So I finally finished George R. R. Martin's second Song of Ice and Fire book, A Clash of Kings! While I loved the first book, A Game of Thrones, it was in reading this one that I truly realized what a great writer Martin is. Some passages from A Clash of Kings were just incredibly beautiful. There were certain passages of prose—particularly Bran's wolf dreams and some of the descriptions of the world beyond the Wall—that I read more than once because I wanted to experience them fully. It was that slow, savoring reading style, combined with the sheer length of the book and depth of the storytelling, that made this a two-week read. (Luckily, har har, I still had something to blog about last Friday...)
I am in awe of Martin's world-building. The appendices at the back of the book alone are astonishing. He lists every member of every House, from the lords and ladies and their descendants (living and deceased, including certain bastards) down to the squires and maesters and many other servants. And read as a companion to the TV show, which I LOVE, the books provide so much nuance and depth. I spent a lot of time telling my husband, "So, you know how in the show, this character does this? In the book, this character actually has that same interaction with this other character, but then the characters come together again at this other place, and also there's this character that isn't in the show... Oh, and these characters that weren't on the show until Season 3 first appear in Book Two..."
Anyway. I really enjoyed this book and am sure I will enjoy the third in the series when I get around to it! But in the meantime, I've got a stack of books to read that's growing ever taller. And here's where you come in! I need you to add to my list.
In particular, I am currently interested in reading YA books that show the main character in therapy—individual or group. I recently read Dr. Bird's Advice for Sad Poets (thoughts on that book HERE) and I have picked up the first two Ruby Oliver books by E. Lockhart. I want to see more examples of teens interacting with a therapist, so if you know of one I must check out, please tell me in the comments!
I also want to read YA books about teens at camp. I'll take any camp books, fun or serious (or both!), but I'd especially love to read about camps that are not your typical summer camp. For instance, I've picked up The Miseducation of Cameron Post and am eager to see how the book's "gay re-education camp" works. Got any other recommendations?
Why am I looking for therapy books and camp books? Let's just say it has to do with a book idea I'm hashing out, and leave it at that. :)
Happy Friday to all!
~Kathryn