A review by nikkigee81
TMI by Patty Blount
2.0
Young adult fiction is not a genre I read much. However, I feel, as a future librarian, I should broaden my horizons. (I also figured a few YA books would be shorter and help me reach my challenge before the end of the year). To this end, when last I visited the library, I browsed the shelves and pulled down what looked interesting.
This book . . . oh, where to begin?
The storyline is a good one, especially with this generation living their lives constantly online. The era of the overshare, is how I refer to it. Kids don't seem to be too wary of the dangers inherent. Not everyone is a creep or out to get you, but one must exercise caution. I thought this book was going to take a more sinister turn, but it did not. There are some good talking points for parents and their kids.
Again, I'm not the target audience, so maybe I'm being too harsh, but . . . these characters were awful. I couldn't relate to any of them on a personal level. They both seemed too extreme, almost caricatures.
What did ring true, however, was the drama. I had shitty friends like this in middle and high school, who would be there for me one minute and then attack me the next. I'm just thankful I walked those hallowed halls way before social media was a thing . . .
This aspect of the book also bothered me, and I think it's because all of this drama is the major focus of the book, despite the blurb telling you otherwise. The book isn't sure what it wants to be, and it had me rolling my eyes very hard about halfway through.
The writing style also did not help. I liked the fact that the chapters alternated between the main characters, Bailey and Megan, but they were written in third person limited point of view. This leads to a lot of breaking of the cardinal rule in fiction writing - show, don't tell. "She told him blah blah blah" is not as effective as her actually SAYING it. Lots of missing conversations in this book, which I felt were important. Two characters having a Serious Moment - "we need to talk." Smash cut to later, after the talk, and the audience has no idea what has been said. Was it resolved? The author tells us it has been, but it's something the reader should really be able to discover for herself.
I can't say I'd really recommend this to anyone.
This book . . . oh, where to begin?
The storyline is a good one, especially with this generation living their lives constantly online. The era of the overshare, is how I refer to it. Kids don't seem to be too wary of the dangers inherent. Not everyone is a creep or out to get you, but one must exercise caution. I thought this book was going to take a more sinister turn, but it did not. There are some good talking points for parents and their kids.
Again, I'm not the target audience, so maybe I'm being too harsh, but . . . these characters were awful. I couldn't relate to any of them on a personal level. They both seemed too extreme, almost caricatures.
What did ring true, however, was the drama. I had shitty friends like this in middle and high school, who would be there for me one minute and then attack me the next. I'm just thankful I walked those hallowed halls way before social media was a thing . . .
This aspect of the book also bothered me, and I think it's because all of this drama is the major focus of the book, despite the blurb telling you otherwise. The book isn't sure what it wants to be, and it had me rolling my eyes very hard about halfway through.
The writing style also did not help. I liked the fact that the chapters alternated between the main characters, Bailey and Megan, but they were written in third person limited point of view. This leads to a lot of breaking of the cardinal rule in fiction writing - show, don't tell. "She told him blah blah blah" is not as effective as her actually SAYING it. Lots of missing conversations in this book, which I felt were important. Two characters having a Serious Moment - "we need to talk." Smash cut to later, after the talk, and the audience has no idea what has been said. Was it resolved? The author tells us it has been, but it's something the reader should really be able to discover for herself.
I can't say I'd really recommend this to anyone.