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A review by nellym27
Drew by Allison Glock, T. Cooper
2.0
I initially really strongly disliked this book, but the ending kind of redeemed it for me so that it gets a final 2.5 stars rather than the 1 which I was sure it would get for the majority of the book.
The premise of this book is what drew me to it. However, the supernatural aspects are not constructed strongly enough for it to work at all. In fact, the plot of the "changers" seems more a plot device to allow the protagonist added angst rather than anything more focal as it is hardly mentioned throughout the book. Its basically just a book about high school and romance with the occasional spanner thrown in the works by the fact that he's a "changer." The world construction is very weak, and the abiders, who are supposedly the main threat to changer existence, hardly seem like any danger at all. Other aspects of the changer existence are just clearly there for ease of plot without making much sense; such as that an ancient race should change their bodies according to the schedule of the American high school system, and how convenient that they can see the future only when they make out with people (which is fully weird, let's be real.)
The relationships were not built gradually at all and it was kind of confusing suddenly being hit by the protagonists feelings when they hadn't really been told to us before. one minute Drew is blown away by Chase and is getting butterflies everytime he sees him/her (???) and then Drews saying that he/they/she (this whole changer thing makes pronouns very difficult) is in love with Audrey and then suddenly revealing that he's in love with both of them. Like what? as soon as I come to terms with protags feelings for one character, they come out of the blue and say they're in love with someone else.
The characters were all either good or bad . And of all the bad characters were so cheesily nasty it was painful to read. The insults that came out of Chloe's mouth were - and I've never gone to an American high school so maybe I'm wrong - things that just no one would say. Chloe generally was just one big mean girl cliche.
There were so many unconvincing things in both character and plot in order to create angst and drive the story along. I find it hard to believe that any high school English class would force students to kiss in front of their class, let alone students of the same sex.
I now feel vaguely bad for slaughtering this book and really hope that the writers don't check their goodreads.
The premise of this book is what drew me to it. However, the supernatural aspects are not constructed strongly enough for it to work at all. In fact, the plot of the "changers" seems more a plot device to allow the protagonist added angst rather than anything more focal as it is hardly mentioned throughout the book. Its basically just a book about high school and romance with the occasional spanner thrown in the works by the fact that he's a "changer." The world construction is very weak, and the abiders, who are supposedly the main threat to changer existence, hardly seem like any danger at all. Other aspects of the changer existence are just clearly there for ease of plot without making much sense; such as that an ancient race should change their bodies according to the schedule of the American high school system, and how convenient that they can see the future only when they make out with people (which is fully weird, let's be real.)
The relationships were not built gradually at all and it was kind of confusing suddenly being hit by the protagonists feelings when they hadn't really been told to us before.
The characters were all either good or bad . And of all the bad characters were so cheesily nasty it was painful to read. The insults that came out of Chloe's mouth were - and I've never gone to an American high school so maybe I'm wrong - things that just no one would say. Chloe generally was just one big mean girl cliche.
There were so many unconvincing things in both character and plot in order to create angst and drive the story along.
I now feel vaguely bad for slaughtering this book and really hope that the writers don't check their goodreads.