The novel I read was brilliantly crafted, the words wisely woven to provoke the story to attack you. Move you. Make you feel the character's pain, as they tried to find the balance between who they are and who the others want them to be. The book? Stargirl, written by Jerry Spinellli.

In the beginning, Stargirl is a tornado that strikes at Mica High. The other characters react unsuprisingly, they're only human,after all,and they panic--Not so much as in they run screaming for terror, but they do panic. Against the changes she could bring. 'She's different! She's to be feared!!' The notice hits all the characters, without the author ever telling you in words. Stargirl's not the only character, there'd be no point to reading if she was... Leo Borlock's the first character that's actually introduced in our tale. He's interesting, He and his friend, Kevin, both wanted to go into the T.V. business. Oh, and, he collects porcupine neckties. Quite a quirk!

There's more characters, it's a High School, but they weren't important enough to be given voices, let alone names. They're the kind of people who you are aware of, watching, but you never say anything--They're not bothering you, why bother them?

All three characters are dynamic. Again, they're human, and in High School--If you're not a dynamic character in your own story that's pathetic. Stargirl Caraway switches from one extreme to another, at one point in an attempt to blend in she uses her normal, real, name: Susan, and dresses like the "normal" kids, a large leap from her pionneer dresses and other crazy ensembles. Leo's the protagonist... Was there ever a novel written with a static protagonist? Of course he's dynamic!! He changes, going from staring, awed, at Stargirl, to fearing, then loving her. Telling her that she's got to change for the other people, and him. Which, Leo quickly realizes, having "Susan" instead of "Stargirl" isn't quite cutting it. Kevin changes a lot, not so noticably, but a lot. In the beginning it's said he often wanted to be a sleazy talk show host, and was serious about it... At the end of the book he's settled down with a family on the outskirts of Mica, and he's an insurance salesman. He went from having dreams to living reality... That's a change that's got to be worth something!

Even though the book is entitled "Stargirl" I believe the main character to be Leo. Why? We enter the story learning of his collection of collecting porcupine neckties, and that knowledge somehow connects us, or at least me, to his personality, who he is. Upon entering, I know I felt as though I was missing some part of the background... But it wasn't needed as it progressed. What I stumbled upon was a boy, a boy with ambitions who knew what he wanted--But wouldn't dare break from the conformity of High School to pursue them by any radical, or extreme, measures. It's also made painfully clear that he's fallen for Stargirl, and that he wants something to change for them, by this passage:

" "Sure it matters. Look"-I waved my arm at the school around us-"look what's happeneing. Nobody talks to us. You can't just not give a crap what anybody thinks. You can't just cheer for another team and expect your own school to love you for it." Words that I had been thinking for for weeks rolled off my tongue now. "

In the end, who Leo became was not who I had forseen, and that was really my last deciding factor in whether or not he was the Main Character. Especially after Stargirl, Susan, Whomever, left Mica and was never seen again.

The way the book poked fun at the colourless student body of High School, it really reminded me of our own little Terryville High. It's the most boring place I've ever been, and I know I'm not exactly the first, or hundreth, person to extend the hand of friendship to some newcomer to our small little town. Quite frankly I think they're crazy, I've got it in my head that you can't do anything productive with a Connecticut Education, and can't beleive that they'd want to transfer to OUR school in in OUR town in OUR state. There's no redeeming qualities about it, beyond the "small-town atmosphere." That's really what the situation in Stargirl reminded me of. It reminded me of our little school, and the way nothing-but the amount of homework and responsibility-changes from year to year.

We're the same old people with the same old personalities and when we get a new "colour" to our mass of grays, we somehow manage to turn it gray... and don't allow it to stand out on it's own.

Good literature is anything from a sloppilly written poem that makes you smile, to a lengthy sequel to your favourite series that makes you stay up long into the night and miss work the next day. Shakespeare could be "good literature" to you, J.K. Rowling or Erin Hunter could be your godess... It all depends on the reader, and the way they read. I read for enjoyment, letting my eyes bring the words that turn to the movie I am engrossed in, watching the story unfold around me as I become a part of it. Feeling the character's pain, being able to connect... Being given those means is what makes the book "Literature" to me. I may not see every word that was printed, but if I get the image-Be it the one the author wanted or the one that my mind made-I can enjoy the book very much.

The characters are the first thing we get, so they're the most important-Yes, even more important than the plot. I prefer semi-fleshed out characters, Like a half-painted picture, You have to guess what the finished product will look like, but during the process you have something to play with as you watch the creator finish the mold. Writing is an art, description is key. Too much, and you bore the reader. Too little, and you confuse the reader. Finding the perfect balance between those two factors is what really awes me.

I don't care about symbolism, frankly I find it useless... Mainly because I couldn't identify it to save my life. Why nit-pick at something when it was merely created for entertainment??

The plot is also something that will make or break the deal for me. Too complicated? Bye-bye! Too simple? Meh. Too common? Puh-lease. Truthfully, if the summary sounds good and the first page is written in clear, concsise, english that doesn't look like the writer cozied up with a thesaurus or foreign language dictionary I'm fine with it. Unless it's about aliens, we don't get along. Neither the fantasy ones or the real ones, that is.

Also, going back to that spiel about characters and paintings, the names of the characters can kill a story for me... If I can't pronounce it how will I know what to tell the little people who run my mind what to say? Names like Kithyrnne Ziuuuerr that are supposed to be pronounced "Catherine Seer" are what really get me. I understand they want to be creative with their names, but isn't that going a little too far? I like interesting names, like Shade, or Mist, that make you think there's more to the character than meets the eye, and simple English ones are all right as well.

As I read the book, a lightbulb clicked on in my mind. This was a simple story written to give a simple message, but the delivery was breathtaking, magical if I do say so m'self. A voice, making no sound, shouted out something at me. What was it? A message. A simple little notice on how you should be yourself, and not take heed of what the others around you think. You'll be alot happier if you to. To it, I simply smiled and replied snidely: "Humans naturally fear what is different. It's been the theme of one too many a book." And it has, but never have I seen this message sent so beautifully, as if the author had painstakenly chosen eloquent calligraphy for each letter of each word that made up the novel.