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Workinger, Shelley. (2010). Solid. Published by CreateSpace. ISBN: 1-453-62482-1. Author recommended age Tweens & Teens: Litland.com recommends ages 14+ due to sexual references.

 Publisher’s description:   Eighteen years ago, a rogue Army doctor secretly experimented with a chromosomal drug on unknowing pregnant women. Almost two decades later, the newly self-proclaimed “open-book” military unearths the truth about the experiment, bringing Clio Kaid and the other affected teens to a state-of-the-art, isolated campus. While exploring her own special ability, forging new friendships and embarking on first love, Clio also stumbles onto information indicating that the military may not have been entirely forthcoming with them and that all may not be as it seems…

 Our thoughts:

 Showing rather than telling, the prologue opens to a high ranking military officer  engaged in some secret work. Invisibility. Glowing. But these are just lab rats…

 Fast forward to the present. Calliope Grace Kaid (Clio for short) starts at new schools frequently. While she may be an old hand at being the newbie, readers can still relate to how it feels. Worrying about making friends that move away, cliques excluding her, and just plain looking stupid, for the first time she is on a level playing field with her peers. They’ve all been invited to this high school summer camp, and at age 17 presumably have some maturity of social skills. Unlike Clio, whose military father died and her mother moved them around until becoming established in her own career, the other kids are military brats, military families that move from base to base as assigned. So for the first time, Clio is starting a camp where she at least has this in common with the other kids. Everyone’s a newbie here.

 The author has given Clio just enough sarcasm and cynicism to be a very realistic American teenager, while maintaining an inner nature of goodness which exemplifies the character traits we seek in good kid’s literature. Through her self-talk, we relate to her insecurities and self-criticisms, how she responds to a cute guy’s behaviour, hoping not to make too many social mistakes.

 It’s refreshing to have a female heroine who is solid in her own strengths, without a publisher seeking to make her a feminist vixen hoping to sell more books or make the story more attractive for a future movie. Through self-talk, we find this main character takes an inquisitive look at her world, particularly figuring out people, but in a manner that isn’t negatively judgmental of them. In doing so, she ponders how it is for adults to deal with issues like death, thus being able to almost empathize with them. An older teen should have achieved this level of maturity, thus rounding out her character well.

 For example, Clio isn’t desperate for friends even if she is used to moving a lot and losing them. Or as she puts it, just seeing them on Facebook. So she isn’t trying to endear herself to as many peers as possible in an attempt at securing popularity. Rather, she is using good discernment on who she intends to hang with, such as with Miranda:  “Abrasive was one thing, but if she turned out to be slutty too, our friendship would be short-lived.” 

 And how refreshing it is that the girls who might be

I painted this watercolor after the famous oil painting by Gustav Klimt. "Danae" was a figure of Greek Mythology. For more information about both Klimt and Danae look here.

Hello, everybody!This is my first post. http://www.chudtsankov.com

Cowman the Barbarian (a.k.a. Half and Half the Barbarian): He's half man, half cow, and all Barbarian!

Actually intended to be a Conan the Barbarian spoof, but figured I try and pass him/her off as a Minotaur for this week's M.A.D. challenge.

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In Greek mythology, Pandora was the first woman. Zeus ordered her creation as a punishment for mankind, in retaliation for Prometheus’ having stolen fire and then giving it to humans for their use. She is most famous for having brought with her a box containing all the world’s evils. She releases these evils, but closes the lid before Hope can escape. Man, those ancient Greeks were nuts! :)

The Greek Myth challenge ends February 23. - Mike (your host)

New challenge for Monday Artday!

Greek Myth

Illustrate the challenge in any media in your own style. The challenge ends February 23, 2009!

For those who believe in love at first sight, here's part of a love epyllion (a short epic poem) by Christopher Marlowe. This poem is based on the Greek myth of Hero and Leander, which has a tragic end. Really, not the most romantic myth for someone who's in love. However, Marlowe's version of the poem ends before anything horrible happens. Scholars have wondered whether Marlowe intended to keep