Scan barcode
stephxsu's review against another edition
3.0
I was lukewarm on Karen Healey’s award-winning debut novel, Guardian of the Dead, but after reading THE SHATTERING’s eerie and absorbing first chapter, I was willing to give her books a second try. Unfortunately, THE SHATTERING just confirmed what I was already worried about: that there is something “off” with either me or with Healey’s writing, resulting in a disconnect between her stories and me.
As I mentioned, THE SHATTERING starts off strong. The cast of characters is diverse, and each main character has their own worries and distinct personality. You’re not quite sure what’s going on in Summerton, and so you read on, your heart fluttering to know. It’s a great setup, and all the elements are there to make it a good story: the suspense, the characters’ personal investment, the tensions between the characters, and the hint of a threat beneath it all.
Unfortunately, THE SHATTERING was ultimately a frustrating read for me. Oftentimes I felt like I was singlehandedly trying to pull a stubborn mule and his cart up an unending hill, that was how much the plot dragged at times. A large part of THE SHATTERING felt simply like the characters were running around, not finding out much. Once again, the problem I had with Guardian of the Dead arose here: I felt like the ultimate setup and revelation of the suspense did not justify all the “effort” that the characters—and readers—invested into discovering it. In short, I liked the characters, but wanted them to be part of a different story: either one that wasn’t so ambitious in its supernatural elements (so perhaps a contemporary novel, which poses its own awe-inspiring complexities), or one that did succeed at achieving its supernatural ambitions (i.e. an urban fantasy that is more fantasy than urban).
THE SHATTERING will find its audience in fans of uncommon elements of speculative fiction. It is far from bad, but it just didn’t have the special something, that readerly investment, that I crave in my books.
As I mentioned, THE SHATTERING starts off strong. The cast of characters is diverse, and each main character has their own worries and distinct personality. You’re not quite sure what’s going on in Summerton, and so you read on, your heart fluttering to know. It’s a great setup, and all the elements are there to make it a good story: the suspense, the characters’ personal investment, the tensions between the characters, and the hint of a threat beneath it all.
Unfortunately, THE SHATTERING was ultimately a frustrating read for me. Oftentimes I felt like I was singlehandedly trying to pull a stubborn mule and his cart up an unending hill, that was how much the plot dragged at times. A large part of THE SHATTERING felt simply like the characters were running around, not finding out much. Once again, the problem I had with Guardian of the Dead arose here: I felt like the ultimate setup and revelation of the suspense did not justify all the “effort” that the characters—and readers—invested into discovering it. In short, I liked the characters, but wanted them to be part of a different story: either one that wasn’t so ambitious in its supernatural elements (so perhaps a contemporary novel, which poses its own awe-inspiring complexities), or one that did succeed at achieving its supernatural ambitions (i.e. an urban fantasy that is more fantasy than urban).
THE SHATTERING will find its audience in fans of uncommon elements of speculative fiction. It is far from bad, but it just didn’t have the special something, that readerly investment, that I crave in my books.
debbiebarr's review against another edition
4.0
Good. A little weird, but in an enjoyable way. Very compelling, though. I'd rate it somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars. I really liked the characters and the prose was perfect. Quite a bit of profanity and some mild sexual content, but it didn't really bother me.
kice7788's review against another edition
3.0
It had a good story line but it seemed like she just wanted to through things into the book to make it different. I liked it but not the best I have read latley
michieknee's review against another edition
3.0
Somehow I completely missed the "magic" part of the synopsis so that was a bit of a surprise.
saidtheraina's review against another edition
4.0
Keri lives in an idyllic town on the coast of New Zealand. One day, her beloved brother commits suicide. Or does he? When an old friend suggests that maybe her brother was a victim of a serial killer, Keri begins investigating a pattern of death.
I am such a big fan of Karen Healey. I love that her stuff is set outside of amerika, I love that her characters don't fit in stereotypical boxes, I love that her mythologies aren't the same as most fantasies.
This could be called a thriller, this could be called a problem novel, this could be called an urban fantasy, this could be called a mystery, this could be called a multicultural read... There are many boxes this would kind of fit in.
I particularly enjoyed the character dynamics between the three kids we get to know the best - we hear the story through the perspectives of Keri, her friend Janna, and Sione. They all have their own hang-ups and issues. They are complicated, real people.
But they are dealing with extraordinary circumstances -
This is great writing, great development. I can't wait for more kids to discover Healey's work.
I am such a big fan of Karen Healey. I love that her stuff is set outside of amerika, I love that her characters don't fit in stereotypical boxes, I love that her mythologies aren't the same as most fantasies.
This could be called a thriller, this could be called a problem novel, this could be called an urban fantasy, this could be called a mystery, this could be called a multicultural read... There are many boxes this would kind of fit in.
I particularly enjoyed the character dynamics between the three kids we get to know the best - we hear the story through the perspectives of Keri, her friend Janna, and Sione. They all have their own hang-ups and issues. They are complicated, real people.
But they are dealing with extraordinary circumstances -
Spoiler
the curses put on them cause them to have to fight their own feelings in a way that is fascinating to watch, and probably instructive for those of us who often lose control.This is great writing, great development. I can't wait for more kids to discover Healey's work.
hpstrangelove's review against another edition
5.0
The end was a surprise - I like when an author can do that.
Since I went through the USA's education system, I initially had some trouble working out where this story took place.
I liked that the different chapters were from the three main character's POV. It was easy to establish an emotional connection with them, which made the end that much more tragic.
The story deals with suicide, so might not be for all readers.
Since I went through the USA's education system, I initially had some trouble working out where this story took place.
I liked that the different chapters were from the three main character's POV. It was easy to establish an emotional connection with them, which made the end that much more tragic.
The story deals with suicide, so might not be for all readers.
kblincoln's review against another edition
5.0
Karen Healy impressed me mightily with her YA contemporary fantasy Guardian of the Dead, but ultimately I found the second half uneven in plot and pacing.
The Shattering shows none of these issues. It is a tightly woven story of three, broken friends: Janna who uses boys to make herself feel good but hopes for music to make her famous, Sione who lives in his popular, dead brother's shadow and isn't quite islander enough for other islanders, and Keri, whose abrasive personality and obsessive planning hide fear and loneliness.
These three all have something in common; their brothers committed suicide after spending New Year's Eve at the small, West Coast town of Summerton.
Into the compelling mystery of the brothers' deaths Healy weaves issues of "outsider-ness" for each character. They are all non-mainstream in various ways, including race, sexuality, and religion. Each of them looks for relief from loneliness in various ways, but it isn't until each one uses their "weaknesses" as a weapon do they find a way to stop the darkness that took their brothers.
I gulped this story down almost in one night. From the moment Janna tells Keri "come with me to find out who murdered your brother" until the exciting conclusion, the ever-tightening circle around the villains of this story kept me turning pages. We get each of the main characters' POV, and unlike so many other shared-POV stories I've read recently, I get a saturated sense of each of them. They were all separate and finely drawn.
Finally, the ending isn't easy. There is no happily ever after. And that is what gets this book the fifth star. So few authors deal with the aftermath, and Healey shows us the toil of post-trauma while still giving us hope.
Bravo.
This Book's Snack Rating: Garlic Parmesan Kettle chips for the unable-to-stop-reading flavorful plot on crunchy, satisfying characters.
The Shattering shows none of these issues. It is a tightly woven story of three, broken friends: Janna who uses boys to make herself feel good but hopes for music to make her famous, Sione who lives in his popular, dead brother's shadow and isn't quite islander enough for other islanders, and Keri, whose abrasive personality and obsessive planning hide fear and loneliness.
These three all have something in common; their brothers committed suicide after spending New Year's Eve at the small, West Coast town of Summerton.
Into the compelling mystery of the brothers' deaths Healy weaves issues of "outsider-ness" for each character. They are all non-mainstream in various ways, including race, sexuality, and religion. Each of them looks for relief from loneliness in various ways, but it isn't until each one uses their "weaknesses" as a weapon do they find a way to stop the darkness that took their brothers.
I gulped this story down almost in one night. From the moment Janna tells Keri "come with me to find out who murdered your brother" until the exciting conclusion, the ever-tightening circle around the villains of this story kept me turning pages. We get each of the main characters' POV, and unlike so many other shared-POV stories I've read recently, I get a saturated sense of each of them. They were all separate and finely drawn.
Finally, the ending isn't easy. There is no happily ever after. And that is what gets this book the fifth star. So few authors deal with the aftermath, and Healey shows us the toil of post-trauma while still giving us hope.
Bravo.
This Book's Snack Rating: Garlic Parmesan Kettle chips for the unable-to-stop-reading flavorful plot on crunchy, satisfying characters.
daniellesalwaysreading's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked this book and am looking forward to reading more Karen Healey. The only thing I didn't like was that they figured out the mystery pretty easily even though the answer was very unbelievable.
kkayastha929's review
3.0
This started off as a good mystery, but once it turned witchy, it was a complete turn off for me. Why must everything go off in that sort of directions in young adult literature??