Indians and Isolation

Hello all,
This is shaping up to be a great week here in the City of Salt. Lately I've been pretty successful at this living thing, so I expect disaster is on the way. Cynical me? No way. Well Onward eh?

Reviews
Speak
"I'm An Outcast." These words are intoned by the main character Melinda Sordino her first day of highschool. She clearly can't wait for it all to be over as her ex-best friend Rachel mouths "I hate you." In Laurie Halse Anderson's modern YA classic after suffering through a trauma in the summer between 8th grade and 9th Melinda has become a selective mute. Her decision to call the cops during a senior party has won her enmity and isolation. Anderson captures the mind of her main character with brutal honesty. The story is told completely thru Melinda's observations/emotions of those around her and herself. What happened to Melinda is really only part of the story, the real story is the journey that Melinda takes. I was caught up in her POV and was desperate for her to find her voice. I was also impressed by Anderson's use of nontraditional techniques both visual and storywise. In recent YA novels I've disliked when the story changes to script form but here it works. So much of this story is about how Melinda learns to communicate. This book is clearly a must-read.

Other Reviews
teenreads | Books on the Brain | The Blue Stocking Society

Scalped Vol. 4
I was so excited when this came in that I had to drop everything and read it. Scalped is the best written independent book today, No argument. Jason Aaron has created incredible characters in a horrible world. This book is not cheery. It is as violent and sad as life can be on an Indian Reservation. In this issue Aaron primarily focuses on crime boss Red Crow and his battle with the psychopathic Mr. Brass. While Crow is an amoral man there are lines that even he won't cross. Apparently there is always worse in Aaron's grim noir. While I was dissapointed somewhat by the sidelining of Dashiell Bad Horse I know that he will most likely return soon. I've come to trust in Aaron's writing and am dying for the next trade. R.M. Guera's art work continues to be amazing and directly reflects the tone of this book. Why aren't you reading this book?

Other Volume Reviews
Scalped Vol. 1, Scalped Vol. 2, Scalped Vol. 3

The Reading List
Books
My Five Cambridge Friends
Man Who Invented Christmas

Comics
Green Lantern #40

Magazine
Vanity Fair

Comic Pull List: Action Comics #877, Captain Britain And Mi 13 #13, Fables #84, Secret Six #9, Terry Moores Echo #12, Trinity #50, Umbrella Academy Dallas #6, Wolverine #73

Check Out Count: Slowly Getting Better.

Have a great week! Book Slave.