arberry 's review for:

The Mark of the Dragonfly by Jaleigh Johnson

3.0

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Technically a 3.5. I didn't realize this was middle grade book until I started reading it. Which is fine, since I often like middle grade books. They are a nice change from the "edgy" tone YA usually takes. I would've liked to know before going into it, because it was a little disappointing. With that aside, the premise for this book is incredibly unique. The concept of the storms bringing in remnants of ancient civilizations was fascinating to me (there was a nice little reference to The Wizard of Oz in there too). Almost everything about the book is original, and I give the author huge props for creativity. I would've eaten this book up if I was 11-13. This book just didn't come through for me like I thought I would. It's a book I should like a lot more than I do. Reading this actually reminded me of Perfect Ruin, another book with original ideas that I didn't connect with on a personal level. When I think about it, nothing's wrong with this book. The plot is engaging, and I read it in one sitting. The author doesn't talk down to her target audience of middle grade readers, which I appreciate. There is barely any romance, and it doesn't take anything away from the book. I liked the characters, and the three leads, Anna, Piper, and Gee, are all well-developed with their own strengths and flaws. I guess one of my problems with it is that it feels pretty short for a book that is almost 400 pages long. Some more development would have been nice. All in all, it was a good read with some neat twists, and if the author wrote a sequel (the book leaves some room for that possibility), I'd probably read it. This book just didn't do it for me, and I'm pretty disappointed that I didn't like as much as I think I shoild.