matchajian

[matchajian]

EMERGENT LITERATURE

SCIENCE FICTION

The Book That Wouldn't Burn

Mark Lawrence's 2023 novel The Book that Wouldn't Burn portrays a world where the protagonists are unnoticed at first but finally come to be. In a massive library that is older than empires and bigger than cities, a young boy has spent his entire life confined. On the other hand, a girl has spent her time in a small village out in the desert, where nightmares lurk and no one goes. The lines between the truth, the falsehoods, and the hearts are blurred in this story. Although the pen may be mightier than the sword, blood will be shed and towns will be set on fire during this journey as knowledge erodes certainty.

ILLUSTRATED NOVEL

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

In 1964, Roald Dahl wrote the magical and humorous story Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. This tale focuses on a young kid who obtains a golden ticket to visit Willy Wonka's enigmatic and magical chocolate factory. Charlie is a young boy who comes from a low-income family where his father lost his job and other unfavorable events occurred. Five golden tickets were said to be concealed in five Wonka chocolate bars, according to Willy Wonka, the owner of a large chocolate factory. Because the other four kids who discovered the golden tickets had been acting disrespectfully, Willy Wonka gave Charlie the entire chocolate factory as a reward for his good behavior.

GRAPHIC NOVEL

Four Eyes: A Graphic Novel (Four Eyes #1)

The graphic novel Four Eyes was written by Rex Ogle and illustrated by Dave Valeza in 2023. The story revolves around Rex, who faces bullying and hardships in middle school, and having the need to use eyeglasses makes him think that the bullying will get worse. He had a hard time fitting in as well as finding the right pair of glasses, which made the story kind of humorous. As the year ended, he found a new friend who taught him to stand out for himself. Readers will surely sympathize with the character much more now that the novel includes captivating illustrations that make the narration more heartfelt and relatable.

MANGA

Ao Ashi

The seinen sports manga "Ao Ashi" by Yuugo Kobayashi and Naohiko Ueno was published in 2015. The storyline, which was first serialized in Big Comic Spirits, has grown in popularity and now has a spin-off series and an ongoing novel. This manga is focused on the life of Aoi Ashito, a middle school student, and explores the journey of a young, driven athlete in Japan. It follows his development as he joins a prestigious J-League youth soccer team and advances to fulfill his aspiration of becoming a professional player. Aoi encounters various people who will help him develop his potential and personality as the story goes on, including his new friends and coaches.

CREATIVE NONFICTION

The Sleeping Beauties And Other Stories of Mystery Illness

The Sleeping Beauties, written by Dr. Suzanne O’Sullivan in 2021, delves into culture-bound psychosomatic syndromes. The author is an award-winning Irish neurologist who wrote this biography to seek to unravel the complex meaning of these strange illnesses. These syndromes manifest in various communities worldwide, such as people in Sweden experiencing prolonged periods of sleep-like states, those in New York developing involuntary twitches and seizures, and those in Cuba who suffer from headaches and memory loss after exposure to strange noises. The author explores these mysterious illnesses through her global travels, documenting the compelling stories of individuals affected by these syndromes in diverse locations. Through her compassionate approach, she sheds light on these distressing case studies.

DOODLE FICTION

Danny's Doodles: The Squirting Donuts

In 2014, David Adler published Danny's Doodles: The Squirting Donuts. The story began when an incident occurred in Danny and Calvin's fourth-grade class. Mrs. Cakel has abruptly changed from a ruthless enforcer of rules to a meek excuse-acceptor. As a consequence, mysteries developed, and Danny and Calvin came to the conclusion that there was only one way to discover the truth: spies. A bigger mystery involving trials with prune butter, jelly-injected donuts, riddle mania, and dog chasing is quickly revealed as a result of surveillance.

FLASH FICTION

The Wind, It Swirls

Dan Crawley authored The Wind, It Swirls in 2021. It features depictions of typical individuals, including a university lecturer, a kid on a bike, and a woman behind the wheel of a regular car. They thought they already knew. However, as the book's title implies, there is a wind that blows through the cover and raises the story to show what is concealed, personal, and somehow universal. Readers will undoubtedly remember the author's ending for a very long time owing to his keen sense of description, character, and storytelling.

CHICK LIT

Second First Impressions

In Second First Impressions, the author’s intent is to explore self-growth as well as stepping out of our comfort zone at the right time. The primary concept of the story is that the readers should be both selfish and selfless if they want to live life to the fullest. The novel started by describing a tattooed, muscled man who worked as an assistant for two elderly women while being looked after by a beautiful retirement home manager. The author can inspire readers to be both selfish and selfless if they want to live life to the fullest. Being selfish doesn’t mean that someone should harm others in order to be happy; instead, they should let themselves be free from social constructs and do what their heart truly desires. Readers can actually relate to the interesting plot and the dynamics of the characters.

References:

THE BOOK THAT WOULDN’T BURN | Kirkus Reviews. In Kirkus Reviews. https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/mark-lawrence/book-wouldnt-burn/

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory | Plot, Characters, & Facts. (n.d.). Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Charlie-and-the-Chocolate-Factory-by-Dahl

Four Eyes: A Graphic Novel (Four Eyes, #1). (n.d.). In Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/work/95801581-four-eyes-a-graphic-novel-four-eyes-1

Ao Ashi. MyAnimeList.net. https://myanimelist.net/anime/49052/Ao_Ashi

The Wind, It Swirls: Crawley, Dan: 9798528309699: Amazon.com: Books. (2021, August 15). The Wind, It Swirls: Crawley, Dan: 9798528309699: Amazon.com: Books. https://www.amazon.com/Wind-Swirls-Dan-Crawley/dp/B09CKTQYDB

The Squirting Donuts (Danny’s Doodle, #2). (n.d.). In Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/work/26203387-the-squirting-donuts-danny-s-doodle-2

The Sleeping Beauties by Suzanne O’Sullivan Review – 21st Century Health Mysteries | Health, Mind and Body Books | the Guardian. (n.d.). The Sleeping Beauties by Suzanne O’Sullivan review – 21st century health mysteries | Health, mind and body books | The Guardian. https://amp.theguardian.com/books/2021/apr/14/the-sleeping-beauties-by-suzanne-osullivan-review-21st-century-health-mysteries

Review | Sally Thorne’s ‘Second First Impressions’ Is Full of Cracking Attraction and Cackling Laughs. (2021, April 29). Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/sally-thorne-second-first-impressions/2021/04/29/58e91460-a8fe-11eb-8d25-7b30e74923ea_story.html