Aj the Ravenous Reader's Reviews > Charm & Strange

I know two stars may be a bit cruel especially coming from me but I just couldn’t afford to rate this any higher. I didn’t hate it but I honestly didn’t like it either. Others thought this story was a breath of fresh air and was completely mindboggling. For me, it was suffocating and predictable.:/

Please allow me to explain. I’m with everyone who says this YA psychological-mystery is unique. This is true because I’ve never read anything quite like this before although I’m hoping never to read anything like this ever again. :/ The story began with intrigue and the writing was undoubtedly compelling especially so because the story is told by an unreliable narrator, a 16 year old boy who has deep dark secrets and whose narrative shifts from his present life and that of his life as a ten year old boy. Regardless of his perspective, it is obvious that his mind is a complete mess.

Considering that the main conflict is something within the character, there really isn’t a plot in the story- just an exhaustive look at the MC’s messed up mental state. Because of his intriguing state of mind, as a reader, I was automatically trapped inside the story as I patiently tread on the pages of the book to get to the big reveal. Unfortunately, the journey for me was tedious and the paths were misleading and disturbing like trekking on a dark, unfamiliar forest veiled with too much mystery and strenuous (sometimes unnecessary) backtracks.

I appreciate the author’s purpose in weaving a dark mysterious story as this. Tackling sensitive social issues like sexual abuse, incest and dysfunctional families was a really bold and risky move and I commend the author for this. I just personally think heavy issues as these are better addressed head on instead of resorting to the supernatural (werewolves, no less!) and too much mystery because the more probable result to the reader is either misinterpretation or confusion.

When the unveiling of the big mystery finally took place, it wasn’t really anything shocking. If anything, it was just saddening and it was only at that point that I started empathizing with the character which didn’t last very long because the story suddenly ended leaving very little hope to both the MC and the reader. :(

One thing spot on about this book though is the title because either you get charmed by the story or you get completely estranged. Unfortunately for me, it was the latter.:(

But if you’re looking for a charmingly positive review, do check out Sarah’s. It’s her review that convinced me to read the book in the first place.