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A review by tiareleine
Earthbound by Aprilynne Pike
2.0
I should have known. I should have known I wouldn't like it. I didn't like Aprilynne Pike's other series, Wings, but I finished it anyway. Because of that, when Earthbound came out I'd filed Aprilynne Pike under "Authors I've Read" in my head. And when I've read something by an author, I basically automatically buy their subsequent books.
That was a mistake. And one I will not be making again.
The book follows Tavia. She hasan extreme case of special snowflake syndrome been in an accident and her life has been turned upside down. And to make it worse, strange things have started happening around her. A mysterious boy in 1800's garb appears, there are strange triangles only she can see, ChapStick is appearing in her pockets.
Sounds interesting, right?
Well, it would have been interesting if it weren't for the romance. Insta-love and a love triangle. I've managed to get away from both of these for a long stretch of books, but they're back. With a vengeance. I knew, going in, that there was a love triangle. I knew what that meant when it came to an Aprilynne Pike book (the love triangle in Wings was one of the most overpowering and persistent I've ever read) but this was worse than I imagined.
Tavia has the same arrangement Laurel had in Wings. There's one guy (Benson) she met soon after moving and instantly became friends with, and he is her tie to the human world. The other guy (Quinn) is mysterious and intriguing, and it feels like they know each other. He is her tie to the paranormal world. (She's also "supposed" to be with him and feels an incredibly strong emotional attachment to him, but she tries to date the other guy anyway. She's not emotionally faithful). Both of them instantly fall for her, and put up with all of her "I'm in love with two guys" shit. (I mean, Benson protested and complained about Quinn, but never took any action, like, say, breaking off his relationship with her because he just loved her too much.)
The insta-love was the worst. Not only was Tavia instantly in love with Quinn, Benson was instantly in love with Tavia. They'd known each other for maybe a couple of months, and they started dating one day before he helped her steal a car and run away with no destination in mind. And once they were on the run, they said they loved each other about twice a page. At first I thought maybe I just wasn't enough of a romantic for this book, but as it wore on I realized that their relationship was too much too fast. There was never any build-up. They were friends one second and in love the next.
Also, what the hell kind of name is Benson?
Normally, you'd think a relationship-centric book like this one would have a flimsy main character, and actually you'd be wrong. Tavia wasn't flimsy. She annoyed me, but she wasn't weak. But she had a hard time thinking of anyone but herself.
Look, I'm all for being selfish (and I don't just mean me, I mean everyone. Humans are inherently selfish) but seriously, sometimes characters in YA books astound me. Like Tavia, Also, she made terrible decisions! She spent the whole book on the run from the only people who could give her any answers about what she was, and she complained the whole time about not knowing anything! There's an easy solution; listen to them!
Although, as much as Tavia annoyed me and as much as I didn't agree with most of her decisions, I liked that she thought about things. She recognized that a lot of her decisions were questionable, and even though she made them she understood that maybe they weren't exactly what she should have done. I really appreciate this. It doesn't make up for the fact that they were stupid decisions, but at least she knew.
In the end, I think this book was just too ambitious. It tried to have this big mystery about secret societies, and an epic love story, and an all-powerful teenager, and love and loss and betrayal. It was too much. All of it felt half-baked. If the love story had been toned down, I think the paranormal aspect would have worked much better. Unfortunately, it felt like the relationship stuff was long and slow and the paranormal stuff was short and rushed.
I'm not going to finish the series, because by the end of the book in didn't care what happened. I forced myself to finish it (although I read the last 50 pages at double speed and half paying attention) and not sure I want to sign myself up for that one or two times more. I need to learn when to walk away from a series, and I think this might be it.
That was a mistake. And one I will not be making again.
The book follows Tavia. She has
Sounds interesting, right?
Well, it would have been interesting if it weren't for the romance. Insta-love and a love triangle. I've managed to get away from both of these for a long stretch of books, but they're back. With a vengeance. I knew, going in, that there was a love triangle. I knew what that meant when it came to an Aprilynne Pike book (the love triangle in Wings was one of the most overpowering and persistent I've ever read) but this was worse than I imagined.
Tavia has the same arrangement Laurel had in Wings. There's one guy (Benson) she met soon after moving and instantly became friends with, and he is her tie to the human world. The other guy (Quinn
Spoiler
who we later learn is now named Logan, so in the next book it'll be Logan playing this partThe insta-love was the worst. Not only was Tavia instantly in love with Quinn, Benson was instantly in love with Tavia. They'd known each other for maybe a couple of months, and they started dating one day before he helped her steal a car and run away with no destination in mind. And once they were on the run, they said they loved each other about twice a page. At first I thought maybe I just wasn't enough of a romantic for this book, but as it wore on I realized that their relationship was too much too fast. There was never any build-up. They were friends one second and in love the next.
Also, what the hell kind of name is Benson?
Normally, you'd think a relationship-centric book like this one would have a flimsy main character, and actually you'd be wrong. Tavia wasn't flimsy. She annoyed me, but she wasn't weak. But she had a hard time thinking of anyone but herself.
Look, I'm all for being selfish (and I don't just mean me, I mean everyone. Humans are inherently selfish) but seriously, sometimes characters in YA books astound me. Like Tavia,
Spoiler
who refused to go with Liz, Sammi, and Mark to be reunited with her soul mate, which they told her was necessary to unlock memories she had that would cure a virus and save the human race (and btw I think it's really stupid that her choice of boyfriend is so important to human survival. I mean, jfc, dramatic much?) And she said no! She said she'd rather stay with Benson--which would entail being on the run forever and ruining his life (but that's cool, because he said he's okay with that).Although, as much as Tavia annoyed me and as much as I didn't agree with most of her decisions, I liked that she thought about things. She recognized that a lot of her decisions were questionable, and even though she made them she understood that maybe they weren't exactly what she should have done. I really appreciate this. It doesn't make up for the fact that they were stupid decisions, but at least she knew.
In the end, I think this book was just too ambitious. It tried to have this big mystery about secret societies, and an epic love story, and an all-powerful teenager, and love and loss and betrayal. It was too much. All of it felt half-baked. If the love story had been toned down, I think the paranormal aspect would have worked much better. Unfortunately, it felt like the relationship stuff was long and slow and the paranormal stuff was short and rushed.
I'm not going to finish the series, because by the end of the book in didn't care what happened. I forced myself to finish it (although I read the last 50 pages at double speed and half paying attention) and not sure I want to sign myself up for that one or two times more. I need to learn when to walk away from a series, and I think this might be it.