Witch Eyes, by Scott Tracey

[rachelmanija]

This is the first selection for my permanent floating YA diversity book clubI apologize for the lateness of this review. I started grad school in October, and the quarter ended this week. I will put up the poll for the December Book club selection today. Please vote

Comments

[thecityofdis]

I was especially perplexed by the ending because both Braden and Trey's actions (or would-have-been actions) planted them firmly in the land of Unsympathetic Characters.

And I agree that it is trope-ridden, and the writing I thought was OK. But for some reason - even though it was NOT AT ALL what I expected (I was thinking more Gangs of New York and less Family Feud) I enjoyed it more than I expected to and look forward to the sequel.

tl;dr I HAVE FEELINGS ABOUT THIS BOOK.

[rachelmanija]

I kind of wanted to have more feelings than I actually did. But I will check out the sequel. A lot of the problems had to do with everything being rushed and underexplained, so maybe some of that will sort itself out now that at least some stuff has already been established.

I wasn't even sure how much I should sympathize with what Braden and Trey were doing toward the end, because I couldn't figure out what they (well, mostly Trey) thought they were trying to accomplish and why. Like, how much did Trey actually know about what his mom was doing, and to what extent was he helping her?

The part where the tropiness actually worked for me was when Drew was suddenly all, "OH HAI I'M A WEREWOLF WOLF-SHIFTER," and I thought, "Of course you are."

[thecityofdis]

I agree with you; there were a lot of things that were unclear. But I've noticed this is a (pretty new?) trend lately - after reading the first book in a duology or trilogy, regardless of my enjoyment level I still have no idea what the hell is going on (see: THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER. Fairly unoriginal structure/plotting. Fabulous writing. BUT WHY IS EVERYTHING HAPPENING?)

I'm getting less forgiving the more I encounter it, though. There has to be a way to set up sequels without intentionally obfuscating your own debut novel.

Dear Authors: Get out of your own way.

[rachelmanija]

I too have read an increasing number of recent YAs in which very major plot points and character motivations make no sense at all. Just tell us why people are doing what they're doing! It's not forbidden, honest!

[thecityofdis]

I agree.

Where is Melissa Joan Hart when you need her?

[derien]

I've read an increasing number of fic by younger writers which make me feel that way, too. I don't know if it's just because they're young or if there's some kind of sea change coming about in society and communications.

[rachelmanija]

I vote for youth re: fic, and lack of editorial guidance re: recent YA novels. Fic by young writers has been incoherent since I first started reading it, and that was nearly 20 years ago.

[shati]

I remember being annoyed with Maze Runner over this.

[tool_of_satan]

A lot of the problems had to do with everything being rushed and underexplained, so maybe some of that will sort itself out now that at least some stuff has already been established.

If I had to pick one word to describe the book it would be "perfunctory." Overexplaining is, I think, a common failure mode of new writers, but I think a lot more would have helped here.

[ejmam]

I didn't want any more *stuff* to be explained -- I thought the main drag were people stopping to explain stuff for no real reason. *People* needed more explanation, but since the whole book was in Braden's voice that would be hard since he remained fairly clueless about other people. So the book needed people to show their motivations through their acts, and that was often flimsy. I didn't get the feeling that characters kept living when Braden wasn't talking to them.

Also, this is petty but I hated his name. Also I can't make my fingers type it correctly.

My thirteen year old had no problems with anyone's motivations, though. He thought it made perfect sense. Maybe we are just all old.