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A review by sierra_color
The Thing with Feathers by McCall Hoyle
1.0
Okay, so I got an early copy of this book. I was excited for it because it seemed like such an interesting concept!
But boy, was I wrong.
Let’s start with a summary, so this book is about an all too cliché main character who has epilepsy and who’s mother is making her go to public school. That’s all that’s important really.
So, what do I hate about it?
The main character.
It seemed to me that she wasn’t really all that dedicated to staying at home like she seemed to be, and I say that because with this character she literally sees a guy and changes her tune in the snap of a finger. It was almost as if the conflict wasn’t treated as a REAL conflict, it didn’t have tension or weight and was just there so the author could tell a story. This book was such a frustrating read that it got to the point where I wanted to throw it in the recycling bin, because the change wasn’t natural, it felt too forced and it didn’t seem realistic at all.
I also felt that she was just too boy crazy throughout the book and that the author didn’t take her character seriously. I couldn’t find myself relating to her because she was such a frustrating character! She couldn’t make a single decision on her own! It was like the author was trying to convey uncertainty about her facing new situations, but did it very poorly. She just seemed (for the lack of a better word) like a whiny brat with no sense.
Did I finish this book?
No.
Did I like this book?
No.
The character really didn’t grow at all! And maybe I can’t comment about this because I read a little beyond the middle or so, but usually, with books like this, you see some form of character growth by this time— such as a character realizing that their goal is unrealistic or they mature, but with this book it didn’t happen. The author tried to make it seem as if she was changing, but she really wasn’t, she was just.. very annoying and frustrating because she didn’t try to either not like public school or like it, and plus, the whole conflict with not telling people about her disability was so, so frustrating! She was a very passive character and that the story was an overused cliché that’s all too common in YA— a whiny girl who’s determined to do something until she sees a boy and falls head over heels!
The writing was alright at first, but then again it got repetitive and she just got whiny. I wouldn’t recommend this book. It could’ve been executed so much better if the character actually had a personality, if the conflict was treated like an actual conflict, and if we actually saw reasons for her to want to stay in public school, or reasons as to why she likes the people she likes— the story needed more story and the characters needed more character, is what I’m trying to say. They all felt like cut outs you’d get in the back of a cereal box. So, in conclusion, this book seemed promising but the main character and the writing of her POV just made her annoying.
But boy, was I wrong.
Let’s start with a summary, so this book is about an all too cliché main character who has epilepsy and who’s mother is making her go to public school. That’s all that’s important really.
So, what do I hate about it?
The main character.
It seemed to me that she wasn’t really all that dedicated to staying at home like she seemed to be, and I say that because with this character she literally sees a guy and changes her tune in the snap of a finger. It was almost as if the conflict wasn’t treated as a REAL conflict, it didn’t have tension or weight and was just there so the author could tell a story. This book was such a frustrating read that it got to the point where I wanted to throw it in the recycling bin, because the change wasn’t natural, it felt too forced and it didn’t seem realistic at all.
I also felt that she was just too boy crazy throughout the book and that the author didn’t take her character seriously. I couldn’t find myself relating to her because she was such a frustrating character! She couldn’t make a single decision on her own! It was like the author was trying to convey uncertainty about her facing new situations, but did it very poorly. She just seemed (for the lack of a better word) like a whiny brat with no sense.
Did I finish this book?
No.
Did I like this book?
No.
The character really didn’t grow at all! And maybe I can’t comment about this because I read a little beyond the middle or so, but usually, with books like this, you see some form of character growth by this time— such as a character realizing that their goal is unrealistic or they mature, but with this book it didn’t happen. The author tried to make it seem as if she was changing, but she really wasn’t, she was just.. very annoying and frustrating because she didn’t try to either not like public school or like it, and plus, the whole conflict with not telling people about her disability was so, so frustrating! She was a very passive character and that the story was an overused cliché that’s all too common in YA— a whiny girl who’s determined to do something until she sees a boy and falls head over heels!
The writing was alright at first, but then again it got repetitive and she just got whiny. I wouldn’t recommend this book. It could’ve been executed so much better if the character actually had a personality, if the conflict was treated like an actual conflict, and if we actually saw reasons for her to want to stay in public school, or reasons as to why she likes the people she likes— the story needed more story and the characters needed more character, is what I’m trying to say. They all felt like cut outs you’d get in the back of a cereal box. So, in conclusion, this book seemed promising but the main character and the writing of her POV just made her annoying.