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A review by mythicalbat
Providence by Caroline Kepnes
1.0
This book started so strong. I was really interested; Jon’s kidnapping was fascinating, the childlike love and friendship between Chloe and Jon was sweet. Suddenly we’re thrust into action - Jon is being hunted.
Then Jon wakes up. He’s been kidnapped and kept asleep for four years. He’s in a strange body, a man’s body, no longer the child he was when he was kidnapped. Something’s strange, and wrong and he fears he has monstrous powers.
Sounds fascinating, right? Except the very moment that Jon wakes up turns out to be the highlight of the book. I waited for the rest of the plot to unravel - a confrontation with the kidnapper, a deeper exploration of his new powers, a growing relationship between Jon and Chloe.
None of that happens. Jon pads through the book, changing not at all, Chloe flits from page to page, leaving no impression, never growing, never having her own real storyline. Their relationship stays bland, shallow, based only in schoolyard crushes. You are told repeatedly that these characters just love each other, they’re perfect for each other, they’re the only ones who understand each other. And yet they have zero chemistry. Their conversations are awkward, stilted, unrelentingly childish. There is no actual exploration of the powers, or the kidnapper’s theories. Any hopes of discussion with him or his old mentor, or exploration within the house, were swiftly crushed, as though Kepnes was terrified that we might accidentally find something interesting in a confrontation- god, any kind of confrontation.
In short, this is a YA novel with a paranormal element that the author simply doesn’t seem to know what to do with. It’s all idea, no substance. I’m really disappointed. I loved You. I liked Hidden Bodies. I’ll be reading her next work, because I know she can do better than this. But this one? Suffice it to say if I ever have to read about marshmallow fluff as an allegory for love again, I’m going to microwave myself.
Then Jon wakes up. He’s been kidnapped and kept asleep for four years. He’s in a strange body, a man’s body, no longer the child he was when he was kidnapped. Something’s strange, and wrong and he fears he has monstrous powers.
Sounds fascinating, right? Except the very moment that Jon wakes up turns out to be the highlight of the book. I waited for the rest of the plot to unravel - a confrontation with the kidnapper, a deeper exploration of his new powers, a growing relationship between Jon and Chloe.
None of that happens. Jon pads through the book, changing not at all, Chloe flits from page to page, leaving no impression, never growing, never having her own real storyline. Their relationship stays bland, shallow, based only in schoolyard crushes. You are told repeatedly that these characters just love each other, they’re perfect for each other, they’re the only ones who understand each other. And yet they have zero chemistry. Their conversations are awkward, stilted, unrelentingly childish. There is no actual exploration of the powers, or the kidnapper’s theories. Any hopes of discussion with him or his old mentor, or exploration within the house, were swiftly crushed, as though Kepnes was terrified that we might accidentally find something interesting in a confrontation- god, any kind of confrontation.
In short, this is a YA novel with a paranormal element that the author simply doesn’t seem to know what to do with. It’s all idea, no substance. I’m really disappointed. I loved You. I liked Hidden Bodies. I’ll be reading her next work, because I know she can do better than this. But this one? Suffice it to say if I ever have to read about marshmallow fluff as an allegory for love again, I’m going to microwave myself.