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A review by bookdrag0n
The Coordinate by Marc Jacobs
3.0
I was gifted a free copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.
In this novel, branded a sci-fi by the author, but which I think of more as a YA Adventure/Da Vinci Code, two high schoolers–former best friends who sadly grew apart–are tasked with the history project of researching the Secret Chamber of the White-Eyed Star God in the Copan Temple. As they navigate past missing webpages, a trip to Europe, time traveling, the President of the United States, and aliens, Emma and Logan find themselves unraveling the mystery of the stars. What will they find? And will they even survive their discovery?
This is a a novel catering to teenagers and young adults. I found it extremely easy to read, with many unrealistic expectations. Emma and Logan are able to run off to Europe together without their parents knowing in the blink of an eye. They also unraveled the clues to the mystery much too easily, especially considering much more educated people have worked on it for years. Additionally, at one point, one of the main characters gets shot in the leg, and simply brushes it off. What teenager could do that? And then, after receiving medical care at a hospital, the doctor simply asks the patient if they want crutches, and they wave him off and are walking on that same leg within 12 hours of just getting shot. Not to mention that that person is then sprinting, ducking, and dodging around a day later. If the audience can suspend their beliefs for the entire book, that would be ideal. Unfortunately for me, I was unable to reach that point of unreality, and it definitely hindered my reading experience.
There is a bit of romance nestled in the story, but again, it is unbelievable and somewhat shoved in. The two protagonists just happen to be ex best friends, the girl’s “boyfriend” proves to be no obstacle, and without any sort of bonding or tangible moments, the two fall in love. Conveniently. It’s almost too much to swallow. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed both of the characters, but there was no reason for them to have a romantic streak other than to check a box for another overdone trope. Again, this is why I highly suggest that this book be read by YA fans only. Me, I tend to stay away from YA, and I bet you can see why! But really, this book would be much better suited to teenagers.
As for the plot itself, I did find myself enjoying the novel once I got about halfway through and things started picking up. I liked learning about history–or at least feeling like I was learning about history. I have absolutely no idea if the facts from the book were fictionalized to create the mystery, or if they are actually right. Perhaps someone more dedicated than I can fact check! But anyway, the plot was extremely fast-paced, with the kids unraveling one clue after another, taking them across the world. There was practically no waiting to see what would happen next, because it would just happen. I will say that this novel did reignite within me my yearning to travel… As well as my desire to discover things! It was fun. I liked feeling like I was on the verge of a great discovery and that I could do practically anything. I will admit that I was living vicariously through the characters… Just a little bit.
There were also many plot twists, that even though the book is YA (in my not-so-humble opinion) and very easy to read (style-wise), I had no idea what would happen next. The first half of the book gave me absolutely no insight into what would happen in the last half. It took a completely unexpected turn and transformed itself into something entirely different from what I was expecting. For this, I applaud Marc Jacobs, because I find YA books to be very lacking in their surprise factors. The book also becomes much more sci-fi the further into it you read… If that gives you any hints.
I also did like the fact that Jacobs includes pictures for us in the novel. It really helps the readers to visualize exactly what Emma and Logan are dealing with, making us feel like we are figuring out the mystery along with them. Now if only they would share some of their credit with me!
Overall, this novel would be a great fast-paced adventure/mystery-solving story for YA readers. It has a dash of romance and a helping of sci-fi, and it is only the first book in a series! I may not pick up the sequel, but I am not quite the fan of the YA genre as I used to be. If you are, consider this for your next read!
In this novel, branded a sci-fi by the author, but which I think of more as a YA Adventure/Da Vinci Code, two high schoolers–former best friends who sadly grew apart–are tasked with the history project of researching the Secret Chamber of the White-Eyed Star God in the Copan Temple. As they navigate past missing webpages, a trip to Europe, time traveling, the President of the United States, and aliens, Emma and Logan find themselves unraveling the mystery of the stars. What will they find? And will they even survive their discovery?
This is a a novel catering to teenagers and young adults. I found it extremely easy to read, with many unrealistic expectations. Emma and Logan are able to run off to Europe together without their parents knowing in the blink of an eye. They also unraveled the clues to the mystery much too easily, especially considering much more educated people have worked on it for years. Additionally, at one point, one of the main characters gets shot in the leg, and simply brushes it off. What teenager could do that? And then, after receiving medical care at a hospital, the doctor simply asks the patient if they want crutches, and they wave him off and are walking on that same leg within 12 hours of just getting shot. Not to mention that that person is then sprinting, ducking, and dodging around a day later. If the audience can suspend their beliefs for the entire book, that would be ideal. Unfortunately for me, I was unable to reach that point of unreality, and it definitely hindered my reading experience.
There is a bit of romance nestled in the story, but again, it is unbelievable and somewhat shoved in. The two protagonists just happen to be ex best friends, the girl’s “boyfriend” proves to be no obstacle, and without any sort of bonding or tangible moments, the two fall in love. Conveniently. It’s almost too much to swallow. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed both of the characters, but there was no reason for them to have a romantic streak other than to check a box for another overdone trope. Again, this is why I highly suggest that this book be read by YA fans only. Me, I tend to stay away from YA, and I bet you can see why! But really, this book would be much better suited to teenagers.
As for the plot itself, I did find myself enjoying the novel once I got about halfway through and things started picking up. I liked learning about history–or at least feeling like I was learning about history. I have absolutely no idea if the facts from the book were fictionalized to create the mystery, or if they are actually right. Perhaps someone more dedicated than I can fact check! But anyway, the plot was extremely fast-paced, with the kids unraveling one clue after another, taking them across the world. There was practically no waiting to see what would happen next, because it would just happen. I will say that this novel did reignite within me my yearning to travel… As well as my desire to discover things! It was fun. I liked feeling like I was on the verge of a great discovery and that I could do practically anything. I will admit that I was living vicariously through the characters… Just a little bit.
There were also many plot twists, that even though the book is YA (in my not-so-humble opinion) and very easy to read (style-wise), I had no idea what would happen next. The first half of the book gave me absolutely no insight into what would happen in the last half. It took a completely unexpected turn and transformed itself into something entirely different from what I was expecting. For this, I applaud Marc Jacobs, because I find YA books to be very lacking in their surprise factors. The book also becomes much more sci-fi the further into it you read… If that gives you any hints.
I also did like the fact that Jacobs includes pictures for us in the novel. It really helps the readers to visualize exactly what Emma and Logan are dealing with, making us feel like we are figuring out the mystery along with them. Now if only they would share some of their credit with me!
Overall, this novel would be a great fast-paced adventure/mystery-solving story for YA readers. It has a dash of romance and a helping of sci-fi, and it is only the first book in a series! I may not pick up the sequel, but I am not quite the fan of the YA genre as I used to be. If you are, consider this for your next read!