Tradition Post and Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness

Ok tradition time again. But first, I am not speaking for the whole country here, as I in the  end belongs to a minority. So some things are for the entire country, some for just my parts, and some things just differ from place to place.

pics have been removed....

"Little Christmas"

This is celebrated on a Saturday before the first of Advent. There is usually a Little Xmas tree (now we just have a tiny plastic one), and it's the first time you feel Xmas is near.

When I was younger we made Little Xmas cards, and then we took those and went from neighbour to neighbour and opened the door and threw them in. Then you had to run as fast as you could so they would not catch you. It was so much fun, but that tradition seems to have died out with my generation ,now I sound really old! But we have not gotten one in the last 10 years, and the thing is, people lock their doors more often now too.) I also usually got a Little Xmas present, this year (haha I am still a kid) a chocolate calendar.

December 6th

This is our Independence Day and it's a quiet celebration. We light candles, and the president holds this big ball, and people usually watch that on tv. There are also soldier parades, and we honour those that fell for our freedom. And they always show Unknown Solider on tv. In the end it's not a day you celebrate, it is more a day that is.

December 13th Lucia Day

How to explain this one then. It's a Saint's day and the only saint we celebrate in the end. One girl is elected Lucia, so she gets this white dress with a red ribbon and she wears a crown of candles. She has her maidens with her, they holds candles in their hands and they sing Lucia songs, and some Christmas songs too. It seems to be an saint we held on, because she brings light at the darkest time of the year, when the sun barely makes it up before setting again. And perhaps  her origin is also from  a Goddess of Light.

Today Lucia has more followers, a few little santas, and Staffan Stalledräng, now what the heck is he, a stableboy? Ok did some digging, he comes from  when young people went around collection money and sang Staffan songs. Seems he comes from Saint Stefan, but since he has horses, perhaps some old God with horses too.

We also eat Lucia buns (not my fave). And a Lucia is elected in every school, city, for the whole of Finland. I never was Lucia, always only a maiden. They always pick the really pretty blonde girls,well or like to.

It's a pagan day mixed with Christian tradition, since you can never get the pagans truly out of us.

As for the real Lucia, she was a Christian martyr from Sicily. Her fiancé turned her in when she gave money to the poor. So she cut out her eyes and sent them to him.

Nightly, go heavy hearts
Round farm and steading
On earth, where sun departs,
shadows are spreading.
Then in our dark house,
(she) arises with lights lit
Sankta Lucia, Sankta Lucia!

Night-darkling, huge and still.
Hark, something's stirring!
In all our silent rooms,
Wingbeats are whisp'ring!
Stands on our threshold there,
White clad, lights in her hair,
Sankta Lucia, Sankta Lucia!

"Darkness shall fly away
Through earthly portals."
She brings such wonderful
words to us all!
Daylight, again renewed
will rise, all rosy-hued!
Sankta Lucia, Sankta Lucia!

Next Tradition post is Dec 24th ;) Edit: yikes, where is my head

And last a short review for 

Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness

Chaos Walking 3

Genre: YA, dystopian, sci-fi

Pages: 603

Published: 2010

"War," says the Mayor. "At last." Three armies march on New Prentisstown, each one intent on destroying the others. Todd and Viola are caught in the middle, with no chance of escape. As the battles commence, how can they hope to stop the fighting? How can there ever be peace when they're so hopelessly outnumbered? And if war makes monsters of men, what terrible choices await? But then a third voice breaks into the battle, one bent on revenge.

Truth be told I was disappointed. But that happened first at the end. Book 1 was so freaking amazing and I could not put it down. Book 2 was ok but things did not feel the same, and then this third one was ok. But not spectacular anymore.

Though I like how he brings in choice, genocide, feminism, and terrorism into this strange world. Because it is a good world, where the thoughts of men and animals can be heard and there is never silence.

Todd had to free the mayor/president so that he could lead the army against the spackle, the indgineous people of the planet. Behind Prentiss' army is another army, the women's army, they who the men wanted dead because the were silent. Then the spaceships arrive.

So it's a book about war, and terror.

Now why did I not like it, well the last 50 pages you got me mad. I got disappointed in someone and then angry cos in the end I just did not get it. Was it a happy ending, three words does not make it so. it could have been 2 other things too. So after reading 600 pages I wanted it a lot clearer and the whole book just got destroyed by it.

I am so forgetful!

The winners of The Heir by Grace Burrowes are

Melissa (Iswim) and Carrie (hammock)

Congrats! :)

Review: The Ask and The Answer - Patrick Ness

The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness

Chaos Walking, Book 2

Genre: Dystopian, sci-fi, YA
Pages: 544
Published: 2009

We were in the square, in the square where I'd run, holding her, carrying her, telling her to stay alive, stay alive till we got safe, till we got to Haven so I could save her - But there weren't no safety, no safety at all, there was just him and his men...

Fleeing before a relentless army, Todd has carried a desperately wounded Viola right into the hands of their worst enemy, Mayor Prentiss. Immediately separated from Viola and imprisoned, Todd is forced to learn the ways of the Mayor's new order. But what secrets are hiding just outside of town? And where is Viola? Is she even still alive? And who are the mysterious Answer? And then, one day, the bombs begin to explode.. 

I was blown away by book 1, and even if this wasn't that mind-blowing it was still a great book. The first was What, what, what!! And this one was more what, what, what?

Ness has this gift for total confusion. Who to trust, who to believe, I haev no idea. Everyone is telling things, everyone is lying. There is chaos walking the planet.

Todd has made it to Haven with the dying Viola, but there he is met by Mayor Prentiss and the army and Viola is taken away. He is put into jail, and later forced to work with the now President Prentiss's son, putting the alien Spackle to work. All this while Prentiss is being really nice to him, and telling him things so that he does not knwo what to believe any more.

There is Todd chapters and Viola chapters as she goes down another road and hears another versions of the same story. All while they just want to find each other again.

I still do not know what to believe. Why were all the women in Prentisstown killed? I know the President is poison, but still, what to believe?

The thing here is that things escalate, the president is yes a monster and whatever he seems to say he does not trust women. I mean they did kill all the women in their town. But then there is those that oppose him and they are not right either. The next book will be called Monsters of Men, and this is something that Viola and Todd says in book 1 or 2, war makes monsters out of men and that is so true in this book.

This is chilling Dystopian fiction that should be read. It will grab hold of you with a bunch of questions, and how that planet will get peace I do now know. The first book was about them on the run, things happening all the time. This book is more lies and propaganda, and trying to stay human when everything is chaos around you.

I am truly looking forward to book 3, not only cos this book ends with a major cliffhanger just like book 1 did.

Cover thoughts: Not a fan.

Reason for Reading: Library book

Final thoughts: Great! I loved it.

Review: The Knife of Never letting Go - Patrick Ness

The Knife of never Letting Go

Chaos Walking, book 1

Genre: YA, futuristic, sci-fi, dystopian
Pages: 496
Published: 2008

Todd Hewitt is the last boy in Prentisstown.

But Prentisstown isn't like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts in a constant, overwhelming, never-ending Noise. There is no privacy. There are no secrets. Or are there?

Just one month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd unexpectedly stumbles upon a spot of complete silence. Which is impossible. Prentisstown has been lying to him. And now he's going to have to run...

Oh, oh, oh, ok I have found the kind of YA I like and it has to do with freaky futures! This is what I should stick with when it comes to YA.

Todd lives in Prentisstown with his two guardians. All the women died after the aliens on teh planet released something that made the men hear everything. Every thought, and I mean every. Trees, dogs, flowers. There is a never ending noise. Todd lives in this, but then one day he finds something, a place of nothing. Soon he is running for his life, for in this book nothing is what it seems. I can't tell you anything more because this book sure hides its secrets well. But of course first they killed all the aliens, and Todd is the last boy since there are no women anymore. That I can tell.

I read this book and never put it down, I could not stop, because the way he writes. He guards those secrets well and in the end I just read faster and faster. I can't say anything more, but wow. I do like scary worlds. And I would not want to live on this planet.

This book has got some violence, not much, but some things did make me cringe. Just because it was YA, but then again it was not graphic, and it was needed to show the horror.

It is not sci-fi either, I learn they got there by ship, but it was religious people fleeing the old crowded planet, so now they are simple farmers. No technology at all. 

It is also a strange book, sometimes he writes the noise, an entire page with nose. But it gives you an idea what it is like, and there are not many. I do like his style, and I can't wait to get my hands on book 2 because the end, again, he knows how to keep a girl on edge.

What can I say, if you liked the Hunger Games then I am sure you will like this one too. Anyone can read and and enjoy it. And it sure has some suspense, and the secrets, oh the secrets. For fans of dystopian like fiction, read this.

This will be one of the best books I have read this year. This sure did not disappoint me, Ness knows how to twist a tale.

Book 2, The Ask and the Answer, is already out, and book 3 Monsters of Men comes out in the fall. The perfect time to start this book then.

Blodeuedd's Cover Corner: Sure, not pretty, but eye-catching and scary.

Reason for Reading: Library Book

Final thoughts: Read it!