Tina's Reading Books

Very well written and incredibly enjoyable book.

I am not generally a fan of YA. So when i dip my toe into the genre I do it very carefully. I have had great luck with my last foray into the genre most notably [b:Living Violet|12363795|Living Violet (The Cambion Chronicles, #1)|Jaime Reed|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1313768330s/12363795.jpg|17343915]. And now I can include this one as a stellar addition to my small pool of successful YA books.

Despite the rave reviews, I initially I stayed far away from this book because it is mainly set on a college campus. Having worked for the last 25 years in high level college administration on various campuses (Large Universities, small religious, mid-sized elite Liberal Arts) I can't take it when the most basic stuff that is universal to every college regardless of size is depicted not just badly, but not even with glancing closeness to reality. You can always tell when someone never actually attended a residential college when writing about the experience. It can be just the smallest of things but they loom large for me, sometimes blotting out the story. I can imagine it is what lawyers or cops feel like when watching tv shows that depict fictional lawyers/cops.

But this author completely nailed it. From the relatively simple act of entering a dorm (needing the ID card, the use a more convenient off-the-beaten path back stairwell, people hanging in the hallways all the time, etc.) to the specifics of a music education curriculum (ensembles, required recital attendance, teaching pedagogy) every bit felt correct.

Not only that but how the Greek system on even a huge campus is really can be an incredibly small micro community that can be incestuous, stultifying and despotic.

So yeah, the authenticity of place gets a huge thumbs up. But in the end it was the story and the characters that brought it all home.

Lucas was just simply a great character. This is what a hero in a romance-ish novel should be. The author managed to give him 'alpha' qualities but yet neatly sidestepped the alpha-hole trap that so many of these books tend to more their heroes in. He was cool, hot and grounded. Yeah he had his own issues but they did not eat the book or woobify him.

The book is told in first person narrative from the perspective of Jacqueline who first notices Lucas after he helps her fight off a would-be rapist. Jacqueline's voice was comfortable and assured and she felt like a fully realized person. I especially liked her descriptions of people being perlexed with her choice of being a female Double Bass player. I totally get that because I am very perplexed why anyone who hasn't sprung from their parent's head as a fully formed reincarnation of Charles Mingus would play double bass? Every year I see these 6,7 8 year olds who attend our Suzuki Institute lugging around these ginormous basses that are three times their size! LOL. Also that she did that thing that parents despair of. She chose a college based on attending where her high school boyfriend went, despite the fact that she had the potential to go to a music school that was much better for her future. And of course she and boyfriend break up early on because College dating opportunities are very different from high school ones. She acknowledges this unironically and understand that the I-told-you-so's would most likely be forthcoming.

The supporting characters are also well realized. I liked that Jacqueline's ex isn't demonized as he would no doubt have been in a more conventional book. His decision to break up with Jacqueline because he was presented with a bounty of dating opportunities felt very true to life. And in fact I thought was pretty decent. He could have just cheated on her. I also enjoyed Jacqueline's first encounter with her long suffering, seen-it-all Econ professor and the larger role he takes in events that unfold in the story. Her roommate Erin is also an outstanding character.

What I found very gratifying was that in the end this was message book that did not feel like a message book. It was at all times very empowering to women and sent a strong message about how people should respond to sexual assault. Or even just be self actualizing and reclaim yourself as Jacqueline does with her own name. It strongly rejects any hint of victim blaming and is a strong proponent of females supporting each other. I TOTALLY loved this aspect of it.

Sorry to be so wordy, but this was just a really awesome book.