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A review by perilous1
Drawn by Marie Lamba
3.0
Full Review for RT Magazine - March 2012 edition
3.5 Stars (Were that allowed.)
First-person present tense telling through the eyes of Michelle, an outcast American girl and recent transplant to a posh private academy in England. After her mother's abandonment and her older brother's struggles with schizophrenia, she feels that she and her father have been given a chance to start over in a place where their 'freak' reputation isn't known to anyone. But that reputation seems determined to haunt her, literally, in the form of the castle-dwelling ghost of a young nobleman named Christopher. The bond they form forges a connection between the 1400's and present day, and Michelle discovers that she may be able to alter the past—for better or worse.
Drawn holds an intriguing premise, and a double-edged theme threaded through with luminous forethought. The prose is casual, even playful. And the cross American/British culture made for a flavourful addition to the plot.
I appreciated the consistent rules of interaction while Michelle is visiting the past. For instance: she cannot touch or be seen by anyone but Christopher. And she cannot pick up objects unless they are not being touched by someone—when she does pick up an object, to everyone else, it disappears. There is also a compelling bit of detail about Michelle being able to 'taste' whatever person or object that passes through her. Though the rules seemed slightly different for Christopher—an aspect which was never really explained.
While descriptions are solid, readers may find it a bit difficult to connect to the main character on an emotional level--making it challenging to become fully immersed in the story. For someone who's survived the life of a social reject, Michelle seems distressingly slow on the pickup regarding peer interactions. Even after she's met Christopher and accepted that she is somehow traveling back to medieval times, she remains a bit maladaptive to the cultural and century-gap.
The ending, however, is endearing without being sappy. And there is a resonating depth to the overall message that offers a satisfying degree of closure.
3.5 Stars (Were that allowed.)
First-person present tense telling through the eyes of Michelle, an outcast American girl and recent transplant to a posh private academy in England. After her mother's abandonment and her older brother's struggles with schizophrenia, she feels that she and her father have been given a chance to start over in a place where their 'freak' reputation isn't known to anyone. But that reputation seems determined to haunt her, literally, in the form of the castle-dwelling ghost of a young nobleman named Christopher. The bond they form forges a connection between the 1400's and present day, and Michelle discovers that she may be able to alter the past—for better or worse.
Drawn holds an intriguing premise, and a double-edged theme threaded through with luminous forethought. The prose is casual, even playful. And the cross American/British culture made for a flavourful addition to the plot.
I appreciated the consistent rules of interaction while Michelle is visiting the past. For instance: she cannot touch or be seen by anyone but Christopher. And she cannot pick up objects unless they are not being touched by someone—when she does pick up an object, to everyone else, it disappears. There is also a compelling bit of detail about Michelle being able to 'taste' whatever person or object that passes through her. Though the rules seemed slightly different for Christopher—an aspect which was never really explained.
While descriptions are solid, readers may find it a bit difficult to connect to the main character on an emotional level--making it challenging to become fully immersed in the story. For someone who's survived the life of a social reject, Michelle seems distressingly slow on the pickup regarding peer interactions. Even after she's met Christopher and accepted that she is somehow traveling back to medieval times, she remains a bit maladaptive to the cultural and century-gap.
The ending, however, is endearing without being sappy. And there is a resonating depth to the overall message that offers a satisfying degree of closure.