Scan barcode
A review by emmalthompson85
Point Pleasant by Jen Archer Wood
5.0
Point Pleasant is the story of Ben Wisehart, a write who returns home. This is a story about coming home, about growing up, about love and also about the Mothman who lives in the woods. This is an emotive, tightly woven and interesting story that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.
So, down to business. What I loved most about this book was the way the relationship between Ben and his childhood best friend/love interest Nic was woven so beautifully through the story. Often romance in novels is treat as a separate subplot (in this scene we do romance, in the next we do plot) but here the romance is woven right through the fabric of the plot. It makes the characters feel incredibly integrated, what's happening in their personal lives reflects their actions and their thoughts so although the romance isn't integral to the plot (you could summaries the plot of book accurately without the romance if you had to) it is because it's an integral part of who the characters are and why they do what they do. What I'm trying to say is that the relationship feels very natural and like it's grown out of the characters rather than been contrived for the plot.
I also love how the relationship isn't straight forward. Often in fiction a relationship is treat as the hero's reward, an end to drama, and that's very successfully averted here. The coming together is only the start of the drama where this novel's concerned and the magic of this book is that it manages to show a relationship that is other than perfect without reverting to tropes or demonizing one of the participants. It's clear that they're both trying but that doesn't mean they're going to succeed.
The actual plot outside the romance is exciting. It's emotive, it has twists, it says something more than just the words on the page as all great plots should. There is a Mothman and it's great and no fan of horror will be disappointed but there's more going on then monster in the woods as with all great horror.
And, on top of a great plot and outstanding romance subplot, we've got a complex and well realized cast of supporting characters, a lot of genuinely touching moments, and some hot sex if you're into that.
Definitely worth a read. 10/10, would recommend.
As an aside, as you may know this was fanficiton before it was original fiction, though always AU fanfiction. If you're reading this wondering if it's worth bothering since you've read the fic, do it! This is very much not a find a replace job. There's extra material and I felt the characters really came alive and stood apart from those they were originally based on. The fanficiton was exceptional, the original novel is an improvement on the fanfiction and it's worth your time and money to read.
So, down to business. What I loved most about this book was the way the relationship between Ben and his childhood best friend/love interest Nic was woven so beautifully through the story. Often romance in novels is treat as a separate subplot (in this scene we do romance, in the next we do plot) but here the romance is woven right through the fabric of the plot. It makes the characters feel incredibly integrated, what's happening in their personal lives reflects their actions and their thoughts so although the romance isn't integral to the plot (you could summaries the plot of book accurately without the romance if you had to) it is because it's an integral part of who the characters are and why they do what they do. What I'm trying to say is that the relationship feels very natural and like it's grown out of the characters rather than been contrived for the plot.
I also love how the relationship isn't straight forward. Often in fiction a relationship is treat as the hero's reward, an end to drama, and that's very successfully averted here. The coming together is only the start of the drama where this novel's concerned and the magic of this book is that it manages to show a relationship that is other than perfect without reverting to tropes or demonizing one of the participants. It's clear that they're both trying but that doesn't mean they're going to succeed.
The actual plot outside the romance is exciting. It's emotive, it has twists, it says something more than just the words on the page as all great plots should. There is a Mothman and it's great and no fan of horror will be disappointed but there's more going on then monster in the woods as with all great horror.
And, on top of a great plot and outstanding romance subplot, we've got a complex and well realized cast of supporting characters, a lot of genuinely touching moments, and some hot sex if you're into that.
Definitely worth a read. 10/10, would recommend.
As an aside, as you may know this was fanficiton before it was original fiction, though always AU fanfiction. If you're reading this wondering if it's worth bothering since you've read the fic, do it! This is very much not a find a replace job. There's extra material and I felt the characters really came alive and stood apart from those they were originally based on. The fanficiton was exceptional, the original novel is an improvement on the fanfiction and it's worth your time and money to read.