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In Your Library [South Wales Evening Post (Wales)]
[December 22, 2012]

In Your Library [South Wales Evening Post (Wales)]


(South Wales Evening Post (Wales) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Young adult fiction: Ashes by Ilsa J Bick When an electromagnetic pulse causes all electronics to falter and also interferes with the teeny tiny electrical pulses in the brains of humans, the world goes, quite literally, mad. Only the very young and very old survive intact, save for a few exceptions such as Alex, the protagonist. Others survive, but as maddened inhumane creatures which are a familiar antagonist in apocalypse literature.



I'm so pleased that the post-apocalyptic trend in young adult literature is holding strong! Ashes is a brilliant addition to this niche.

Modern classic: The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien When I was 10 my brother gave me The Hobbit and told me it was the best book he'd ever read. Now, as he was 13, it seemed that he must know what he was talking about as he was practically ancient. Seventeen years later, I think I would still consider this book one of my all time favourites. It's charming and funny and full of the sorts of adventures we all secretly wish we could be having instead of sitting in our modern equivalents of hobbit holes.


Adult audio: The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks The Wasp Factory follows the first person protagonist, Frank Cauldhame, a 16-year- old Scottish lad who has had a decidedly odd upbringing. Peter Kenny's narration was brilliant and really allowed me to get inside Frank's messed-up head. Despite this being a fairly short listen, it isn't a quick read. This is the kind of book which demands that you don't swallow it whole, but take smaller mouthfuls and savour each and every one.

DVD: Troll Hunter directed by Andre Ovredal If you're looking for a serious movie, I'm sure you wouldn't pick up a film called Troll Hunter anyway, but just in case you think maybe something got lost in translation from the original Norwegian, you'd best lay that thought aside before pressing play. This movie is all the more hilarious for the straight-faced style it employs in the face of what look like giant Wombles marauding the Norwegian countryside. A great found-footage spoof that had me in stitches.

reviews by Laura Cornish Find us on Swansea Libraries www.facebook.com/swansealibraries Call Library Line on 01792 636464 (c) 2012 ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved.

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