A review by ciann82
The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

This had a lot of potential especially since it revolves around ghosts, the dead, spirituality and Blackness in a white environment. There were many amazing and chilling moments but i wish wish *wish* some were expanded and developed more closely.
Especially that one scene with Jake’s grandfather and a vague mention of his ancestors, they could have played a much larger role but they appeared then disappeared happened and we’re not really mentioned after. Mentions of his father also felt really displaced in a “oh by the way this also happened” kind of way rather than a “this was a defining moment for my relationship with my family and had a larger impact on me than I’d like to admit” way.
 

It got to a point where, and I hate to see it, it felt like Saywer’s story was a lot more interesting and engaging and in the scenes they were together he stood out the most. Of course the descriptions of what he did to other people (and what happened to him) made me sick to my stomach, but there was a lot more going on with him. Reading this felt like I was reading separate stories that were trying to come together but in the end  it felt a bit strange, especially since it felt quite fast paced. 
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