Wither by Lauren DeStefano
While dystopian novels are one of young adult literature's most popular genres, Wither by Lauren DeStefano is a novel marketed as a utopian novel. Wither takes place hundreds of years in the future after a cure for ailments has gone awry. While scientists were able to cure children of any and all diseases, healthy girls began dying at the age of 20 and boys at 25. While scientists are busy looking for the new cure, Rhine Ellery is separated from her twin brother and forced into marriage to bear children. Although Rhine eventually gets along with her shy, somewhat clueless husband, she is horrified to learn what lengths her father-in-law is willing to go to find the cure and begins looking for a way to escape. All the books in The Chemical Garden Trilogy are the perfect antidote to the deluge of violent dystopian books like Veronica Roth's Divergent and Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games. DeStefano's protagonists are realistic, while the villains are multidimensional, and the plot moves quickly making reading all three books in a sitting entirely plausible. While the book may be better suited to older young adults, the themes and questions that arise throughout concerning women, genetics, family, and responsibility are provocative and substantial.
-Anna, Youth Services
All the World’s a Stage…
Yes, I’m going to do it. Prepare yourself. Banish from your mind all the terrifying memories brought on by the word ‘Bard’. Forget the forced memorizations. Forsake the droning, nonsensical interpretations you were wrongly programmed to abhor. Embrace the fear of the name that could make your brain quake and your eyeballs sweat in mere anticipation. Baby, it’s Shakespeare time!
I promise, no reading required...not one single word. In fact, I promise an enthralling mix of pageantry, beauty, humor, action, adventure and romance all ending, as is always the case with Shakespeare, in either marriage or death (but, hey, that’s life, right?). And, as if that’s not enough, it’s all available practically in your own backyard. Chicago Shakespeare Theater is located right in the middle of Navy Pier and offers a breathtakingly beautiful and surprisingly intimate re-imagining of the original Globe Theater.
This season’s Shakespearean offerings include the comedy, The Merry Wives of Windsor, a shortened version of the comedic fantasy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and the drama, Henry V. My recommendation for those taking their first steps into the world of masterfully produced Shakespeare is the Short Shakespeare! presentation of Midsummer. My introduction to this theater and its amazing troupe of actors was through a full length production of that very play complete with a punk-rock fairy world and a pink-haired king of the fairies holding court while the real world slumbers. It was magical and unforgettable and I promise the experience will be nothing less for you.
So, good night unto you all.
Give me your hands, if we be friends...
- Danielle, Tech Services
The Act of Killing
I had the chance to see a screening of Joshua Oppenheimer’s 2012 documentary The Act of Killing at the Music Box Theatre in Chicago and I recommend watching it when it comes out on DVD and Blu-Ray on Nov. 25. The film follows a few leaders of a pro-government paramilitary force that killed between 500,000 and 1 million alleged Communists and ethnic Chinese in Indonesia in 1965. Oppenheimer offers the unapologetic murderers a chance to make a celebratory film about their deeds and the proud “gangsters” (as they call themselves) take him up on the offer. The result is a documentary of interviews and behind-the-scenes looks at the disturbing filming process of the gangsters/death squads reenactments. The documentary is a bit disturbing, but well worth the uncomfortable experience. Plus it’s executive producers include Werner Herzog and Errol Morris, so you know it’s a decent documentary.
-Mike, Reference
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