The Namesake by Steven Parlato
3/5 stars
Merit Press, 2013
285 pages
YA Contemporary
Source: Received an ARC from Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review.
I'm not really sure why this book callled to me as on the surface it doesn't really seem like a "Stephanie" book. It's a male narrator dealing with grief and some very dark subjects in a literary novel fashion. But it is contemporary YA mostly set in a high school and featuring religious questioning so maybe those were elements I somehow sensed.
My rating for this book is largely based on personal enjoyment, which was not very high for this book. It is dark: the book opens with the narrator reflecting on his father's suicide and that hangs over the entire book as Evan delves into his father's tortured past (if I mention that his father was an altar boy, you might be able to figure out some of what he endured). I do not tend to like dark books and there were many difficult passages for me.
As for the writing, I thought this book had a more literary quality unlike a lot of YA, which tends to lean commercially in my opinion. However some of the characterizations felt off. Evan is supposed to be very smart (having skipped at least one grade) but I didn't really get that impression from him. He was more sensitive than some of his peers but intellectually, he seemed average. His best friend Lex has had some trauma in her past and I thought the reveal of that darkness wasn't handled as well as it could have been (I don't want to reveal spoilers) although by the end, it was almost completely laid bare.
Another element that was hard for me was just the formatting. This book isn't divided into chapters but every few pages, there are section breaks. I would have preferred for each of those sections to be turned into chapters. This is a very odd little personal preference that probably wouldn't bother anyone else.
Overall: A warning that this book is definitely on the dark side and more suited for older readers. Definitely check out some other reviews to see if this one might be right for you.
Other Opinions:
Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile
In Bed With Books
The Book Babe
I hadn't heard of this one before but I don't think I'd pick it up. I usually like my books lighter (except for the stuff we read in my book discussion groups).
ReplyDeleteI suppose those teens who like darker books and read fiction for adults might be drawn to this.
I found this book just so dark but I'm sure it will find its audience.
DeleteI have not seen this one before, and I'm not really sure it is something that I would normally read. It has some really touchy subjects. Sorry it was something you enjoyed.
ReplyDeleteJenea @ Books Live Forever
Yeah, this wasn't really the read for me but I'm glad I gave it a try at least.
DeleteI remember this-- and it was SUPER dark. It actually really freaked me out-- but I liked it, because as a book, it had the capacity to make me feel all kinds of emotion. Thank you for the linkage. (: And you're totally right-- Evan didn't feel that smart to me either. Thank you for the rocking review, girly! (:
ReplyDeleteSO dark! I had read reviews but had forgotten that by the time I picked this up. Every page just pulled me deeper and deeper into the darkness.
DeleteHm. I'm not sure this is the book for me! I like dark, but I tend to stay away from anything that touches on religion. Would you say religion plays a big role in this story, or is it more limited to the fact that his dad was an altar boy and was clearly sexually abused?
ReplyDeleteI don't feel like it's a very religious book, which I would define as one more concerned with theology and scripture. But the fact that his dad was abused (by a priest) plays a big role so some people are definitely not going to like that.
DeleteWow, that sounds pretty difficult to get through. I'll have to give it a miss. Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteIt really wasn't my thing and I feel like a lot of bloggers would agree with that assessment.
DeleteSaw this and was not sure if it was a "Jen book" either. Hmm.. Still not sure.
ReplyDeleteJen @ YA Romantics
I don't think it's a "Jen book" either but if you got a copy...page through it at least.
DeleteI would've preferred chapters too, but quickly caught on that the sections counted as chapters. (I read for awhile going, "I'll stop at chapter two . . . wait, there is no chapter two!")
ReplyDeleteThat was my thought at first too before realizing that, yep, there were no chapters.
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