Things Hoped For by Andrew Clements
Things Hoped For
by Andrew Clements
(Audio)
I read book #1 and book #3 in this series (not realizing there was a #2). Because I liked those books, I knew I needed to read this book. And I finally tracked down a copy and did. Because that was my plan. But you probably guessed that. Because I like plans. And I like books. And this was a book.
So... yeah. I didn't notice it in the other two books, so maybe it has to do with the new main character in this one's way of speaking. But every other sentence in this book began with the words But, And, or Because. A third of the way through, that was irritating. By the end, I was cringing every time. It was so ridiculous. I was a giant squid of anger for a week while getting through this book. My apologies to my family and coworkers who I ranted to about the writing.
There were things I liked about this book: I loved Gwen as a strong character. I loved the musical undertones/analogies/sub-plotlines. I liked Robert (Bobby to me) showing up. I liked "meeting" the strange invisible Brit in this one and understanding his motivation in the third book that I'd already read. I even sort of liked the mystery of where Gwen's grandfather disappeared to.
I wasn't prepared for the answer. And I wasn't prepared for this book to be so back-heavy and slow at the beginning. I definitely wasn't prepared for so many Buts and Ands and Becauses. And it wasn't just the way Gwen talked. Because other characters were talking that way too, even though it was easiest to notice because of her West Virginian accent. And it really was driving me crazy and making me wonder if the other books had the same thing and I just hadn't noticed. But you'd think I'd have noticed. Because I earread both of those on audio as well. But I'm not going to go back and re-read them to find out. Because there are many other great books out there that need reading.