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A review by peachykeenxyz
XVI by Julia Karr
1.0
XVI is a novel that blends underdeveloped characters and an poorly explained world with disgustingly overdone cliches. The result ends up looking like something a thirteen year old with an abstinence-only agenda would write for a church competition.
We get it, Ms. Karr, teen sex is horrible and dangerous and will drive corruption into our very society. Having said that, if you're going to write something trying to promote abstinence-only for teens... at least try to write it well. If you look at a page in this book, you'll see the word "sex" everywhere. Repetition can be a great literary device in the right hands. XVI, however, is a fantastic example of how NOT to use it. There are plenty of euphemisms and synonyms for "sex." Please use them.
As another reviewer said, the most "traumatic" experience in the main character's life- a death- leaves readers feeling cold (no pun intended!). The author offers NO explanation for all the made-up words in the story- and referring to cars as 'trannies' is downright pointless. The end result is a fictional world no one cares about because the author simply does not know how to bring it to life enough.
We get it, Ms. Karr, teen sex is horrible and dangerous and will drive corruption into our very society. Having said that, if you're going to write something trying to promote abstinence-only for teens... at least try to write it well. If you look at a page in this book, you'll see the word "sex" everywhere. Repetition can be a great literary device in the right hands. XVI, however, is a fantastic example of how NOT to use it. There are plenty of euphemisms and synonyms for "sex." Please use them.
As another reviewer said, the most "traumatic" experience in the main character's life- a death- leaves readers feeling cold (no pun intended!). The author offers NO explanation for all the made-up words in the story- and referring to cars as 'trannies' is downright pointless. The end result is a fictional world no one cares about because the author simply does not know how to bring it to life enough.