Scan barcode
A review by gretchenmiller
Rosebush by Michele Jaffe
4.0
So let me start off this review by saying: I am SO GLAD I decided to read this book. I have had it on my to-read list for awhile, but wasn't too eager to start it after reading all the negative reviews on here.
When I finally got Rosebush, I read it in a day. I couldn't put it down.
I am a very harsh reader. As a teenage girl, I am easily annoyed by how YA authors often portray my gender & age group -- I've read so many YA books where the female protagonists are immature, naive, cliche, etc, etc. (And they always have such cheesy dialogue!)
The characters in Rosebush, however, are so, so well written. Even though some of them are materialistic or immoral or even insane, all characters are intelligent in their own ways, and have many deep, dark layers to them. Well, with the exception of David (who I love as a character just because his manipulation and idiocy proves a point and makes you cringe.) The banter between Jane and Pete and even Scott was so realistic and actually genuinely funny. And you'll love Annie.
On that note, the writing in this book is overall spectacular. I love the jumps between present day to Jane struggling to remember the past, to even a hallucination that you don't completely understand. (A lot of reviewers didn't like this confusion, but I loved it. It added to the whole what-is-real and what-is-not feel of the book.) Rosebush makes you think hard about what you're reading and actually consider its characters and fantasies. When I started this book, I tried to guess who the killer was right off the bat. But the further I got into it, I began to question everything. Is Jane really crazy? Is anyone actually trying to kill her? This book took me on a roller coaster of theories and emotions, better than most other mystery books I've read.
I really am genuinely surprised by all the harsh reviews, since I normally am the one doesn't think a top-rated book is as great as everyone else does. But seriously, I loved this book. The wicked twists and turns, the complex & intricate characters, and the mind-blowing ending have made Rosebush one of the best mysteries I've read by far.
When I finally got Rosebush, I read it in a day. I couldn't put it down.
I am a very harsh reader. As a teenage girl, I am easily annoyed by how YA authors often portray my gender & age group -- I've read so many YA books where the female protagonists are immature, naive, cliche, etc, etc. (And they always have such cheesy dialogue!)
The characters in Rosebush, however, are so, so well written. Even though some of them are materialistic or immoral or even insane, all characters are intelligent in their own ways, and have many deep, dark layers to them. Well, with the exception of David (who I love as a character just because his manipulation and idiocy proves a point and makes you cringe.) The banter between Jane and Pete and even Scott was so realistic and actually genuinely funny. And you'll love Annie.
On that note, the writing in this book is overall spectacular. I love the jumps between present day to Jane struggling to remember the past, to even a hallucination that you don't completely understand. (A lot of reviewers didn't like this confusion, but I loved it. It added to the whole what-is-real and what-is-not feel of the book.) Rosebush makes you think hard about what you're reading and actually consider its characters and fantasies. When I started this book, I tried to guess who the killer was right off the bat. But the further I got into it, I began to question everything. Is Jane really crazy? Is anyone actually trying to kill her? This book took me on a roller coaster of theories and emotions, better than most other mystery books I've read.
I really am genuinely surprised by all the harsh reviews, since I normally am the one doesn't think a top-rated book is as great as everyone else does. But seriously, I loved this book. The wicked twists and turns, the complex & intricate characters, and the mind-blowing ending have made Rosebush one of the best mysteries I've read by far.