Customer Reviews

The Waters & the Wild

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

For all of her 13 years, or at least for as long as she can remember, Bee (short for Beatrice) has never felt comfortable in her life, as if she doesn't really belong. She keeps to herself, and the isolation has led to loneliness and depression. She doesn't even feel she can confide in her mother, who wouldn't understand. The one place in which she does find a bit of comfort is the gardens, where she can be close to the earth and the growing plants.

One night Bee wakes up to find an exact double of herself standing in her room. The girl whispers one sentence, "You are me," and then disappears. Bee is confused, unsettled and even a bit intrigued. She goes to the one person she believes might have a clue: her strange fellow classmate, Haze, who is rumored to think he's an alien. Haze knows exactly what Bee has seen --- a doppelganger --- and it has been said that to see this is to predict one's death. Bee regrets turning to Haze at all.

But then Haze comes to her to talk, and she starts getting to know him better. She also meets another loner, Sarah, who is a bit of an outsider as well and believes herself to be the reincarnation of a slave from the 1800s. The three begin to form a special friendship, find some happiness, and feel like they do belong in their own unique way. Suddenly, though, Bee gets sick. Haze and Sarah put some clues together and figure out the mystery behind Bee's double and her illness. Their lives will never be the same.

The person responsible for this very unique and unusual book is the renowned Francesca Lia Block, the award-winning bestselling author of numerous titles. Right away I noticed Block's ability to create intensely vivid descriptions using a minimum of words and not wasting space with extraneous material. This approach, though seemingly simple, in fact creates quite intricate results. She also has a mysterious and pensive writing style, giving the reader a feeling of being lost in a misty, symbolic dream. Fans will be happy to know that Block is busy working on many more projects to entertain readers and give them plenty to think about.

--- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman

The Waters and the Wild by Francesca Lia Block is a telling story of life, growth and the everyday struggles of coming into your skin. Bee, a changelings, has to decide where she truly belongs: with the new found comfort and peace with her friends at school or back to her faerie world allowing the fetch, or the real human child, to take her place. Bee struggles with everyday teenage struggles but Block transforms it into a song of hope for all.

Though the story short, and the writing shorter, Block focuses metaphorically on the issues we all face today. Seamlessly she blends in the important points of our time: Global warming, 9-11, and the daily struggles of war. Though at first glance you might miss it, it is that much more powerful once we peer closer into Block's narrative. But above all it is a marvelous story about a girl, her life well lived, and the choice she makes ,which in turn transforms everyone's outlook and appreciation on life.

The story unravels poetically and slowly through the few pages like short story mixed with poems and folklore. Block focuses on Bee's narrative but like the threads in the fabric she sews in images of the times we live in; they are not easy but there is hope! You might be reading his and thinking....."HUH?" But rest assured that these few 120 some pages will leave you grateful but above all else it is a good read. A small book with a big story!

The Good: The writing style has a certain quality that makes you interested in reading the book and it compels you to turn the page. Also, the characters are very good.

Bee is her own person and though she might not be completely normal, she's sometimes, surprisingly relateable. Also, I adored Haze and Sarah. If I actually met them I'd probably think that they are absolutely crazy. I mean, Haze thinks that he's an alien and Sarah thinks that she's a reincarnation of a 1800's slave girl. But strangely, I really liked them and I absolutely enjoyed reading about them.

The Bad: The beginning attracts your attention, that's for sure. When I first read it, I almost put the book down. Seriously, it creeped me out a little. Maybe creeped is too strong of a word, but if if I was in a book store, I would've put it down.

Also, this book really dissapointed me. The summary looks so interesting and the cover is really pretty... but the book itself just fell flat. Another probably that I had was that it was too short! It's like I blink and the story's over, it's not worth paying 16.99 that's for sure.

Overall: Though the writing is very good, when I finished, I didn't feel satisfied or happy that I finished the book. The first thing that popped into my head after I finished was, "What the heck did I just read?"

Francesca Lia Block is one of my favorite writers for a reason - her smart, poetic prose easily transports you to an alternate reality, layering real issues with surreal context. In her latest, we explore the possibilities of a doppelganger, as thirteen-year-old Bee has begun to see herself at night, claiming to be the real her. Turning to the weird kid at school, Haze (he's rumored to believe he's an alien) she discovers that she might not belong in L.A. - in more ways than one. Picking up Sarah, a street-singer with a gorgeous voice who believes she's a reincarnated slave girl, the trio embark on a mission to save Bee, and to understand their own realities. Like Block's other works, The Waters and the Wild is tightly written, with an ethereal feeling that leaves you feeling pleasantly disoriented. Don't miss this wonderful opportunity to be enchanted.

I really enjoyed this book. It is a bit dark because of the whole changeling thing but it was compelling and I enjoyed it. I just wish this book was longer!

"thirteen ways to know you are a changeling

1. you have never felt as if you quite belong
2. when you love someone it is like immolation or drowning
3. you yearn for the earth, even fantasize about eating it in handfuls
4. your skin is not your own ..."
Bee is a Gemini and has seen her doppelganger, which usually means death. She befriends a couple of other odd companions and they have some good times. Until they discover a secret about her. They try to help her but it is all too late, as Bee excepts who she is and where she must be.

This was another quick little read from Francesca, but unlike Pretty Dead this one didn't seem to have left such big parts out. This was also much more magical then Pretty Dead. I can't say much without giving things away since the book is so short, (the pages are tiny boasting 19 lines) but inside you can expect double selves, a boy who thinks he's an alien, a girl who is a beautiful singer and thinks she's a slave reincarnated, an astrologist and a garden. She really captures the magic of being on the cusp of childhood and teen years. I would recommend this one to Block's fans. This book wasn't quite the same as her early ones but it was beautiful nonetheless.

First Line:
"thirteen ways to know you are a changeling"

Favorite Line:
"the strange illness that poured
itself between bodies
through the elixir of the blood"

Three very lonely, very strange thirteen year olds live in Venice Beach. At night, Bee encounters ghostly visions of her doppelganger, a girl who could pass as her twin. Bee suspects herself of being a changeling - a faerie who was exchanged with a human baby. The doppelganger wants her life back but Bee doesn't want to leave her new friends and return to the faerie world beneath the city. She has befriended Sarah, who believes she is a reincarnated slave, and Haze, who believes that his real father is an extraterrestrial. Together, the three misfits learn to cast spells to make themselves invisible and to fly like birds. They boldly crash the party of a snobbish classmate. Later, Bee must fight the doppelganger to keep from returning to the faerie world.

"The Waters & the Wild" is a bizarre novella that reads like beautiful poetry. In fact, it is based on "The Stolen Child," a poem written by William Butler Yeats. Lines from this poem are quoted by Bee's nerd friend, Haze. (Could Jimi Hendrix's song "Purple Haze" have influenced this choice of name?) The reader is kept in a type of haze, wondering how much of the children's experiences are reality and how much are pure fantasy. The children are all products of dysfunctional families and may have found solace from their emotional pain by creating fantasy worlds. Many children, especially abused ones, imagine themselves living alternate lives. It is never clear whether Bee's doppelganger is real or the product of her overwrought imagination. This makes the novel exceedingly creepy. The ending will definitely cause chills to course up and down the reader's spine long after they've closed the book.

With "The Waters & The Wild," Francesca Lila Block has written a social commentary cleverly disguised as a supernatural fantasy novel for young teens. Children, when left alone, often create fantasy worlds. They become so immersed in them that they eventually lose touch with reality. However, this novella does express hope - the hope found in friendship among one's peers. When Bee, Sarah and Haze are together, they obtain a feeling of belonging. They gain confidence and strength, both mentally and physically. Even their appearances change. No longer are they social outcasts. Whether they can actually become invisible or fly through the air is irrelevant. They learn to accept and love themselves and each other. That is the true magic of this poignant, insightful novella.

Francesca Lia Block is the author of numerous popular fantasy novellas and short story collections for young adults: "I Was A Teenage Fairy," "The Rose And The Beast," "Echo," "Psyche In A Dress" and "Dangerous Angels." Poetic in their writing style, they depict worlds populated by fairies, angels, mermaids, nymphs and other mythical creatures. Often the characters are searching for love and acceptance in a world filled with turmoil. Controversial, provocative and eccentric, Block's writings offer an insight into the lifestyle of today's youth.


Joseph B. Hoyos

Bee knows that she is different from other teenagers. She has a strange affinity with the earth, dreaming of eating it in handfuls to be more connected to it. Bee feels more at home in her mother's garden rather than at school or with other people. She never has an appetite and sees people for who they are, their true selves.

There is also the matter of her doppelganger. Bee begins to see her, in dreams and during her waking hours. She wants something from Bee; she wants her life back.

Bee has also befriended two outsiders, very much like herself. Haze is a tall, gangly boy who believes he was fathered by aliens. Sarah, with her braided hair and beautiful voice, tells Haze and Bee that she is the reincarnated soul of a slave girl. Neither one of these confessions shocks or mystifies Bee; she simply accepts them to be fact. Their differences make them unique and bring them together.

With the help of her two eccentric friends, Bee finally discovers who she is and where she truly belongs.

I have had the pleasure of reading many of Francesca Lia Block's other novels, and this one seemed different to me. It was easier to connect with the characters in this novel. They felt more "real" to me than in previous works.

Obviously, there is still that element of fantasy, but it doesn't saturate the story. Block has found a perfect balance of reality and fantasy. Fans of fantasy novels will love this book because of its fantastical elements, but those who are looking for a story about a young girl who is discovering her identity will also enjoy it.

Block has a way of crossing many genres and groups of readers; she has certainly done so with THE WATERS AND THE WILD.

Reviewed by: LadyJay