Book 1: Fan Experience

I think a good way to get the fans of Fallen more into the book is to set up a tour of the Sword & Cross Reform School cemetery. A lot of the plot developments and character development happens in this cemetery and it seemed like a reasonable idea to have a place where fans can see where it all happened.

In the book there’s a tour of the cemetery that one of the teachers gives, and I thought I’d follow the same line of thought. There are four main scenes in this book that occur cemetery where big things happen. Towards the beginning of the book Luce ends up with a detention and on her way to detention we get a fairly good description of the cemetery. Luce described it as having a “bowl-like shape” (84). And later on in the page she says that “[towards] the middle, at the lowest point of the cemetery, the path through the grounds twisted into a maze of larger carved tombs, marble statues, and mausoleums.” Now right here is where we get the basic description of the cemetery. You see it as the old cemetery though, it’s just a place that has no hidden agendas it’s just there as a setting; one that would captivate me as much as it does Luce. During this detention Luce has to clean a statue; either a statue of “[an] avenging angel or the fleshy embracing lovers” as Arriane so elegantly puts it (89). Later in the book the main antagonist Cam takes little love-struck Luce on a picnic, during which we learn of her fear of snakes under the live oak tree (146-150). This is where a lot of the competition between Daniel and Cam is starting to be seen. Much, much later Luce returns to the now well-known cemetery to confront Cam on his advances (which have at this point been non-stop throughout the entire book) and to essentially get him to stop because he just doesn’t understand that harassment isn’t a thing that’s appreciated. The exterior fence is described as lichen-speckled and the posts are vine-shaped with dangling Spanish moss (336). This older style of architecture combined with an old problem that’s being seen in a new light almost makes the cemetery look like a sort of oasis, a beautiful place that has the possibility to be dangerous. Walking through the cemetery is almost like walking through Luce’s life at Sword & Cross Reform.

Most of the things one remembers from a book are the big plot changes, those big ideas, and many of those twists and changes occurred in the cemetery, as gruesome as that might sound to some. But this setting implies an old place being renewed and seen again in a new light, much like Luce and Daniel’s relationship. Tours of places that are used in books all the time, yes. They generate publicity, and for Savannah that’s kind of needed due to the fact that Atlanta has most of the cool things (see also: the aquarium, Coke factory, CNN tour thing (probably CNN) a few museums, etc). This encourages new fans of Lauren Kate to try more of her works with a gift shop at the end of the tour in one of the mausoleums, buy book merchandise, see the cast list of the movie, purchase the movie when it comes out, and other things of the sort.  This tour could possibly be a big tourist attraction for fans of the book and make it even bigger once word gets out that you get to hang out in a cemetery after you understand why the cemetery is important.

 

 

                                           The drive up to Sword & Cross Reform School.

                                         The avenging angel statue that attempted to kill Luce

Book 1: Fallen

Okay honestly I don't know how to start this. Do I start with my rants (and there are a few believe me) or do I start with what I like? Let's start with the latter.

I like the feeling of Fallen. Lauren Kate does a decent job of getting the creepy feeling of the not-kept-up-reform school across. But her description of it can be a little lacking. I don't feel like I'm in Georgia (as a former resident I can vouch for the never. Ending. Heat. The humidity isn't overly grand either). And to me it just doesn't feel like the South. *shrug*

Now for the rants! I know you're excited. As a... Verbose feminist (as my best friend will tell you in so many fewer words) I read for "in what position are the women in?" And for the women of power, such as Randy (who runs the school when the headmaster's away), you see a dodging of acknowledging the fact that she's a woman. Which isn't even stated out right. In the beginning of the books one of the characters turns to Luce and asks if she thinks Randy is male or female. (I'm assuming she's female due to the fact that much of the book is geared in that direction). And don't even me started on Luce. She fits the stereotypical damsel-in-distress character. She's completely infatuated with Daniel and thinks of literally nothing else. Literally. Nothing. Else. She doesn't take things into her own hands when it comes to situations she doesn't like (unless she's stalking this poor guy. Which is a thing that happened. There were files, breaking and entering, family history research and everything). She has no power. I haven't seen her take a strong position on anything. And there so many stories with characters that fit these archetypes that I just sit back and cringe at every show of poor thinking on Luce's part. "You could have done something to save yourself but you just stood in the corner and screamed. A+ job." "Oh you got into the creepy car with the even creepier guy that you don't know to go meet a guy who just started a fight over you. What are you even doing with your life stop that." She's just not a strong character and that disappoints me.

What is a book?

A book is a friend. A book is that friend that comforts you when you're alone when you're having a bad night. It's the friend that you're willing to spend time with on a rainy Saturday. A book is a story and a lesson. A book can also be your worst enemy. But do you not learn from your enemies as well?

I love holding a book, and prefer it. But I don't, and can't, cherish the book quite like other people can. I like seeing duct taped books. The books that are falling apart because they've been read so many times. I like reading other people's notes in the margins. I love seeing a well loved book. I just can't do that. My books are almost always in near pristine condition even after 4 or 5 times of reading it.Yes, like most books the spine is creased (usually), the bottom of it a little more so than the top due to my thumb holding the page down. I love seeing a well loved book. I hate making the book look like that. So to me? The physcal book holds a story of its own. Does that make an electronic copy any less important or wonderful? No not at all. I would actually prefer reading large books that I can't take to school on an e-reader or something (looking at you, Harry Potter). There's merit to both viewpoints. The story you take away from the story is going to be taken away no matter how you read it. Do you take away something totally different from the simple act of holding a physical book? Maybe. Maybe not. That depends on how you read.

A book is your friend. It may be triggering, it may make you want to throw it out of a window (don't tell me you haven't wanted to do that before) and it may make you question your entire existence. And because of that it's a bit of your soul. When you read a book it takes a little bit of your soul and replaces it with a part of itself. And the act of letting a friend borrow a book is a symbol of trust (you had just better be sure they'll give it back...) and removing the physical book from the equation removes the personal connection you may have to it.

So to me? The story and the book itself are both important. You just have to choose which experience you want to take away this time.

Why do you read?

What an odd question. And one that I've admittedly never thoroughly thought about before.
I read to escape. I escape that APUSH homework I've been procrastinating on for the past 2 hours. I escape the dishes, the neighbor's dog barking up a storm, my brother's fighting over yet another video game problem, politics, social justice, and social interaction. I read to escape the frustrations of my own life to replace them with the frustrations of someone else's.

I read to explore. I explore Panem, Hogwarts, hospitals, reform schools, lonely and vaguely pedophilic swing ets (kudos if you understand that reference), and the world. Exploring the world through the books when I can't (no matter much I want to) helps give me a sense of what's out there. Exploring the world from your own bed? What more could an introvert want?

I read to learn. My Smithsonian subscription is just evidence of that (and yes we're ignoring the fact that I haven't found time to read the last three because life is a thing that exists). I learn the newest advancement in science (don't even get me started on science because I will NOT stop talking. Or screaming because SCIENCE).

I read because I'm good at it. I read because it's fun. I read because my brothers don't like to. I read because I don't care what my friend says. I read because I'm a "nerd" (which is true, it's just that being a nerd isn't a bad thing). I read because I am educated and introverted. I read because I want to. I read because there are so many ideas, thoughts, stories, and philosophies out there. There are so many books and not enough time to read all of them so why not try to read as many as you can?

So why do I read? I read because I am human.