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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Review From Gypsy Book Reviews, August 27, 2011
This review is from: The Shattering (Hardcover)
The Shattering was amazing. At first, from the summary, I thought it'd just be a book about murders (which I love, btw!), but it's so much more. I'm awed at the amount of complexity this book packs together--suicide, murder, bullying, being gay, and magic. Yeah, you heard that: there's magic included in this book. And it's not like waving wands or anything, but more Wicca magic. White magic and black magic and oh my god, so amazing. What I really loved about The Shattering is it's told in three points of view: Keri, Janna, and Sione. And it's set in New Zealand. Summerton, specifically, and it's CREEPY once you figure the book out. I don't know what to say without spoiling the book or gushing about it. I don't have to say everything about it (because I LOVE IT SO MUCH) or just gush (again: I LOVE IT SO MUCH) about it either. So let's go with the characters: Keri. She's smart, knows what to do, but when her brother kills himself, she doesn't have a plan and this throws her life in chaos. Janna. Janna, Janna. Janna can sometimes be a bitch, but she's also nice at times. And she's in a band called Vikings to the Left (love that name!) Sione. Oh, my poor Sione. He's the one who's being bullied most of the time and god, every time it happened, I wanted to kick somebody's ass. He doesn't deserve to be treated like they treated him! Also, since it's told in three points of view, I must say this: they're distinctive. Keri's POV is told in first person while Sione's and Janna's are in third person. And even if they were all told in one narrative, I think you'd still be able to figure it out. Janna's voice is a bit rougher at times, while Keri's is soft--but she also has a rough edge, and Sione. Sione sounded like a wounded puppy or a turtle stuck in its shell. He was just so wounded that I really do want to give him a hug and kiss him. And all the issues? They were tackled neatly and not like you were being pounded over the head with a message. This is one book I'm definitely going to have to shove in people's hands at bookstores. So much love! <3 I also believe this is a standalone novel. The ending (not the climax, mind you) takes place a year later, so I do believe it is a standalone novel. High five!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Intense and interesting, October 13, 2011
This review is from: The Shattering (Hardcover)
First Impressions: I was initially interested in this book because of the suicide factor. I haven't read many books that deal with suicide so I thought that this book would be something different for me to read and ponder about. The cover art is also pretty cool, and as you all know, I'm a sucker for books with cool covers. First 50 Pages: What I found I initially liked about The Shattering is that it is written from three different POV's: Keri, Janna, and Sione. I typically like this sort of thing because it gives each character's perspective on whatever the situation is. Some people may find it annoying, but it didn't bother me and I quite enjoyed it. I also loved the setting of the story. It takes place in New Zealand and it introduced me to a culture I didn't know very much about, actually, I didn't know anything about. For the first couple of chapters, I had to keep looking up cultural terms that were in the book that I didn't understand, but it wasn't that big of a deal. I like to broaden my horizons! Characters & Plot: I felt like each of the characters were well developed and made to be believable. They felt very real to me, especially Keri. She was the character I could connect with the most and I really enjoyed her part in the story. I didn't always like each of the characters but they were made to have their flaws and not be perfect. As for the plot, the best way I can describe it would be that it has a touch of magic mixed with a murder mystery. Towards the middle of the book, the plot became highly predictable and that was a bit of a disappointment to me. I really enjoy books where I can't figure out what is going to happen with some twists and some turns. This book just didn't have that and it was a let down. I would have preferred a little more unpredictability. Despite that, I enjoyed the ending of this book and I feel like the author did a good job wrapping everything up well. Final Thoughts: I think that that book would be suitable for an older teen, since it does deal with some tougher issues. I enjoyed the author's writing style and especially loved the realness of her characters. Like I had said before, the plot is kind of predictable, but the characters and the messages this book brings makes up for that flaw. If you are looking for a book that isn't really paranormal, dystopian, or whatever else is flogging up the YA shelves right now, I'd recommend trying out this book!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
An okay book with a great premise., September 9, 2011
This review is from: The Shattering (Hardcover)
The Shattering by Karen Healey is a murder mystery with magic. Awesome. I had the book figured out before reaching the halfway mark and I was tempted to put it down for being predictable, but the characters kept me going. I'm glad I kept on. There came a twist that I wasn't expecting and a revelation that left me, at first, like "oh" and then I realized what it meant and was like "ooooh." And then I felt an emotion of the sad kind. I'm pretty sure my heart broke at the same time as the unnamed character's (unnamed so as not to give spoilers). Otherwise, until that moment, I found the story to have lost its pace. The beginning was awesome, the middle was so-so, and the end was great. Though I had issues with the story, Healey writes fantastic three-dimensional characters who have faults and redeeming qualities. They're real people; I didn't like them sometimes and I loved them most of the time. I really had fun getting to know Keri, Janna, and Sione. It's not a book for everyone, but maybe for someone who is looking to read something different and doesn't need an action-packed story. I didn't hate the book, but I didn't love it either.
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