November 29, 2014

Lu's Clues


I met Marie Lu on a sunny Monday afternoon at the Writer’s bar (Raffles Hotel) and was pleasantly surprised by her simplicity and no-nonsense demeanor. When I was rearranging some chairs and tables for the interview, she quickly helped me move them, sat down and waited patiently as I was getting my gadgets ready to record her answers. She has the loveliest laugh and the sweetest smile. And though I knew that she was tired from her whirlwind book signing tour which took her to two major cities in 2 short days, she was more than ready to meet more people.

It takes guts for an author to make the heroine of her novel bad because the possibility of turning off fans is Huge. But then again if you have the creativity and smooth story telling skills of Ms. Lu, it wouldn’t be a problem.   Her latest novel, The Young Elites, is headed by a character who is not only turning evil, she is also scarred, an anti-thesis of beautiful heroines proliferating YA books nowadays.

So let’s get to know the person behind this unusual book and the bestselling Legend series.
 
Bestselling Author Marie Lu
Here is Marie Lu

Lyn:  Hi Marie, welcome to the Philippines.  Just out of curiosity, what does your Chinese name Xi Wei Lu mean?

Marie:  My parents named me after Chinese words that mean Hope and Future.  If you would write it out it would literally mean hope for the future.

L:  Maybe that’s why you like futuristic book

M:  Maybe.  I was also born in 1984 so that may have something to do with it too.

L:  you just finished your two day book tour in the philippines.  How was it?

M:  It was amazing

L:  I heard it was crazy

M:  Thank you.  I had a wonderful time.  The readers were amazing in Cebu and Manila.  It's so nice to be around that kind of energy.  It’s very infectious.

L:  You first went to Cebu but before the signing you had one whole day of rest.  How did you spend it?

M:  Yeah.  I went diving for the first time.  I’ve never done scuba diving before.  It was amazing.  It was intimidating at first but I had a lot of fun

L:  Are you a beach person?

M:  I live near the beach in LA.  I live in Santa Monica so I love the beach.  And I don’t think I can ever live away from a beach

L:  That’s a nice place to relax.  Okay before coming here were you warned by fellow authors how enthusiastic readers here can be?

M:  I wasn’t warned but I was told to be ready for the best signing you're ever gonna have which is true!  It was absolutely an experience of a lifetime

L:  What was the best moment in those two days for you?

M:  It's all a blur, it's hard to say….there’s one I can think of.  For the manila signing, there was a girl who showed up and waited at the bookstore starting at 9:30 in the morning the day before the signing and I thought that was incredible.  I couldn’t believe that she was there for me.  That was just an amazing feeling

L:  She camped out for you

M:  Yeah and so during the event we had her come up on stage and give her a shirt and she was just so excited…. It's moments like that when I remember why I do what I do.  it's so nice to be able to connect with my readers and to have them enjoy it.

L:  The Young Elites is your latest book after the very successful Legend series.  in a nutshell, what is it about?

M:  The young elites is set in the alternate universe of renaissance italy so it’s a high fantasy novel and it centers around a girl named Adelina who is essentially the teen girl version of Darth Vader.  She is going to be a villain in the story going forward and the first book is about her downfall into the dark side and why she chooses to become a villain.  In that world there is the equivalent of a black death and it sweeps through and kills off a third of the population.  Some of the people who survived came out of it with superpowers.  Adelina happens to be one of these people and her power’s a very dark one.  so yeah I am excited to hear what readers think of it.

L:  Where did the idea of Malfettos come from?

M:  I’ve always been drawn to physical markings on people and I feel like it would be nice if those markings aren’t always seen as a sign of weakness and that they could instead be a source of power.  There is a thing called port wine birthmarks which are these purple patches, I've seen it on faces and arms.  I thought what if a marking like that meant that you had power of some kind, I felt like the two would be connected in some way.  so that was probably the origin of creating the malfettos

L:  Normally heroines are supposed to beautiful but Adelina is scarred with one eye missing.  Why did you make Adeline so imperfect as opposed to her sister Violetta who is flawless?

M:  I think it was a part of her character that I wanted to explore.  I wanted to show it on her face visually.  I thought it would be kind of a powerful statement and it’s fun for me to play with physical appearances.  I am a very visual thinker.  And when I first drew her, I didn’t know anything about her.  I just drew her with a mask over a scarred face.  And I thought what would have happened in her past to have given her that scar and does she own it?  Is she okay with this marking on her? this is who she is as a person and that’s something fun for me to explore in this series as well.

L:  Adelina is both a hero and an anti hero and I was vacillating between liking her, having sympathy for her and being mad at her especially with what she did to Dante.  I have never read anyone like her.  Did you really want people to not know if they love her or hate her?

M:  Thank you!  I'm so glad you had that reaction because that is exactly what I was going for.  I wanted to create a character who is a little like Walter White from Breaking Bad.  Someone you can see going down the wrong path and you just want them to turn around.  I wanted her to be somebody that you don’t always agree with, that you could see she’s making mistakes but you still root for her, like you want the best for her and I wanted to make sure she wasn’t totally unsympathetic even when she does terrible things like what she did to dante.  Because I didn’t people to go “I want her to die already.  I don’t care what happens to her”.  I want her to still be relatable.  it was a bit of a challenege walking that line.  Can I make her likable enough but still have her villainous in some ways?  So I try to balance that out in the story and I'm very glad that was your reaction

L:  I love Enzo.  Everyone loves Enzo.  And I thought that Teren would be his competition for Adelina.  Since this is a series, is this even a possibility?  Because I don’t know, I'm kinda waiting for Teren to fall out of love with the Queen

M:  I don’t wanna give any spoilers?

L:  What?! NOOOOO!!!
 M:  But we definitely have not seen the last of Teren.  He is a character that I've had a lot of fun playing with.  Part of him is just crazy, he’s just a crazy person.  And part of him is kind of pathetic, I just feel sorry for him sometimes.  So he is someone I enjoy playing and he might evolve a little bit as  the series goes on.  But we haven’t met all of the characters yet, there will be some new elites popping up in the next book that Adelina will interact with so we’ll see.

L:  I really love Teren’s power.  He’s like Wolverine.

M:  He is like Wolverine

L:  And that thing that he’s doing to his back is like Silas from..

M:  Yeah from the Da Vinci Code

L:  So it's Wolverine and Silas together.  What a combination!  I would want that power too.

M:  Right (laughs)

L:  The end really crushed me but then again the Epilogue reversed the feeling of hopelessness

M:  Oh good!

L:  It made me feel like oh he might just live!  Can we expect more from Enzo in the next book?

M:  Also can not give you spoilers……but you know Maeve was put in the story for a reason.    That’s pretty much all I can say about that.  She will come back in the second book so I will let that sit  as whatever I can say for the second book

L:  Okay.  Also Tristan, in that very small part of his, he intrigues me.  Could he be a possible love interest for Adelina?

M:  Tristan will definitely appear again in the second book as well.  I don’t wanna say anything about whether or not he will take to Adelina in that way but he is definitely not all there.  He is a bit off because he was dead once and that does things to people (laughs). 

L:  Could you give us more clues on what to expect in the next book?

M:  I could say a little bit about it

L:  Please do

M:  So the young elites I know will be a trilogy for sure.  that’s because I know what arc I am trying to hit with it.  The first book is Adelina trying to ba a good person and falling into the dark side and people treating her terribly.  The second book is Adelina gets revenge on everyone so it's definitely the darkest book of the three.  This is the one where she comes into her own as a villain.  And that makes it even harder for me to write that line of “do we just hate her completely now or can she be redeemed?”  and the third book is can you be forgiven for being a terrible person.

L:  Redemption

M:  Yeah, can you find redemption even after being a villain and that’s something I wanna explore as well.  So the 2nd book is going to be Adelina finding her power and kind of owning it.  Finding her own tribe.  She may be gathering her own people for a society of her own, the Rose Society which is hinted at the end of book 1.  There are new young elites showing up, some of whom may be very interesting to Adelina and the relationship between her and her sister will also continue to evolve.

L:  Is there a title already and release date for the second book?

M:  We haven’t locked down a title yet but we’ve got a few that we’re tossing around.  No release date yet either but I just finished the first draft of the 2nd book and we are hoping it will release next fall.

L:  Looking forward to that.  So, in order for fans to know you more let’s do quick questions.  Favorite time of the year.

M:  Christmas

L:  Favorite vacation spot

M:  Paris.  I had a great time in Paris.

L:  For book signings where’s the farthest you’ve been?

M:  The Philippines is pretty far.  I've been to korea which is about the same distance I guess

L:  I'm wondering have your books been translated into Chinese?

M:  They have been translated in to Taiwanese

L:  Your family is from Beijing right?

M:  My family is from Beijing and they are very excited about the Taiwanese edition.  I'm not sure if it will ever really come out in China since the books are about government revolutions so I'm not sure that would fly in China

L:  Favorite TV show

M:  Vikings on history channel.  It's so good.  I love Game of Thrones too and it's kind of along that line but not quite as graphic.  It's incredible.  I love everything about it

L:  Favorite novel written by someone else

M:  Mattimeo by Brian Jacques.  It was the very first fantasy novel I ever read when I was in middle school and I credit that book in getting me into science fiction which is now all that I write.  So that book is very important to me.

L:  Favorite author

M:  Probably Brian Jacques again.  I love his entire series.  he wrote this entire series called the Redwall series and he had a huge influence on me when I was a kid

L:  Favorite movie of all time

M:  This is so hard!  Contact.

L:  I didn’t expect that.  Jodie Foster

M:  It’s one of those movies that has a ton of problems with it but I'm okay with that because I love the overall concept of the story about making contact with aliens.

L:  Favorite actor and actress

M:  This is just so hard.  I’m gonna go with Leonardo Di Caprio.  He is so cute and I had such a crush on him when I was a teenager

L:  How many times did you watch Romeo and Juliet?

M:  Way too many times! Actress…let’s see….. I'm gonna go with Emma Watson because I think she has come out of the harry potter series very gracefully.  I love that she is the embodiment of the gracious, graceful, intelligent girl who is beautiful and also incredibly smart and she is very comfortable with herself.  I just love everything about her.  She is like Hermione in real life

L:  I admire her for pursuing her studies despite the fame because a lot of actresses don’t.

M:  Yeah and I respect that a lot that she’s still driven herself.  She doesn’t need the money.

L:  Last movie that you’ve watched

M: John Wick. It just came out and it has Keanu Reeves in it.

L: Oh wait this has the karate thing in it?

M: Yeah. It was very good. I don’t know if I’ll watch it again though because there’s an animal that gets hurt and I just can’t deal

L: But it’s Keanu

M: Yeah it’s Keanu! I was like yah it’s nice to see yourface again in a movie

L: I know he is so gorgeous… okay so, do you prefer chocolate or cupcakes?

M: Cupcakes

L: Sunrise or sunset

M: Sunrise. I’m a morning person

L: Orange juice, milk or coffee
M: I’ll go with orange juice

L: Library or bedroom

M: Library

L: TV show or movies

M: That’s tough. Both

L: I always try to read books authors recommend. Would you care to recommend some?

M: Sure! I can pick some recent ones for people. I’ve been reading a lot of young adult now. One of my favorite series is called Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. That’s the first book, it’s a trilogy. It’s a fantasy series set in an alternate Russia during the czarist era. It’s amazing, it’s so fun and brutal at the same time.

Ready Player One is another favorite of mine, it’s by Ernest Cline. It is a science fiction novel that involves video games. It’s fun and fast paced.

I’m a big fan of Jacqueline Carey. She writes fantasy novels as well. They’re very lush, beautiful, fantasy series.   My favorite book from her is called Kushiel’s Dart and I think it’s a really great one. It’s an adult novel though.

There’s one coming out next spring it’s called An Ember In The Ashes by a newcomer named Sabaa Tahir. It takes place in a Romanesque era but it’s also like a totalitarian regime and it was so good I missed a flight because I was reading it. I had 20 pages left and it was glued to my face, I didn’t see all those people going to the gate. I didn’t realize it until I looked up and the gate was closed. But it’s totally worth it, it’s a great book.


There’s a book called Proxy by Alex London. I love his series. It’s so good, it’s great science fiction. Just a great story in general.
I just recently finished reading a historical fantasy by Robin Lafevers called Grave Mercy and it’s set in like the 14th century with assassin nuns. It’s so cool, it’s a wonderful series, really great.

There’s an author named Jandy Nelson who writes YA contemporary novels. I don’t read a ton of contemporary but I fell in love with her books. My favorite with her is called The Sky Is Everywhere. It’s just beautiful, so romantic, really really sweet.

I’m not a huge romance readers but if I find one that I love I just latch onto it with claws. The sky is everywhere is one of those.
The Fault in our Stars is amazing (by John Green).

There is a book coming out by Amie Kaufman and a guy named Jay Kristoff. It’s so good I blew my mind when I read it. It’s called Illuminae and it is unlike any YA book I’ve ever seen in my life in terms of the formatting. It’s very unusual. It’s science fiction. I don’t even know how to describe it, you just have to see it when it comes out. It’s fantastic, it’s so good. I’m sure when the book hits people are gonna go crazy for it.

L: So I heard that legend series has already been optioned by CBS Films.   So what part of the movie process is it in now?

M: The producers behind it (CBS Films) are the same people behind Maze Runner and The Fault in our Stars so they’re wonderful, they got a screenplay ready. I’ve seen it and it’s great. They’re looking for a director right now but in Hollywood nothing is ever 100% until the day your movie comes out.


L: Did you take part in writing the screenplay?

M: Not really because I don’t have any experience with screenplays. They were very good about contacting me and emailing me when they need details about the world and the characters so that was nice

L: What book-turned-movie is your favorite?

M: I think The Lord of the Rings was translated really well, maybe even better than the books. I thought it was just done so perfectly.

L: What books do you wish were movies?

M:   I would love to see Leigh’s series Shadow and Bone as a film and I know it’s been optioned by Dreamworks I believe and I’m hoping they move forward on that one. I would love to see Proxy as a film. I hope that happens as well.

L: Are there leads for who will play June and Day?

M: No casting yet.

L: Okay but who are your dream June and Day?

M: I’m so bad at answering that! I always end up picking people who are too old. I always say Leonardo Di Caprio would be perfect if he was still a teenager to play Day. Hailee Steinfeld has a really good look for June. Elle Fanning doesn’t look anything like June but she has the demeanor that could potentially work with June.


L: Fans have their own favorites to play the characters. Who do your fans most push for?

M: A lot of people push for Hailee Steinfeld for June. It’s hard for Day because of his ethnicity. It’s difficult because it’s hard to find someone Asian who also has blond hair and blue eyes. But I’ve heard the name Bryan Potter being floated around, I’m not sure but I think he’s kind of a newcomer. Those are probably the two main ones.

L: What more can we expect from Marie Lu?

M: I’m working on the rest of the young elites series for now then after that I have a couple more ideas that I have in my head, they’re so rough that I can’t talk too much about them but I would love to do a book that has a lot to do with video games. I’d love to play around with that, something action packed with a lot of game elements. Maybe a little more fun and lighthearted than The Young Elites since that’s so dark
 
L: I’m looking forward to the rest of the series. Thank you so much Marie.

M: Thank you Lyn.

Marie Lu’s novels: The Young Elites, Legend, Prodigy and Champion are all available at The National Book Store.

A special thanks Mr. Miguel Ramos, Mr. JB Roperos and Mr. Chad Dee of The National Book Store.


November 19, 2014

Book Review: THE YOUNG ELITES by Marie Lu


Book:  The Young Elites
Author:  Marie Lu
Publisher:  Putnam Juvenile
Genre:  Science Fiction & Fantasy;  Action & Adventure

The Blurb:

I am tired of being used, hurt, and cast aside.

Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.


Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all.


Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen.

Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.

It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.

My Review:

I thought this was simply a YA love story with science fiction thrown in.  I was wrong.  This is so much more than that.

This is a story of sisters, of a boy and a girl, of hate, love, revenge, of friends and enemies, of power, manipulation, of royalty, loyalty and everything else in between.


Adelina is an anomaly.  A scarred, once beautiful, Malfetto.  An abomination whose physical deformities brand her as someone to be feared.   Malfettos are survivors of the Blood Fever that killed thousand of people.  The survivors are mostly children who were left with scars and markings that made them vulnerable to others.  A few Malfettos were also left with powers that when wielded, can be deadly to everyone else.  


Adelina’s father has abused her for many years while clearly favoring her perfect, beautiful sister Violetta.  On the night that her father promises her hand to a man who wants to make her his mistress, she runs away.


But she doesn’t get far.  Her father catches her.  And for the first time her powers manifest itself with tragic results.  Adelina is to be executed publicly for murder only to be saved by other Malfettos like herself who are tagged by the Inquisitors as The Young Elites.  

These young elites are members of The Dagger Society, all of whom have power people fear and are in hiding, biding their time, for in their midst is the rightful owner of the throne.  The Prince of the realm whose only fault was to have changed because of the Fever and who now has the power to manipulate fire.  Enzo the Reaper.

A most beautiful male consort Rafaelle becomes Adelina’s lifeline.  He is the messenger.  One who can assess one’s power and manipulate feelings.  He senses dark power in Adelina, such that he hasn’t seen because it is tainted by fury and hate brought about by Adelina’s own twisted father.

She begins her training with the Elites, with Enzo pushing her more than everyone else because he not only believes in her power, he needs her.  They also form a bond that Adelina has never before felt: Love.  

Teren, the powerful Lead Inquisitor, hunts and tracks down Adelina, forcing her to work with him for he has a pawn in her sister Violetta.


Adelina now has two choices.  Betray the Elites and save Violetta or Save the Elites and let Violetta die.  Which one can she choose to live with?

This book is painfully dark, with Adelina questioning herself at every turn.  She doesn’t know herself how truly powerful she is until it is too late.  She does have good intentions, as we all, but fate works against her at every turn it seems.

As a reader, I feared for the other Elites.  I didn’t know who would die and who should live.  Such is the power of Marie Lu’s writing.  Her story telling is impeccable.  I could not put her book down.  I couldn’t eat or go anywhere until I finished The Young Elites.  The story isn’t pretty.  It isn’t tied with pretty pink bows.  Instead it is filled with hate, such that I haven’t read in a long time.  And I loved it.

The ending left me emotionally battered.  But then came the epilogue which makes me hope the tide can still turn, and that it isn’t too late…. Not for Adelina, and certainly not for HIM.  

It is certainly quite a read when the protagonist turns out to be the antagonist as well but that’s the beauty of Adelina and The Young Elites, you can’t quite tell if they’re good or bad.  Are they heroes or are they villains?  Should they be eliminated or celebrated?  These are questions you can answer yourself once you pick up The Young Elites.  As for my answers to these questions, I will suspend my judgment until the 2nd book comes out.  Till then, Happy Reading.


Meet Marie Lu on her Philippine Book Signing Tour this weekend courtesy of The National Book Store.  Here is her tour schedule:
November 22 at 1 p.m. in The Gallery, Ayala Center Cebu
November 23 at 2 p.m. in National Book Store, Glorietta 1 
Registration starts at 10 a.m. for both events.
Also watch out for my interview with Marie to be posted next week.


November 11, 2014

Book Review: CINDER & ELLA by Kelly Oram


Book:  Cinder & Ella
Author:  Kelly Oram
Publisher:  Bluefields
Genre:  YA Romance Fiction

“You’re a weirdo”- Ella
“I am not.  You love me.”- Cinder
“Yes you are, and yes I do.  Goodnight cinder.”- Ella
“Goodnight Ella. I love you, too.”- Cinder

Blurb via Goodreads:

It’s been almost a year since eighteen-year-old Ella Rodriguez was in a car accident that left her crippled, scarred, and without a mother. After a very difficult recovery, she’s been uprooted across the country and forced into the custody of a father that abandoned her when she was a young child. If Ella wants to escape her father’s home and her awful new stepfamily, she must convince her doctors that she’s capable, both physically and emotionally, of living on her own. The problem is, she’s not ready yet. The only way she can think of to start healing is by reconnecting with the one person left in the world who’s ever meant anything to her—her anonymous Internet best friend, Cinder. 

Hollywood sensation Brian Oliver has a reputation for being trouble. There’s major buzz around his performance in his upcoming film The Druid Prince, but his management team says he won’t make the transition from teen heartthrob to serious A-list actor unless he can prove he’s left his wild days behind and become a mature adult. In order to douse the flames on Brian’s bad-boy reputation, his management stages a fake engagement for him to his co-star Kaylee. Brian isn’t thrilled with the arrangement—or his fake fiancĂ©e—but decides he’ll suffer through it if it means he’ll get an Oscar nomination. Then a surprise email from an old Internet friend changes everything.

My Synopsis:

Ellamara needs a good support system.  She has lost her mother and is in recovery after being in a coma from a horrible car accident that left her scarred for life.  There is only one person she trusts above all, her best friend Cinder, whose shadow she has never even seen.  

Photo Credit:  Goodreads
Having met on the internet and communicated only for two years running, all they know is that they’re both huge fans of a book series, the first one of which is being turned into a movie starring Hollywood’s IT boy, Brian Oliver.  What Ella did not know is that Cinder and Brian are one and the same.

Now Ella has to live the father who abandoned her when she was eight, with the family he left her fora beautiful but tactless stepmother, a vicious stepsister and another seemingly indifferent one.  Finding a new friend in their classy private school full of cruel kids seems impossible until she befriends a fellow outcast Vivian and miraculously, one of the hottest jocks in school, Rob.

Ella renews her friendship with Cinder, telling him of her accident, but not of her physical scars, nor the fact that she tried to commit suicide months before.  Things get better slowly until the day Ella finally meets Cinder in person.

My Review:

I came across this book on Amazon as I was surfing for newly released books.  I wasn’t familiar with any of author Kelly Oram’s work but since I have always loved Cinderella and am intrigued by fairy tale retellings, I figured I should give this a try.  I didn’t expect I’d fall deeply in love with the story

It’s not just the way the story played out, it’s also the development of the characters. Oram wrote this in such a way that though I never went through any of the horrible things Ella did, I could still relate to how she was feeling at any pointHer frustrations, insecurities and constant emotional and physical pain were so powerful, I had to fight back tears every few chapters.  Her anger at her father, fear of rejection, and the ugly words directed at her every single day from everyone except Cinder….they were so heartbreaking. 

Cinder, my new hero….he is a good man, the best with Ella, but he could be unforgiving with everyone else especially his movie co star Kaylee whom he hates.  He loves Ella, it’s as simple as that.  No scar, no distance can take that away from them.  It is true love at its core, and is it not every woman’s fantasy to have the biggest star on earth fall deeply in love with her?

With the support characters, I can’t help but love both Vivian and Juliette.  The way with which Juliette slowly turned to become Ella’s closest supporter is touching.  And Rob, wonderful, delicious, sweet Rob.  He deserves his own book, and a woman just like Ella.

This is a wonderful, beautiful read.  If the author intended to squeeze every emotion from my soul then she clearly succeeded.  This is not a book I will be letting go of for a very long time.  I love Cinder & Ella.