Author: Gigi Levangie
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Shelves: Young Adult, Contemporary, Short Stories
Publication Date: October 17th, 2013
Source: Blue Rider Press/Netgalley for review
Format: e-ARC
Synopsis (from Goodreads): New York Times�bestselling author Gigi Levangie Grazer returns withSeven Deadlies, a witty and wildly different novel set amid the sinful reaches of Beverly Hills, narrated by a captivating, gimlet-eyed Mexican-American heroine.
Perry Gonzalez is not like the other kids in her Beverly Hills high school—a full-blooded Latina on a scholarship, living in a tiny apartment with her mother, she doesn’t have much in common with the spoiled, privileged kids who are chauffeured to school every morning. But Perry is a budding young writer with her sights set on Bennington—and her seven deadly stories are her ticket to the Ivory Tower. To pay her way, Perry’s been babysitting (correction: teenage-sitting) and tutoring the neighborhood kids, and she has seen the dark side of adolescence: lust for the “Judas Brothers” that leads to electrocution at a private birthday party concert; wrath that inspires new and perverse family bonds; and greed, in a young Bernie Madoff acolyte who conceives of a copycat Ponzi scheme involving his own grandmother.
Review: Well this story was... interesting. Interesting, as in a chaotic and weird way. Seven Deadlies is told from a inquisitive and somewhat mature teenage girl's point of view, and ends on a surprising note.
Characters: The character of Perry Gonzalez was actually kind of refreshing to see. She was a Latino girl, who just didn't fit in with the students at her rich, Beverly Hills school. We've all been that kid at one point, some more prominent than the others. Being of Asian descent, I know what it's like to not fit in with the kids at school. It's happened to me when I was a lot younger, but ever since then, I've learned to hold my head high and just be myself. I saw this in Perry, and I was really happy that she was so strong and independent. At times, I felt a little annoyed with her for reasons that I have trouble even remembering after reading the book, but ultimately, she was a great character.
Storyline/Plot: As I mentioned before, the storyline is just.. weird. Seven Deadlies is told in a series of short stories that are really quirky and outlandish. At best, this book was annoyingly entertaining. The occurrences in this novel were so bizarre that it seemed almost humorous sometimes. I would have liked to see more realistic fiction incorporated into each of the stories.
Ending: I would like to talk about the ending. So I will. The very last couple of pages of Seven Deadlies were my favorite parts of the book. And I don't mean this in a sarcastic way at all. The ending was kind of brilliant. It touched upon that realistic fiction angle I really wanted to see, and provided a deeper thought into the novel that will leave your head spinning. I also did not see it coming, and I felt some really mixed emotions that I have to admit the rest of the novel did not make me feel.
Conclusion: Overall, I don't regret giving Seven Deadlies a try. It had some bad qualities but also some good characteristics that balanced out the book, and gave it an overall 3.5 star review.
Storyline/Plot: As I mentioned before, the storyline is just.. weird. Seven Deadlies is told in a series of short stories that are really quirky and outlandish. At best, this book was annoyingly entertaining. The occurrences in this novel were so bizarre that it seemed almost humorous sometimes. I would have liked to see more realistic fiction incorporated into each of the stories.
Ending: I would like to talk about the ending. So I will. The very last couple of pages of Seven Deadlies were my favorite parts of the book. And I don't mean this in a sarcastic way at all. The ending was kind of brilliant. It touched upon that realistic fiction angle I really wanted to see, and provided a deeper thought into the novel that will leave your head spinning. I also did not see it coming, and I felt some really mixed emotions that I have to admit the rest of the novel did not make me feel.
Conclusion: Overall, I don't regret giving Seven Deadlies a try. It had some bad qualities but also some good characteristics that balanced out the book, and gave it an overall 3.5 star review.
Thanks for the review! I really need to read more contemporary YA fiction with a bit of fun:-)
ReplyDeleteWell, weird and quirky are actually interesting things for me. They intrigue me. And just from the synopsis, I felt that sense. I am ridiculously happy to hear that the MC was a GOOD MC. Strong and confident, and not afraid to be her own self. That seems to be a new thing in books lately, and one that has been a long time coming. This book might be a bit on the strange side, but I think I would be more than willing to give it a shot!
ReplyDeleteI'm not big on contemporaries but I am trying to branch out and read some different stuff so maybe I should try short stories!
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