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jurassicreads's review against another edition
3.0
This was an eerie, unexpected novel that had plenty of dark surprises around every corner.
At no time while reading "The Replacement" was I able to look ahead and guess either the upcoming scene or the ending. This is a great stand-alone book, although part of me is a little more curious about the world that is constructed.
Character development of the main character, Mackie, and the side characters is well-done, although at times a little lacking. Mackie is understandably a confused individual, but I felt like he was a little too quiet or stereotypically 'misunderstood.' I wish he had opened up to his peers earlier in the novel.
I'm not usually interested in creepy, dark books like this, but it was a fun ride. Yovanoff's writing is interesting, and a little different than anything I've read before.
The imagery and descriptions used throughout the book were greatly appreciated and I felt like I could really see the characters and environments as they happened.
My main disinterest in this novel is the fact that world built here was a little confusing or incomplete. At times, I felt like decisions were a 'this or that,' but by the end of the book it feels as if there was a lot of grey area that meant decisions weren't really that important.
At no time while reading "The Replacement" was I able to look ahead and guess either the upcoming scene or the ending. This is a great stand-alone book, although part of me is a little more curious about the world that is constructed.
Character development of the main character, Mackie, and the side characters is well-done, although at times a little lacking. Mackie is understandably a confused individual, but I felt like he was a little too quiet or stereotypically 'misunderstood.' I wish he had opened up to his peers earlier in the novel.
I'm not usually interested in creepy, dark books like this, but it was a fun ride. Yovanoff's writing is interesting, and a little different than anything I've read before.
The imagery and descriptions used throughout the book were greatly appreciated and I felt like I could really see the characters and environments as they happened.
My main disinterest in this novel is the fact that world built here was a little confusing or incomplete. At times, I felt like decisions were a 'this or that,' but by the end of the book it feels as if there was a lot of grey area that meant decisions weren't really that important.
meginsanity's review against another edition
4.0
The Replacement is a story about changelings, the idea that sometimes fairy creatures steal away human children from their cribs and replace them with their own castoff children. This book updates the idea and brings it to the modern town of Gentry, where we follow a changeling, and the undoing of his world around him.
This young adult novel manages to include paranormal themes while also touching upon mature subjects and remaining true to the thought processes of teenagers. While I thought some characters were underdeveloped, the world of Gentry and its underworld were nicely fleshed-out, with an intriguing backstory. I enjoyed the way "old world" mythology became modern, although at times it felt the author was trying to be too cool and edgy, particularly in some scenes set at a club.
The mood of the story is really handled well. You can feel the funk/depression/fog the main character is in, and it suffuses the pages with its own kind of melancholy. Reading this really is like entering Mackie Doyle's brain, with its concerns about girls at school coexisting with worries about the dark fairy underground he finds himself flirting with. It's good stuff.
This young adult novel manages to include paranormal themes while also touching upon mature subjects and remaining true to the thought processes of teenagers. While I thought some characters were underdeveloped, the world of Gentry and its underworld were nicely fleshed-out, with an intriguing backstory. I enjoyed the way "old world" mythology became modern, although at times it felt the author was trying to be too cool and edgy, particularly in some scenes set at a club.
The mood of the story is really handled well. You can feel the funk/depression/fog the main character is in, and it suffuses the pages with its own kind of melancholy. Reading this really is like entering Mackie Doyle's brain, with its concerns about girls at school coexisting with worries about the dark fairy underground he finds himself flirting with. It's good stuff.
kmthomas06's review against another edition
4.0
A delightfully creepy book - a perfect fall read. Mackie, the main character, has to be one of my favorite protagonists in a long time - a teenager who is confused and scared but willing to try to save his world when he needs to. The fact that he is also a changling just makes him that much cooler.
demilee1369's review against another edition
3.0
This story took a lot for me to get into, I literally started and stopped 6 times before finally being able to progress through it. The main character is a major douche in my opinion but he does grow out of that stage, which improves the story heaps. I love the strong female characters in this story and the image/message they bring across for young women who read this story.
befsk's review against another edition
2.0
A drab and ill-defined book. Lifeless setting, meaningless plot and conflict. No point to the entire story, no lessons to be learned at all. Dull main character, but then all of the characters were dull, truth be told. I struggled to make myself pick the book back up, and I put it down frequently.
lorilaws's review against another edition
3.0
Makie Doyle knows he's different. The whole town knows he's different, but they don't talk about it. Never talk about it. They know that children disappear every 7 years. They don't talk about that either. Mackie's tired of not talking and not taking any action. He's going to get to the bottom of all these secrets and find out a lot about himself along the way.
The Replacement is dark and gritty. In the vain of Holly Black's books. The world that Yovanoff has created is very original and not your common fairy realm. Actually, I think the word fairy was never used in the book. These aren't the pretty things you know as fairies. These are ugly and just a little creepy. I loved them!
I'm not 100% sure I liked Mackie. He was a little emotional and whiny for my tastes. He was overall a interesting main character, but he's wasn't my favorite. No, that title belongs to the Morrigan. She was a wonderfully creepy character. I think I could read books and books about her. All the supporting characters were great. Tate was completely kick ass, Emma was loving and compassionate, and Roswell was the greatest best friend in the world.
My biggest complaint about the book is, it seemed like nothing really happened the first 200 pages and then in the last 100 pages when something did happen, it was anticlimactic. This could just be a problem with me. I was in a bit of a reading rut when I read this.
Overall, this is a fantastic debut. I predict that Brenna Yovanoff will be around for a long time to come. Oh, and by the way, Tim Burton should totally make this into a movie! It was made for him!
The Replacement is dark and gritty. In the vain of Holly Black's books. The world that Yovanoff has created is very original and not your common fairy realm. Actually, I think the word fairy was never used in the book. These aren't the pretty things you know as fairies. These are ugly and just a little creepy. I loved them!
I'm not 100% sure I liked Mackie. He was a little emotional and whiny for my tastes. He was overall a interesting main character, but he's wasn't my favorite. No, that title belongs to the Morrigan. She was a wonderfully creepy character. I think I could read books and books about her. All the supporting characters were great. Tate was completely kick ass, Emma was loving and compassionate, and Roswell was the greatest best friend in the world.
My biggest complaint about the book is, it seemed like nothing really happened the first 200 pages and then in the last 100 pages when something did happen, it was anticlimactic. This could just be a problem with me. I was in a bit of a reading rut when I read this.
Overall, this is a fantastic debut. I predict that Brenna Yovanoff will be around for a long time to come. Oh, and by the way, Tim Burton should totally make this into a movie! It was made for him!
brystuard's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
shubba_the_emo_reader's review against another edition
2.0
I had been looking forward to reading this since it was first released over the states. Sadly being the UK I had to wait longer for it. Then a online friend sent me their copy and I was super excited. However, I was disappointed in the story line.
The Replacement had the potiental to be a very unique and fantastic story. However, its just doesn't. Although I read it rather quick. It didn't grab me and quite frankly left me rather confused. In most books we will get some background story that will help the reader with the different world. However, here we have just been dumped into a world with no explanation on how things are there.
The story is told from Mackie point of view. Mackie was switch with a human child when he was just baby and he is trying to live a normal human life. There wasn't really anything memorial about Mackie or most of the characters for that matter. Only one character stood out for me and that was Mackie big sister Emma. It was her love for her "brother" that really stood out to me. She adores Mackie even though he isn't really her biological brother.
Although, about a third into the book, the story picks up a little bit and we start to understand this strange world and why its the way it is.
It's an interesting world that Brenna has created with monsters and stuff of nightmares. However, I would suggest though if you really wanted to read this borrow it.
The Replacement had the potiental to be a very unique and fantastic story. However, its just doesn't. Although I read it rather quick. It didn't grab me and quite frankly left me rather confused. In most books we will get some background story that will help the reader with the different world. However, here we have just been dumped into a world with no explanation on how things are there.
The story is told from Mackie point of view. Mackie was switch with a human child when he was just baby and he is trying to live a normal human life. There wasn't really anything memorial about Mackie or most of the characters for that matter. Only one character stood out for me and that was Mackie big sister Emma. It was her love for her "brother" that really stood out to me. She adores Mackie even though he isn't really her biological brother.
Although, about a third into the book, the story picks up a little bit and we start to understand this strange world and why its the way it is.
It's an interesting world that Brenna has created with monsters and stuff of nightmares. However, I would suggest though if you really wanted to read this borrow it.