Title: The S word Author: Chelsea Pitcher
Contemporary YA
Expected publication: May 7th 2013 by Gallery Books
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I am really really sad because this book had so much
potential. The synopsis is engaging enough to make you think you are in for an
emotional, thrilling ride with bullies and suicide and lost friendships. But
what it truly delivers is a twisted, amateurish novel.
The mystery felt too childish. And the characters were unreal;
they were like 50-year-old actors trying to be teenagers. And the writing was
just weird and awkward. And pretty much everything Angie did make me
uncomfortable.
SPOILER IN THIS PARAGRAPH: Another thing I have yet to
process is Angie and Jesse. Jesse is Angie’s classmate, who dresses in skirt
and is the reason his school has a Gay-Straight Alliance, but yet, he fell for
a girl, he always thought he was gay but then he fell in love with two girls;
so hey, points for originality, I haven’t read that before. But still, I think
both Jesse and me are confused by this sudden change of direction (or sexuality
I guess). I wanted to really ship Jesse & Angie as a couple, but my head was
still trying to wrap itself around the fact that: WHAT? He wears dresses and
skirts with converse and Angie is like “it’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen”.
I mean: ????????.
I was just too confused towards the end. Oh and the real
person Lizzie was in love with? Who wouldn’t have seen that coming? I bet
everyone did, so I was really mad they dragged it for so long.
So everyone was so psychotic it was hard to sympathize with
any of them; but the one I hated the most was: Lizzie. She wasn’t even
technically in the story yet she was unbelievably annoying. Every single entry
in Lizzie’s diary made me pull my hair off of my skull. I don’t know what was
happening, was the author trying to make us see she was oh so good, and nice
and possibly the best girl in the world, or was it just that she doesn’t know
teenagers don’t talk like that? Anyways, it was infuriating.
Oh my gosh, and the twist! That “twist” or whatever you call
it. Did Angie have a split-personality disorder? Did she sleep-walk? What is
going on?! Not one single clue was laid that Angie might have had something to
do with it. It felt like the author pulled it out of her sleeve like a last
resort or something.
The good thing and what kept me going was that there was some
wit thrown in there and also, because I’m a sucker for novels with
prom-queen-gone-emo. Also I have to confess I snorted/laughed out loud in some
parts which are always a good sign for me.
So honestly, I can’t tell you not to read this one, or to
read it. I have no way to advice you, but I can tell you that it ended up being
not what I thought it would.
Interesting to read your thoughts as I have this coming up in my reading pile-the general consensus I've seen is that this novel is kind of out there and not what was expected. I am hoping this will help me prepare to read it for myself.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely NOT expected, it is like the psycho cousin of a YA book. It's been 4 months since I read it and I'm still upset and bothered.
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