Review: More of a "hidden scene" than a stand alone story; does not really add to the series
Rating: 1 out of 5
Date: 12 27, 2012
The new thing in YA is doing novellas or short stories to promote upcoming sequels. Unfortunately, some authors use this only for a vehicle for a sneak peak for the sequel instead of using it as a forum to say something new and fresh about the story being told.Tortured by Caragh O'Brien falls in that category. The story takes place after Birthmarked. We follow Leon as he is healing from torture from his father. We get some discussion of what happens to him and how he plans to get Gaia back. That is the gist of the story.We already know that this happens and don't need this scene to help us out. But the problem of this novella is that it doesn't really add anything to the story-- it should either give us a new perspective, new twists to the original story, add something new. I feel like it fails on these counts. The sneak peek of Prized is just as long as this story is, and much better than Tortured.The sad thing is, I had to skim through this short story even though it couldn't have been more than 20 pages long. Overall, adds nothing to the story, and I would not encourage readers of the Birthmarked trilogy to read it.