Review: Mature Young Adult with a message
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 12 25, 2013
When I began reading this book, I was quite intrigued because I could not help but think of "The Phantom of the Opera." While it is certainly not the exact story, I think if you pick it up and read it, you will probably see what I mean. I actually had hoped it would be more like that story, but after all, the story had a much bigger message to get across than comparisons with that story.As I read this book, I couldn't help but become engrossed in the story. After all, I love the theatre and music. Put those together, and it is a winning combination. I appreciated the fact the author dealt with how a family handled an unthinkable tragedy, and I was glad to see the resolution of the situation in the way it did. I was able to connect with the characters with virtually no trouble. The characters may have been somewhat stereotypical, but I did not see that as any real kind of problem.I am grateful to say that there are no sex scenes in this book--that is always a relief. I could have done without the superfluous profanity, especially since this book's targeted audience is upper high school. I had considered whether I should mark the book down for this, but I chose not to.Up until the last ten pages of the book, I had planned on giving this book a 4-star rating. But I knew when I read the conclusion that this book deserved the 5 stars. Why? Without giving anything away, Jennifer Fry has created a very strong female character who truly embraces who she is as a woman and a person. If you are looking for a book that is a typical young adult romance, you may wish to look elsewhere. This book is much more realistic, and you may not like the ending. I can honestly tell you that I was exuberant when I reached the end! Lucy is smarter as a fifteen-year-old than I was at the age of 30!I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.