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Thursday, October 31, 2013
by Sarah Rees Brennan
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.
But all that changes when the Lynburns return.
The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him?
Review: Sarah Rees Brennan's romantic tale has all the trappings of a great gothic contained within a story that is both fun and suspenseful. It also gives the most honest depiction of how terrible (not romantic) having someone know your every stray thought would be. It's also very inconvenient when trying to solve a murder. Kami Glass, intrepid reporter, is one of my favorite heroines of all time. She's surrounded by several multi-faceted characters, all of whom have their own flaws and strengths. Highlights include Kami's best friend Angela, the tall, dark, and beautiful grumpy misanthrope; and Jared, the believed to be imaginary friend who is in fact an all to real emotionally damaged teen. Also notable is Kami's family: both her parents and two siblings feature in the story, and Kami's late grandmother's presence is felt. A rare thing in YA.
The setting of Sorry-in-the-Vale itself is intriguing, classic gothic images such as the menacing house on a hill are used to great effect. I found Aurimere House's use of hands in its decor especially creepy. The isolated small town gives an impression of being a world of its own. Kami's emotional journey as she struggles with her feelings regarding Jared as her bound soulmate only add to the building plot, Kami never lets this issue get in the way of her pursuit of the truth.
Mystery and creepiness aside, the novel is also very funny. Every character is prone to quips and jokes, Kami herself more than anyone. A sample:
4.5 glasses of lemonade
This book is RIPVIII approved.
The setting of Sorry-in-the-Vale itself is intriguing, classic gothic images such as the menacing house on a hill are used to great effect. I found Aurimere House's use of hands in its decor especially creepy. The isolated small town gives an impression of being a world of its own. Kami's emotional journey as she struggles with her feelings regarding Jared as her bound soulmate only add to the building plot, Kami never lets this issue get in the way of her pursuit of the truth.
Mystery and creepiness aside, the novel is also very funny. Every character is prone to quips and jokes, Kami herself more than anyone. A sample:
"I'm still calling the article 'Return of the Lynburns,'" Kami informed him. "And we're taking a picture of you being all lord of the manor, outside on the hill. Do you own, like, an old-fashioned white shirt? Because you should wear it, and maybe it should be all wet, as if you were swimming in the lake." p.22 Hardcover editionI enjoyed this style and found it clever, but it does lead to some lack of variation in character voices. There might be something in Sorry-in-the-Vale's water supply that makes everyone prone to cheekiness, even teachers:
"Do me a favor and go out and perform one of the activities I hear the youth enjoy this Friday, like defacing public property." p.41 Hardcover editionIf that sounds like your cup of tea and you're looking for a suspenseful read with great characters, humor, mystery, and rip-your-heart-out romance, look no further than Unspoken.
4.5 glasses of lemonade
This book is RIPVIII approved.
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Thursday, October 31, 2013
Review: Unspoken
by Sarah Rees Brennan
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.
But all that changes when the Lynburns return.
The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him?
Review: Sarah Rees Brennan's romantic tale has all the trappings of a great gothic contained within a story that is both fun and suspenseful. It also gives the most honest depiction of how terrible (not romantic) having someone know your every stray thought would be. It's also very inconvenient when trying to solve a murder. Kami Glass, intrepid reporter, is one of my favorite heroines of all time. She's surrounded by several multi-faceted characters, all of whom have their own flaws and strengths. Highlights include Kami's best friend Angela, the tall, dark, and beautiful grumpy misanthrope; and Jared, the believed to be imaginary friend who is in fact an all to real emotionally damaged teen. Also notable is Kami's family: both her parents and two siblings feature in the story, and Kami's late grandmother's presence is felt. A rare thing in YA.
The setting of Sorry-in-the-Vale itself is intriguing, classic gothic images such as the menacing house on a hill are used to great effect. I found Aurimere House's use of hands in its decor especially creepy. The isolated small town gives an impression of being a world of its own. Kami's emotional journey as she struggles with her feelings regarding Jared as her bound soulmate only add to the building plot, Kami never lets this issue get in the way of her pursuit of the truth.
Mystery and creepiness aside, the novel is also very funny. Every character is prone to quips and jokes, Kami herself more than anyone. A sample:
4.5 glasses of lemonade
This book is RIPVIII approved.
The setting of Sorry-in-the-Vale itself is intriguing, classic gothic images such as the menacing house on a hill are used to great effect. I found Aurimere House's use of hands in its decor especially creepy. The isolated small town gives an impression of being a world of its own. Kami's emotional journey as she struggles with her feelings regarding Jared as her bound soulmate only add to the building plot, Kami never lets this issue get in the way of her pursuit of the truth.
Mystery and creepiness aside, the novel is also very funny. Every character is prone to quips and jokes, Kami herself more than anyone. A sample:
"I'm still calling the article 'Return of the Lynburns,'" Kami informed him. "And we're taking a picture of you being all lord of the manor, outside on the hill. Do you own, like, an old-fashioned white shirt? Because you should wear it, and maybe it should be all wet, as if you were swimming in the lake." p.22 Hardcover editionI enjoyed this style and found it clever, but it does lead to some lack of variation in character voices. There might be something in Sorry-in-the-Vale's water supply that makes everyone prone to cheekiness, even teachers:
"Do me a favor and go out and perform one of the activities I hear the youth enjoy this Friday, like defacing public property." p.41 Hardcover editionIf that sounds like your cup of tea and you're looking for a suspenseful read with great characters, humor, mystery, and rip-your-heart-out romance, look no further than Unspoken.
4.5 glasses of lemonade
This book is RIPVIII approved.
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