Customer Reviews

Sweet Sixteen (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

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

 

 

In Sunnydale demons are no surprise to Buffy. Not even when a bunch of them show up in line for cat food at the local Quick Stop. Buffy, as usual, to the rescue. Except that this time an unassuming looking middle school student loses her cool and unexpectedly rips a demon to shreds. But before Buffy can say "hello" the girl is gone and the mystery gets filed away. For our regular girl wonder realizes that someone has elected her target in the demonic equivalent of 'Survivor.' This time the show seems to be called 'Get That Slayer."

The unexpected demon stomper is Arianna DuPrey, a fellow student at Dawn's school. Arianna, the child of a hypercritical mother, has spent most of her life avoiding attention. Now she finds herself in the possession of the kind of powers that she has previously only fantasized about and she is terrified. While she is trying to cope with this she attracts the attention, and then the friendship of Dawn, who has had her own struggles with being different. When Buffy discovers that Dawn's new friend is also the mystery girl from the Quick Stop there is a bit of a scramble before Arianna begins to accept that Buffy, Dawn, and the rest of the Scooby gang actually want to help her discover that has happened to her. For Arianna, who has always been a loner, this is a major, and sometimes difficult, adjustment.

But Arianna's coming into her powers has awakened one more player. Sensing an opportunity for freedom and power another Aurek Kiritan arouses himself to seek re-entry into the human plane. Arianna's father, her mother's demon lover, returns to the human plane, intent on having his half-human young daughter assume the role of the Reaver, a creature of legend, intent on bearing destruction wherever she goes. For this he will give her three gifts and require her willing consent. Only one thing stands in his way - Buffy and her band of friends, who keep reminding Arianna of her human half. Into this relationship he must drive a wedge or face the destruction of his own dreams.

The conflict in this book between Arianna's need to be special and Buffy's own need to be human sets up a relationship that will bring change to both. And the normally petulant and slightly impossible Dawn reveals her own in inner strength in the mirror of care and acceptance she holds up to both her sister and her friend. Arianna's confusion about whether her father is hero or horror, her inability to resolve her feelings for Dawn and Buffy, and her indecision about her own nature make this a particularly poignant book. As is often the case, Buffy books such as this one from Scott Ciencin have a lot to say about more important things than the slaying of vampires. This one does that particularly well, using fine writing and a memorable plot. Great reading.

I thought that Sweet Sixteen was a great book to read. The Story was really creative and we got to see a different side to Buffy and Dawn in the book. I think that Buffy being a kind of mentor to Arianna was absolutely brillant and the whole story was great. The whole back story of the girl getting superpowers and buffy seeing herself in the gilr and wanting to help her kind of reminds me of why I like the Buffster. Two thumbs Up.

Scott Ciencin doesn't deserve praise of any kind for this book.

The story of Sweet Sixteen is so drawn-out (even at only 211 pages) that I, a Buffy fanatic, became bored with it quickly. Ciencin focuses so much on his own characters that most of the others are completely lost. Arianna is a bland character. She changes her mind at least 5 times throughout the book.

By biggest problem comes on page 133. My favorite quote of all time on the show Buffy is in the season 5 (the same season Sweet Sixteen takes place in) episode "The Gift." Spike says to Buffy, "I know I'm a monster, but you treat me like a man." Ciencin takes this quote, twists it, and applies it to a different situation. In Sweet Sixteen, he puts in as something Spike to said to Buffy concerning her mother's death... the quote now reads, "I know I'm a monster, but your mother treated me like a man." Why would Spike say this to Buffy about her mother? The book takes place before "The Gift," but why would Spike say that about Buffy's mom if he would later say it about Buffy herself? I know it's not that big of a deal, but Ciencin took a beautiful quote and manipulated it for his own story. That really bugged me.

Do NOT buy Sweet Sixteen. It's boring. Plain and simple. But... I do have to say I enjoyed one part of this book: the reference to Psycho Beach Party. Otherwise, I would never recommend this book.

In "Sweet Sixteen" first-time Buffy author Scott Ciencin comes up with an interesting plot idea to revitalize several standard Buffy themes. Thus we are introduced to Arianna, a young girl who is chosen for a mystical purpose, albeit something other than vampire slaying, although exactly what is part of the novel's guessing game. However, the key twist here is that Arianna is one of Dawn's classmates, which brings to the forefront the deep desire of Buffy's sister to be a real Scoobie, the expanding world of the Buffy mythos, and the living hell that is school when you are a teenager.

This is a book where there are more demons than vampires running about, but the true evil in "Sweet Sixteen" has a human face. Arianna's mother is such a horribly abusive parent that it seems reasonable to both the poor girl and the readers that her father would have to be an improvement. But this is the Buffy universe where the dictum that it is better to deal with the devil you know is pretty much gospel.

One of the strengths of this book is the way Ciencin captures the horrible way young teenager girls treat each other. What Buffy and Willow had to endure with Cordelia and the Cordettes is nothing compared to what Dawn and Arianna have to put up with the Sweater Mafia at school. (Question: What grade is Dawn in? Arianna is the one who turns 16 in "Sweet Sixteen," which is the same age Buffy was at the beginning of Season 2, when she was a junior in High School. But I certainly have never gotten the feeling Dawn was that old at this point, i.e., late in Season 5.)

My main complaint is that Ciencin engages is one of those convenient plot manipulations that drive me crazy, wherein Arianna discovers she has a particular power and then avoids using that particular power because if she did the story would be over. Ciencin puts off this eventuality until the key dramatic moment, but it is just too artificial for my tastes, especially after a couple of scenes where Arianna toys with the idea of using her power but backs off each time. However, Ciencin has an excellent feel for dialogue for these characters and exploring the idea that there are others out there besides the Slayer who have been called by the Powers that Be (or whoever is behind the Buffy universe) has long been overdue.

What I mean by that is in this book the author takes a quote from the episode 'The Gift' from Season 5 and twists it. The original quote from Spike to Buffy in the episode went, 'I know I'm a monster, but you treat me like a man.' It was one of the most emotional moments of the season and showed us how Spike had evolved from something evil and hateful to something good and promising. It was a defining comment from him and was a preview of what was to come in the 6th and 7th seasons.
The author butchered the moment and morphed it into a new one he created himself of Spike telling Buffy in this book, 'I know I'm a monster, but your mom treated me like a man.' I mean, why would he do something like that? It didn't even make sense! Ugh, that being the only thing that ruined a 5 star rating, the rest of the book was pretty well written.

Dawn overhears a girl in school being mistreated by the infamous 'sweater mafia', or in other words, the popular girls and steps in.
Dawn becomes a target for the group as they seek revenge and Dawn begins to discover weird things about her new friend Arianna. For one, she can lift a thousand pounds without breaking a sweat and can take on her big sis The Slayer with no problem.
The more the gang tries to fing out about the mysterious girl the more they become confused. With unusual superstrength and healing power unknown to a Slayer, Arianna is harboring a dark secret and a dangerous legacy that could destroy everything...as soon as she becomes 16....

Written after Joyce's death and Dawn's revelation of being The Key, somewhere in the middle of the 5th season. Good portrayal of Buffy's struggle to deal with her mom's death and her guardianship of Dawn and her fear of the season's villian, the hellgod Glory finding Dawn finally. The author also touches on Spike's deep love for Buffy and his struggle to protect her and Dawn and how Buffy doesn't seem to want any of it.
Extremely good plot, just get rid of the twisted moment with Spike and Buffy.....

Tracy Talley~@

when dawn comes home with a new friend, buffy is shocked. she had
seen this girl on patrol a few nights before. the girl has amazing speed and power like a slayer but obviously is not one.
the scooby gang take the girl under their wing and try to find
out the source of her ability. the more they dig, the more
sinister the plot is. because on her sixteenth birthday she will
come into her destiny which also includes killing the slayer. this book is very intriguing and leaves you waiting to the end
to find the outcome. highly recommend.

I took a while getting around to "Sweet Sixteen" since it was a YA, but found it definitely worth the visit. Ciencin's witty prose has the Buffy vernacular down cold, and he knows how to write a story that hooks you from page one. Excellent set-up in Chapter 1, and it just gets better from there. His mastery of the familiar personalities shows he is a fellow fan, and the emphasis on new characters gives the book a freshness that is invigorating. I'm amazed to see that this is Ciencin's Buffy debut; let's hope he'll be persuaded to do more.

Buffy is fighting demons at a convenience store when she witnesses a girl dispatch a demon even more easily than she could. Concerned that a young teen will have to deal with coming into power without some sort of help, Buffy tries to track down the teen. The search proves fruitless until she comes home and finds the girl hanging with Dawn. Misunderstandings aside, Dawn's new friend is introduced to the Scoobs and they try to help her understand and deal with her new powers even if they can't figure out where they have come from. But the young teen plays a very important role for her father and his plans for the seven realms. She will have to deal with her new power and figure out who she can trust before a possible destiny can bring terror to many worlds. To complicate the matter, Buffy seems to be the target of all manner of demon groups who don't act in normal demon ways.

Another good Buffy story set in the sixth season. The coming into powers story was well-handled and tied into Buffy's own experiences in the matter. The story also does a good job of showing that things aren't usually black and white. The subplot involving Buffy as target was also well integrated into the story. A must read for Buffy fans.

I love Buffy books, and when I read the back cover to this book, I was really excited to read it. When I was done, I felt that something was missing. Perhaps it could have used more plot twists.

On night when Buffy was on patrol, she comes across some demons, and to Buffy's suprise, she sees a girl that could handle herself aganist demons. The next day, Dawn befriends a girl that's picked on. Dawn quickly becomes her friend, but wonders why she won't stand up to those who are picking on her. Dawn brings the girl homes, and to Buffy's suprise, the girl that Dawn brought home is the same girl that could hold her own aganist demons. Buffy and the scooby gang set out to find out who this mysterious stranger is. When they find out who she is.....will any of them be safe. This is the coming of age for a demon.

The style of writing is okay. I feel it could have used a bit more of a plot twist.

Over is it was okay. If you're a Buffy fan, go ahead and read it. I read better Buffy books, but then, I also read worse.

"Sweet Sixteen" deviated from the normal "Buffy" novel and at the same time, old familiarities were made fresh by Ciecin. Ciencin gave the reader an intimate look at the new Summer household without Joyce. Dawn still attends the same school she received the devasting news about her mother and she's quietly petrified over her sister facing the possibility of death as the slayer. Ciencin managed Spike well; the helpful demon who manages to mangle his good intentions. The reader shouldn't expect major Scooby action, because they have to take a backseat to a fully developed character, Arianna, who has a story that will keep the reader engaged until the last word of the novel. This book will bring a smile to one's face, young and old.