Review: The Shattering by Karen Healey

Tags: YA, fantasy, New Zealand, murder

Summary

Keri never believed that her beloved older brother Jake was actually capable of committing suicide, so when her childhood friend, Janna, and Sione, a boy from out of town, propose another theory—that their older brothers were actually murdered—she jumps on board their investigation. As the three teens explore further, they begin to realize that Summerton, their “perfect” tourist town, actually has some sinister secrets hidden behind its beautiful surface. There are people who are willing to do whatever it takes to keep Summerton the way it is, but Keri, Janna, and Sione are also willing to do whatever they can to ensure that no other family has to suffer the way they did.

Review

I was lukewarm on Karen Healey’s award-winning debut novel, Guardian of the Dead, but after reading THE SHATTERING’s eerie and absorbing first chapter, I was willing to give her books a second try. Unfortunately, THE SHATTERING just confirmed what I was already worried about: that there is something “off” with either me or with Healey’s writing, resulting in a disconnect between her stories and me.

As I mentioned, THE SHATTERING starts off strong. The cast of characters is diverse, and each main character has their own worries and distinct personality. You’re not quite sure what’s going on in Summerton, and so you read on, your heart fluttering to know. It’s a great setup, and all the elements are there to make it a good story: the suspense, the characters’ personal investment, the tensions between the characters, and the hint of a threat beneath it all.

Unfortunately, THE SHATTERING was ultimately a frustrating read for me. Oftentimes I felt like I was singlehandedly trying to pull a stubborn mule and his cart up an unending hill, that was how much the plot dragged at times. A large part of THE SHATTERING felt simply like the characters were running around, not finding out much. Once again, the problem I had with Guardian of the Dead arose here: I felt like the ultimate setup and revelation of the suspense did not justify all the “effort” that the characters—and readers—invested into discovering it. In short, I liked the characters, but wanted them to be part of a different story: either one that wasn’t so ambitious in its supernatural elements (so perhaps a contemporary novel, which poses its own awe-inspiring complexities), or one that did succeed at achieving its supernatural ambitions (i.e. an urban fantasy that is more fantasy than urban).

THE SHATTERING will find its audience in fans of uncommon elements of speculative fiction. It is far from bad, but it just didn’t have the special something, that readerly investment, that I crave in my books.

Cover discussion: I think it's cool-looking, but, like I said in my review, I'm not sure if it really reflects the...under-impact of the book.

Little, Brown / Sept. 5, 2011 / Hardcover / 320pp. / $17.99

ARC sent by publisher.

Review: Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey

Tags: YA, magical realism, New Zealand

Summary

Ellie’s life seems to be going as normally as possible, until an intimidating and odd older woman begins to seduce her asexual best friend Kevin. That, plus an increasing number of unexpected encounters with Mark, an enigmatic and handsome day student, opens Ellie up to the frightening world of Maori folklore. An ambitious group of Maori faeries are conspiring for their chance at immortality, at the cost of hundreds of thousands of human lives, and Ellie, Mark, and their friends must use what little they’ve learned about the creatures to stop them before all of New Zealand is destroyed forever.

Review

While certainly different from most speculative YA fiction out there, GUARDIAN OF THE DEAD did not give me the connectivity that I always require from an enjoyable reading experience. For me, it was an ambitious debut novel that was successful in the details of YA originality but missed most of the larger essentials of storytelling.

The things I appreciated about this book were mostly, sadly, superficial, at least when it comes to my criteria for liking a book. I appreciated that Ellie did not have the physical features of a typical YA protagonist. She is instead tall, big-boned, and skilled in tae kwon do. The book’s concept is also refreshing, featuring New Zealand mythology instead of more well-known European inspirations.

Beyond these things, however, there was much that frustrated me. The book seemed to rely on an unseeming and awkward chain of events in order to present information and move the plot along. Good stories don’t feel forced: they flow from scene to scene nearly unnoticed, and readers glean information effortlessly. GUARDIAN OF THE DEAD, however, felt to me like a bunch of scenes strung together to give us the painfully slow reveal of the story’s fantastical element. Most of the things in this book just felt very disconnected from one another, like puzzle pieces that look great individually, but do not fit together.

Still, this book has received a lot of praise and even some highly coveted YA lit awards. Perhaps it is my demand for great storytelling over unique concepts that made this book miss its mark with me. Perhaps you will love it. There’s only one way to find out.

Similar Authors
Anastasia Hopcus (Shadow Hills)
Kimberly Derting (The Body Finder)

Writing: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Plot: 3/5

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5


Cover discussion: 3 out of 5 - Very creepy, and thus very appropriate for this book.

Little, Brown / April 1, 2010 / Hardcover / 345pp. / $17.99

Personal copy; read for Cybils.