HALF BAD: REVIEW + GIVEAWAY



Half Bad (Half Bad Trilogy #1)
by Sally Green
Publishing: March 4, 2014 | PenguinTeen'
Status: DNF
         Wanted by no one.
         Hunted by everyone.

         Sixteen-year-old Nathan lives in a cage: beaten, shackled, trained to kill. In a modern-day England where two warring factions of witches live amongst humans, Nathan is an abomination, the illegitimate son of the world's most terrifying and violent witch, Marcus. Nathan's only hope for survival is to escape his captors, track down Marcus, and receive the three gifts that will bring him into his own magical powers—before it's too late. But how can Nathan find his father when there is no one safe to trust, not even family, not even the girl he loves?
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         I desperately wanted to finish this book because I felt obligated to. Thank you PenguinTeen for a copy of this book, but I really didn't like it.
         I've seen this book before and I've seen its reviews, they're not that great. That's probably why I never picked it up. I remember reading praise and one of them said, The new Harry Potter. What a lie.
         I was confused from the beginning. The point of view was extremely peculiar. It's told in second and it felt like a yoga class. The instructor is telling you to picture your third eye, or some other metaphysical mumbo jumbo, and it sounds ridiculous. It also felt so far away, probably because it's told in a recollection sort of way. The speaker was distant and it felt like they were trying to tell you something. Are you trying to be Murakami? Then, it gets switched to third person... One point of view is more than enough.
         Along with the weird writing style, the author neglects world building. The author introduces White Witches, Black Witches, Half-Codes, Half-Bloods and Fains, but doesn't explain what a Fain is. Are Fains human? (I only read about 52%, so I don't know if the author mentions it in the future) All the author tells you is that there's a deep hatred between White and Black Witches... YAY! CLICHE YA TROPES!
         If you want to read a witch series, read Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins instead.

1 comment:

  1. I have NO IDEA why I like this series as I do agree with much of what you said here. Somehow through all of that I got emotionally attached to these characters.... But yeah, the writing is strange, though I actually love second person. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately for you I guess, that isn't continued throughout the rest of the series. Maybe I just like it because of the gay characters and the whole bi love triangle thing. Um, were you not introduced to that yet? I don't know. I get why you don't like this book....I have no explanation for why I do..

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