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fairybadattitude 's review for:
Destined
by P.C. Cast, Kristin Cast
The main problem I have with the House of Night books is how hard the authors try to inject "flavor" into them. Granted, it's been 10+ years since I've been a teenager, but the turns of phrase the mother and daughter team use simply aren't authentic. They are forced, and, for the most part, laughable. For instance, how long can readers stand hearing Aphrodite mock Zoey's rare use of curse words? Or Stevie Rae's constant stream of Okie-isms? At some point, given what these teenagers have experienced, shouldn't their language mature as well?
In addition, in trying to make the books "current", the Casts have managed to date themselves irrevocably. This volume mentions the Lord of the Rings movies (no longer current) and television's Game of Thrones, which will only be relevant for a few more years, at best. That doesn't include the shout outs to the iPad, which has already gone through two iterations. When and if new readers find these books down the line, are they going to laugh at how musty the mentions seem? I certainly would.
I keep reading these books because, well, I just can't stand not knowing what happens in a story. And, there are redeeming bits here and there. Zoey's relationship with her grandmother is touching, although I wish it was a bit more realistic. (High Priestess or not, my grandma would have skinned me alive for shacking up with a guy when I was 16. She'd still do it now!)
I always read the jacket blurbs, and I find it hard to believe that the Casts and these books have received the accolades claimed. If this is what passes for award-winning writing, I'd hate to see the slush pile.
In addition, in trying to make the books "current", the Casts have managed to date themselves irrevocably. This volume mentions the Lord of the Rings movies (no longer current) and television's Game of Thrones, which will only be relevant for a few more years, at best. That doesn't include the shout outs to the iPad, which has already gone through two iterations. When and if new readers find these books down the line, are they going to laugh at how musty the mentions seem? I certainly would.
I keep reading these books because, well, I just can't stand not knowing what happens in a story. And, there are redeeming bits here and there. Zoey's relationship with her grandmother is touching, although I wish it was a bit more realistic. (High Priestess or not, my grandma would have skinned me alive for shacking up with a guy when I was 16. She'd still do it now!)
I always read the jacket blurbs, and I find it hard to believe that the Casts and these books have received the accolades claimed. If this is what passes for award-winning writing, I'd hate to see the slush pile.