The Replacement

Pages: 343

This is the book I meant to review last week but we all know that didn't happen. However, it's happening now, so that's good enough. I had never heard of this book until I saw it in Hastings. It was 20% off so who wouldn't have stopped to examine it? It was interesting synopsis, but what really sold me was the comment on the back. Especially this line, "Mackie Doyle is one of the sweetest, strangest, most magnetic heroes I've met in a long time." Don't ask me why, maybe it's because I'm a teenage girl. Whatever the reason, I'm sure glad I bought it.

The world in this book is creative and spooky, though Gentry (the town) tries it's hardest to cover it up. Though the baby switching part makes me kind of disgusted, I loved other parts of the underground, like the dead girls. They intrigued me, how their bodies still grew, their personalities. All others avoided them; this made me feel sorry for them. Maybe it was the rotten stench that hung on them, that I couldn't smell, or the feeling that they were unnatural that made others keep away. Personally, I think their altered state extraordinary. They played small roles, but they stuck out to me. This goes to show how little details are so important.

I loved Tate's personality and the definite differences between her and Alice. Alice is stuck up and snobby, popular. She cares what other people think. Tate is avoided because her sister died, or really, was taken. She doesn't care what anyone thinks. She'll be who she wants to be. These differences between them, and how Mackie feels about them, seemed to draw out more of each personality. Tate may not have seemed so badass-y-ish if she hadn't kicked the crap out of Alice. Alice may not have seemed so pompous if she hadn't told Tate to act normal.

The Lady and the Morrigan's relationship adds tension to the story. The Morrigan is childlike and wants only for love while her sister is a grown woman and lives off of blood, sacrifice, and power. The terrible deeds of the Lady are talked about throughout the book: drying up the lake then using the water to flood the House of Mayhem, burning down the church, stealing children. She is feared. The Lady does not love her sister and thinks her foolish. Though the Morrigan does loves her, she throws a fit when Mackie goes to visit her, saying he was bowing to her. In the end, the Lady dies by her sister's hand. How's that for love?

Overall, I loved the feel of this book. It's exactly what it promised to be which is all anyone can ask. I expect more great things from Brenna Yovanoff in the future. She's sure to be a bestselling author if she keeps this up. I highly recommend reading it, especially if you love ugly, but also beautiful, things.

The next book along the Reading Trail? Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls.