Title: Zombie Baseball Beatdown Author: Paolo Bacigalupi Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2013 Narrator: Sunil Malhotra
Rating: 3.5 stars
Rabi, Miguel, and Joe have bigger problems than their losing Little League season. It's true, Rabi is a terrible hitter, and their coach doesn't seem to know what he's doing or how to create a batting line-up. Most of the other kids on the team would like to beat the three of them up, and know how to spin it to their advantage. Miguel's parents have been deported, and his aunt and uncle, who are also in the United States illegally, live in fear that they will be next. You'd think that would be enough problems for the boys. But all that pales in comparison when they stumble upon their coach—zombified. Finding a brain-hungry zombie is only the beginning, as their investigation leads them to the revelation that the zombie problem is much, much bigger than their small Iowan town.
Paolo Bacigalupi has managed to write a book, really a social commentary, on the meatpacking industry, immigration, racism, and zombies. You read that correctly.
I'm not really sure how I feel about this book. I enjoyed Sunil Malhotra's narration, mostly his zombie sounds, and it all works together as a cohesive unit, but part of me feels like Bacigalupi tried too hard to get too much in there, and it was like I was being lectured to at times. We leave this book knowing exactly how the author feels about certain hot-topic issues of the day.
I really enjoyed the relationships between the main characters and the development of their relationships with secondary characters, and the climax is great. The parts with the zombie attacks really make this book worth listening to; if it weren't for that, I'm not sure I would have bothered. I am not so sure how I feel about the complete open-endedness
of the book, but I can understand the logic behind Bacigalupi's choice
to end it the way he does. It is impressive that Bacigalupi is able to write a readable and
zombie-filled story while really writing a social commentary on two
major contemporary issues, I just wish the execution had been a bit more
subtle.
I listened to this book as part of the 2014 Hub Challenge. It was one of the Top Ten Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults.
Disclosure: I got a copy of this audiobook from my local library.
Publishing Info: February 28, 2012 (March 2012) by Kensington US, Avon/HarperCollins UK (will be released in Original trade paperback, retailing at $15 US/$16.95 Can.) Special Features: Discussion Guide and Asian-fusion recipes
How I got this book: Kristina contacted TB&TB, and offered up a copy if someone was interested. I snatched it up immediately.
Why I read this book: I was born in Japan, and was excited to read a book with ties to my birthplace.
Stars: 4
"A skilled violinist sacrifices her career aspirations and family's approval to secretly elope with her Japanese American boyfriend -- the night before Pearl Harbor is bombed. Torn between sides, she will make choices few people in history dared.
Los Angeles, 1941. Violinist Maddie Kern's life seemed destined to unfold with the predictable elegance of a Bach concerto. Then she fell in love with Lane Moritomo. Her brother's best friend, Lane is the handsome, ambitious son of Japanese immigrants. Maddie was prepared for disapproval from their families, but when Pearl Harbor is bombed the day after she and Lane elope, the full force of their decision becomes apparent. In the eyes of a fearful nation, Lane is no longer just an outsider, but an enemy.
When her husband is interned at a war relocation camp, Maddie follows, sacrificing her Juilliard ambitions. Behind barbed wire, tension simmers and the line between patriot and traitor blurs. As Maddie strives for the hard-won acceptance of her new family, Lane risks everything to prove his allegiance to America, at tremendous cost.
Skillfully capturing one of the most controversial episodes in recent American history, Kristina McMorris draws readers into a novel filled with triumphs and heartbreaking loss--an authentic, moving testament to love, forgiveness, and the enduring music of the human spirit."
(Watch this trailer. It's amazing, and tells a lot about the book, and what inspired Kristina to tell this story.)
I was incredibly excited to have the opportunity to read this book. Japan is filled with amazing people, and I can't imagine the prejudices they have dealt with, especially during the time period of this story.
I really felt for Maddie and Lane throughout the entire book. Their relationship was kept a secret, they had to elope last-minute because Lane's father had already picked out his wife, and then the war and accompanying tragedies split them apart and made their lives so much harder than anyone deserves. Both their families were incredibly against their marriage. Maddie's brother was so mad about it that it solidified his decision to join the army and fight the Japanese. I admire both Maddie and Lane for their strength, for following their hearts, for looking past the opinions of others, and for sticking with each other, no matter the hardships involved.
I learned a lot from this book. I was not aware of the camps the Japanese-Americans had to stay in once Pearl Harbor was bombed. You only had to be 1/16th Japanese to receive this kind of punishment. Children were taken from their families. Some of the Japanese-Americans were forced to enlist in the US Army and spy on the Japanese, translating documents and sneaking into the fields at night to eavesdrop on their plans of ambush or attack. I'm grateful to Kristina for educating me.
Kristina's writing style is gorgeous. She uses symbolic and lyrical passages that distract you from all the underlying sadness. I felt so many different emotions throughout. The heartwarming romance, the constant hope of a better life for these people, and the devastating tortures and death.
The Bridge of Scarlet Leaves a versatile read, and has a little bit of everything. Kristina painted the war as it really was, and I think it's good to be reminded of what mankind is capable of. I think the main message of this book is to remember our pasts, learn from the, and make changes to better the future. I love that!
About the author:Kristina McMorris
The recipient of nearly twenty national literary awards, Kristina McMorris is the author of Bridge of Scarlet Leaves, declared a "gripping story [that] hits all the right chords" by Publishers Weekly and a "sweeping yet intimate novel" by Kirkus Reviews. Her critically praised debut novel, Letters from Home, inspired by her grandparents' WWII courtship, achieved additional acclaim as a Reader's Digest Select Editions feature, a Doubleday/Literary Guild selection, and a 2011 Goodreads Choice Awards semifinalist for Best Historical Fiction. A host of weekly TV shows since age nine, including an Emmy® Award-winning program, Kristina has been named one of Portland's "40 Under 40" by The Business Journal. She lives with her husband and two sons in the Pacific Northwest, where she refuses to own an umbrella.
Title: Zombie Baseball Beatdown
by Kristina McMorris
