three spend months on the run as they try to figure out what to do. They receive help from some unlikely places, including a goblin, Dobby the house elf, and some former classmates. Harry also learns more about his past and that of Dumbledore. Despite many near misses and one wild escape from the Death Eaters, the three friends eventually discover all the Horcruxes, including one hidden at Hogwarts.

After arriving back at Hogwarts they find that many things have changed under the leadership of Snape. One thing remains the same, however. Many at the school still support Harry and are willing to join him in the fight against Voldemort. This is made very clear when Voldemort and the Death Eaters attack Hogwarts. Harry, his friends, and many of the students and staff of Hogwarts take a stand against Voldemort. It’s been building for seven books and the final battle comes down to Harry and Voldmort while everyone learns what it means that “Neither can live with the other survives.”

Critical Evaluation:

Rowling outdoes herself in this epic finale to the Harry Potter series. It’s evident that she has thoroughly planned every detail of the series. Plot points, character traits and story lines from the previous six novels had not been introduced in vain, as they come together to form a conclusion worthy of the series thus far. Though the novel is really two stories in one - that of the journey and that of the war - they join together in a very cohesive way and neither would form a complete picture without the other. Despite its daunting length, the novel moves along at a quick pace. There isn’t any unnecessary exposition to distract from the central plot, but there are enough side stories to fill out book.

Though the reader has watched Harry, Hermione, and Ron grow throughout the series, it is in this novel that they truly come into themselves. Their friendship isn’t always an easy one, but their loyalty and love for each other is a wonderful example for readers of any age. In their honor and willingness to fight for what they believe is right in the face of dangerous and overwhelming circumstances, Rowling has created three characters that are the very definition of hero. She is a good character writer in that even her lesser characters are well-developed and substantive. She also doesn’t hesitate to kill a beloved character when it is necessary to the story, something that should be respected as many authors are afraid to do so. The characters and the plot complement each other rather than it seeming as if one is only there to support the other. This excellent finale exceeded my already high expectations.

Reader's Annotation:

In the final book of the series, Harry Potter and his friends set out to defeat Lord Voldemort once and for all.

Author Information:

J.K. Rowling was born on July 31, 1965. She began writing fantasy stories as a child, the first of which she remembers creating at the age of five. She was an avid reader and has said that the character of Hermione is based on herself as a child. She attended college at Exeter where she studied French and the Classics. After receiving her degree, she worked as a bilingual secretary and a researcher for Amnesty international. Following the death of her mother in 1990, Rowling moved to Portugal to teach English. While there, she married and had a child. After her daughter’s birth, she and her husband divorced and she and her daughter moved to Edinburgh, Scotland. Her famous rags to riches story is based on what happened while she was there. She was living off welfare and struggling with depression while she finished the first of the Harry Potter books. She used her depression, her grief over her mother, and instances from her childhood as inspiration for her novels.

Today, Rowling is one of the most famous authors in the world. She is the first person to become a billionaire by United States standards solely through writing novels and is the second wealthiest female entertainer in the world. She's been credited with helping revitalize the young adult genre and making reading a popular pastime for children and young adults again. Her books have won countless awards and been translated into 67 languages. They have spawned a series of movies, video games, clothing lines, numerous products, and even an amusement park.

Genre:

Fantasy

Curriculum Ties:

English: Plot Development, Creative Writing
Mythology: Allusions to Mythology/Mythological Archetypes

Booktalking Ideas:

• Focus on the friendship between Harry, Hermione, and Ron and what that has meant for the over the past 7 years.
• Discuss the prophecy “neither can live while the other survives” as how it pertains to the final book.
• Focus on the connection between Voldemort and Harry.
• Acting as each of the characters, discuss the mission that starts the book.

Reading Level/Interest Age:

12 and older

Challenge Issues:

Witchcraft/Magic/The Occult
Violence
Anti-government
Anti-family
Anti-religion
Poor role models

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

This is a wildly popular series with many age groups. The movie based on this final book is being released this fall. It's also one of my favorite series.