Title: THE INNOCENTSAuthor: Lili Peloquin
Published: October 16th, 2012
Genre: YA contemporary, mystery
Publisher: Razorbill
POV: 3rd, alternating
Pages: 288
Format: ARC paperback
Source: unsolicited from Publisher
Rating: 3 out of 5
"Nothing ever came between sisters Alice and Charlie.
Friends didn't.
Boys couldn't.
Their family falling apart never would.
Until they got to Serenity Point.
"The Innocents" is the first in a new series of young adult novels that weave a saga of nail-biting drama, breathless romance, and gothic mystery."
THE INNOCENTS may move at a languid pace, but it provides all of the tantalizing drama and mysteries it promises in the summary. And, with an alternating 3rd person POV, Peloquin gives readers the chance to get to know both leading ladies – Alice and Charlie. While Charlie easily adjusts to living in luxury and befriends some of the most influential teens in their new hometown, Alice can't help but to dig a little deeper into their stepfather's past, including the mysteries surrounding his recently deceased wife and daughter. But, in Serenity Point, almost everyone has a secret that they would rather keep buried.
I am a bit disappointed, because for all the intrigue THE INNOCENTS provides, it falls short in the character department and that hindered my experience with this story. While I wanted to love this story and the juicy drama, all of the characters were thoroughly difficult to enjoy and the protagonists were either utterly unlikable (Charlie) or boringly bland (Alice). However, the mysteries contained in the story itself are very tantalizing. With a better cast of characters and more character development, this could have been a gem. Yet, I'm sure many readers who are not as picky with their protagonists will happily devour and adore THE INNOCENTS – if it sounds like your kind of book, give it a shot!
Highlights: I may hate real-life drama, but I love fictional drama. The secrets! The twists! The surprises! Peloquin's debut delivers when it comes to the surprises at the conclusion, and I'm betting the sequel will have even more intriguing secrets to discover.
Lowlights: People who read actively will be able to interpret the clues early on and guess the ending twists. This story is very slowly paced. I couldn't connect with Alice and Charlie. The romance wasn't anything special.
Sorry it fell short with the character development
ReplyDeleteThanks. Character development is such a big deal for me, so I was really bummed that this book didn't seem to have much.
DeleteI've put this one off time and again because I've heard it was very predictable, and I'm sad to see that you agree. I'm not sure I'd be able to stomach this one if I couldn't, at the very least, access the characters. I appreciate your honest review of this one though, Lea! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm really good at predicting plot twists, so I was able to figure out a few things early on. I liked the mystery aspect, but the characters made this one a 3-star read for me. If you do read it, I hope you can enjoy the characters :)
DeleteI hate when I can guess the twists ahead of time in mystery or suspense novels. I like secrets but it is better when they aren't easy to figure out.
ReplyDeleteI usually agree (especially when the author makes the twists way too obvious from the start), but I actually didn't mind that so much with this book. No idea why, maybe it was because I took more issue the characters.
DeleteThanks for dropping by!
I am such a sucker for books about siblings though. I'll probably give it a try.
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy it! :D
DeleteI snagged this from the library a few months ago, but returned it unread after reading a couple of dismal reviews. I rarely enjoy slow-paced books and hate it when twists are broadcasted. I'm glad I passed. Great review!
ReplyDelete-Natalie @Natflix&Books
I can into a slowly paced novel, but it seemed like the mysteries in this story were dragged out a bit too slowly (especially since I had already guessed a couple).
DeleteThanks for stopping by!
I'm totally like you when it comes to drama- I dislike the real life kind, yet I can't get enough of fictional drama! It's so interesting that there's a bunch of drama in this one, and I'm looking forward to reading it. However, a slow pace, and lack of characterization is a big put-off. I think I'll have to give this one a try anyways, just to see what I think.
ReplyDeleteLovely review, Lea! <3
-Aneeqah @ My Not So Real Life
*high fives* Fictional drama is awesome (real life, not so much)!
DeleteThis book has a bunch of drama and mystery to it. Hope you enjoy the story :)
this looks really cool!! thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by!
DeleteMy friend had mixed feelings towards this one too! I LOVE fictional drama too, haha. I'm sad the twists are so easy to guess though. Thanks for your honest review!
ReplyDeleteFictional drama is so much fun :)
DeleteThis seems to be one of those books that most people are pretty mixed about. It had some good and some bad.
Thanks for dropping by!