The Ninja Reader

Also appears on my tumblr.Blood Red Road is a fast-paced, poignant story about a girl setting out through the unknown to save her brother. It's also the story of a bunch of idiots who just don't see reason when it's right in front of them.I had the pleasure of attending a talk with Moira Young (and Philip Reeve! squee!) and in answer to one of the questions, she said that Blood Red Road was inspired by "The Wizard of Oz". Having read the book, I can see the resemblance - Saba is starting to grow out of her old life, and, willy-nilly, goes on an adventure. I liked Saba - her determination, her stubbornness, even her occasional hatred for her younger sibling make her very relatable to me. She is, for the most part, very smart and makes some very good decisions. I also liked Jack, the love interest, for no other reason than the fact that he acted like a real guy. There are also plenty of side characters who are surprisingly well-rounded and three-dimensional, and I'd recommend this book solely for the fact that its cast is one you might like.Unfortunately...The plot is a bit of a stretch. Not Saba's journey to her brother, that one is pretty straightforward. No, my problem is with two things: the heart stone, and Emmi. Don't get me wrong, the heart stone is nice and I like a romantic talisman as much as any other person, but using it as a plot device is too much, even for me. And I don't think I liked how Saba relied on a piece of rock to tell her what she wants instead of herself, especially when she is so self-reliant and independent in any other respect. For Emmi, though, I have no love, and I don't particularly liked it when nearly every other character tried convincing Saba to drag her along. This is the Dustlands! Home of sand storms and flesh-eating worms! The kid could hardly handle a three-day trek, and her uselessness is proven again and again when she gets taken as hostage not once, but twice . What really pissed me off was how everyone tried to shame Saba for trying to leave Emmi behind, like it wasn't the responsible thing to do. It's not like she abandoned her to the wolves - every time she made sure the brat would be clothed and fed, and it is infinitely better than putting her in real danger.Of course, I know why that is so - we need a cutesy mascot, and another plot device, but damn it, it could have been done better. The actual story isn't so much about Saba finding her brother or stopping the bad people, it's about her journey and growth as a character. I have some mixed feelings about it - for one part, she learns the world isn't as she thought it always was. For another, the way she learns this is mostly because of her bratty sister. It's a good read, definitely, and I'll be looking forward to "Rebel Heart". But this book... it could have been so much better.