Monday, February 08, 2010

REVIEW: Wake by Lisa McMann

Awhile back, the blogging world was all aflutter over Wake by Lisa McMann. I saw review after review of it and I knew right away that I wanted to read it. But it took some time for that to happen but I'm glad to report that I finally got a copy of this book. It was a fairly quick read, but I was sucked into the story straight away and though there are some problems to it, they weren't large enough to stop me from flying through the pages and loving every minute of it.

Janie is 17 years old and has a bit of a secret. She gets sucked into other people's dreams. And it might sound kind of cool, but Janie is tired of it. She's tired of witnessing the falling dreams and the standing naked in front of everybody dreams, she doesn't want to know what her friends or classmates are dreaming. She's had to hide her 'talent' for years, can't let anyone in as they'd think her crazy. She's beginning to think that she can't have normal teenage experiences, but she still works hard to do well with school and in her job, so that she can do something with her life away from her alcoholic mother. And then one day she witnesses a horrific nightmare, the worst yet and suddenly Janie is afraid for her own safety...

It's a novel about growing up and being different. There's the paranormal bits with the dreaming, and the teenage bits where the characters are all mad about boys. There are some sad bits. Then there are the romantic bits. And oh, Janie and her love interest, Cabel, felt so real and believable. I did, I loved Janie and Cabel. They're both awkward and have such tension and confusion between the two of them. My heart actually ached reading some of those scenes between the two of them. And it's been a mightly long time since that has happened. I'm so glad that McMann got this part right. I didn't feel the same way about some of the other secondary characters, but it felt like a minor concern while reading the novel.

I've read that some people had issues with the choppy writing style. I liked it. I found it be refreshing, actually. No, my major issue is with Cabel's job. The whole concept made me sigh audibly, but whatever. I'm willing to go on this ride with Lisa McMann and see where she takes it all. I'll definitely pick up the two sequels, Fade and Gone. Just please let them be published in the UK quickly.

Wake is fast-paced and different. Wonderful love story. The dream sequences were fascinating and horrific at the same time. All in all, I loved Wake. Highly recommended.

Other Opinions:

YA Reads
bookshelves of doom
Hey Lady! Whatcha Reading?
Harmony Book Reviews
S. Krishna's Books
Maw Books Blog
The Book Lady's Blog
Wondrous Reads

Read for: 100+ reading challenge, YA reading challenge

4 comments:

  1. Hi Clover,
    I've read a lot of great buzz for this series as well, and have always intended to read it. I'm going to look for this at my library on my next trip and read it once and for all! Thanks for the review.

    By the way, I ADORE the UK cover art for this one! It looks perfect for this novel.

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  2. I loved this book and its sequel.. I'm hoping for more from the author!!

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  3. I love this idea but you've made me desperately curious - what's Cabel's job? You can tell me! I do not mind knowing spoilers!

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  4. I like it, but had some issues. Here's my review:
    http://bookslistslife.blogspot.com/2009/04/wake-by-lisa-mcmann.html

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