Top Ten Books I've Read So Far In 2013

1. Sea Hearts by Margo Lanagan. Gorgeous, descriptive writing telling a beautiful, harrowing, whimsical story about selkies.

2. This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers. A zombie novel focused on human relationships and emotions. So many feels.

3. Adorkable by Sarra Manning. Realistic characters + authentic romance = pure fun.

4. A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin. After loving the show for two years, I actually got around to reading the first book this year. It was a bit of a slog, but worth it. Westeros is such a rich world, populated by wonderful, flawed characters.

5. Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley. An all-in-one-night story (my favourite kind) featuring a smart girl and mysterious boy wandering around the streets of Melbourne. Le swoon.

6. The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner. After enjoying the first book and being disappointed with the second in The Queens Thief series, I finally saw what all the fuss was about with this third book. I loved the twisty plot and awesome characters, especially the King of the title, Eugenides.

7. Liar by Justine Larbalestier. The kind of book that stays with you long after you’ve read it. Mostly because the unreliable narrator totally messes with your head.

8. Between the Lives by Jessica Shirvington. I enjoyed this way more than I thought I would. What could have been clichéd was actually quite lovely, and the idea of one girl living two lives simultaneously was unique and interesting.

9. In Falling Snow by Mary-Rose MacColl. A moving historical novel spanning generations and countries, with a tale of the relationships between women at its heart.

10. Alaska by Sue Saliba. Beautifully written and designed, this book is about finding yourself.

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and The Bookish.

Review: Alaska By Sue Saliba

Alaska by Sue Saliba is a gorgeous book. From the beautiful cover art to the lyrical, emotive language, it's a delight to hold and devour. 

Alaska tells the story of Mia, a Melbourne student who defers Year 12 to live with her sister, Em, in Alaska while their mother is in hospital. Once close to her sister, Mia now finds herself struggling to find a place in the world, as Em is focused on her new family, leaving Mia feeling adrift. She seeks solace in the nearby forest and in the arms of a man she meets there. But external forces threaten the safety of Mia's newfound sanctuary and she must look within herself for strength.

Mia's sense of helplessness and disconnection is palpable from the start. Although told in the third person, the lack of capital letters, frequent section breaks and long, rhythmic sentences lend the narrative a stream-of-consciousness style that gives you the feeling you're in Mia's head. Her confused, hurting and hopeful head. I connected very strongly with this aspect of the novel, and felt Mia's desire for belonging and for happiness deeply.

Aside from the amazing design, the language was my favourite part of Alaska. It's the kind you want to read aloud and roll around in your mouth, savouring the texture of each word and the cadence of each sentence. Although it's not a verse novel, there is something distinctly poetic about Saliba's writing style. It was sparse but powerful, with each word seemingly deliberately chosen and each space particularly placed. What isn't said is almost as loud as what is. This is especially true of Mia's relationship with her sister. Having finished the book, it feels like they barely spoke to each other at all, and yet their silence spoke volumes. It's heartbreaking and raw and so very real.

The setting of Alaska is one I've never read before, but Saliba makes it real and vivid and incredibly beautiful. Her descriptive writing made me feel the exquisite coldness of the frozen landscape, even though I was sitting in 30-degree heat. In the words of Liz Lemon, I want to go to there.

I only wish Alaska was a little bit longer. I appreciated that not everything was tied up in a neat little bow, but I did wish for a little more resolution to certain plot points – mainly the relationship between the sisters, and the future of the forest. I felt like much of the novel was building up those two interrelated stories, just to basically drop them at the end (Spoiler: I liked how Mia realised she had to go home, but I felt like she just forgot about the forest when she’d been so passionate about it just pages before). Nevertheless, Alaska is a dreamy coming-of-age story, with authentic characters, elegant writing and a lovely touch of whimsy.

Rating: 4/5 

Fine Print
Published: 2011, Penguin
Get It: Bookworld