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A review by parkergoodreau
Uncle Vampire by Cynthia D. Grant
Oh Lord Almighty, what am I going to say about this book?
It shocked me, which I was really unprepared for because I thought it was kind of, you know, all there in the summary (No, it's not really a vampire book: don't set yourself up for disappointment. Summaries are your friends). But parts of the story really took me by surprise in the best, internal-gasping, what-the-heck-was-that way. Apart from that, it really isn't a very complicated plot.
However, it gets very emotionally complicated. Maybe moreso if, like me, you found yourself relating to Carolyn. We have a lot in common, in the way we think about our families especially. I always appreciate when the complication of a messed up family dynamic come through. I thought it was very well done, and really I'm very glad I read this book for that reason.
That being said, sometimes I wasn't very impressed by the writing. It got a little static at times. I guess it could be a matter of style, but I was quite honestly shocked to discover that Carolyn is in ninth grade. She didn't sound that old to me. This changed a little as it went on, but... there's still something a little unpolished about it. Maybe I'm asking too much. Some of the dream sequences were amazing.
All in all, I was a little disappointed by the writing, but unexpectedly engrossed by the story. It's an easy physical read and a not-so-easy but satisfying emotional one. No star rating for this one.
P.S. - The edition with the eyes on the cover (the one my library gave me) is so enormously creepy that I could not leave it face-up anywhere I could see it. Get a different edition if you can. If anything's going to give me nightmares, it just might be that cover.
It shocked me, which I was really unprepared for because I thought it was kind of, you know, all there in the summary (No, it's not really a vampire book: don't set yourself up for disappointment. Summaries are your friends). But parts of the story really took me by surprise in the best, internal-gasping, what-the-heck-was-that way. Apart from that, it really isn't a very complicated plot.
However, it gets very emotionally complicated. Maybe moreso if, like me, you found yourself relating to Carolyn. We have a lot in common, in the way we think about our families especially. I always appreciate when the complication of a messed up family dynamic come through. I thought it was very well done, and really I'm very glad I read this book for that reason.
That being said, sometimes I wasn't very impressed by the writing. It got a little static at times. I guess it could be a matter of style, but I was quite honestly shocked to discover that Carolyn is in ninth grade. She didn't sound that old to me. This changed a little as it went on, but... there's still something a little unpolished about it. Maybe I'm asking too much. Some of the dream sequences were amazing.
All in all, I was a little disappointed by the writing, but unexpectedly engrossed by the story. It's an easy physical read and a not-so-easy but satisfying emotional one. No star rating for this one.
P.S. - The edition with the eyes on the cover (the one my library gave me) is so enormously creepy that I could not leave it face-up anywhere I could see it. Get a different edition if you can. If anything's going to give me nightmares, it just might be that cover.