Publisher: Harper Teen
First Published: August 2015
336 pages (hardcover)
This book has probably one of the most unique ideas I've come across. You know how in a lot of teen novels, the main character(s) are the 'chosen ones' to put an end to a terrible evil? Or they are the special snowflakes (female characters specifically) who get caught in cheesy love triangles and the girl just doesn't realize how beautiful and special she is? And so on ... Well, this is a book not about those main characters. Yes, they are in this book, saving the world and falling in love with impossibly handsome boys, but this book is about the peripheral characters. You know, just random people who the main characters might have seen on a bus ride or something. The characters who just live in that world.
Something paranormal is happening in the world, with the Immortals capturing human vessels in an attempt to take over the earth. The indie kids are all wrapped up in the latest plot, trying to save the world. But for non indie kids like Mikey, Mel, Jared and Henna, their biggest problem is not trying to overthrow the Queen of Immortals, but rather, dealing with the reality of finally graduating high school and going their separate ways after.
This is a story about the problems of humans without supernatural abilities ... i.e. everyone else. Mikey is in love with Henna but doesn't know how to tell her. He and his best friend Jared are planning to attend separate colleges two states away. His mom is running for a political position and not really paying enough attention to her children while Mikey's dad is a semi-functioning alcoholic. The stress of everything is triggering Mikey's obsessive-compulsive behaviours to return, a demon he thought he defeated long ago. He's washing his hands repeatedly again, until his skin is cracked and bleeding. He's meticulously counting objects. He's constantly checking and rechecking that he locked the door properly, although he couldn't tell you what 'properly' means to him. He feels like he's falling apart.
And yes, in the mean time, indie kids are dying and traveling between worlds to overthrow the Immortals, which are probably bigger problems, but these are Mikey's problems and this is his reality.
I have to admit, I was initially very confused by this book. I made it to chapter 6 or something like that before I felt I had to go online and do some minor research into this book. Afterwards, I restarted the book and everything made sense again. I didn't know what the book meant by 'indie' kids initially (I thought indie = independent?? But the book's definition is basically 'special snowflake'). And each chapter started with a short paragraph on what the indie kids were up to in their quest to defeat the Immortals, but I didn't realize that that's what the chapter openers were about so I was just puzzled. Once you understand the structure though, it all makes sense.
I've heard of lots of great things about Patrick Ness and I think I have a whole bunch of his books on my mental "I want to read" list. This is the very first Patrick Ness book I actually got around to reading though, probably because it's his newest and was easiest to find at bookstores at this point in time.
The book is very much a coming-of-age novel and I loved the unique spin on the characters by making them "minor characters". It's understanding that, yeah, there are bigger problems in the world out there, but my problems are my reality and this is what I'm trying to deal with. 'Ordinary people' problems, if you will. Mikey and the rest of his friends all felt so genuine and young and innocent. It's a book that I think young adults/teenagers will easily feel related to.
While I did enjoy reading this book, at the same time, it did not wow me. I mean, we are talking about the mundane problems of teenagers here. After I finished reading this book, I skimmed through some reviews and some people felt this was not the greatest "first Patrick Ness novel" to be introduced to. I'm inclined to agree, probably; but I am sure I will continue trying other books of this author's.
My Rating: 2/5
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