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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
Clarity is a decent and entertaining debut, but I'm struggling to find anything especially unique or memorable about it. There's nothing that sets it apart from other YA paranormal mysteries. (It's very similar to [b:The Body Finder|6261522|The Body Finder (The Body Finder, #1)|Kimberly Derting|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1358266631s/6261522.jpg|6196751], but not quite as good).
Clare has the ability to sense visions and memories whenever she touches an object. When a teenage girl is found murdered and her brother is one of the prime suspects, Clare decides to team up with the police to solve the case using her special powers.
Like the story itself, Clare is a decent heroine, but not especially noteworthy or memorable. She's the same as every other protagonist in the paranormal mystery genre - sassy, smart and loyal - and I just wish there was a bit more depth to her.
There is a love triangle here between Justin, Clare's ex-boyfriend (the sweet golden boy), and Gabriel, the detective's son (the mysterious bad boy). The love triangle was one I was a bit ambivalent about. It wasn't completely necessary to the story, but it didn't overpower the plot either.
The mystery itself is mediocre. The murderer is rather obvious, and I wish there were more red herrings and twists to make the reveal more surprising and unpredictable.
All in all, Clarity is not a bad book, but it's not a great book either. If you don't mind reading about a lot of common YA troupes, you'll probably find this to be an entertaining and quick read.
Like other reviewers have said, I thought the best part of this book was the main character, Clare/Clarity. Her voice was very believable for her age, and showed the right amount of development through the story.
That said, I have to say that I was not impressed by the first few chapters. I found the characters a bit shallow, and most of the backstory/character introductions were told instead of shown. The writing style took a while to grow on me as well, as it seemed a bit too simplistic.
Also, the whole family of psychics idea felt a little flat, at first. I was skeptical whether or not a murder mystery could pull of the secondary plot of being a psychic. But, I was pleasantly surprised by the end. I grew to like some of the characters--although some were still flat--and the psychic story thread was woven in well to the overall story.
After the first few chapters, I did find myself getting into the plot more. I was so sure I had picked out the murderer--but nope! I was wrong. (Though I still think the person I picked is suspicious...maybe in the next book.) The build-up and the tension were very well done; I was definitely sucked in. There were a lot of characters in this for the length, but many of them were interesting and popped up unexpected in places. The whole father plot line as an insert for the next book in the series (I assume) was a bit iffy, but I will withhold judgment until the next book, which I plan on reading.
Overall, I give this book three stars, since I did enjoy reading it. If you're looking for a quick, simple murder mystery involving teen drama and a strong female narrator, this is the book for you.
That said, I have to say that I was not impressed by the first few chapters. I found the characters a bit shallow, and most of the backstory/character introductions were told instead of shown. The writing style took a while to grow on me as well, as it seemed a bit too simplistic.
Also, the whole family of psychics idea felt a little flat, at first. I was skeptical whether or not a murder mystery could pull of the secondary plot of being a psychic. But, I was pleasantly surprised by the end. I grew to like some of the characters--although some were still flat--and the psychic story thread was woven in well to the overall story.
After the first few chapters, I did find myself getting into the plot more. I was so sure I had picked out the murderer--but nope! I was wrong. (Though I still think the person I picked is suspicious...maybe in the next book.) The build-up and the tension were very well done; I was definitely sucked in. There were a lot of characters in this for the length, but many of them were interesting and popped up unexpected in places. The whole father plot line as an insert for the next book in the series (I assume) was a bit iffy, but I will withhold judgment until the next book, which I plan on reading.
Overall, I give this book three stars, since I did enjoy reading it. If you're looking for a quick, simple murder mystery involving teen drama and a strong female narrator, this is the book for you.
"Clarity" was a quick, entertaining read. I enjoyed the fact that it was a mystery with a twist - a teenage girl with the ability to see the past by touching objects belonging to others. When a girl is murdered in her small coastal town, Clare works with the son of the police detective and her ex-boyfriend to determine the truth behind her death. I think the premise of the book was interesting, because the author spun Clare's ability as more of a family inheritance rather than a superpower and the story never strayed into paranormal romance.
Clare "Clarity" Fern, the lead character, served well as a narrator, but overall was not a very deep character. The book was short, had a decent premise, and held my interest, but I had determined the truth behind the mystery long before the characters in the story did, and was finished with the book very quickly. It is not a book I would read again, but it was not a waste of time, either. I would recommend it for anyone looking for a light, entertaining mystery.
Clare "Clarity" Fern, the lead character, served well as a narrator, but overall was not a very deep character. The book was short, had a decent premise, and held my interest, but I had determined the truth behind the mystery long before the characters in the story did, and was finished with the book very quickly. It is not a book I would read again, but it was not a waste of time, either. I would recommend it for anyone looking for a light, entertaining mystery.
Great book for much need genre in teen fiction...the mystery. I enjoyed following along as Clare tried to piece together who killed eighteen year old Victoria in a motel near house on Cape Cod. I like the idea of a family that consist of a psychic, a telepath, and medium. I hope Clare and her unusual family have chance to solve more crimes.
loved this book it was one of the first books i ever read on my own, and once i started reading it i couldnt make myself put it down.
The mystery elements of the story were a bit uninspired, but I enjoyed the characters and Kim Harrington's writing style. Nice, breezy read.
Clarity is a wonderfully witty, humorous and interesting novel. It tells the story of Clarity Fern, who has visions and comes from a family of psychics. When her brother Periwinkle becomes a suspect in a murder, she decides that she has to clear his name.
First of all, if the names Clarity and Periwinkle (a guy's name!) doesn't get your attention, I don't know what will. Clarity is hilarious! While she most certainly can do without her gift, she deals with it with a lot of grace and punch. She doesn't take BS and she's most certainly a feisty character. If you're looking for a novel with great narration, this is it.
Another great thing about Clarity is that it incorporates a murder-mystery into a YA novel and it's done well. I was left guessing as to who was responsible for the murders and I was definitely surprised at the revelations. Little twists and turns are like small bonuses in this story.
I suppose love triangles are something all YA novels must have now, but for this one, I think it might have been better if there wasn't any. Don't get me wrong, both boys have their qualities and their presence certainly spiced things up but I just got the sense that it could have been a lot better without a love triangle. I'm TEAM JUSTIN, by the way.
The ending, while not a cliffhanger, leaves a small opening for a sequel and if Kim Harrington keeps this up, this is definitely a series to keep your eye on. :)
First of all, if the names Clarity and Periwinkle (a guy's name!) doesn't get your attention, I don't know what will. Clarity is hilarious! While she most certainly can do without her gift, she deals with it with a lot of grace and punch. She doesn't take BS and she's most certainly a feisty character. If you're looking for a novel with great narration, this is it.
Another great thing about Clarity is that it incorporates a murder-mystery into a YA novel and it's done well. I was left guessing as to who was responsible for the murders and I was definitely surprised at the revelations. Little twists and turns are like small bonuses in this story.
I suppose love triangles are something all YA novels must have now, but for this one, I think it might have been better if there wasn't any. Don't get me wrong, both boys have their qualities and their presence certainly spiced things up but I just got the sense that it could have been a lot better without a love triangle. I'm TEAM JUSTIN, by the way.
The ending, while not a cliffhanger, leaves a small opening for a sequel and if Kim Harrington keeps this up, this is definitely a series to keep your eye on. :)
http://nyx-shadow.blogspot.fr/2012/08/visions-t1-visions-kim-harrington.html
I read this book a few years ago and enjoyed it. I was surprised in rereading that I couldn't remember who the killer was, which made it as much fun as reading it the first time! I really like Clare's voice and the pacing of the novel. Looking forward to rereading Perception next.
I really liked how Kim Harrington mixed the supernatural with a murder mystery with a dash of humor. The only thing that stopped me from giving this 5 stars is the somewhat ambiguous ending - the mystery is cleared up but other things are left open-ended.