One of them truly cares for her. One of them wants to prey on her memories. Both of them drowned.
After her school exams, Alex finds an extraordinary bracelet set with a mysterious blue stone buried in the Thames mud. She discovers that she can use it to communicate with the river's dead. Condemned to a half-life of misery, they must steal the happiness of the living to exist. Callum - desperate, lonely and breathtakingly good-looking - is one of them. Alex falls deeply in love.
And Callum loves her.
Doesn't he?
Small Blue Thing Series:
Small Blue Thing
Perfectly Reflected (June 2011)
Scattering Like Light (2012)
Visit the Small Blue Thing website for more information
Review:
Alex is a normal teenager who just wants to celebrate finishing her exams and is hoping to catch the attention of the boy she fancies. When she attempts to rescue a trapped swan and discovers a silver bracelet with a beautiful blue stone she picks it up out of curiosity. Wearing the bracelet she starts having visions of a handsome young man and when they find a way to communicate she starts to fall in love. But as she learns more about the boy only she can see she starts to wonder if he is telling her the truth, especially when his sister Catherine has a completely different story to tell. Who should she trust - Callum or Catherine?
I have really mixed feelings about Small Blue Thing. One one hand it was really refreshing to read a story set in the UK, so many of the YA paranormal romances are set in the US that I enjoyed reading a story set in familiar surroundings. I really want to take a trip to St Paul's Cathedral now, especially to the whispering gallery! S.C Ransom has created something different which I really appreciated, I loved finding more about the Dirges (people who have died but aren't quite dead) and found that side of the story really interesting.
What I really had a problem with was the speed of the relationship between Alex and Callum. Yes, I know it was supposed to be love at first sight but it just didn't come across as at all believable. They speak to each other about twice before they start declaring their love for each other and Alex knew absolutely nothing about Callum apart from the fact he was gorgeous. I could totally buy lust at first sight but I was a long way from feeling the love! I was about ready to throw the book across the room at that point and had to force myself to keep reading. Having said that once we got the I love yous out of the way the story started to pick up and I began to enjoy it again. This is when you really start to learn about the dirges and like I said the mythology was unique compared to anything else I've read.
I would have liked a little more detail when the main action happened, it was all over quite quickly and left me a bit disappointed. However the great twist at the end has made me want to read more so I'm sure I will read the sequel when it comes out, I just don't think I'll rush to get hold of a copy. If you don't mind love at first sight with nothing to back it up then you'll probably enjoy this more than I did and I'd say it is well worth picking up a copy. If you're like me and that is something that really irritates you then I'd suggest reading a library copy first if you want to give it a try.
Source: Purchased
Other Reviews:
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Am I going nuts? I could sworn I read this review yesterday.
ReplyDeleteHonest and truthful review.