Review: Entertaining
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 19, 2010
Amsterdam 2012 is a story of a dystopian future (Similar to the 1980's TV series Amerika), only this time the invaders aren't communists but Muslim extremists. The heroine, Ann, is a generic college girl visiting Amsterdam when she and her boyfriend Peter, stumble across a violent murder commited by Islamic terrorists. They flee the country just before violence erupts in Europe. I found the story to be exciting and engaging, even if times I found Ann and Peter annoying as protagonists.First, Ann at times got under my skin. I never felt like she had much personality. I felt she was whiney, often complaining about her lack of privilege and moping around her house worrying about Peter. This woman is an adult, and yet it seemed like her parents baby her. During a time of serious crisis Ann gets resentful because she misses the college scene and the accompanying partying. She also spends far too much time pining for Peter. Doesn't she have other friends or boyfriends? Also she and her teen brother come to physical blows over something Alex said which just was odd.Peter himself was a bit of a cipher. Portrayed as sort of disinterested and boring during their Amsterdam trip, (for reasons which are later revealed), I never felt any concern for him or could quite see what Ann could see in him. Ann's constant comparison of herself to Anne Frank also seemed a bit... Insensitive, as Ann never has it half as bad as Frank did.There are some typos and stuff which could've been edited out. For instance there is a time when the author juxtaposes' her brother Alex's name for Peter's and it comes out weird, especially since it is a scene where Peter is kissing her fingertips but it is written like Alex did it.Even with this criticism, I enjoyed Amsterdam 2012. This was an exciting read, and I look forward to the sequel.