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A review by willwork4airfare
Violet & Claire by Francesca Lia Block
3.0
What started out as a really cliche, goth/cutter book ended up being surprisingly good. It’s always interesting to me when writer’s write from two or more people’s perspectives in the same novel because you really get to see the depth of their voice, and Block really has one. The two girls are complete opposites and their diction really reflects that.
Violet’s narration was blunt and straightforward, mirroring her personality, and although it starts out bland and cliche, it develops into something much more interesting with relatively original events and unlikely outcomes. At times, unrealistic, and with a slow beginning, it does eventually pick up and leave you wanting to know what happens next.
Claire’s narration is a different story altogether. With her flowery, often beautiful writing, you can either get completely sucked in or completely turned off, depending on what kind of style you prefer. Her perspective on things is so innocent and contrary to Violet’s section and the contrast makes it a really interesting read. After such a compelling finish to Violet’s section, you’re also left curious as to what’s going to happen next.
The final section is a great blend of the two styles, representing both girls from a third person perspective. You feel compelled to keep reading because you want to know how the conflict resolves itself, but it does lapse into cliches and predictability a lot of the time. Overall, it’s a decent read, but most importantly, I gained a pretty healthy respect for Block as an author and I’ll have to look more into her.
Violet’s narration was blunt and straightforward, mirroring her personality, and although it starts out bland and cliche, it develops into something much more interesting with relatively original events and unlikely outcomes. At times, unrealistic, and with a slow beginning, it does eventually pick up and leave you wanting to know what happens next.
Claire’s narration is a different story altogether. With her flowery, often beautiful writing, you can either get completely sucked in or completely turned off, depending on what kind of style you prefer. Her perspective on things is so innocent and contrary to Violet’s section and the contrast makes it a really interesting read. After such a compelling finish to Violet’s section, you’re also left curious as to what’s going to happen next.
The final section is a great blend of the two styles, representing both girls from a third person perspective. You feel compelled to keep reading because you want to know how the conflict resolves itself, but it does lapse into cliches and predictability a lot of the time. Overall, it’s a decent read, but most importantly, I gained a pretty healthy respect for Block as an author and I’ll have to look more into her.