I went into this book with high hopes and huge expectations.
For me a Patrick Ness novel is always a pleasure to read. Meeting the man in
person is considerably more intimidating, so be aware before you go to see him
for the first time!
I think that most people reading this book will be a fan of
Ness’s writing style and this doesn’t disappoint at all. He knows exactly how
to capture the teenage voice and make it applicable to any situation. This is a
fantasy novel that is working it’s hardest not to be. And I admire that as a
concept. Much as I enjoy a good fantasy novel full of daring deeds and brave
people – how many times have I also secretly thought that the hero was an
idiot? Many other people have mentioned in their reviews that this novel seems
to have been heavily influenced by Buffy and I totally see where that comes
from. I always had a soft spot for Xander and I feel like we have his story
played out here. In a world that regularly falls apart, where fights can break
out at any moment how do you also manage to live a daily teenage life. Being a
teenager is already about heightened emotions and everything is intense, seeing
the wider picture is hard. I liked the juxtaposition in the novel of the snippets
of the ‘Indie Kids’ story line, which were short and punchy and to the point,
unlike the general fantasy novel exposition, and the day-to-day lives and
actions were drawn out and described in detail.
Instead of pure action this book heavily relies on its cast
of characters. Mikey is the main character and watching him interpret and
misunderstand the world around him was a pleasure and all too familiar. Even as
you are certain that he is missing something you are still just as much in the
dark as him.
What I really about Patrick Ness is that you can never have
a preconceived notion of what to expect from his writing because he always goes
out of his way to surprise you and that is such a joy when so many books just
do the same thing. I think everyone who has ever felt on the outside can learn
something from this book – just being you is your story, and that’s pretty
wonderful.
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