mldeblois13 's review for:

A Song for Ella Grey by David Almond

1.0

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I am always looking for retellings especially in the traditional literature genre. This book has an interesting premise and a unique writing style to go with it. It is not for the faint-of-heart reader and most teens will not last the stamina and close reading skills it takes to tackle this intricate novel. The author uses white text on black paper near the end of the book to represent the underworld, which is an interesting twist. The writing is almost lyrical poetry; however, the dreaminess of the character and the writing create disorientation for the reader. I wanted to love this book, but I just could not finish it... too much time with characters singing, getting drunk, and laying around on the beach for me.