Around the World in YA Books Tag

It’s been a while since I’ve done a tag . . .

I’ve been tag for this by lovely Jess from Mud and Stars. Please check out her blog. She’s really nice, and has interesting posts.

The rules

Choose a selection of countries, and pick your favourite YA book set in each country.

Tag

I’ll be honest, I don’t think have too many YA books set in other countries. Most of them are either set in USA, or UK. Therefore, I will include other genres as well. Otherwise, I’ll only mention a couple of books.

Autonomous Region of Bougainville

Papua New Guinea

Autonomous Region of Bougainville

In case you don’t see the pictures’ captions, the flag on the left, with black and red, it’s Papua New Guinea’s. The one on the right, with a blue background, is Bougainville’s. As the name implies, Bougainville is an autonomous island, but it is part of Papua New Guinea.

You can read the blurb here, and my review here.

Mister Pip is set in Bougainville, and I’ve never read a novel set there. Also, the author is from New Zealand.

The island is part of the Papua New Guinea, but since they wanted independence and it is a autonomous region, I’ve decided to post their flag, not P.N. Guinea’s.

Most of the novel is about Matilda when she was a child, a teenager, so it is a young adult novel in a way. It’s her life story as a native of Bougainville living during the Civil War. As some of you might know, there was a Civil War in Papua New Guinea in the early 1990s. It was between the natives of Bougainville who are black, also called the rebels, and the natives of Papua New Guinea, also called the redskins. The novel is really interesting, but at the same time very sad. It is also easy to read, due to the fast pace and the everyday English.

Mister Pip also got some negatives comments, due to words such as “redskins” and some events that took place. The thing is the native of Bougainville do call the Papua New Guinea mercenaries redskins in real life, and some of the events did took place in real life as well. I don’t think it’s fair for a book to receive bad review due to the lack of knowledge about the subject covered in the novel. Therefore, if you do plan on reading Mister Pip, read a couple of articles about Bougainville and the Civil War, so you’ll know the context.

Afghanistan – The Kite Runner

You can read the blurb here. I will also post a review of this book.

I loved this novel so much. It’s well written, the story is captivating, and it is also sad. It was nice to read about a normal Afghanistan – before the Talibans and the Soviet Union. It was a country like any other country. In fact, it was a monarchy – a fact that I did not know before reading this novel.

Ignore the boring blurb – it does not do this book justice.

Japan -Memoirs of a Geisha

You can read the blurb here. I think I’ll re-read this novel, and review it. I’ve read it years ago.

This novel is about Chiyo, and her life. It starts with her as a child, then as a teenager, then as a young women, and ends with her as an old person. Most of the action takes place while she is still a child or barely an adult. As the title implies, the book follows Chiyo’s journey to become a geisha, and what happens to her as a geisha. No, geisha’ are not prostitutes. They are artists and hostess. I recommend this book to everyone.

This book also has some negative comments that are not really related to the novel itself. I don’t mind negative reviews, don’t get me wrong; I’ve written some myself. Some people complained that it does not portray Japan and Geisha traditions to a T. Thus, people will be misinformed. Well, of course not. It’s fiction; historical fiction is still fiction. As long as people can keep in mind that this is not a history essay/document, then they’ll be able to enjoy the story.

Canada – A Complicated Kindness

You can read the blurb here.

I had more than one option for Canada, but I’ve decided to go with A Complicated Kindness because it is less known; at least when it comes to the blogosphere. It is a novel about Mennonites, and it is set in Manitoba – this province used to have a many Mennonites, and people can still visit the museums and stuff.

It is about a teenage girl who’s mother was excommunicated, and forced to live the community. It also shows her struggles to live in the Mennonite community, and her ways of rebellion against it. It’s quite a fascinating novel.

Russia – Anna Karenina

You can read the blurb here.

Anna Karenina by Tolstoy – enough said. 😉

Cyprus – A Poisonous Journey

You can read the blurb and my review here.

Another historical novel. It is about a young English Lady who moves to Cyprus. There she plays detactive in order to find the person who committed a murder. A very interesting novel. The writter also did a pretty good job at describing Cyprus, and she gave some historical details about it.

Ireland

You can read the blurb and my review here.

A romance novel – one of the few ones I liked- set in Ireland, Dublin. The main story is about Jane finding love, but there is a sub-plot about Ireland and Northern Ireland – the fights, and tragedies that happen in and between these two Irish countries. Lovely novel.

New Zealand  & Australia- Toward the Sea of Freedom

You can read the blurb here. I will post a review soon.

Now, the title says New Zealand & Australia, but I posted the Irish’s flag as well. The protagonists, at least two of them, are Irish. The first part of the novel it’s set in Ireland in the mid-nineteenth-century. Our Irish hero, Michale, ends is sent to Australia, since he was caught by police stealing – out of need, not laziness; 19th century Ireland was in a dire state. The Irish heroine, Kathleen, ends up in New Zealand.  Since the novel is set in the 19th century, Australia and New Zealand were still developing – if you will. The novel has around 5-6 part, and multiple points of views. Therefore, the reader finds out about 19th century Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia.

China – A Secret Mother

You can read the blurb and my review here.

Past chapters focus on Mai and her story as a teenage Chinese worker in a factory. The present chapters focus on Mai’s daughters and their life in UK. It is about a mother who was forced to give up her twins for adoptions. It is well written, and the story is fascinating.

Alaska – Blonde Eskimo

 

You can read the blurb and my review here.

I know Alaska it’s not a country. However, I’ve never read a book set in Alaska, so I’ve decided to include it here as well.

The novel is based on Alaska’s legends, folklore and myths. And I found it very interesting.

I Tag . . .

Kelly @The Book Shelf Blog

Kerrie @ Comfy Reading

Cath @Trust in the Words

Mariana @Bookis Glee

Olivia @Libroliv

Poppy’s Best of Books

Vicky @ Books and Strips

. . . and every other blogger out there who wants to do this tag. You’ll have fun doing it.