Child Soldiers: Victims or Perpetrators?

In recent years, the number of soldiers under seventeen has expanded to about 300,000 world wide. A large potion, 75%, of the worlds conflicts involve child soldiers. It is a growing issue that must be regulated, that people should be more aware of. I believe that the majority of these child soldiers are victims, innocents who were manipulated or threatened into service.
Often times children come in good faith, seeking protection and shelter. Ishmael Beah, a former child combatant, discussed his experiences in Sierra Leon, saying "Naturally we thought if we went to a military base we would be protected—that was not the case." In other incidences, children have been captured and forced onto combat. Children in war zones who are suffering emotionally or economically are the most likely to enlist in an army. In extreme cases, families are so poor that they sell their children into service. In fact, the article "Children at War" stated that "According to the United Nations, children are most likely to become soldiers when they are impoverished or separated from their families."  This shows that they volunteered to serve in fits of desperation, trying to escape bad situations they were stuck in.
Some people hold the children accountable for murder. They follow the orders of their commanders and kill when told to kill. But most of the time this is a result of the children being mislead or threatened. If they didn't fight, the soldiers could be killed by their commanders or by the opposing army. It is legal to kill in self-defense, so in this case they shouldn't be held accountable for protecting themselves. Beah says about his time fighting as a child, "You've completely lost yourself. It completely becomes your life. You have to do it to survive." He also talks about how, when he was forced to fight, he was drugged against his will. This gave him a seance of invincibility. He was also led to believe that his commanders held a kind of magic that could protect him. The article "Armed and Underage" mentioned how in the Iran-Iraq war children were given plastic "Keys to Heaven" to keep them safe as they cleared mine fields. Because the soldiers were children, their naïveté led them to believe in these various "powers of protection."
The children can continue to suffer long after actual combat ceases. Mental and physical development can be impaired, and drug addictions can remain. Hallucinations can occur, as well as other symptoms of trauma. Many of the former combatants nave issues reintegrating back into society. Their feelings of trust have been corrupted, they find it hard to trust again, especially adults.
All in all, the children should not be blamed for the fact that they fought. If they weren't forced, most did so out of desperation or fear. They emotionally suffer the consequences of their time fighting and should not be thought of as perpetrators. We should do our best to support their rehabilitation, and try to prevent the recruitment of those who are underage.

Gilda Joyce: Psychic investigator

I received this book as a present a while ago. Based on the title, I assumed it would be sci-fi, and while I like some science fiction,  I'm not a huge fan, so I wasn't really looking forward to reading it.  The book investigates paranormal activity, mostly ghosts and spirits, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that the book is a mesh of numerous genres. It has elements of sci-fi, but it leans more towards realistic fiction. The main character, Gilda, often ranges between eccentric and absurd. At 13, she's working hard to develop her three careers: writing novels, spying on her neighbors, and honing her skills as a detective of the paranormal. Determined to do something intresting with her summer, Gilda takes the liberty of writing to her mother's estranged second cousin, Lester Splinter, in San Fransisco, asking to be invited to his home. Mostly due to a miscommunication between Mr. Splinter and his assistant, she procures an invitation. Upon her arrival, she soon discovers that something is not quite right at the home of Mr. Splinter and his 13 year old daughter, Juliet. 

Gilda is so distinct and unique that the reader can't help wanting to read more, and I found myself finished with the book in two days. One of the main reasons I think this book is so appealing to many readers is its relatability. While most people at 13 don't write to distant relatives they have never met before in the hopes of being invited to their homes, don't don wigs and various disguises to spy on people, and don't attempt to open a private investigative business of unexplained phenomena, Gilda still struggles with issues we all deal with—loss, loneliness. I highly recomend this book to everyone; it's unlike anything I've ever read, and I can not wait to start the second installment.

The Ruby in the Smoke

I recently finished reading The Ruby in the Smoke, by Phillip Pullman. It portrays Sally Lockhart, orphaned daughter of the newly deceased Matthew Lockhart, as a sixteen-year-old girl in London, 1872. Upon receiving an anonymous message telling her to 'beware the seven blessings,' she visits her the company her father owned to inquire about the mysterious note. When she mentions it to an employee, he dies of fear. Sally is soon thrust into a dangerous game centering around a ruby, illegally imported opium, and herself. Pursued by cutthroats and thugs at every turn, she must discover who wants her dead, and what is has to do with the infamous red gem.

The book is written in third person, allowing the reader a glimpse of the going-ons in the lives of Sally's enemies, allies, and acquaintances in addition to her own. I think this was a very good choice, as it keeps the reader informed better than the main character, heightening the suspense. I thought the book was very well written, with a lot of descriptive language. The unique characters have very definitive personalities, instigating feelings of empathy or dislike in the reader. Overall, I thought this was an amazing book, filled with mystery, intrigue, and many surprises. I couldn't stop reading, and now that I'm finished I can't wait to read the next one. I recommend it to everyone!

Over Sea Under Stone

In Over Sea Under Stone, by Susan Cooper, Simon, Jane, and Barnabas Drew go on holiday with their parents and mysterious Great-uncle, Merriman, to Trewissick in the South of Cornwall. While exploring the attic of the house they rented from a local sailor Simon, Jane, and Barney discover a manuscript. It leads them on a dangerous quest over the great headlands and bays of Trewissick. They must travel over sea and under stone to retrieve their prize—a sacred grail from the time of King Arthur—and, accompanied by Great Uncle Merry, wield it against the dark.

The theme of the first book in The Dark is Rising series centers mainly on good and evil, light and dark. It shows the blurred line between the two, and implies that there is no one person without both. Many characters waver between sides, confused or uncommitted. Mrs. Palk, their housekeeper and cook, seems to be caring and kind towards the children. As the book progresses she is revealed to be lying to the children and Great Uncle Merry, as well as passing along crucial information to the Dark. She is an example of how people can be swayed out of the light, and conveys that many people reside in the middle—not dark or light but grey.

A Swiftly Tilting Planet

In A Swiftly Tilting Planet, by Madeline L'Engle, Charles Wallace Murry, assisted by Guadior, a unicorn sent to help him along his journey, travel through space and time to try to right a wrong that transpired long ago, and an ancient rune with words of power. Mad Dog Branzillo, ruler of Vespugia in Patagonia, South America, is about to launch a nuclear attack that will wipe out civilization completely. Charles Wallace must alter the fabric of time and make sure that Branzillo was never born as a descendant of the evil Gwydyr but as a descendent of his brother, the peace-seeking Madoc. But for this to happen, he has to make it back alive.

The writers style is complicated, filled with metaphor and unconventional word structure. It is intriguing without being completely indecipherable. I love the way that the book centers around the rune- each chapter is entitled with one of the lines, and the climax of each chapter is based off the line. It is a more unique way of structuring the book, and keeps the reader constantly on the edge of their seat. The rune itself is very interesting, and carries on common themes in L'Engles books such as the power of Earth and space, especially the stars. Madeline L'Engle is a widely celebrated author who writes beautiful literature about thought-provoking subjects. This work of intertwined stories about past, present, and future and how each affects the other did not disappoint.