Review: A Wholesome YA novel!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 8, 2012
+ I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review +Naomi Rabinowitz's Revenge of a Band Geek Gone Bad is a novel that I am quite sure young adults will enjoy. The moment I read the title, I was delighted because it promised a unique read. Band geeks are usually ridiculed in school, so one seeking revenge sounded like an interesting story, and that it was.The characterization is also good in Revenge of a Band Geek Gone Bad. Melinda, the flute-playing protagonist is realistically characterized. For instance, she is overweight and lacks confidence. I found Melinda to be quite the lovable character, because though she is whelmed with many insecurities, I am sure that many readers can connect with her. Melinda also has to withstand humiliation by the popular snob, Kathy Meadows. When I became acquainted with this complete "beyotch", all I could think was "Regina George, Regina George, Regina George." She makes a hobby of teasing and embarrassing Melinda, and when she is given the highest honor for a flute player in a school orchestra, I was upset, but such is life. Josh Kowalski was a character that grew on me. Josh is the epicenter of comedy in the novel, and Melinda soon "catches his eye". He persuades Melinda to seek vengeance for all of Kathy's wrongdoings, despite Melinda's shyness and initial hesitation.The romance between the gregarious prankster and sheltered band geek are evidence that people can change each other for the best. There are other relatable characters such as Melinda's indifferent father, Josh's hardworking mom, and Lenny, Josh's clown of a friend who probably does not know what deodorant is. Rabinowitz really focused a lot on her character development which really accented her storyline.With so much going on with the characters, one can only expect an engrossing plot. I saw on a site that this novel was classified as "realistic fiction". That to me is an apt genre for this book. However, this realistic read also has its virtually inevitable downfall - being predictable. There were points in the plot, where I felt so acquainted with the events, that I could foresee what would happen next. This, of course is because the title, though catchy, gave away most of the plot. Readers can immediately foresee that a demure band member gets sassy and seeks to destroy. I found the tactics used to thwart Kathy to be pretty creative, though the biggest scheme was totally outrageous yet comedic.Rabinowitz was well-acquainted with the terminology and communication styles amongst young adults. It took me awhile to get used to the plain writing, but I guess that was for audience purposes. She also addresses a lot of problems that teenagers have to face, such as making bad choices when under the influence. It was nitty-gritty without having to add anything that required censorship - which is something that I find many YA novels beginning to neglect. The resolution of this book left me wanting more, and it is obvious that this book has potential for a sequel.