Review: Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce
Author: Jackson Pearce
Genre: Fairytale Retelling/Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Length: 328 pages
Original Publishing Date: January 1st, 2010
Series: Fairytale Retellings #1
Where I got it: Audiobook from the library
Links: Goodreads Amazon Author's Website
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris--the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead. Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts ferociously alongside her. But even as more girls' bodies pile up in the city and the Fenris seem to be gaining power, Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves. She finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax and Scarlett's only friend--but does loving him mean betraying her sister and all that they've worked for?
Main characters: 4.5/5
Okay, I just have to say, I LOVED the accents of the audiobook narrators. The girls exactly fit how I pictured Scarlett and Rosie in my head and their southern accents were perfect. It really gave that extra boost to their characterization.
The girls were opposites of each other but I love how seamlessly they fit together and the constant description that they shared the same heart. Rosie was sweet and naive, a little innocent. I didn't like the fact that Rosie was a bit of a damsel in distress though: she could be a bit annoying. Scarlett was tough and a warrior and I was thrilled that she was such a strong character. Scarlett, however, was extremely stubborn and sometimes I got a little upset that she wasn't able to stand in other people's shoes.
Overall, however, I really liked Scarlett and Rosie and I both appreciated and believed how they changed and grew throughout the course of the novel.
I do want to mention that I did some research and discovered some controversy over this book over at The Book Smugglers. While I don't want to get involved in depth, I do want to touch on it and say that while I can see why this book would make some people upset and angry, I didn't necessarily see the same evidence that was pointed out in that review. Therefore, that aspect doesn't play into my review here.
Secondary characters: 2/5
Silas was sweet and kind and I liked that about him, but he was also slightly bland. The bigger problem with Silas is his relationship with Rosie. The age gap was weird, first of all, but there was more too. They seemed to fall instantly in love and I didn't particularly understand why they were so attracted to each other, besides the physical I mean.
There were very few other secondary characters and I wish that there had been some more, to add more depth to the story and the main characters.
Writing style: 2/5
Pearce's writing style was delightfully dark and intense. I really appreciated that aspect of Pearce's writing. Other parts were simply run-of-the-mill, mediocre, if you will. The pacing could run a little slow, which was surprising given that it was relatively action packed.
Plot: 2.5/5
I love Pearce's rendition of Little Red Riding Hood. The basics are there- the wolf, grandmother, and the huntsman- but the werewolf aspect and the lore that went with it was intriguing. The fact that it was set in the South was a bonus because the culture of that region was enmeshed in the novel and the plot.
The downside? Pearce could have used a bat to smack me with the "twist". I am completely dense when it comes to twists but I saw this one coming from the very beginning.
The plot also lacked something, and I think it might be excitement. There were some exciting fight scenes, but in general, the novel simply lacked some exciting aspects and some parts of it dragged. And the plot holes... I won't even start on those.
Ending: 2.5/5
I liked the ending for one main reason: the characters learned a lot and demonstrated this in the ending. The epilogue made me a little sad though. I felt that one of the characters in particular got a little jipped, even though I understood the reasoning for Pearce's choices.
Best scene: The scene where Rosie grows a backbone
Reminded Me Of: Little Red Riding Hood meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Positives: Rosie & Scarlett, the ending, the premise
Negatives: Bland writing style and plot, the Silas & Rosie thing
Cover: I love the design, but not so much the font.
Verdict: A deliciously fun rendition of Little Red Riding Hood with a Southern twist
Rating: 5.4 / 10 (3 stars)
Your Thoughts: Have you read it? What did you think? If you haven't, will you be adding it to your TBR list? Let me know!
Comments
Post a Comment