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A review by thatdecembergirl
Not Even Bones by Rebecca Schaeffer
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
2.0
I breezed through this book in two days. That alone deserves one star, I suppose, even when the reasons I read it rather fast are both easy readability and absolutely nothing compels me to take it slow or savor every sentence or scene during reading, unlike Lapvona.
This is not the most well-written novel I've ever read, but the light undertones succeeded in keeping me reading. The idea is interesting. I wouldn't say brand new or completely original, but still interesting nonetheless. What if the creatures of legends and myths, the non-human, are actually real and they live between us? The unicorns, the kappas, the mermaids, even the vampires? And what if the fact that they're non-human often means they're dangerous, or wanted for the properties of their body parts like some freaking exotic animals?
Rather nice, right?
The premise is also quite fun to imagine. Probably would be a prison break story but make it a human trafficking market instead of prison. BUT... the book doesn't live up to its potential. I don't know if this is a YA books problem or an author's skill issue, but things get funny (and not in a good way) around 40% mark, or wherever mark it was when Nita makes her initial escape from her cage. (Sorry for the lack of spoiler tag, I don't think it's worth it.) The overall problem is that things get solved way too easy. Schaeffer kept upping the stakes for her characters but no matter what problem she threw, it was always unbelievably easy to get out of. And everything is heavily dependent of luck, or just plain nonsense. How could you walk through an unfamiliar rainforest for the FIRST TIME and then successfully going back and forth to two different locations WITHOUT getting lost? The passcode to the human cage is WRITTEN DOWN RIGHT BESIDE IT?? The protagonist proposing to burn a frigging RAINFOREST and her sole reason is (and I quote here) "This whole place is made of wood—it should light up pretty easily."??? What about natural humidity?? What about... I don't know, some logic???
Also, Nita the protagonist has the ability to heal herself. This by itself is definitely amazing. But it doesn't make any sense to me to know that her ability doesn't seem like consuming anything. She heals herself from GUNSHOT WOUNDS without feeling intense hunger or having required to eat anything beforehand or in the aftermath. She doesn't pass out in exhaustion, too. She doesn't need extra hours of sleeping for her energy to recharge after major healing sessions and no food. Girl, babygirl, I don't think physical exertion in that capacity works like that. Things have to be exchanged in equivalent. Otherwise, it's just bullshit.
This is not the most well-written novel I've ever read, but the light undertones succeeded in keeping me reading. The idea is interesting. I wouldn't say brand new or completely original, but still interesting nonetheless. What if the creatures of legends and myths, the non-human, are actually real and they live between us? The unicorns, the kappas, the mermaids, even the vampires? And what if the fact that they're non-human often means they're dangerous, or wanted for the properties of their body parts like some freaking exotic animals?
Rather nice, right?
The premise is also quite fun to imagine. Probably would be a prison break story but make it a human trafficking market instead of prison. BUT... the book doesn't live up to its potential. I don't know if this is a YA books problem or an author's skill issue, but things get funny (and not in a good way) around 40% mark, or wherever mark it was when Nita makes her initial escape from her cage. (Sorry for the lack of spoiler tag, I don't think it's worth it.) The overall problem is that things get solved way too easy. Schaeffer kept upping the stakes for her characters but no matter what problem she threw, it was always unbelievably easy to get out of. And everything is heavily dependent of luck, or just plain nonsense. How could you walk through an unfamiliar rainforest for the FIRST TIME and then successfully going back and forth to two different locations WITHOUT getting lost? The passcode to the human cage is WRITTEN DOWN RIGHT BESIDE IT?? The protagonist proposing to burn a frigging RAINFOREST and her sole reason is (and I quote here) "This whole place is made of wood—it should light up pretty easily."??? What about natural humidity?? What about... I don't know, some logic???
Also, Nita the protagonist has the ability to heal herself. This by itself is definitely amazing. But it doesn't make any sense to me to know that her ability doesn't seem like consuming anything. She heals herself from GUNSHOT WOUNDS without feeling intense hunger or having required to eat anything beforehand or in the aftermath. She doesn't pass out in exhaustion, too. She doesn't need extra hours of sleeping for her energy to recharge after major healing sessions and no food. Girl, babygirl, I don't think physical exertion in that capacity works like that. Things have to be exchanged in equivalent. Otherwise, it's just bullshit.