Thursday, July 31, 2014

Mini-Review: WILD by Alex Mallory

Title: Wild
Author: Alex Mallory (aka Saundra Mitchell)
Published: July 8th 2014
Series: N/A
Genre: YA contemporary | retelling
POV: 3rd person, switching
Pages: 448
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format: Electronic ARC
Source: Edelweiss
Rating: The Courtyard
The forest is full of secrets, and no one understands that better than Cade. Foraging, hunting, surviving— that’s all he knows. Alone for years, Cade believes he’s the sole survivor. At least, until he catches a glimpse of a beautiful stranger…

Dara expected to find natural wonders when she set off for a spring break camping trip. Instead, she discovers a primitive boy— he’s stealthy and handsome and he might be following her. Intrigued, Dara seeks him out and sets a catastrophe in motion.

Thrust back into society, Cade struggles with the realization that the life he knew was a lie. But he’s not the only one. Trying to explain life in a normal town leaves Dara questioning it.

As the media swarm and the police close in, Dara and Cade risk everything to get closer. But will the truth about Cade’s past tear them apart?

A YA Tarzan retelling.

Wild is a retelling of Tarzan, and it is an interesting take on that story. Cade is a survivor and highly in balance with nature – he knows how to the move and all the tricks it takes to survive in a forest from season to season. Dara, meanwhile, is your average high school teenager who loves photography and finds her relationship with her boyfriend slowly unraveling, especially once Dara and Cade collide. Their connection is immediate, and never wavers as Cade finds himself entering Dara's world. He's a fish-out-of-water, and the media is ready to devour him and his oddness. His character is undeniably the best part of the novel, along with Mallory's descriptions of various settings (especially the forest). A story about difference, friendship, and discovering the truth, Wild is a fresh and intriguing story. 

Highlights: Cade's perspective and his character were great. I loved the chapters that zeroed in on his mindset and loved how he saw the world. He has this innocence and wonder to him as he explored Dara's world, and that genuine sweetness and cluelessness made him an intriguing character. Dara's love for photograph was also nice, and some of the descriptions for her photographs were lovely. I also liked Dara's relationship with her sister, and how it was a bit messy but still realistic. 

Lowlights: I ended up lowering the rating because the story itself, while fascinating, ultimately disappointed. I didn't care about the characters, or for the multiple POV jumps. What little mystery that was present wasn't actually mysterious. And in the end, the only reason I continued reading was to see what would happen, and to enjoy Cade's fish-out-of-water perspective.

Rating: The Courtyard (very low 3 out of 5). I did like this book while reading, so Wild does have permission to hang around the palace grounds. But, the more I thought about Wild after finishing, the more I realized it was lacking that extra spark. It's a likable story, but it has some problems and is ultimately a story I will forget. Regardless, I'd recommend checking it out if you're a fan of Tarzan and are in any way curious about this novel!


13 comments:

  1. I will admit that I've been putting this one off because of it's cover and also because the synopsis doesn't sound that amazing. I'm still not sure about picking up this book but thanks for the honest review!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It has some good moments, but it's not something I'd strongly recommend reading right away!

      Delete
  2. Wait - this was written by Saundra Mitchell? Huh, I wonder why she decided to go with a pseudonym for this one. Anyways, it's good that you liked this one overall, but I think I would be disappointed with this one too. I am still curious how this retelling would play out... but if it's missing that special something, this one isn't going to make it onto my priority list.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yup, it's her! I don't know why...maybe trying to reach a new audience? *shrugs*

      Delete
  3. I have heard this one is middle of the road, but I definitely think a Tarzan retelling is one I need to read!
    Missie @ A Flurry of Ponderings

    ReplyDelete
  4. I've heard of this one before, but I haven't heard the world's most favorable things. I worry that it won't offer enough depth for me, but I'm still intrigued! Great review :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There was some good, but mostly underwhelming. Definitely fun for a quick, lighter read.

      Delete
  5. Aw, I'm sorry this book was disappointing. But glad you still enjoyed it a little :D Great review sweetie. <3 I have read a bad review for this, so I will not read it :p Which is a shame, as it could have been an awesome book. Hmph. Thank you for sharing. <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So much potential, but didn't quite hit the mark for me :(

      Delete
  6. Cade's perspective sounds good, even if the multiple pov wasn't great.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. His was great! I just wish the other characters had been interesting too.

      Delete
  7. I love that it's a retelling of Tarzan since it's the first I've come across. It's mostly Cinderella, Peter Pan, Robin Hood or the very popular Beauty and the Beast, so it's fun to get a little more originality when choosing the original tale to write your retelling about. I love the sound of this story, but you mention multiple POVs and I can only handle like.. 2. 3 tops and that's already too much. I need to have a connection in order to enjoy the story and I feel like maybe the multiple POVs were the problem why you couldn't connect? I'm glad you enjoyed Cade's character though! And (messy yet) realistic sibling relationships are always a plus in my eyes :) I'm glad you enjoyed as a whole, Lea!

    ReplyDelete