As many young boys grow up, they discover their inner strengths and talents. Through their childhood years, their experiences and interests shape not only the people they become, but also the goals they set for themselves. During childhood, it is very common to have monumental dreams of becoming famous, successful, or happy. For instance, imagine a cold December night. Snow is falling and covering the quiet side streets. Parents enjoy hot chocolate while watching their children play the national pastime known as hockey. The little boys run around, whacking the small ball with their sticks, dreaming of becoming superstars like Mats Sundin, Mario Lemieux and Martin Brodeur. While some may achieve this feat, others may come to the realization that another path calls for them on the road of life. For these people, the video game NHL 09 allows them to virtually achieve their dream: to play in the National Hockey League.
NHL 09 is created by EA Sports and is available for numerous consoles, including Windows XP & Vista, Playstation 2, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. It was initially released on September 10, 2008. It contains single, multiplayer and online play options, and is of the sports genre. The main objective of the game is to play an 82-game season with the user’s team of choice, and to win the Stanley Cup, the most prestigious ice hockey championship. The user can also act as his or her team’s General Manager, edit lines, schedule different types of practices, control ticket prices, trade and sign players, develop rookies, manage the team’s budget, and unlock upgrades that improve various attributes of the team’s play. NHL 09 also provides a detailed analysis of each player’s capabilities and their statistics (goals, assists, points, etc.). There is also an “inbox” provided, which contains messages from virtual personnel setting goals for the user to achieve, sending unexpected news that could affect the user’s team, and offering potential trades for the user to negotiate. NHL 09 also provides several other interesting options, including a shootout game where players can practice their deking moves, a creation zone where the user can create his or her own players (selecting their physical features, abilities, and even equipment), and a “Be a Pro” mode, where the user can create a character identical to themself and simulate a pro hockey career. NHL 09 entertains users through many features to accommodate almost any hockey situation.
What makes this game engaging is its realism, variety of situations, applicability for a group of people, simple controls and the freedom the user gains to make important decisions. One aspect of the game that makes it exciting to play again and again is its realism. Unlike previous versions, NHL 09 is perhaps the most realistic game yet. Players slowly get tired towards the end of the game, resulting in decreased shot power and speed. Body checks are also more realistic, and actually follow the law of physics that an object’s force is determined by its acceleration multiplied by its mass. Therefore, when a large player accelerates quickly into a small player, the latter usually gets knocked off his feet or crushed into the boards. Likewise, when a small player accelerates into a larger player, the former usually gets bumped off-balance. The magnitude of the hit is just one aspect that is realistic. The sound and visual quality of the game is also very realistic and impressive. The players’ faces are perfectly designed, with precise attention to detail. They also appear in lifelike 3D, making the user feel like they are actually standing on the ice with them. The game also lets the user use their creative side and choose their own equipment for players, which is a nice detailed touch. When the players shoot, the user can also choose what kind of shot they want to take, and the stick on the screen moves accordingly. The game also includes commentary by two CBC broadcasters, Jim Hughson and Craig Simpson, and also features a pre-game literature about the two teams, and a highlight reel of the game afterward. The meticulous attention to detail makes this game a thrill to play again and again.
Another aspect that makes this game exciting to play is the wide variety of situations presented to the user. Sometimes players encounter slumps, which cause the user to make team adjustments. Other times key players become injured, forcing the user to take another strategic approach to fill the void. The game also provides a number of strategic plays he or she can assign to various players. When not controlled by the user, these players automatically do as they are instructed. The changing situations encountered in this game make it unpredictable and enjoyable to play, as no two games are ever the same.
A third feature that makes the video game engaging is its compatibility for multiplayer games. When the user is throwing a party or having some friends over at their house, NHL 09 is a popular choice because it is based on a sport that many people enjoy, and has simple controls that can be learned quickly. Simple controls have become a rarity in many new games, leading to guests being dominated when participating in a game they have never played before. Such was the case in NHL 2004, a game I could never master because of its confusing controls. With NHL 09, all the user has to know is three buttons: shoot, check, and accelerate. This makes games competitive among friends, which is more fun than the host winning every single game.
Finally, this game is fun to play because it lets the user control every aspect of his or her team. It makes the user think and use financial skills to balance payroll, increase ticket prices, and make a profit. The user also has to look for cheap, yet effective deals when signing new players. Game after game, the user has to change lines if a group of players are not producing, and change the practice schedule accordingly. The user can use his or her imagination to create new players and to shape their organization the way they want it. More than anything else, NHL 09 is a skill-building game, letting the user walk away with better problem solving skills, improved financial skills, and a greater imagination.
Several new features that were added to this year’s version of the game were colourful alternate jerseys, easier controls, a more realistic puck-handling system, the addition of five European hockey leagues, and a new selection of music from various popular pop and rock bands, including Billy Talent and Bullet for my Valentine. There are many aspects of the game which should be kept for future editions, such as the creation zone, the broad variety of jerseys, the realism of the game, and the music. However, several elements could be added or deleted. The game supplies each team with five or six jerseys from their past that the user’s team can wear, but the opposing team cannot. The opposing teams are stuck with two jerseys that the computer chooses automatically, making games duller than they could be. The commentators’ voices should also be changed, as many of their comments are the same as those from NHL 2002! This process of recycling games should be abandoned to retain the integrity of the product. Another feature that was present in NHL 2002 that is missing in this year’s version is the ability to create players once a season has begun. After the user creates a new file, they cannot create new players. This takes all the fun out of the creation zone. This feature should be reinstated to provide the user with this creative program whenever he or she desires.
Another feature that should be removed is the monthly challenge sent to the user from a fictitious character in the game. If completed, a significant upgrade is obtained, however most of these challenges are extremely difficult, if not impossible to complete.
Finally, EA Sports should bring back the option in NHL 2002 where the user could purchase virtual hockey cards in the game. These provided more detail about each player, and were enjoyable to collect. If activated in a game, they also elevated a certain player to hero stature. This game has many enjoyable features, but some should be added or removed to make it more enjoyable and realistic for the consumer.
Overall, NHL 09 by EA Sports is a very addicting video game that brings the thrill and suspense of the National Hockey League to people’s televisions, at any time they want. It is appropriate for all ages, especially for youngsters who aspire to one day play at such a high level. The Gamespot 2008 Best Sports Game winner is one of the most authentic sports games yet, and is a pleasure to play alone or with a group of friends. I give NHL 09 four out of five stars.
Check out genuine game footage at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H4iMFT5Ask
Monday, April 20, 2009
Sunday, March 1, 2009
The Retreat by David Bergen
In the summer of 1973, eighteen-year-old Ojibway man, Raymond Seymour, enjoyed a carefree, solitary life. He enjoyed the pleasures of his young girlfriend, Alice Hart, his cabin near Bare Point, his job at the local golf course, and his eighteen-foot aluminum Lund boat. While Alice and Raymond shared a strong and loving bond, one man despised their relationship, and decided to take matters into his own hands. Alice’s uncle, Constable Earl Hart, warned Raymond that his brother, Alice’s father, did not want the couple to be together anymore. Earl Hart also stated that he was prepared to enforce this wish. After catching Raymond and Alice together again, Earl took Raymond out on the lake and dropped him off on an island, without food, shelter or transportation. Raymond battled the elements for nine days until he was rescued by the crewmen aboard a barge.
In June of 1974, Lizzy Byrd and her family traveled east from their home in Calgary to spend their summer at a resort known as the Retreat, just outside of Kenora, Ontario. Ever since four-year-old Jack “Fish” Byrd was born, Norma, the mother, had suffered from a deep depression. As a result, the family decided to take a vacation to restore the bond they once shared with each other.
In the novel The Retreat by David Bergen, the Byrd family encounters new difficulties and challenges as Norma falls in love with Doctor Amos, as Lizzy enters Raymond’s life, and as a scuffle between Constable Hart and the Seymour brothers escalates to manhunt and death. As the Byrd family searches to revive their family unity, they find that the place that was supposed to bring them together only separates them further apart.
Two things that worked well in this novel were Bergen’s description of the injustices natives face, and the irony of motherhood between Norma and Lizzy. Throughout the novel, Bergen shows how poorly natives are treated, through the events that Raymond encounters. At the beginning of the novel, Raymond is not allowed to date Alice because he is Ojibway. As the novel moves on, Raymond becomes exposed as a shy, kind and loyal individual. Yet he is forbidden to be with the woman he loves, and is discriminated only because of his race. One example of this is on page 178, where Raymond tells Lizzy how he is mistreated, and about his incident with Constable Hart. “‘You reported this,’ she said. ‘Oh, yeah. Sure did. I walked into the police station and made my report and then they arrested Constable Earl Hart and had a big trial and he’s still in prison. Even as we speak. You don’t get it. There’re two kinds of laws, one for your people, one for mine.’” In this quotation, Raymond explains that nobody would believe his story about being stranded by Constable Hart, since he is a native. If a white person filed a report to the police, they would get a trial and possibly a conviction. Later in the novel, when Constable Hart gets into a fight with Nelson, Raymond’s brother, he falls on a knife and is severely wounded. Raymond was innocent, but the prejudice of others resulted in him being shot and killed at the end of the novel. Bergen does an excellent job in exposing prejudice against natives in Canada, and the daily struggles they face.
Another thing that worked well in this novel was the maternal irony present between Norma and Lizzy. Norma is the mother of Lizzy, Everett, William and Fish, but does not behave like one. At the Retreat, she is often seen spending time with Doctor Amos, and leaves Lizzy to look after the rest of the children. Lizzy especially spends a lot of time with Fish, who is only four years old. She feeds him, bathes him, reads to him, and even sleeps with him. Norma gave birth to him, but Lizzy acts like his true mother. In the following passage on page 97, Norma gives Lizzy her ironic reaction to Fish’s near-drowning. “‘It was awful, Mum. He wouldn’t breathe. And I did everything I’d been taught, the clearing of the pathway, the pumping of the chest, but it all seemed so hopeless. I didn’t think it would work.’ ‘William said he was dead. He came running up into the Hall and said that Fish had drowned. So, until the moment I got there, I believed that Fish was dead. Imagine that, Lizzy. Imagine how I must have felt.’ She sat up, shifting Fish away from her. ‘What were you doing, Lizzy? What was going on out there?’” In this excerpt, Norma scolds Lizzy for not keeping a close eye on Fish. She tells Lizzy that she felt terrible, and was incredibly worried, even though she rarely spends time with Fish. She is selfishly concerned with her own feelings. Lizzy is the one who always takes care of Fish, while Norma is pursuing Doctor Amos, but yet she is the first one to blame Lizzy when something goes wrong. This maternal irony shows up several other times throughout the novel, and adds to the growing separation Bergen establishes between family members.
One passage that appealed to me is found on page 26, where Raymond describes his search for food on the unknown island. “He killed the small bird in the early evening… He plucked the chickadee and then impaled it with a stick and roasted it over the fire. The smell of meat filled his head, but when he attempted to eat the bird, he discovered there was little substance. So he opened the bird up and sucked what he could from the carcass.” This passage appeals to me because it is a great example of how natives used as many parts of the hunted animal as they could. Raymond not only ate the meat on the bird, but also sucked out its guts. It may seem barbaric, but he made sure that the whole bird went to good use. Another animal that natives used entirely was the buffalo. They would use its hide for clothes, its meat for food, its hooves for glue, its bones for tools, and even its bladder for a water bag! Just like his ancestors, Raymond respected nature and animals by using the entire animal.
Another passage that appealed to me is found on pages 270-272, where Doctor Amos tries to impose his beliefs on Lizzy. “‘That boy is not for you, Lizzy. You are better than him… And this interests me. Perhaps you are more like your mother than you would wish to believe. Both of you are clearly beautiful, but inside there is something veiled and impenetrable.’ ‘I am not my mother…’ ‘Of course you are. And why wouldn’t you want to be? She is an attractive, smart woman.’ The Doctor smiled wistfully. He said that she was at an age where everything was black and white… Some day she would see things differently… Lizzy wondered if he was jealous. Of her and Raymond.” This excerpt appeals to me because it is an example of how Doctor Amos tries to manipulate the visitors at the Retreat for his own benefit. When the Byrds came to the Retreat, Doctor Amos started an affair with Norma, even though he was already married. As he manipulated Norma for his own benefit, he angered Lewis, her husband, which caused mistrust and separation within the family. After Norma left, he tried to seduce Lizzy by trying to convince her that she is too beautiful for Raymond. However, unlike her mother, Lizzy did not believe him, and walked away. Not only is this an example of native prejudice and how Lizzy is different from Norma, but also an example of how Doctor Amos tries to exploit individuals.
If I could write a letter to David Bergen, I would ask him three questions. The first one would be what influenced him to write about native prejudice. I would be interested in knowing what personal events he encountered that persuaded him to write this novel. Secondly, I would ask him why he chose to end the novel without describing what happened to the Byrd family. At the end of the novel, it is clear that the family is in ruins, and that Lizzy is devastated by the loss of Raymond, but it is not evident what happens to them after this event. Finally, I would ask the author if he would write another novel featuring Lizzy Byrd, with Doctor Amos playing a more villainous and antagonistic role. Even though the Doctor manipulated others and had selfish motives, I was intrigued by him because he did it so subtly and unscrupulously. I would like to see him have a larger, darker role in the next novel.
The Retreat by David Bergen is a tragic novel that describes the breakdown of a dysfunctional family, and the injustices that natives face in Canada. The book reads easily and flows very smoothly. The story also brings out empathy in the reader. Despite its tragic ending, and many depressing sections, The Retreat is a very well-written novel that can be enjoyed by audiences from sixteen years of age and up. I give this novel three and a half out of five stars.
In June of 1974, Lizzy Byrd and her family traveled east from their home in Calgary to spend their summer at a resort known as the Retreat, just outside of Kenora, Ontario. Ever since four-year-old Jack “Fish” Byrd was born, Norma, the mother, had suffered from a deep depression. As a result, the family decided to take a vacation to restore the bond they once shared with each other.
In the novel The Retreat by David Bergen, the Byrd family encounters new difficulties and challenges as Norma falls in love with Doctor Amos, as Lizzy enters Raymond’s life, and as a scuffle between Constable Hart and the Seymour brothers escalates to manhunt and death. As the Byrd family searches to revive their family unity, they find that the place that was supposed to bring them together only separates them further apart.
Two things that worked well in this novel were Bergen’s description of the injustices natives face, and the irony of motherhood between Norma and Lizzy. Throughout the novel, Bergen shows how poorly natives are treated, through the events that Raymond encounters. At the beginning of the novel, Raymond is not allowed to date Alice because he is Ojibway. As the novel moves on, Raymond becomes exposed as a shy, kind and loyal individual. Yet he is forbidden to be with the woman he loves, and is discriminated only because of his race. One example of this is on page 178, where Raymond tells Lizzy how he is mistreated, and about his incident with Constable Hart. “‘You reported this,’ she said. ‘Oh, yeah. Sure did. I walked into the police station and made my report and then they arrested Constable Earl Hart and had a big trial and he’s still in prison. Even as we speak. You don’t get it. There’re two kinds of laws, one for your people, one for mine.’” In this quotation, Raymond explains that nobody would believe his story about being stranded by Constable Hart, since he is a native. If a white person filed a report to the police, they would get a trial and possibly a conviction. Later in the novel, when Constable Hart gets into a fight with Nelson, Raymond’s brother, he falls on a knife and is severely wounded. Raymond was innocent, but the prejudice of others resulted in him being shot and killed at the end of the novel. Bergen does an excellent job in exposing prejudice against natives in Canada, and the daily struggles they face.
Another thing that worked well in this novel was the maternal irony present between Norma and Lizzy. Norma is the mother of Lizzy, Everett, William and Fish, but does not behave like one. At the Retreat, she is often seen spending time with Doctor Amos, and leaves Lizzy to look after the rest of the children. Lizzy especially spends a lot of time with Fish, who is only four years old. She feeds him, bathes him, reads to him, and even sleeps with him. Norma gave birth to him, but Lizzy acts like his true mother. In the following passage on page 97, Norma gives Lizzy her ironic reaction to Fish’s near-drowning. “‘It was awful, Mum. He wouldn’t breathe. And I did everything I’d been taught, the clearing of the pathway, the pumping of the chest, but it all seemed so hopeless. I didn’t think it would work.’ ‘William said he was dead. He came running up into the Hall and said that Fish had drowned. So, until the moment I got there, I believed that Fish was dead. Imagine that, Lizzy. Imagine how I must have felt.’ She sat up, shifting Fish away from her. ‘What were you doing, Lizzy? What was going on out there?’” In this excerpt, Norma scolds Lizzy for not keeping a close eye on Fish. She tells Lizzy that she felt terrible, and was incredibly worried, even though she rarely spends time with Fish. She is selfishly concerned with her own feelings. Lizzy is the one who always takes care of Fish, while Norma is pursuing Doctor Amos, but yet she is the first one to blame Lizzy when something goes wrong. This maternal irony shows up several other times throughout the novel, and adds to the growing separation Bergen establishes between family members.
One passage that appealed to me is found on page 26, where Raymond describes his search for food on the unknown island. “He killed the small bird in the early evening… He plucked the chickadee and then impaled it with a stick and roasted it over the fire. The smell of meat filled his head, but when he attempted to eat the bird, he discovered there was little substance. So he opened the bird up and sucked what he could from the carcass.” This passage appeals to me because it is a great example of how natives used as many parts of the hunted animal as they could. Raymond not only ate the meat on the bird, but also sucked out its guts. It may seem barbaric, but he made sure that the whole bird went to good use. Another animal that natives used entirely was the buffalo. They would use its hide for clothes, its meat for food, its hooves for glue, its bones for tools, and even its bladder for a water bag! Just like his ancestors, Raymond respected nature and animals by using the entire animal.
Another passage that appealed to me is found on pages 270-272, where Doctor Amos tries to impose his beliefs on Lizzy. “‘That boy is not for you, Lizzy. You are better than him… And this interests me. Perhaps you are more like your mother than you would wish to believe. Both of you are clearly beautiful, but inside there is something veiled and impenetrable.’ ‘I am not my mother…’ ‘Of course you are. And why wouldn’t you want to be? She is an attractive, smart woman.’ The Doctor smiled wistfully. He said that she was at an age where everything was black and white… Some day she would see things differently… Lizzy wondered if he was jealous. Of her and Raymond.” This excerpt appeals to me because it is an example of how Doctor Amos tries to manipulate the visitors at the Retreat for his own benefit. When the Byrds came to the Retreat, Doctor Amos started an affair with Norma, even though he was already married. As he manipulated Norma for his own benefit, he angered Lewis, her husband, which caused mistrust and separation within the family. After Norma left, he tried to seduce Lizzy by trying to convince her that she is too beautiful for Raymond. However, unlike her mother, Lizzy did not believe him, and walked away. Not only is this an example of native prejudice and how Lizzy is different from Norma, but also an example of how Doctor Amos tries to exploit individuals.
If I could write a letter to David Bergen, I would ask him three questions. The first one would be what influenced him to write about native prejudice. I would be interested in knowing what personal events he encountered that persuaded him to write this novel. Secondly, I would ask him why he chose to end the novel without describing what happened to the Byrd family. At the end of the novel, it is clear that the family is in ruins, and that Lizzy is devastated by the loss of Raymond, but it is not evident what happens to them after this event. Finally, I would ask the author if he would write another novel featuring Lizzy Byrd, with Doctor Amos playing a more villainous and antagonistic role. Even though the Doctor manipulated others and had selfish motives, I was intrigued by him because he did it so subtly and unscrupulously. I would like to see him have a larger, darker role in the next novel.
The Retreat by David Bergen is a tragic novel that describes the breakdown of a dysfunctional family, and the injustices that natives face in Canada. The book reads easily and flows very smoothly. The story also brings out empathy in the reader. Despite its tragic ending, and many depressing sections, The Retreat is a very well-written novel that can be enjoyed by audiences from sixteen years of age and up. I give this novel three and a half out of five stars.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Last Stop Sunnyside by Pat Capponi
Dana Leoni once had it all. She was a smart, pretty girl who grew up in the Annex, with a bright future ahead of her. However, that all changed when she was attacked one night, only a few steps from her front door. The University of Toronto graduate student in philosophy took months to recover from the ferocious attack. She never thought she would be attacked in a safe, quiet neighbourhood like the Annex. This incident caused her to rethink her life. After much thought, Dana dropped out of university, left her parents’ Annex townhome, and moved into the old, run-down Delta Court apartment in Parkdale. Here, she met a variety of new friends, including a psychiatric survivor, a poverty-stricken widow, and a barely reformed, streetwise boy.
In the novel Last Stop Sunnyside by Pat Capponi, one of Dana’s closest friends, Maryanne, goes missing, and was last seen being escorted from the apartment building by two bulky, tough-looking men. After Maryanne turns up dead on the shore of Lake Ontario, the police close the case as a drowning suicide. Dana and her friends, refusing to believe Maryanne’s death was a suicide, start their own investigation to find her real murderer. As they uncover more information, the stakes get higher, and they get closer to unprecedented danger.
Two things that worked well in this novel were the author’s description of Parkdale, and structuring chapters to increase suspense. Throughout the novel, Capponi describes the battered, crumbling streets of Parkdale. Her language lets the reader imagine what the area is like. She describes the crumbling, condemned buildings, the homeless people cluttering the streets, the numerous drug deals that occur in back alleys, the various low-grade restaurants and shops, and much more. The following excerpt, found on page 77, is an example of Capponi’s descriptive writing. “There were days when I simply went back to my room and cried, overwhelmed by the misery I had witnessed. Vivid replays over and over again of a large, distressed woman on the corner of Brock and Queen slowly pulling her sweater over her head, naked underneath. A tall, terribly skinny man trying to make off with a banana from a fruit stand in front of a tumble-down grocery store. Two women with a tribe of squabbling children paying more attention to the case of 24 they’re dragging than to their kids…” This quote describes the chaos and misery seen by Dana one day at the Queen and Brock intersection. It is evident that Parkdale is home to a variety of miserable, impoverished people. Capponi does an excellent job of exposing readers to the horrors we do not often encounter.
The second thing Capponi does well in her novel is structuring chapters in a certain fashion to maintain suspense and keep the reader wanting to move on. Throughout the novel, Capponi will build up suspense in a chapter as events unfold that affect the characters involved, or the plot. She then ends the chapter at the climax of the event. She will also end the chapter with a suspenseful phrase. The following quote on page 284 is an example of how the author ends a chapter. “I hope I’m projecting the confidence I wish I had. We break, and enter the side street leading to Mallick’s hell house. I’m kept in the middle of Gerry and Diamond, just in case Mallick is looking out his window. It’s time to forget I’m Dana, time to become Charlotte.” In this passage, Dana is about to enter the murder suspect, Stephen Mallick’s home. She is disguised as Charlotte, a sixteen-year-old homeless girl that is in love with him (although according to Dana he is the most revolting man she’s ever seen). Dana and her friends believe that he is the killer, and in order to see what he’s hiding, decide to send her inside. This makes the reader want to find out what happens to Dana, and what Mallick is hiding inside his house.
Although there were some things that worked well in the novel, there were two things that could have been improved. There was only one murder suspect throughout the whole novel, and Dana was too perfect. In order for a crime fiction novel to keep the reader guessing as to whom the murderer is, there has to be a variety of suspects. Throughout this novel, there was only a single suspect. This gives the reader no chance to ponder about who might have killed Maryanne. Also, there was no circumstantial evidence at the beginning of the novel suggesting Mallick was the killer. Dana just followed her hunch throughout the whole novel, and never made a single mistake. This is very impractical, as almost all detectives run into a dead end at some point. This also took some of the interest out of the book, as it was a smooth ride from the beginning to the end of the novel. Although some things worked well for the author in this novel, there was room for improvement.
One passage that appealed to me is found on page 216, where Dana describes her trip on the Queen Street streetcar. “I love the Queen streetcar. I know people who spend all day riding back and forth, if they can cadge a ticket… It’s a way of connecting, feeling a part of the world, and there’s so much to see, briefly framed through the wide windows: bums panhandling, giggling children and their harried mothers, posturing teenagers, bemused tourists, all caught up in their own moments, their fleeting concerns. And it’s the same inside the car, where a variety of languages, colours and classes are thrown together, at least of the length of the ride, in wary, watchful tolerance.” This quote appeals to me because I, like many Torontonians, frequently ride on the TTC. In this passage, Dana explains how all sorts of people come together on the TTC, despite their language, race or class. This shows how great of a country we live in, where all people have the same rights, and get along with each other. I enjoy riding the TTC, just like Dana, and find it a relaxing way to travel.
Another excerpt from the novel that appealed to me is found on pages 150-151, where Dana’s friend, Michael, is found beaten up near their home. Dana describes the situation: “I have my hand on the doorknob when I hear a strangled cry… Hesitating for just a moment, I creep back down the stairs, heading toward the sound that continues to emanate from the likely wounded animal. I’m equal measures of caution and fear, moving slowly till I make out a human form lying on the sidewalk, trying to crawl toward me… He fights me for a moment, arms flailing, and as I try to calm him, I catch a glimpse of his face, stunned to see it’s Michael… There are tears in my eyes, he looks so broken.” In this quote, Michael is found beaten up and left to die in front of Delta Court. They later find out he was beaten up by Mallick’s goons after snooping around his house. This quotation appeals to me because it reminds me of an event that occurred when I was five years old. I was at my cottage, and my whole family was going to the beach. I decided to ride my little red bicycle to the beach, and went ahead of everybody else. Underestimating the danger of the gravel roads, I picked up lots of speed. As I rode down a steep hill, I lost control and hit the ground, blacking out. I felt like Michael from the novel in this situation. We were both beaten up, and it took us both some time to recover.
If I could write a letter to Pat Capponi, I would ask her three questions. The first one would be why she only included one murder suspect in the novel. Having only one suspect took away the reader’s ability to think about possible suspects and guess the murderer, making the novel less enjoyable to read. The second question would be why she included the sub-plot regarding Dana’s friend’s play production? The novel spent a lot of time describing Dana’s friend, Charlene’s play, even though it had nothing to do with the plot. I found it rather boring, and would have liked it eliminated. Finally, I would ask Pat Capponi if she would write more books in this series. She has already written a sequel, entitled The Corpse Will Keep, but I am curious to see how far she will take the Dana Leoni series.
Last Stop Sunnyside is a sub-par crime fiction novel. It only has one suspect, and is a smooth ride from start to finish. There is no guessing game for the reader, and it gets very tedious as the author includes a lot of unnecessary information. I give Last Stop Sunnyside two out of five stars.
In the novel Last Stop Sunnyside by Pat Capponi, one of Dana’s closest friends, Maryanne, goes missing, and was last seen being escorted from the apartment building by two bulky, tough-looking men. After Maryanne turns up dead on the shore of Lake Ontario, the police close the case as a drowning suicide. Dana and her friends, refusing to believe Maryanne’s death was a suicide, start their own investigation to find her real murderer. As they uncover more information, the stakes get higher, and they get closer to unprecedented danger.
Two things that worked well in this novel were the author’s description of Parkdale, and structuring chapters to increase suspense. Throughout the novel, Capponi describes the battered, crumbling streets of Parkdale. Her language lets the reader imagine what the area is like. She describes the crumbling, condemned buildings, the homeless people cluttering the streets, the numerous drug deals that occur in back alleys, the various low-grade restaurants and shops, and much more. The following excerpt, found on page 77, is an example of Capponi’s descriptive writing. “There were days when I simply went back to my room and cried, overwhelmed by the misery I had witnessed. Vivid replays over and over again of a large, distressed woman on the corner of Brock and Queen slowly pulling her sweater over her head, naked underneath. A tall, terribly skinny man trying to make off with a banana from a fruit stand in front of a tumble-down grocery store. Two women with a tribe of squabbling children paying more attention to the case of 24 they’re dragging than to their kids…” This quote describes the chaos and misery seen by Dana one day at the Queen and Brock intersection. It is evident that Parkdale is home to a variety of miserable, impoverished people. Capponi does an excellent job of exposing readers to the horrors we do not often encounter.
The second thing Capponi does well in her novel is structuring chapters in a certain fashion to maintain suspense and keep the reader wanting to move on. Throughout the novel, Capponi will build up suspense in a chapter as events unfold that affect the characters involved, or the plot. She then ends the chapter at the climax of the event. She will also end the chapter with a suspenseful phrase. The following quote on page 284 is an example of how the author ends a chapter. “I hope I’m projecting the confidence I wish I had. We break, and enter the side street leading to Mallick’s hell house. I’m kept in the middle of Gerry and Diamond, just in case Mallick is looking out his window. It’s time to forget I’m Dana, time to become Charlotte.” In this passage, Dana is about to enter the murder suspect, Stephen Mallick’s home. She is disguised as Charlotte, a sixteen-year-old homeless girl that is in love with him (although according to Dana he is the most revolting man she’s ever seen). Dana and her friends believe that he is the killer, and in order to see what he’s hiding, decide to send her inside. This makes the reader want to find out what happens to Dana, and what Mallick is hiding inside his house.
Although there were some things that worked well in the novel, there were two things that could have been improved. There was only one murder suspect throughout the whole novel, and Dana was too perfect. In order for a crime fiction novel to keep the reader guessing as to whom the murderer is, there has to be a variety of suspects. Throughout this novel, there was only a single suspect. This gives the reader no chance to ponder about who might have killed Maryanne. Also, there was no circumstantial evidence at the beginning of the novel suggesting Mallick was the killer. Dana just followed her hunch throughout the whole novel, and never made a single mistake. This is very impractical, as almost all detectives run into a dead end at some point. This also took some of the interest out of the book, as it was a smooth ride from the beginning to the end of the novel. Although some things worked well for the author in this novel, there was room for improvement.
One passage that appealed to me is found on page 216, where Dana describes her trip on the Queen Street streetcar. “I love the Queen streetcar. I know people who spend all day riding back and forth, if they can cadge a ticket… It’s a way of connecting, feeling a part of the world, and there’s so much to see, briefly framed through the wide windows: bums panhandling, giggling children and their harried mothers, posturing teenagers, bemused tourists, all caught up in their own moments, their fleeting concerns. And it’s the same inside the car, where a variety of languages, colours and classes are thrown together, at least of the length of the ride, in wary, watchful tolerance.” This quote appeals to me because I, like many Torontonians, frequently ride on the TTC. In this passage, Dana explains how all sorts of people come together on the TTC, despite their language, race or class. This shows how great of a country we live in, where all people have the same rights, and get along with each other. I enjoy riding the TTC, just like Dana, and find it a relaxing way to travel.
Another excerpt from the novel that appealed to me is found on pages 150-151, where Dana’s friend, Michael, is found beaten up near their home. Dana describes the situation: “I have my hand on the doorknob when I hear a strangled cry… Hesitating for just a moment, I creep back down the stairs, heading toward the sound that continues to emanate from the likely wounded animal. I’m equal measures of caution and fear, moving slowly till I make out a human form lying on the sidewalk, trying to crawl toward me… He fights me for a moment, arms flailing, and as I try to calm him, I catch a glimpse of his face, stunned to see it’s Michael… There are tears in my eyes, he looks so broken.” In this quote, Michael is found beaten up and left to die in front of Delta Court. They later find out he was beaten up by Mallick’s goons after snooping around his house. This quotation appeals to me because it reminds me of an event that occurred when I was five years old. I was at my cottage, and my whole family was going to the beach. I decided to ride my little red bicycle to the beach, and went ahead of everybody else. Underestimating the danger of the gravel roads, I picked up lots of speed. As I rode down a steep hill, I lost control and hit the ground, blacking out. I felt like Michael from the novel in this situation. We were both beaten up, and it took us both some time to recover.
If I could write a letter to Pat Capponi, I would ask her three questions. The first one would be why she only included one murder suspect in the novel. Having only one suspect took away the reader’s ability to think about possible suspects and guess the murderer, making the novel less enjoyable to read. The second question would be why she included the sub-plot regarding Dana’s friend’s play production? The novel spent a lot of time describing Dana’s friend, Charlene’s play, even though it had nothing to do with the plot. I found it rather boring, and would have liked it eliminated. Finally, I would ask Pat Capponi if she would write more books in this series. She has already written a sequel, entitled The Corpse Will Keep, but I am curious to see how far she will take the Dana Leoni series.
Last Stop Sunnyside is a sub-par crime fiction novel. It only has one suspect, and is a smooth ride from start to finish. There is no guessing game for the reader, and it gets very tedious as the author includes a lot of unnecessary information. I give Last Stop Sunnyside two out of five stars.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
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