I really really wanted to like this one: Mind Games, Visions, Sleepwalking, A Boarding School, A Mystery, A Dark and HandsomAs seen on Zombie Mommies.
I really really wanted to like this one: Mind Games, Visions, Sleepwalking, A Boarding School, A Mystery, A Dark and Handsome Mysterious Boy? All the perfect ingredients for a great story...
...that fell flat like a homemade souffle.
The main problem with Harbinger were too many lose ends. With thrillers, I am completely prepared for unanswered questions that compel me to turn the page, eager to find the answer. But with this one, when i finally got to the end, all the lose ends just became a jumbled mess.
*****I am sorry but this is going to contain major spoilers.*****
In the beginning, Faye gets dropped off (against her will) at Holbrook, which is basically a school for wayward kids. The world has been destroyed and people live in "cooperatives" (which is never really explained; plus, what happens in the story could've just taken place without that). Faye has visions of drowning which began when she was a child but her episodes are getting worse. Then at Holbrook, she begins to hear drums and mysterious thingshappen.
The Holbrook Director, Dr. Mordoch plays mind games with the group in order to ensure cooperation: solitary confinement, privileges taken away, etc...Plus, there are pepper-spraying, taser-loving caretakers. Faye meets a host of characters who bond together like "Survivor Island" against Dr. Mordoch. There's even a ghost. The friends find themselves supposedly sleepwalking and in the morning, their hands are red and there are drawings on the floor.
So of course, I have to know what happens...and in the end, the only things I can gather are: 1) A long time ago, there were a group of people who had power over the earth and had a special meteorite seer stone. (Yes, a meteorite, and I have no idea where they got their power from.) 2) They saw that the earth was going to go to waste in the future so the members transferred their spirit to some relics that were buried. (So they could save the world in the future.) 3) When Faye touched the ocean when she was a child, one of the spirits transferred into her body causing her the visions. (I have no idea how the spirit attached itself to the ocean and what happened to the original Faye.) 4) Dr. Mordoch was being haunted by one of the original tribal spirits. Rita (the ghost/tribal spirit) leaves clues for Faye in the form of a prophecy on Tarot cards. 5) Faye begins to realize her visions as images of the past. 6) Faye, who originally wanted to 'save' the world, now wants to destroy/cleanse it. 7) Her group of friends had been sleepwalking and digging for the relics and become possessed with the spirits of the past and now have powers. They try to prevent Faye from destroying the earth. She ends up changing her mind because of Kel (eye roll). 8) Everyone sings (SINGS!!!) and the pollution from the sea and sky begin to dissipate.
But wait, I never learned more about the bones that Faye finds comfort in or why there were creepy Dr.-Who-Like-Weeping-Angel statues at the Academy or how the friends sleepwalked in the first place.
And although the cover says "psychological thriller," I never felt it as psychological as it was more weird fantasy. And my idea of a psychological thriller does not include spiritual possession. It does remind me a little like a Dr. Who episode (surprise, surprise. since Etienne is a fan) but where Steve Moffat's creepy paranormal scenarios are wrapped up nicely, Etienne leaves you with a disjointed and confusing story. I do have to say some of Faye's lines are a bit humorous but the entire premise was so poorly formed and left me quite angry at the end.
I'm not sure if Fracture was about Delaney's "paranormal" talent or a case study on dysfunctional relationships.
First, there's Delaney: a girl who wakI'm not sure if Fracture was about Delaney's "paranormal" talent or a case study on dysfunctional relationships.
First, there's Delaney: a girl who wakes up from a coma and experiences weird pulling sensations and discovers she can sense impending death in people. Which would have been interesting if her ability was a little more climatic and exciting. What's so unique about sensing the dying if she's only drawn to those who are already sick (or would be sick)? Even I can tell you they wouldn't live. Why not have her sense those who might die in a car crash or get murdered? ...And then save them?
If it were me, I would be less concerned about her "sensations" and more about her obsessiveness over her schoolwork. She died, came back to life, and is worried about her chance at valedictorian?! (Okay, okay, maybe I can kind of understand that being a little Type A myself...but still...that's what you worry about after dying?!) Well, that and apparently her weight.
Then there's her rescuer, Decker (oh look, they both begin with "D"), who she likes but can't seem to say what she means to him and begins keeping secrets from him. And still keeps secrets from him even though he drops everything and to come to her (view spoiler)[rescue AGAIN! from the psycho killer (hide spoiler)]
Decker, who is a love sick puppy who keeps sticking around, keeps asking her to clue him in (but she doesn't), and so devoted that it's making me sick.
Should we talk about the mom now? The mom, who seems more worried that her child isn't fixed than the fact that she's alive. The mom, who has her own skeletons in the closet.
But nothing compares to Delaney's relationship with Troy, the mysterious stranger. Troy, who has (view spoiler)[ a similar ability (hide spoiler)] and happens to know just a little too much about Delaney. Yet she's perfectly fine hanging out with him. Troy, who almost (view spoiler)[KILLED HER--to end her "suffering" while comatose (hide spoiler)]. And Troy, who turns (view spoiler)[crazy, as in chase-you-down-in-a-car-in-a-sing-song-voice, crazy after Delaney finds out he almost murdered her (hide spoiler)]. And yep, you guessed it! She's fine with looking for him afterwards and trying talk sense into him. Look, you can't talk sense to a psycho.
Now I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt and assume she's acting like this because her brain is damaged: some psycho boy tries to (view spoiler)[kill you (hide spoiler)], bruises your arm, and you're okay with that?
All in all, four case studies, but that's not even counting the one with the boy she doesn't like but still kissed. Unfortunately, I was looking for a paranormal story, not a dysfunctional one.
Suma's pyschological drama reminds me of the opening to the "Twilight Zone":
"There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a diSuma's pyschological drama reminds me of the opening to the "Twilight Zone":
"There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call the Twilight Zone."
The whole of Imaginary Girls is based on questions answered and unanswered--wondering what's real and not. Suma keeps you wondering wondering wondering what's the mystery? what's happening? and keeps you reading up until the end...
...the end that I'm still wondering about.
The imagery, dialogue, and emotions are beautifully written, and the mystery of the night Chloe tried to swim the reservoir keeps you connected to the story. The loyalty of both sisters is both admirable and heart-breaking. Ruby's behavior is both empathetic and horrific. So nothing is purely one-sided.
But while the writing was beautiful, I found myself deeply disappointed. I wanted answers to the following questions:
(view spoiler)[ 1) How does Ruby know so much about the town of Olive beneath the reservoir? The reservoir doesn't seem to be an issue to the townspeople until that dreadful night so what is her connection? 2) Why does the town of Olive want to claim the life of Chloe so badly? What is their motivation for doing so? revenge against the people still living? 3) How did Ruby bring London back to life? (hide spoiler)]
I didn't like how the story was really about 2 stories: Ruby's mysterious influential power along with the mystery of the reservoir's power. For me, the focus on Ruby's power would have been enough of a creepy/psychological thriller: a girl who has power over her entire town. That was already creepy in and of itself so why did Suma add this reservoir element to it? The two phenomenon kept competing for my understanding and focus.
The story left me with too many questions without a solid answer. And while I commend Suma on her beautiful imagery and diction, I thought the plot itself was too void of interpretation leaving me frustrated and unsatisfied for a 2.5 stars.
(There are many many readers out there who have thoroughly enjoyed this book and if you like magical realism or the "Twilight Zone," I think you may enjoy this one more than I did.)
**Content Advisory** There are several teenage depictions of partying, drug usage, and sexual behavior--that I personally got tired of reading about page after page after page....more
A deep and beautiful tale which I almost didn't read because of the title and cover; I tend to shy away from "scary" stories and not really knowing anA deep and beautiful tale which I almost didn't read because of the title and cover; I tend to shy away from "scary" stories and not really knowing anything about the book, from the cover and title, I wasn't sure if I wanted to read it.
And the title describes it perfectly and yet it does not. And the story is scary and yet it isn't.
This is one story that I hesitant to share too much about because the story was so beautifully written and the themes so true. Everyone can relate because we all have monsters. We may not all be in Connor's specific story, but we all have similar stories of sadness, pain, fear, and truth. It's a story both sweet and bitter.
There was only one part that I didn't fully understand; the monster wanted to make a point about (view spoiler)[ invisibility, but why the brutal force on the bully by the monster? Why did the monster instigate such brutality or was it just an extension of Connor's inner anger? (hide spoiler)]
Overall, such a deep deep reflection on the fragility of our souls and the healing power of truth.
Note: Patrick Ness took inspiration for this story from Siobhan Dowd, who recently passed away. I appreciated that the story was written by Ness and not a mimic of Dowd's writing. It makes it more real this way....more
I almost didn't make it to the end. Half-way through, I almost tossed it aside. Half-way through, I had to tell myself to just keep on going and finisI almost didn't make it to the end. Half-way through, I almost tossed it aside. Half-way through, I had to tell myself to just keep on going and finish. To tell you the truth, it lulled me to sleep a couple of times.
It wasn't that the writing was dull, it was just a slow...long...trek to uncover the truth behind Rose's sleep.
Found in a futuristic anti-aging tube in the basement of a wealthy condominium, Rose awakens after more than 60 years asleep. She finds herself suddenly thrust into the public eye as THE HEIR to a powerful interplanetary company. But as she tries to make sense of the present, there are still some unexplained memories in her past she must confront.
Rose is one of those characters that you have to look beyond the surface to see the complexities beneath. Initially, I found her to be quite plain and spineless. Sorry for the pun, but really, she's a fish out of water. Here she is 60 years later, a complete stranger in a new world, and not a single complaint or peep is heard. I wasn't sure where this story was going...because, like I said, I was just trudging along...
But by the end, everything made sense, and it took that long, slow climb to finally reveal WHO Rose truly is, was, and will become.
It's a story of a broken soul who eventually finds herself. Unlike the fairy tale (Sleeping Beauty) and refreshingly so, (view spoiler)[ the story does not have the typical "HAPPILY EVER AFTER ENDING," and the PRINCE doesn't sweep her away to happiness (hide spoiler)] But it does however give a deep and thought provoking look into the life of a scared little girl (view spoiler)[ abused by her parents (hide spoiler)] who has the will to LIVE ON.
My only challenges to the story are: 1. I wanted a more "futuristic" quality to it: more unique technology and less forced slang. 2. Some scenes seemed unrealistic: (view spoiler)[ when she gets her fingers burned at the end, she's still able to draw? (hide spoiler)] 3. And while the ending provided resolution, it was still (view spoiler)[ sad. But that's not really a criticism and more of me just wanting a "happy ending." (hide spoiler)]:) 4. The addition of the (view spoiler)[ missing brother and sister (hide spoiler)] seemed a out of place and unnecessary.
But overall, after I closed the book, its story still haunted me into the next day...and that's always a good thing. Hope you enjoy it too!...more
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