Review: An exhilarating, thought-provoking, and fascinating story
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 7, 2012
My musical interest is unlimited, and any story that has music in the mix is bound to get my attention. Defy the Stars stands on its own as one of the most exhilarating, thought-provoking, and fascinating story portraying the life of a young girl coming into her own and deciphering what it truly is she wants in life.What's so wonderful about Stephanie's writing, other than the fact that the story's written in verse, is how instead of chapters things are taking place throughout the course of months. I think that's a cool way of showing growth in the main character's life over the particular period of time leading up to her graduation, as well as how her relationships fair. Whether its with her friends, family, and Reed.Reed and Julia together is beautiful but somewhat dangerous. His situation is not to be taken lightly. Reed isn't a bad guy, in my opinion, its just the stuff around him that's bad. I think music is what connected the two on another level, aside from their strong chemistry.Julia is an interesting character. I loved how playing the piano was something she decided to do on her own as oppose to being pressured into it by her parents. Though, she does seem pressured in other ways, whether its living up to their expectations of excelling, or establishing a relationship with someone they deem as respectable, focused, and up to their liking. Julia is a teen so of course her way of discerning certain things will leave you with questionable expressions, but nonetheless, her ability to rise above all else is quite remarkable.So, what else can I say about this novel? The setting is brilliant, the plot is far from generic, the characters are relatable. Stephanie Parent offers an interesting view on what happens with teens in society, no matter their background. If you're up for a rather realistic read then this is a story for you.