Customer Reviews

Normal (Fearless)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It is not easy writing a long series full of action and with plenty of cliffhangers, but Francine Pascal is managing it. In this volume (#31), Gaia has to deal with her father being away again. That means she will stay in a boarding house specially set up for agents' children.

It is during this confusion that Gaia, through a series of new characters, may have found a way to become normal. Add the usual relationship dramas, a nasty new street drug and more complications that most books of this size could hold and you get a fast-paced rush of a story.

Here is what everyone is up to:

Gaia - Trying to become normal.

Ed - Still trying to get over his Gaiabetes and define his new girlfriend.

Tom - Away on assignment.

Oliver - Concerned about Gaia and becoming more forceful.

Jake - Still hooked on Gaia and loving it.

The Queen of Toothpaste, et al - The new rich kids and family. They attend Gaia's school but seem to have sought her out.

Shadowy Agents - More spies and agents running around making observations, leaving the reader to guess desperately as to who they are working for.

Note: This volume mentions Gaia's brother (from Gaia Abducted) thus tying in some of the events of Super Edition #2 (although much of it still contradicts the main series).

I am really mad at Gaia for what she did in this book. I'm sorry, but she doesn't realize fear will not make her normal. My friend and I are still fumeing from reading this book. But if you are planning on reading the book, still read it, I am just saying that you won't like the ending.

The book was written with no less quality than all of Francine Pascal's other books in this particular series. I found, however, that she continues to torture Gaia with the situations she is given. There are a lot of things that are happening in the book, and i'd address them, but i wouldn't want to give it away.

I was not happy with the way the book ended, but for those of you who are as intrigued by the series as I am, it's a must-read.

There have been 2 times during the series in which I was ready to write to Francine and tell her to lay off the drama, and this was another one of those times, however I think that with the addition of these plots, the series is only going to get better and better.

Normal starts out typically. The first few pages plunge the reader into the usual journal-like thoughts of Gaia Moore, and then advances quickly with little exposition. Rather than Gaia's point of view, the first section takes place with two gang members buying a heavy-duty drug from a dealer who calls himself "God". The reason they need this drug is to fight Gaia for revenge. Twice they assault her. The first time, she effortlessly fights all eight of them off with her friend Jake. The second time takes place later on.

There's no shortage of action here, as usual. However, if Gaia from book #1 and this book's Gaia had met, the older girl would have *loathed* this girl. Gaia here is a cheesy, sentimental shadow of her former self. Her sappiness is no doubt from her new relationship with Jake Montone. Also troubling is Gaia's sudden desire to "follow the rules," so to speak. This wouldn't be so bad; however, it leads Gaia to live in a boardinghouse and hang out with the annoying "perfect popular people" she once happily avoided. If the character were anyone *but* Gaia, this would be highly acceptable and even encouraged. Instead, it's bothersome and annoying. The real Gaia isn't cookie-cutter preppy popular girl; she's an independent kicker-of-ass, defender of the innocent. Not sappy or sentimental or maudlin or just plain cheesy.

Eventually Gaia feels that the craziness that always starts up must end. For some reason, though, her solution is to go to a scientist who comes up with a serum to give her real fear. Not an hour after this is done, she's attacked by the gang members in the park. Her reaction this time is to duck into the bushes and hide, and then run home. An action she'll regret later.

Between page 245 and 246, Ed and Kai walk through the park. Gaia goes to school the next day only to hear that they were attacked in the park. Neither one has nearly enough training Gaia has, so they had no chance of winning any fight. I won't spoil the end for you, but I will say that at least one of the two is in critical condition--but is not dead. Yet. This scene is such a shock that you're right there crying with Gaia, just as stunned and horrified. Any longtime Fearless fan or action/drama fan will be counting the days for the next book--just like I am.

I have been enjoying this series for a long time and I also enjoyed this book, so much so that I read it in four hours. In this book Gaia has to make alot of choices about things she has been living with for awhile. We also see Oliver's nature start to change, but not for the better. At the end something bad ends up happening and we are left waiting for the next one. If you enjoy Samurai Girl there is an excerpt for that at the back of Normal.

After 30 books I've had times of doubt on how Francine could keep this series going and still make it interesting but I must admit that this new storyline of hers is pulling me in all over again. This time things are very different. We as the readers have no clue who is now after Gaia, unlike previously when everybody know it was Loki, and then Yuri. This time we are totally in the dark and Gaia is in more danger than ever. Francine also gave the plot line some punch with the fact that Oliver is starting to return to his Loki ways and reassembled his "team". There are also two new characters, "the queen of toothpaste", Liz and her gay brother Chris, new super rich students who begin to attend Gaia's school, whom befriend Gaia. (I personally suspect they are up to no good). The HUGE cliffhanger ending at the end literally drove me mad. I can't wait to find out what happens between Gaia/Ed/Jake/Kai. Lets just say things are definitely gonna change.

I am a really big fan of these books and this one is no different than the others in quality. As long as I have been reading the books there have been a few times when I felt like writing Ms. Pascal and telling her to lay off the drama and this is one of them. The book is action packed as always and I am with Jake on wanting to know whats' up with Jake and Gaia. This book is a major cliffhanger. It leave you on the edge all through it and even more so at the end. Can't wait for #32!!!