“Sometime during my high school years, I gave up on Harlan Coben's novels, but when Shelter's Australian publisher sent me the author's first young adult book I decided to give it a go.
Mickey Bolitar is easy to like, a guy who just wants to put down roots, make some friends, and come to terms with his family life. His dad died, and his mum's in drug rehab, so Mickey lives with his uncle Myron.
Spoon is the resident kook, Ema judges people just as much as she claims they judge her, Rachel is the quintessential popular girl, and Ashley tries too hard. But the quintet works well together, and romance doesn't get in the way. In fact, there is no romance; despite that Ashley was Mickey's girlfriend.
As for the plot...the whole secret organisation is a bit over-the-top, as is the character of Buddy Ray. Bat Lady is deliberately mysterious, and a pain in the arse to read, while Antoine LeMaire isn't really realistic.
Also, I don't like the book's use of the term "white slavery". Slavery is still slavery, and colour is irrelevant.
A quick, fun read with all the New Jersey grit we've come to expect from this author. Give it a go.”
Tez Miller wrote this review Monday, February 13, 2012.
(
reply |
permalink )
