Book Review: Ruby Red

I'm Sarah. Sometimes I check the backs of closets, just in case there really is a portal to Narnia... and I am an Anomaly.

Most who know me, know that I love to read. But lately I've been having trouble finding good books. I start one, get like fifty pages in and then I'll be all "FORGET THIS!" Recently there seems to be a startling number of bad novels that masquerade as good ones, so I came up with rules that help me predict whether I will like or dislike a book. If the main character's name has something to do with food— generally it's a "no", especially if the food is delicious and the character is a boy. The rules help me determine whether a book is one that I will devour and then hold every other book up to. After reading a good story I usually won't be in the mood to read anything else unless it's similar— like if it's written by a German author or, even more-so, if it's been translated by Anthea Bell. That's actually a marvelous segue into my topic for this blog: Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier. Translated by Anthea Bell!

I suck at writing synopsis, they usually end up three pages long with a lot of "and the guy, not the first guy the other guy, like... does this thing and then all this stuff happens". I'll just post the synopsis found on amazon.com:

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!

Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

Now, before I discuss what I thought of the book, I should mention that YOUNG ADULT AUTHORS ROCK! I went through a phase where I thought "Ah well... I am an adult now, I must appear enlightened and smart and read big people books." Yeah. That was dumb and it didn't last long. I ended that phase by picking up another novel from the YA section called The Girl of Fire and Thorns, a highly recommended read. I read The Girl of Fire and Thornes cover to cover with extreme speed and happiness. It reminded me of why I read YA books— they are exciting! They're less likely to be pretentious and better yet, less likely to be BORING. These books are engaging and fun, and they often inspire and ignite my imagination much more than adult fiction. I think YA books like Harry Potter might have changed the way adults read. It seems that more and more people, no matter their age, are reading books based on what the story is about and not what age group it's meant for.

Ruby Red is amazing. It's was a story I couldn't stop thinking about and one that I would pick up to read even if I only had a few seconds. I loved the main character of Gwyneth. I thought she was so real and so likable. I also loved that the teen angst, which can sometimes be a little heavy-handed and obnoxious in some YA books, didn't have as big a presence and because of that the characters weren't weighed down. They were able to shine as real people.

There is a trend appearing in time travel books like Ruby Red. Lately, alot of authors are explaining time travel as a 'gene' instead of something you achieve through an object or contraption of some kind. Usually, the traveler cannot choose how many years backward or forward they will jump. I think this trend began with The Time Travelers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, but I'm only guessing. I saw the movie once on a plane trip and cried my eyes out the entire time...so I could be wrong about that. I feel the 'gene' is a great way to explain time travel and it definitely adds to the depth and interest to the story. It sets the protagonist apart and makes them much more interesting and 'special' for lack of a better word. It also creates a sense of urgency and an instant bond between the reader and the protagonist. I sometimes find myself worrying about the next time the character will suddenly just disappear. Then I worry about just how they will explain their sudden disappearance when they get back. I think it's a smart way to make the reader feel something for the character. It allows us to relate to them. This is also something I noticed in Myra McEntire's Hourglass, another book I really enjoyed this winter.

The pacing is extremely well executed. The story doesn't move so fast it seems corny, but it also doesn't move so slow as to make you feel that the entire book is about describing the character's 'pensive" eyes.

Another thing I loved about Ruby Red is that it has a very strong villain. Any adventure story worth it's salt has GOT to have a strong villain...and it's a bonus if said villain has superpowers and may or may not appear harmless at the beginning. :)

Gier writes great characters. I liked almost every one of them, which is definitely saying something. Not only does Gwyneth have the gene for time travel, but apparently she can also see ghosts from the past. It's a cool and weird combination, especially when you think about how strange it would be that the character can travel to their present at any moment, it's a much deeper story angle than just seeing ghosts. The whole ghost thing could have felt so overdone and tired, given the fact that many of today's popular novels seem to be following the 'supernatural' trend. But the author handles it well and gives Ruby Red a fresh believable feel that I really appreciate. Gier gives us so much story in this first novel, but she also knows how exactly how much to hold back. I can't wait until the next book comes out!

I want to say more, but definitely don't want to give the story away. I definitely think it's worth your time and even if you don't like it, I think Gier's story crafting skills will be very evident. For those who have already read Ruby Red the sequel Sapphire Blue will be released October 30th 2012, which in my opinion is long too long to wait!

Sarah
Staff Writer for Anomaly
Co-Host of Anomaly Supplemental
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Anomaly Supplemental on Whovangelism (Doctor Who's "Blink")

"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint - it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly... time-y wimey... stuff." -- The Doctor, "Blink"

This month's episode of Anomaly Supplemental is all about Doctor Who. It was decided the co-hosts to conduct an experiment involving a newcomer to the series and one of the most popular episodes in the show's history. For those who are unfamiliar with the premise of Blink, much less Doctor Who, here is a brief synopsis.

In 2007, Sally Sparrow enters an abandoned house and comes across a cryptic message written on the wall by someone called "the Doctor." The message says "Beware of the weeping angels" and mentions Sally by name. It is also dated 1969. Sally suddenly finds herself in the center of unsettling mysteries. Why should Sally be concerned about weeping angels? How are all these decades-old messages finding her? And more importantly, who is the Doctor?

Sue and I discussed our viewpoints on the episode, comparing notes between a longtime fan and fresh eyes while trying not to spoil too much about the series. We also discussed Sue's list of Doctor Who n00b knowledge (posted here), play listener comments, and there are a couple of Easter eggs at the end of the show. Download it on iTunes, check your feed, or head over to the Listen Now page on the Anomaly Podcast website.

Thank you to everyone who sent email and audio for this episode. Keep the comments and feedback coming! You can contact Anomaly Supplemental by emailing moregirlygeekz(at)gmail.com, or calling the Google voicemail line at 248-419-GEEK (4335). We also love any mentions made via blog, Twitter, Facebook, StumbleUpon, Digg, or any other social media. And, of course, you can also email the Anomaly Podcast at girlygeekz(at)gmail.com. Don't forget that you can have your own Anomaly and Anomaly Supplemental loot from the online Anomaly Geek Emporium! (Admit it, those Andorian pigeon shirts have been calling to you for a long time now...)

Thank you for listening. And remember, when watching Doctor Who... "Don't turn your back, don't look away, and don't blink." Good luck.

KC
Staff Writer for Anomaly
Co-Host of Anomaly Supplemental
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Theme song for Anomaly Supplemental, "I'll Still Be a Geek" by Marian Call, is used with the artist's permission. Purchase of Marian Call's songs and albums can be made online at www.mariancall.com or on iTunes. Follow her on Twitter (@mariancall) or you can like her on Facebook.

Anomaly of The Quidditch World Cup

My name is Anne, I’m a Ravenclaw, and I’m an Anomaly.

A few weeks ago I attended the fifth Quidditch World Cup on Randall’s Island with my fellow New York Anomalous reporter Sue. We recorded a few interviews that we had hoped to publish on Anomaly Supplemental, but sadly the wind made them impossible to hear. However, the day itself was an experience I’ll never forget.

“Quidditch?” You ask. “How can you play that without magic?”

To you I respond, “Silly naysayer, drink some butterbeer whilst I spin you a tail of how muggles came to bottle magic on one glorious Fall day in 2011.”

In 2005, Quidditch was adapted for muggles by Xander Manshel at Middlebury College. By 2007, Middlebury hosted the first World Cup for the sport. The mere idea of the game being played in the real world became so infectious that today there are 446 teams in the United States alone with 38 in Canada, 19 in the UK, 5 in India, 13 in Australia and many more worldwide.

The rules of Muggle Quidditch are constantly in development, but here is a basic rundown of how it works.

-There are seven players from each co-ed team on the field at a time.

-Each player must run with a broom between their legs at all times and must keep one hand on the broom handle.

-There are three chasers, two beaters, one keeper, and one seeker.

-The Chasers are tasked with passing the quaffle, a slightly deflated volley ball, back and forth up the field in an effort to score through one of three goal rings at the opposite end of the field.

-The Beaters compete for possession of the bludgers, aka dodgeballs. These balls can only be used by Beaters to “knock other players off their brooms.” In essence, if you get hit by a dodgeball, you have to run all the way back to your goal posts and touch them before resuming your position on the field.

-The Keeper guards the goal posts and sometimes teams use him/her to assist the Chasers offensively.

-Any player can tackle another player of the same position as long as the opposing player can see you coming.

-The Seeker’s job is to catch the golden Snitch. Doing so ends the game, and awards the captor’s team 30 points.

-OH WAIT. The Snitch is a unbiased, extremely fast, agile, mischievous, PERSON dressed head to toe in yellow with a sock containing a tennis ball hanging out the back of his/her shorts. Snitches have no rules that govern their actions. They can climb trees, jump fences, throw players to the ground, you name it. Their job is to continually confound and annoy the Seekers and to avoid having the tennis ball snatched at all costs. Showmanship is the name of the game, well, aside from Quidditch.

-At the beginning of the game, all players close their eyes and the Snitch flies/runs off into the crowd. About 5 minutes into the game, the Seekers are released to go in search of the Snitch who could be anywhere in the general area of the pitch.

-To read the rules in their entirety, check out the official website for the International Quidditch Association. (NOTE: An International Quidditch exists. For Real.)

Before attending the world cup, I had heard about Muggle Quidditch in passing. As a huge Harry Potter fan, I’d always been curious to see a match but the opportunity hadn’t really presented itself. I’d imagined that these teams were mostly made up of fellow fans who just wanted to have a good time exploring their geekdom together. Surprisingly, Sue and I found that this is not always the case.

These players were true athletes and while a few of them were definitely fans of the books, the game was the passion that united them. They were focused, competitive, physically fit, fast, and agile. Make no mistake, Quidditch is a FULL CONTACT SPORT. While sportsmanship was clearly encouraged, Sue and I witnessed no shortage of tackling, face punching, bloody lips, and broom handle breakage. Each match was action packed and highly entertaining. Speaking as someone who has a limited amount of patience for watching sports, I couldn’t take my eyes off of this game.

When Sue and I had a chance to catch up with one of the Snitches, he admitted that he had read and enjoyed the Harry Potter books but it was watching the game played that got him interested in becoming a part of the Quidditch community. The role of the Snitch caught his attention because he loved the idea of having no rules govern his behavior while everyone else was subject to them. We spoke to a lot of other players who were fans of the book but the game itself was their true passion.

It turns out that another staple of Quidditch is commentary by local comedians. In the books, there is always a commentator narrating the progress of the games and muggle matches are no different. Each game was overseen by a team of two or three local comedians and improvisers. This kept the mood goofy and light despite the fact that the players were playing their hearts out on the field. One fellow attendee remarked that as the day went on, the jokes got worse, but Sue and I enjoyed the commentary for the five or six matches we saw.

One of the coolest parts of attending the Quidditch World Cup was meeting the other people there. The IQA tweeted that there were over 11,000 people in attendance just on the first day of the tournament. Of course there were family and friends of the players there, but a large portion of that number was comprised of Potter fans who had come out to enjoy experiencing a part of one of their favorite books in the real world, and sometimes even in costume! Everyone was sporting their house colors, myself included, and there were even some ghosts, dementors, and ministry of magic officials scattered amongst the crowd. It was like being at a very specialized convention, which made it very easy to meet new people. I was struck by how intelligent, expressive, and thoughtful the children that we met were. Not only had they read the books, but they had put a lot of effort into thinking critically about the story. One almost brought me to tears with her lauding of Harry’s willingness to sacrifice his life for his friends! Everyone was quick to reveal their favorite characters and which house they felt they belonged to, and especially whether or not Pottermore had confirmed their suspicions!

There were tons of representatives from various Potter merchandise venues in attendance. Allivan’s was selling wands, house scarves, brooms, chocolate frogs, and more. There was a Deathly Hallows shop selling various pieces of jewelry sporting the infamous symbol of all “believers.” Another tent was selling apparel from all of the various WizRock bands that were playing on the stage during the tournament. The IQA also had their own booth to sell t-shirts and official uniforms.

Our one complaint about the event was that they clearly had no idea how many people were going to show up judging by the amount of food options and locations they had. For all 11,000 visitors, there was a waffle truck and one food tent, which was especially frustrating because there was no re-entry allowed onto the grounds and no outside food was allowed inside either. While the IQA staff had done an amazing job of sending out a PDF with directions to the event, including a very nice menu of the food they would have available, it was a real chore to acquire any of it. Sue and I waited for two hours in line with hopes of scoring some hotdogs, a chocolate frog, and some butterbeer. However, by the time we reached the front of the line, we were greeted by some not-so-nice employees who had nothing left to offer but cold hot dogs and hamburgers. All the Potter themed cuisine was long gone. This did not cast a pall on the entire day, but it certainly was a downer.

It was a truly magical day when when it came right down to it. The spirit of camaraderie, fun, and competition was spellbinding. I left wanting to take to the skies on my Firebolt and I couldn’t stop talking about the event for weeks afterwards. Magic was alive and well on Randall’s Island but it wasn’t some mystical force. Just like Harry, I discovered that the most powerful magic that day was love- love for the books, for the friends we were sharing the experience with, and for the game itself.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Quidditch World Cup, you can view this amazing half hour documentary Produced by Boxer Films and Allivan’s Wand & Broom Makers, and Directed by Larry O’Flahavan.

Anne
Staff writer for Anomaly
Guest-host, Anomaly Supplemental

Photos by Anne and Sue
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Girls + Math = Win.

Hi, I'm Sue. A closeup of the Mandelbrot set is the background image on my smartphone. And I am an Anomaly.

Back at the end of August, I got angry and wrote a blog about it... as I am wont to do. This time, it was about those horrible t-shirts for girls that said things like, "I'm too pretty to do homework..." and "Allergic to Algebra." And, Ashley Eckstein even brought those up in my interview with her her at New York Comic Con.

Well, nerds - ThinkGeek to the rescue! Today's promotional email included the following t-shirt:

No, I will not do your math.

It all adds up. You know what we're too pretty for? Putting up with anti-intellectualism.

Available in Babydoll, Women's Classic Cut, and Girls

Here's the full product description:
The math smarts. It starts in her when she's young. This is the little girl who excels at counting things. She has her hand raised when they're learning multiplication. She's the one who, while everyone else is assiduously avoiding eye contact, hopes she gets called on to do the problem at the board. She could do her homework in pen, but she chooses not to, cause that would just be showing off. When she gets bored in class and it looks like she's not paying attention, that's because she's a chapter ahead of everyone else, double-checking her answers. "Show your work" is seen as a challenge either because it's all in her head (how do I show you neurons firing?) or because she has to choose the most elegant solution. If a train leaves Chicago at 2 p.m., she's the engineer. (See what we did there?!)


ThinkGeek, I love you. Thank you. Keep it coming. There needs to be more products encouraging girls to be SMART. And notice how the lettering is pink? Being smart doesn't mean you can't be feminine.

I wish I had this shirt in school. Although, I probably would do your math. But I won't give you the answer. I'll teach you how to find it for yourself.

Sue
Staff writer for Anomaly
Co-host, Anomaly Supplemental
Subscribe to Anomaly on iTunes

Anomaly Supplemental on Babylon 5 (and DS9)

Okay, this is Sarah and I was super nervous recording my first episode of Anomaly Supplemental! Firstly because Babylon 5 is such a BIG topic, and secondly because it's such a LOADED topic! Lets face it, everyone knows something about the great debate of Babylon 5 v.s. Deep Space Nine. Even I who claims mostly no knowledge of it at least knows that most likely a Deep Space Nine convention is not going to happen in the same building as a Babylon 5 convention. So I was really curious about what I, a Deep Space Nine fan, would think of Babylon 5.

Now if you are a B5 fan, before you get nervous, let me tell you that I have heard next to nothing about Babylon 5, I haven't met many people who've ever talked about it let alone seen it-so I haven't been able to slowly form a murderous hatred of the show or anything! I really do feel that my opinion of this show is very unbiased and very true to what it would be had I never lain eyes on DS9. And for those of you who've never heard of Babylon 5 or like me only knew it as the show with "that guy with the big hair"; I think you will truly find it interesting finding out more about it! And for those who cannot stand B5, who do house a murderous rage towards any vestiges of it-be the bigger man and listen anyway, come on! You: A. Don't want to ruin your perfect "listening to every Anomaly" streak and B. You'd miss out on the chance to repeatedly say "This girl is doesn't know what she's TALKING about!!" over and over! Where's the fun in that? And by all means lets discuss this at the Anomaly forums! A little friendly debate never hurt anyone....that I know of.

I just want to thank Sue and Jen specifically because they've been super patient and helpful during this my maiden voyage into Anomaly Supplemental. Thanks girls, you're both keepers! As with any and every podcast, feedback is like lifeblood (how else can we be sure it's not just our Aunt Shirley who's listening?)! So please take some time to comment. It can be audio or written, just email it to the Supplemental gals at moregirlygeekz(at)gmail.com. You can also call our voicemail at 248-419-GEEK (4335) and leave your comment that way. And of course send some love to our big sister podcast, whom you can contact at girlygeekz(at)gmail.com. The Anomaly Podcast and Anomaly Supplemental also would love blog comments, Tweets, and Facebook wall comments on the Anomaly Podcast fan page.

Thank you so much for taking the time to listen, and if life starts getting you down just remember: “Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony!".

Sarah

Co-Host of Anomaly Supplemental

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Fashion Faux Pas

Hi, I'm Sue. When I'm in the airport and glance at the magazine rack, I have no interest in their offereings - People, Glamour, InStyle... So I just download the latest issue of Wired to my iPad. And I am an Anomaly.

I've never claimed to be fashionable. I'm like the opposite of fashionable. "Dressing up," for me, involves wearing jeans instead of sweatpants. Okay, maybe that's a little bit of an exaggeration, but not much. At any rate, a couple years ago, I started noticing young girls - probably under 13 - wearing shirts that said "FLIRT" or "SLUT" or "TEASE" in glitter, usually paired with some "fashion" sweatpants that said "JUICY" across the butt. Since then, a lot has been said about the over-sexualization of pre-teen girls. Personally, I thought was the low point of "fashion." Hey, girls! Make sure all the boys know you're easy! That's how to get through life! Just... ew.

But then, earlier today on Twitter (thanks to @BadAstronomer via @MightyMur), I realized that we (that's a societal "we") are not just promoting the sexualization of girls, but also discouraging their intellect. Check out this "back to school" offering from JC Penney:

This t-shirt is being marketed to 7-16 year-old girls, with a product description that reads:

Who has time for homework when there’s a new Justin Bieber album out? She’ll love this tee that’s just as cute and sassy as she is.

(And it has 14 likes on Facebook. FAIL!)

So, what can we take from the text on this shirt? For starters...
I'm pretty, so I don't have to be smart.
Smart girls are ugly.
Boys are smarter than girls.

Because I'm pretty, people should do things for me.

I don't have to worry about personal responsibility.

I'll just get a man to do things for me.

There have already been numerous articles about this (here's one from Skepchick) and there's a Change.org petition. I went to the JC Penney website, looking for this shirt, and it looks like it is no longer for sale (good job, geeks!), but you should be able to view a cached copy here. (If that link stops working, let me know - I took a screenshot.)

The worst part, in my opinion, is how long this type of thing has been going on. Remember those talking Barbies from back in the day? "Teen Talk Barbie." One of the phrases that Barbie said was "Math Class is TOUGH!" and then proceeded to ask "Do you have a crush on anyone?" There was a huge outcry and the doll was recalled because the idea that "math is hard for girls" should not be fed to girls of any age. And that was 1992. Almost 20 years later, we're dealing with these same stereotypes on a t-shirt.

It's okay to be a good student, and do your homework, and be responsible. Being smart doesn't make you not-pretty. And bring conventionally "pretty" isn't the be-all and end-all. And don't ever even imply to a young girl or any woman that she doesn't have to worry about school, homework, professionalism, responsibility, intelligence because she can "get by on her looks." It's disgusting.

Sue

Staff Writer for Anomaly

Co-Host of Anomaly Supplemental

(B.A. Pure & Applied Mathematics)

Subscribe to Anomaly on iTunes

Here's a video of that "Teen Talk Barbie":

UPDATE:

JC Penney is discontinuing the sale of this shirt and pulling it from stores. They have issued the following statement:

jcpenney is committed to being America's destination for great style and great value for the whole family. We agree that the “Too pretty” t-shirt does not deliver an appropriate message, and we have immediately discontinued its sale. Our merchandise is intended to appeal to a broad customer base, not to offend them. We would like to apologize to our customers and are taking action to ensure that we continue to uphold the integrity of our merchandise that they have come to expect.

Sadly, this does not change the fact that the same incorrect notions that we dealt with in 1992 are being served up to a new generation in 2011.

Anomaly of LOTR: The Two Towers

"What is tater's precious???" This month, Angela and Jen discussed The Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers. It wasn't really a review, since all they did was talk about how awesome the film was. To be honest it was a "lovefest"....can you blame them though??? Peter Jackson ROCKED the Tolkin universe when he took on these films!

Featured along with their commentary is a report from Sarah on the score, by Howard Shore, comments from Kevin from the Tuning Into Sci-Fi TV podcast, Rick from Take Him With You, Noah ( Anomaly listener and friend to Jen and Angela), and Kasey from Anomaly Supplemental and a writer here on the Anomaly Blog. You can listen to this episode by using the player located on the upper right hand side of our blog. Please send us your feedback, Google +1 us, like each of our web pages, like us on FB , follow us on Twitter and rate us on iTunes.

Jen and Angela are very thankful for the wonderful symphonic music that Justin Durban allowed us to use in this episode. Justin is a talented composer. You might know his work from Star Trek: Of Gods and Men and the Alice and Wonderland film trailers. He's for hire if you need music for your next project.

You can purchase the LOTR: The Two Towers Soundtrack from iTunes.

Thank you's also go out to Jen's husband Dave, for humoring her with his imitations of goblins and orcs in a transition and a Roherrim commander defending The Keep in this edition's spoiler alert. FOR ANOMALLLLLLY!!!

Thank you to those who have purchased T-shirts from our store. We are so appreciative. We earn about three to four dollars on every sale. Profits will help us pay for our hosting fees and recording equipment. We'll be moving the feed and website to yet another provider. Seems like we just moved it to a new server at our hosting company...now they're closing their doors and we have to move again. Joy of joys. Please stay subscribed, check our web site's news page if we're unable to direct iTunes to our new address. Hopefully we won't have to resubmit... we do have Jedi Jeff helping us, so the process should be smoother this time. :)

Peace out!

Jen
Co-host of Anomaly
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