Sunday, July 8, 2012

I initially started this blog for the readers of The Replacement at Saint Johnsbury Athenaeum. This book, by Brenna Youvanoff, focuses on Mackie, who "is not one of us".  Mackie would love to belong to the real world, but he is part of a dark underworld known as Mayhem.  As you read, please comment so that this blog works as an interactive book discussion.

5 comments:

  1. There are similarities to Charles DeLint's works about a city called Newford. See his site: http://www.sfsite.com/charlesdelint/

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  2. In Charles DeLint's writing about Newford, there is a dark inner/under city. There are the predators both human and non-human. They lurk in the human city in abandon tenement houses and in the under city. In DeLint's writing there is a wonderful mix of Native American and Celtic mythology with a dystopian near future view of the world. DeLint is, underneath the horror, basically an optimist. Note that nether DeLint nor Delany (below) are classified and Young Adult.

    The Godfather of dystopian fiction is Samuel Delany's Dhalgren from 1975. I think he took inner city decay (Detroit) and projected it 30 or more years ahead.

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  3. This book was amazing. I was like, What is Mackie? Then, at the end it doesn't quiet give it away but gives you the idea of what he is! I couldn't put my book down! It was so fantastic!

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  4. Bethany,
    I think that Mackie is a "changeling".
    http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/changeling:
    change·ling
       [cheynj-ling] Show IPA
    noun
    1. a child surreptitiously or unintentionally substituted for another.
    2. (in folklore) an ugly, stupid, or strange child left by fairies in place of a pretty, charming child.
    3. Philately . a postage stamp that, by accident or intention, has been chemically changed in color.
    4. Archaic .
    a. renegade or turncoat.
    b. an imbecile.

    I think the first definition seems most appropriate for Mackie.

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    Replies
    1. HE IS A VAMPIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IDC WHAT U ALL SAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HE CANT GO IN CHURCH,OR TOUCH METAL!!!

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