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A review by nodressrehearsals
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
1.0
This book puts the YOUNG in young adult. Our MC & first-person narrator is 16-year-old Sophie who acts like she's 12. She's supposed to be this awkward and sarcastic but lovable teenager. Except, this is her use of "sarcasm" :
“Archer?” I asked, raising my eyebrows. Hey, you might be able to take away my magical powers, but the power of sarcasm was still at my disposal. “Is your last name Newport or Vanderbilt? Maybe followed by some numbers? Ooh!” I said, widening my eyes, “or maybe even Esquire!”
This isn't sarcastic, at all.
While I might be able to let it pass because the character is 16, except this kind of flaw is rampant throughout the novel. The use of language is often poor (or wrong). We're told things are one way (like Sophie saying she's sarcastic) but then shown them not that way at all.
The book also focuses on these weird details that don't matter in the long run. For example, the first chapter has SIX references to how hot it is:
While I might be able to let it pass because the character is 16, except this kind of flaw is rampant throughout the novel. The use of language is often poor (or wrong). We're told things are one way (like Sophie saying she's sarcastic) but then shown them not that way at all.
The book also focuses on these weird details that don't matter in the long run. For example, the first chapter has SIX references to how hot it is:
- the hot thick heat of August in Georgia.
- Thanks to the humidity, my hair felt like it had tripled in size. I could feel it trying to devour my sunglasses like some sort of carnivorous jungle plant.
- wondered why a school in the middle of the Deep South would have wool uniforms
- I could feel sweat pooling up in weird places where I was pretty sure I had never sweat before. How can your ears sweat?
- Or maybe they were staring at me as I tried to discreetely wipe sweat from between my breasts without appearing to get to second base with myself.
- meaning the heat diminished by maybe half a degree.
But the heat (or weather at all) doesn't play a role in the story going forward. At least 5% of this chapter was devoted to telling us that it's hot and sweaty... for no reason. Again, it's not a huge deal and I could let it pass (in fact I did, I kept reading) except it's the kind of thing that happens ALL THROUGH the book. We're given all these details and spend all this time explaining stuff and then explaining it some more that just bogs down what IS important.
I would not recommend this book and will not read the rest of the series.
I would not recommend this book and will not read the rest of the series.