Coffee2words

This is the first of Melina Marchetta's books I've read, although I have seen 'Looking for Alibrandi' and I quite enjoyed it.

Finnikin of the Rock was not special. It was cookie-cutter fantasy, with nothing new.



It left me feeling flat, bored and rather underwhelmed.

I enjoyed the world building, but I felt that the oppression was a little too strong, the idea of hope was completely trodden on by the doom and gloom. Realism in the Young Adult genre is important, but this amount of oppression in a childs book, while not really explored in graphic detail was constantly thrown up (rape, murder, atrocities of war, beatings etc) it was always in your face, always loitering just round the corner. It was too much for a YA book!

I also didn't like how the relationship between Finnikin and Evanjalin progressed. I mean how immature do you want to get?



And that twist about 70% in...when we find out someting about Evanjalin...(I don't want to add spoilers!)



And, while we're on WTF moments, I didn't like what happened with Trevanion and Beatriss. I felt ripped off and it felt weird. What was with that relationship?



Ultimately, this book was a giant let down after all the hype I'd heard. It was boring, too long and quite dark (not that I mind dark) but it doesn't have this sort of place in a Young Adult book.



I will not be continuing on with the series.