| Title: Wake |
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| Author: Lisa McMann | ||
| Genre: Fantasy | ||
| Publisher: Simon Pulse | ||
| Elements: Visions | ||
| Series: Book 1 of a series |
This is going to be a slightly harsh review, but Wake just didn't seem all that compelling to me. It was an okay read, and by okay, I mean that I won't bother reading it again. Without the mystery (and kind of a lame one at that), I probably wouldn't even give a second glance to the book. The cover is pretty.For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people's dreams is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobody-notices dreams, and the sex-crazed dreams. Janie's seen enough fantasy booty to last her a lifetime.
She can't tell anybody about what she does -- they'd never believe her, or worse, they'd think she's a freak. So Janie lives on the fringe, cursed with an ability she doesn't want and can't control.
Then she falls into a gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else's twisted psyche. She is a participant....
It's a pretty fast paced book, and it has a slightly impersonal 3rd person view to it. The characters were pretty flat, which probably contributes to the impersonal feeling. As for the dreams, they're really nonsensical. Not in the sense that they're normal nonsensical dreams, but in the sense that the dreams are either nightmares/sex fantasies/ or the common falling/naked dreams.
I don't think people dream about falling or being naked that often. And is it supposed to be coincidence that Janey's best friend and neighbour has the same nightmare in the 2 times they have a sleepover in over 4 years or so?
Overall, the one-dimensional writing and characters just overwhelms what could have been a very interesting story.
Recommended for:
Readers who love reading about people discovering more about their sixth senses.
The book does seem very impersonal. I thought the choice to use 3rd person was strange...
ReplyDeleteThose were my thoughts too! I thought the dreams were too easy to solve the story and the fact that Cabel had this secret job was so corny!
ReplyDeleteI've heard a lot of mixed things about this. They cover is so pretty though!
ReplyDeleteCupcakewitch - Maybe Lisa McMann doesn't want to scare us if it's in first person view.
ReplyDeleteGreenBeanTeenQueen - Yeah! It just seems so convenient.
Jen - Mhmm! I think I'll still read Fade, though.
I just don't know about this one. I might have to skip it.
ReplyDeleteHey Liyana,
I got you something! Check it out at my blog!
Christina
I completely agree w/ you about the dreams. People don't really have those kinds of dreams. I also agree about the friend having the same dream those times, that is just ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteI like the books but they could have been so much better if Lisa developed the characters more and I dunno made the story better somehow. It wasn't as awesome as it could be. :)
Something about the detatched view appealed to me, I think it was because if we got too attached to Janie the alcoholic mom thing would have overshadowed the being sucked into dreams thing. You make a lot of valid points that I hadn't considered and it definitely makes me want to take a more critical look at the book! I do love the original story line though-after reading so much ya lit I am always excited when something different comes along :) Thanks for commenting!
ReplyDeleteI won a bet against my mom concerning my SAT scores, meaning new books for me! I was seriously considering getting this one but now I'm not so sure. I think I may try and get it from the library before buying it now.
ReplyDelete