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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
Every Breath was a fun, intense mystery that I just couldn't put down. Mycroft is the crazy genius boy you always wished lived next door. If you like Sherlock, this is the book for you!
This is a little cracker of a crime novel, with a perfect balance of drama, suspense and adventure, a hint of romance and a touch of darkness. EVERY BREATH is in equal parts homage to Conan Doyle, 'Melbourne Noir' and YA crime thriller, perfectly blended together into the story of Watts and Mycroft, two clever, trouble-making teens living in Melbourne's 'gritty' inner-North. As someone who also spent their late teens getting into mischief between Coburg and Parkville - albeit with less police involvement and fewer corpses - I really loved the dusty little slice of suburban Melbourne that Marney has created here, I can here the dinging trams, taste the baklava and hear the roar of the lions from the zoo as you get off the train at Royal Park. There only gripe I have with Marney is that *Spoiler* I know the EXACT spot where they find the body, and it's meters away from my group of friends' favourite picnicking spot in Royal Park and now I'll never be able to go there again without thinking about this book. Serious issue, I know.
This took me a little while to get into. I think I had to adjust to the writing style or get a bit attached to the characters before I was really enjoying it.
This is exactly the sort of book I would have loved as a teenager. Young Adult crime thriller set in Melbourne. Romantic tension between the two main characters. One of the leads is passionate about forensics and crime statistics etc. If I'd attempted to write a novel at 16 that was everything I wanted in a book, plotwise this is what I would have been aiming for (though obviously I wouldn't have been anywhere near as good at it).
There were a couple of niggling things. There's a bit early where the teenagers are figuring stuff out about the murder and I was a bit skeptical of them knowing better from high school biology/forensics classes and phone photos than professionals with lots of training and access to the body. But it was a bit vague to me if they were figuring stuff out for the professionals or just impressing them with what they already knew.
But overall, I really enjoyed it. I'll be picking up the next one as soon as possible. And I really got a kick out knowing the geography of where things were taking place.
This is exactly the sort of book I would have loved as a teenager. Young Adult crime thriller set in Melbourne. Romantic tension between the two main characters. One of the leads is passionate about forensics and crime statistics etc. If I'd attempted to write a novel at 16 that was everything I wanted in a book, plotwise this is what I would have been aiming for (though obviously I wouldn't have been anywhere near as good at it).
There were a couple of niggling things. There's a bit early where the teenagers are figuring stuff out about the murder and I was a bit skeptical of them knowing better from high school biology/forensics classes and phone photos than professionals with lots of training and access to the body. But it was a bit vague to me if they were figuring stuff out for the professionals or just impressing them with what they already knew.
But overall, I really enjoyed it. I'll be picking up the next one as soon as possible. And I really got a kick out knowing the geography of where things were taking place.
So, this was a hard book to rate. I really liked the premise of this book. Set in modern-day Melbourne, Australia, two teenagers, James Mycroft and Rachel Watts decide to investigate the murder of their friend when they find him dead by the Melbourne Zoo. It's a creative new take on Sherlock Holmes. The mystery was compelling and kept me reading. There is also a blooming romance between Mycroft and Watts.
The major problem that I had with this book was the language. There is A LOT of swearing, including the use of the F-word. I almost DNF this because of the language. If you are offended by a lot of swearing, then I don't think I would recommend it. There are some adult issues as well, so I wouldn't recommend this to younger teens. There is also teen smoking and drinking.
The major problem that I had with this book was the language. There is A LOT of swearing, including the use of the F-word. I almost DNF this because of the language. If you are offended by a lot of swearing, then I don't think I would recommend it. There are some adult issues as well, so I wouldn't recommend this to younger teens. There is also teen smoking and drinking.
2.5 stars. This would have been a 4 if not for the Sherlock elements. It was a steady 3 until the ending. And I saw it coming from the beginning. I saw it coming and I prayed to the book gods and begged the plot spirits that it would not play out as I predicted. But sadly it did and the last 60 or so pages were the most cliche and boring series of events I nearly fell asleep. I had to speed read to get through it all. Maybe I've watched too much TV or crime shows or something but I always manage to know who the culprit is. Every time, I hope beyond hope that the writer will surprise me and give me something I didn't expect. But Every Breath fit every crime fiction stereotype with it's culprit and "plot twist" (not for me anyway) it was one huge eyeroll.
Full review to come.
Subject to drop to 2 if I find myself leaning towards the 2.5.
Full review to come.
Subject to drop to 2 if I find myself leaning towards the 2.5.
I'm starting to wonder whether my love affair with young adult fiction is at an end.
This was solid, and yet it didn't really charm me for reasons I can't put my finger on.
Stuff I liked:
- that Watts and Mycroft were already mates
- Watts pining for her old home (I feel you)
- good characterisation and believable dialogue
This was solid, and yet it didn't really charm me for reasons I can't put my finger on.
Stuff I liked:
- that Watts and Mycroft were already mates
- Watts pining for her old home (I feel you)
- good characterisation and believable dialogue
Every Breath follows two teenagers, Mycroft and Watts as they decide to investigate the murder of one of their friends after discovering his dead body near the Melbourne Zoo.
The novel is told through Watts POV as she is trying to adjust to living in Melbourne after moving there from the country.
As a main character I found her very believable as a teenager. She is intelligent but emotionally she acts like a 17 year old girl and that is okay. Too often we have teenagers, in the young adult genre that seems to act like they are 30 so it was refreshing that all the characters in this book actually act their age.
Then there’s Mycroft, the guy is essentially a genius who drinks and smokes and runs a forensic science web page. Together they form a really great team where they complement and support each other.
The mystery was very cleverly woven so I had no idea who did it. Props to the author for making the teenage sleuthing believable as it’s not like they had access to a forensic lab or any other professional equipment. Instead they rely on their own wits and observation.
I also want to give props to the diversity of the supporting characters. First we have Mai who is a Vietnamese fashionista who is a legal studies wiz who helps Watts with the girlier things in life but not in a mean way. We also have Gus who is a Sudanese refugee whose calm presence is a good contrast to the hyperactivity of the other three.
I personally loved this touch as characters felt very believable in fitting with the Melbourne setting.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a mystery that doesn’t get to bogged down in the details.
The novel is told through Watts POV as she is trying to adjust to living in Melbourne after moving there from the country.
As a main character I found her very believable as a teenager. She is intelligent but emotionally she acts like a 17 year old girl and that is okay. Too often we have teenagers, in the young adult genre that seems to act like they are 30 so it was refreshing that all the characters in this book actually act their age.
Then there’s Mycroft, the guy is essentially a genius who drinks and smokes and runs a forensic science web page. Together they form a really great team where they complement and support each other.
The mystery was very cleverly woven so I had no idea who did it. Props to the author for making the teenage sleuthing believable as it’s not like they had access to a forensic lab or any other professional equipment. Instead they rely on their own wits and observation.
I also want to give props to the diversity of the supporting characters. First we have Mai who is a Vietnamese fashionista who is a legal studies wiz who helps Watts with the girlier things in life but not in a mean way. We also have Gus who is a Sudanese refugee whose calm presence is a good contrast to the hyperactivity of the other three.
I personally loved this touch as characters felt very believable in fitting with the Melbourne setting.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a mystery that doesn’t get to bogged down in the details.
French & English reviews
OMG !!
J'avais ce livre dans ma PAL depuis un million d'années au moins et puis l'autre jour, après avoir lu une fanfiction mélangeant Labyrinth et Sherlock ( my link text), j'ai eu envie de lire cette YA qui est une réécriture de Sherlock Holmes version ado et australienne (bon j'avoue dit comme ça, c'est bizarre xD) ... Et je l'ai dévoré =D
Je dois avouer qu'au départ, je n'avais pas compris qu'ils étaient en Australie xD mais au fur et à mesure de l'histoire, je me suis complètement immergée dans l'histoire : oui il y a quelques incohérences (pour l'école et le fait qu'ils sont censés être des ados ...) mais c'est original, bien écrit, les personnages sont attachants (et pas d'ado chiants et pleurnicheurs comme certaines YA), l'intrigue est complexe, la romance se construit lentement et naturellement (Mycroft <3) et je ne me suis pas ennuyée une seconde =)
J'ai vraiment hâte de lire le deuxième livre =D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OMG !!
I had this book in my TBR for a million years at least and then the other day, after reading a fanfiction mixing Labyrinth and Sherlock ( my link text), I wanted to read this YA which is a Teen and Australian rewrite of Sherlock Holmes (well I must admit it, said like that, it's weird xD) ... And I devoured it =D
I must admit that at the beginning, I didn't understand that they were in Australia xD but as the story went on, I immersed myself completely in the book : yes there are some inconsistencies (for the school and the fact that they are supposed to be teenagers ...) but it's original, well written, the characters are endearing (and no boring and whining teenagers like in some YA), the plot is complex , romance is slowly and naturally built (Mycroft <3) and I didn't get bored for a second =)
I can't wait to read the second book =D
OMG !!
J'avais ce livre dans ma PAL depuis un million d'années au moins et puis l'autre jour, après avoir lu une fanfiction mélangeant Labyrinth et Sherlock ( my link text), j'ai eu envie de lire cette YA qui est une réécriture de Sherlock Holmes version ado et australienne (bon j'avoue dit comme ça, c'est bizarre xD) ... Et je l'ai dévoré =D
Je dois avouer qu'au départ, je n'avais pas compris qu'ils étaient en Australie xD mais au fur et à mesure de l'histoire, je me suis complètement immergée dans l'histoire : oui il y a quelques incohérences (pour l'école et le fait qu'ils sont censés être des ados ...) mais c'est original, bien écrit, les personnages sont attachants (et pas d'ado chiants et pleurnicheurs comme certaines YA), l'intrigue est complexe, la romance se construit lentement et naturellement (Mycroft <3) et je ne me suis pas ennuyée une seconde =)
J'ai vraiment hâte de lire le deuxième livre =D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OMG !!
I had this book in my TBR for a million years at least and then the other day, after reading a fanfiction mixing Labyrinth and Sherlock ( my link text), I wanted to read this YA which is a Teen and Australian rewrite of Sherlock Holmes (well I must admit it, said like that, it's weird xD) ... And I devoured it =D
I must admit that at the beginning, I didn't understand that they were in Australia xD but as the story went on, I immersed myself completely in the book : yes there are some inconsistencies (for the school and the fact that they are supposed to be teenagers ...) but it's original, well written, the characters are endearing (and no boring and whining teenagers like in some YA), the plot is complex , romance is slowly and naturally built (Mycroft <3) and I didn't get bored for a second =)
I can't wait to read the second book =D