Half Finn, half African-American and full-on crazy (she’s a diagnosed manic-depressive and is prone to hallucinations), Hanna has never really fit in anywhere. But when she comes to Portero, Texas after her father’s death to reunite with the mother that gave her up as a baby, she finds a town as crazy as she is. Has Hanna finally found a place she belongs?You know a book is weird when one of the scenes involves a mother and daughter luring a naked boy out of a lake and then cutting him up (which ultimately leads to his death) and you barely bat an eye...because that’s not even the weirdest thing that’s gone down.
Although I’ve been to fictional towns as monster-filled as Portero before, I never have come across someone quite as fearless and well, odd, in her thinking as Hanna. Soon after she meets monster hunter (and love interest) Wyatt, she begs him to take her hunting so she can impress her mother. And then she wears a fancy dress to fight in, explaining, “It’s easier to be careful in dresses. You have to be or you end up flashing your underclothes or destroying beautiful fabric. Dresses force you to be on guard.” (p 185-186 ARC edition, may not be the same as final published version).
But as bizarre as the setting, the plot, and the characters are, Debut Author Reeves uses them to really explore some serious issues such as racial identity, mental illness and abandonment, giving the book a depth beyond your usual YA urban fantasy fare. I know this one won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you’re open to the experimental, you might just find yourself enjoying the undeniably rich, strange flavor of BLEEDING VIOLET.
BLEEDING VIOLET came out this month in hardcover. Find out more about it at the author’s website.
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18 comments:
um, okay, yes, this sounds weird. luring a naked boy out of a lake to then cut him up and kill him, say WHAT?!?
This sounds intense and wonderful, and I MUST read it!
This is why I read your blog.
Didn't know that there was a mother and daughter luring a naked boy out of a lake... I'll be looking out for that now when I read the book, LOL.
Definitely sounds a bit weird, but it does sound interesting too. I'm intrigued, thank you!
I think this one might just be a little too weird for me. Thanks for your review.
that's the point where our tastes meet (p´･∀･)乂(･∀･｀q)
Intriguing - thanks for the review - I might have to check it out!
Great review - this book sounds totally nuts LOL. I'll definitely have to check it out :o)
This sounds amazingly intense and crazy weird which I love! Thanks for the review, you are yet another blogger to convince me that I must read this book
Thanks for letting me know about Absolutely Maybe. I'll just make it an off-color review :0
I would be tempted to try to read this one, even though it does sound a bit odd to me.
I enjoy a bit of weirdness - this sounds intriguing! I really enjoy books with mentally ill characters; I like to see how the authors do those portrayals.
I'm a bit of a sucker for weird/bizarre. This sounds like my cup of tea... (dangerous!)
Great review.
Wow, I didn't know this one would be so weird. But it only makes me wnat to read it more now.
Sounds totally bizarre and totally compelling to me. I liked this review and am ordering this book as soon as I can. It sounds way out there, but I know it will be a very interesting read. Great review, you totally sold me on this book!
Oooo. I put this on my list because I thought the cover looked fascinating (I know, so shallow). Now I'm really looking forward to reading it because I like my YA with a healthy helpin' of weird.
This book is very bizarre and that's why I liked it so much.
And I agree not everyone will appreciate it strangeness.
While reading it I couldn't help but think of those not so normal shows networks like Fox would air for a few weeks
And then get pulled because no one was watching. The first show that comes to mind is Wonderfalls. I loved Wonderfalls.
There is no pulling back Bleeding Violet - All its strangeness is out to stay.
Wow. This sounds like some book. Not sure it's one I want to read, but is looks very interesting.
I didn't think I was going to read this one. I don't know, too much YA lately, and a glut of 'same' books, and I figured this would just fall in. You changed my mind. This sounds so... out there and not 'same' that I think I actually want to read it, and some time soon at that. Thanks!
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