Summerland

Rating:
Summary: Maybe a Double, but no home run.
Review:
In Summerland, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon uses baseball as a metaphor for existence itself and pins the fate of everything on the outcome of a single, fateful game played by the most unlikely of teams. To carry that imagery over into this review, reading Summerland was like watching the Babe come to bat. You love the Babe. You have all the expectations of seeing him one out of the park, so anything less than a home run-a single or even a double-tends to be a disappointment. I wanted-I expected-to read a great book, but instead, I discovered a good book, which would not, and should not, be a disappointment if it were not for the stature of the author.

Summerland is not great children's literature. It's 500 pages are filled to the brim with characters, gadgets, fantasy worlds, and situations derived from a wealth of sources from Native American and European mythology to American Tall Tales. And that may be why this book is not a home run. Like so many power hitters, Chabon is so determined to hit knock the cover off that he uses his power when maybe a finesse blooper over the shortstop's head would be best.

Chabon crams so much "stuff" into this book that he lacks focus-on the storyline and particularly on character development. Chabon doesn't write consistently from point of view of our baseball-hating hero, Ethan Feld. Therefore, Ethan is not the focus of our attention or our emotional attachment as this child of destiny should be. He becomes just one of many characters in an adventure story. If we become attached to Ethan, we will, by extension care for those close to him and dislike those who want to do him harm. J. K. Rowling accomplishes this with great success by staying focused on Harry Potter's point of view.

But other authors have successfully incorporated multiple points of view in their works. The Lord of the Rings and Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy are two fantasy masterworks. Tolkien leaves Frodo and the Ring for many, many pages at a time to tell the stories of multiple sets of characters and Pullman leaves his Lyra to follow happenings in multiple universes. So why doesn't Summerland rise to this level? Summerland's story just doesn't have the weight of "reality" great fantasy needs. We believe in Middle Earth, we believe in Hogwarts, and in Philip Pullman's multiple universes. Chabon doesn't focus on making the world of the book feel real. Rather, his narrative voice contains the wink and nod of a person telling a tall tale, bringing the book to the level of a Fairy Tale rather than a full-fledged fantasy adventure. And, to me, that is difference between a home run and a double.

But there is nothing wrong with a good solid double, and Summerland is an entertaining, if somewhat long, tall tale.

- K. B. SHAW, Publisher -

Rating:
Summary: Not recommended
Review: Good fantasy/childrens' authors (Rowling, Tolkien, L'Engle, Ende, Lewis, etc.) twist or bend reality to reveal new worlds. In contrast, Chabon uses a blunt force trauma approach.

For example, there is a special creature (Cutbelly) who can travel from "Summerland" to "Winterland" and other worlds. Cutbelly can take the protagonist (Ethan) with him. Cutbelly dies or gets injured (reader can't tell) and Ethan simply picks up a really smart/nerdy grade school classmate to perform the complex task of navigating between worlds/dimensions. No explanation given as to how this seemingly normal gradeschool child without magical abilities can do this.

Characters, save one or two, did little to endear themselves to the reader.

The Ultimate Fatal Flaw: Chabon rather randomly creates characters, plot points, situations and worlds without adequate grounding, explanation, or motivation.

Unfortunately, I rarely read fiction (almost always reading work-related nonfiction) --- so this book was to be my "Summer" treat.

Avoid the dissapointment.

Rating:
Summary: Home run by Michael Chabon
Review: I expected a funny interesting book from the writer of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, but I didn't give Chabon enough credit. Summerland is great if you like baseball or fantasy, or if you enjoy any story with an active imagination.

This book is 1 part fable (explaining why there is never any rainfall on this small corner of Washington), 5 parts adventure (Ethan Feld is on a quest - not only to improve his pitching, but also to save Summerland, baseball, and the world), and 2 parts baseball, bringing in not only detailed information about the game and some of the best players, but also a genuine love of the sport.

A kid at heart, I love reading kids books, but this is really a book for all ages. I bought two copies of this book after reading it (in hardback because this book is so good it can't wait for the paperback version) - one for my 10 year old sister and one for my 28 year old sister. It is really that good. I loved this book.

Thank you Michael Chabon for writing it. Summerland is wonderful.

Rating:
Summary: perfect for my commute
Review: I got this CD from the library and throughly enjoyed it! The author should have a second career as a voice-over artist! He was great! I don't get why people had issues with this book; I'm 27 and I love'd it! I'm hoping to get a copy for my brother who's in high school...for anyone who enjoys baseball & fantasy (I'm a cubs fan and well acquainted with both! :) It's perfect!)

Rating:
Summary: Suspend your Disbelief
Review: I have spent a number of incredibly enjoyable hours over the past few days devouring Summerland (when I should have been writing, playing with my kids, etc.,). Chabon has pulled from a variety of mythologies, Native American legends, and a remarkable storehouse of baseball lore in order to create an engrossing world of fantastic creatures and thrilling adventures. If John Irving, Stephen King, and Susan Cooper decided to write a book together, they just might come up with one as compelling as Summerland. Yes, Summerland is quite different from the magnificent Kavalier & Clay, but it is still uniquely Chabon--with its funky humor, in-depth characterization, and unusual vision, all steered by a questing morality. Suspend your disbelief, sit back, and enjoy. Incidentally, although Summerland is classified as adolescent lit, I found it in the adult section at my local library.

Rating:
Summary: Good writing - tepid story
Review: I initally picked up Summerland based on its glowing review in Publisher's Weekly. As both an avid fantasy and children's literature fan, it sounded like something I would enjoy. I was disappointed. I actually would rate this more a two-and-a-half star book, but I can't.

I found this book to be mediocre. The writing itself was beautiful at times. Chabon's knowledge of various folklore and legend was impressive, although I found his mix of them sometimes confusing. The four worlds was an interesting element, particularly given how Chabon used them to explain phenomena in our own. And of course, Chabon's love of baseball shone through brightly. Not being a baseball fan myself, I didn't find those parts particularly compelling, but the passion in them was undeniable.

The story, however, is why I hesitate rating this book higher. Many of the characters were fun and memorable - Ethan, Jennifer T., Cutbelly - but the "bad guys" were rather one-dimensional. I expected much more out of Coyote given the vibrant set of legends surrounding him. Many of his minions, too, were much too black-and-white for my tastes. The progression of the story chiefly annoyed me. The characters often seemed to advance more thanks to a series of fortunate circumstances than through any action of their own (Thor just happens to be a shadowtail, Pettipaw conveniently shows up at the right moment, the stick Ethan finds happens to be magical). It seemed heavy-handed.

All in all, I'd say that this book is probably pure magic to a baseball fan, but in terms of fantasy, it's nothing to write home about.

Rating:
Summary: Second 1/2 Made It Worthwhile
Review: I read this book because it was a gift from a friend who really enjoyed it. By page 250 of this 500-page book I was wondering what she liked so much about it. It seemed like the author was trying too hard, using too much cloying imagery and too many heart-rending techniques.

But then, at about page 250, where the young girl is talking to the sasquatch about leaving your family to follow your heart's desire... it somehow became a page turner.

Yes, the book does ramble and it really does try too hard - but all in all it is a pleasant read.

Sidenote: Keep in mind, I'm not the target 'young adult' audience. This is the view of a 35-year old avid reader.

Rating:
Summary: More Magic by Michael
Review: It was always apparent that Michael Chabon had a fantasy novel in him. From the vivid imagery of the Cloud Factory in "The Mysteries of Pittsburgh" through the fact/fiction world of Kavalier and Clay, Chabon's ability to create worlds with words has been unparralled in so called "modern fiction". What's suprising is the ease with which he leaps from serious writing to whimsical storytelling, without missing a beat.
"Summerland" was rumored to be a book for youths, but the crisp language and artful plotline are hallmark Chabon. Set in parallel worlds of Little League baseball, the story speaks to the kid in all of us that doesn't have all the talent, but finds in the end that faith can put tickmarks on the scorecard. Ethan Feld, the hero of "Summerland" is clearly a younger version of Art from "Mysteries", playing a part he feels wholly unsuited for, yet Chabon doesn't allow him to fail. One of my favorite things about Chabon's writing is his method of creating this type of character, and then nurturing him through rough waters. The other role players in this story include a legendary baseball bat ("Splinter"), ferishers, a werefox (a play on Chabon's Werewolves in Their youth?)and other fantasy sorts that are richly drawn and highly stylized. Ethan's friend, Jennifer T. Rideout is also a great character, with a knowledge of baseball lore that accompanies a golden throwing arm, and she is probably Chabon's best female creation to date (sorry Phlox), owing to her youth and love of baseball.
By the time you reach the "Home" section of this 500 page novel, you are reminded why, if you are a fan of his, you love Chabon's writing. His stories always close neatly, and leave you wondering just what happens to his cast on page 501. He's truly one of our greatest writers, and "Summerland" is a worthy successor to his achievements to date.

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining fantasy romp
Review: Okay, you won a Pulitzer. Where do you go from there? If Michael Chabon is any indicator, then you venture into the jungle of kids' fantasy. Written because his daughter isn't yet old enough to read his previous works, Chabon's first kids' book is an entertaining blend of fantasy, folklore, and... well, baseball.

Ethan Feld doesn't like baseball, and he's about the only person in the idyllic Clam Island who doesn't. So he's more than slightly confused with a bushbaby-like werefox called Cutbelly takes him through the Tree that connects all the worlds, to the Summerland. There, a race of American-Indian-like "ferishers" are being threatened by the villainous Coyote, who is trying to destroy the Tree -- and everyone on it. And a giant clam (yes, you read correctly) has predicted that Ethan will be the one to help the ferishers. (And somehow it involves baseball)

Then the hideous graylings massacre the ferishers, leaving only the chieftain Cinquefoil behind. And Ethan's father is kidnapped by Coyote, who wants Mr. Feld's airship secrets to help him, well, destroy the world. With the help of his best friend Jennifer T., Cinquefoil, a pleasant Sasquatch and others, he sets out to be the baseball-playing hero they all need.

Chabon manages to create a book with a warm edge, despite the poignant spots and grim storyline. Very, very weird material such as the ferishers, the giants, werefoxes, baseball saving the world, and the giant prophetic oyster is somehow made quite normal and believable. But tossing fantasy elements at the readers isn't why the book is appealing; rather, it is Chabon's ability to make us laugh, cry or shiver. Between the more comical moments are things such as a ferisher mourning her beloved baby brother, who became a faceless rag doll, or the introduction of the hideous, head-pitching graylings (which, as disfigured ferishers, show anunderstanding of what made J.R.R. Tolkien's Ringwraiths so hideous -- ordinary creatures transformed into something intensely evil and hideous).

Ethan is the oddball kid, the quiet one who doesn't want to doggedly pursue something he isn't good at, and can't possibly imagine himself a hero. Jennifer T. is a tough girl, but her own vulnerabilities are shown in her dislike of failure, even if it wasn't the other person's fault. And Coyote rises above most fantasy villains as he is presented as evil, but we get some insights into his hideously twisted thought processes. Some of the characters, such as Taffy the Sasquatch, are a little harder to swallow, but Cinquefoil is a very human, very likeable guy. While this book is fairly wordy, it's a deft wordiness that fans of "Hobbit" will probably enjoy. Chabon's dialogue is realistic, and his descriptions are detailed but not overly so.

Because of Chabon's Pulitzer win, some readers may be expecting an incredibly in-depth classic for the ages. That will only yield disappointment. It's merely a good book, with all the elements of a good book that kids, and most probably adults as well, will enjoy. Not to mention die-hard baseball fans.

Rating:
Summary: Chabon should go back to writing adult stories
Review: Summerland by Michael Chabon
If I had to describe this book in 5 words, it would probably be a spin- off of the Harry Potter series. This book was not one of the best books I have read to say the least. I mean, sure it was "ok" and it did have some originality into it, but it didn't live up to its praise by Publisher's Weekly review stating that "Pulitzer Prize winner Chabon hits a high- flying home run." I wasn't impressed by Chabon's writing; the book didn't hold my attention; the most attention-grabbing parts were the color less pictures at the beginnings of each chapter. This book took me a lot to get into it and nothing to get me out of it. I highly anticipated this book when my 7th grade language teacher told me that after reading "Time Magazine" article on the adult author, Chabon is going to be the next J.K Rowling. But obviously, Chabon should go back to being an adult writer. Chabon is an adult writer so maybe adults would like to read a children's book written by an adult writer, I presume why the ratings for this book are so high. I would find it to be an insult to J.K Rowling's work because her work was being compared to his. Summerland is about a boy, Ethan, who lost his mother at a very young age, (like Harry Potter) and is having trouble playing baseball in which he is forced to play by his father. His Father is an inventor and invented a flying car. At this point the author doesn't clarify if this is in the future, past or present. From there, Ethan meets a creature by the name of Cutebelly and tells him of the other secret worlds in, which he lives in, that nobody knows of which might be vanished by an evil dictator named Coyote. Then Ethan discovered his father mysteriously disappeared (who was really kidnapped by Coyote). Along goes Ethan and friends to stop the evil Coyote from ruling the world(s) and possibly killing his Father by traveling through the worlds using his Father's old flying car and winning baseball games to defeat enemies that cross their path. This book is filled with morals, adventure and sickening amount of baseball games, so many that it makes you literally want to jump out of your chair and get a bat in order to play baseball using the book as a baseball. On a more serious note, I enjoyed how the author incorporated the metaphor of summer having its own world since during the summer it feels like a whole different place. I enjoyed his various and descriptive characters that he put in the book, but it may be overwhelming to some people. This book is arguably bad or good considering the person. My opinion on this book when recommending it would be not to read it, but if you enjoy Michael Chabon as a writer and have an obsession with baseball I would definitely recommend it.