A review by pages_rewritten
Guided by Emma Smith

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I was very kindly gifted this book by Emma and I can’t even begin to explain how it got me out of the biggest reading slump. I finished this book in 3 days, not actually able to put it down at some points, constantly on the edge of my seat and feeling like I’d actually entered this whole new world. 

The protagonist, Macey, is extremely relatable for a 17 year old and, while I was annoyed by her actions, or rather her lack of actions, in parts, I could really empathise with her. As it was written from her perspective, it really felt like I was experiencing everything she went through and how she felt. Emma’s writing style really encourages you to get into Macey’s head which made the plot even more immersive and entertaining. It was an emotional rollercoaster but all those emotions were portrayed amazingly!

 

There are so many hidden messages that Emma has put into this book perfectly. Bullying (a main theme in this book) is portrayed as such a damaging action, with such huge potential to lead to harm, but with such little consequence for the perpetrators. She presents this so well, showing the need for acceptance that Lexie (the character that experienced bullying) craved from the children that were viewed as ‘popular’ and the signs to look out for. 

The writing style is so nice to read (with short chapters which are a must!) It’s quite an easy read in that sense as it is so clear throughout the whole novel.

It’s so unbelievably touching and heartbreaking but entertaining in the best way! I just wanted the book to keep going and never end. It was such a nice change to read some uk based YA, especially written by such a talented young author! I’ll definitely be picking up the sequel.