Review: Family Ties
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 22, 2014
Harmony Wolcott isn't your average teenager. Wild, untamed, and troubled, she's spent most of her life on the outside looking in. Her mother is a promiscuous mess, child protective services are an ominous cloud looming over her, and she suffers from a haunting, recurring dream. But is it really a dream? Or is it a message from the grave attempting to rouse memories from her childhood she's long kept under lock and key?Better Left Buried is a horror story, but it's more than that. It's the story about two teenaged best friends, Harmony and Brea, both outcasts in a world in which they're not comfortable. It's the story about two families with stronger ties than they want to admit. It's about lies and secrets and how they can come back to haunt you. In this case, literally.The cast is as interesting as it is diverse, the two mains in particular. First, there's Harmony. I wouldn't call her 'likeable'. As the story progresses she does things that made me want to throttle her. BUT, she is deeply troubled and there are reasons she does what she does. Love her or hate her, you WILL feel something for her, and when all is said and done, you'll understand why she is the way she is. Juxtaposed with Harmony is Brea. She's the complete opposite of Harmony. Where Harmony is reckless, Brea is reserved, where Harmony is in your face, Brea is introverted. It's in their vastly different natures where this book truly shines. This is the type of relationship most of us have had growing up. Theirs is a fantastic balance of dark and light, which is used to great effect. Too much of one and the book would have read like a depressing dirge, too much of the other and it wouldn't have had as much emotional pull. As with the main characters, the supporting cast is well drawn, each with their own interesting back story. Adam, Harmony's boyfriend, is doing what he can to love someone who's beyond repair. Harmony's mother is a ball of bad decisions and regret. Brea's mother is the control freak who tries to hold on too strong and keep her daughter from being hurt in the big bad world.The plot is intricate, well conceived and executed, and is told in a rapid fire pace that consists of descriptive scenes, great dialogue, and short chapters that make you want to know what happens next. While the book does deal with mature themes, it's never gratuitous. I call it a breath of fresh air in a YA genre filled with novels that go out of their way to be edgy or shocking 'just because they can', and even without the horror element, you'd be left with an engrossing coming of age story.Great characters, vivid plot, colorful writing. What more could you ask? And why are you wasting your time reading this? Your time would be much better spent reading the book! This one gets five stars and my highest recommendation without reservation.