Review: Estevan Vega - Arson

Estevan Vega - Arson

• Pub Date: September 27, 2011
• Publisher:  StoneHouse Ink
• Format: Paperback, 280 pages
• ISBN: 0615543332

ARSON GABLE FEELS LIKE A FREAK. HE CAN CREATE FIRE. HE NEVER ASKED FOR IT. HE NEVER WANTED IT. BUT HE CAN'T SHUT IT OFF.

Before now, three things were true: he both loved and despised his grandmother; his life was going nowhere; and he was alone. But when a strange girl--who feels more normal behind a mask than inside her own skin--moves in next door, Arson hopes to find something he's never had: purpose. After years of living in fear, he will be forced to confront his haunting past and embrace the unknown as he walks the fine line between boy and monster. Edgy, realistic, and breathtaking, Arson, the chilling chronicle of an isolated teenager with unimaginable ability, is set to ignite the hearts and minds of a new generation.

I received this book from the author. Here is my honest review:

Maybe this book just isn't my cup of tea, but I really did not connect with the characters at all. The story is all over the place due to multiple third person POVs. It switches at random intervals, so I never got a good grasp on anyone. And I totally knew what was going on with Grandpa. But what's up with Grandma? And why is Arson the way he is? WHAT is he? Too many unanswered questions. I get that it's a series, but I don't actually want to continue.

I am struggling with this, because the sentences were put together well, and a lot of it read like poetry. But when you put it all together you don't get a very good story. There were a lot of weird things going on: the girl in the mask, Arson's screwed up family, Mask-Girl's really screwed up family, Arson's screwed up "relationship" with Mandy, Arson's relationship with Mask-Girl (I'm sorry, her name is Emery..), etc etc. It just all seemed for naught. There was some depth missing that made me not care very much about the characters in this book. I couldn't figure out the why of the novel.

Either way, this is definitely different. It's not romantic in the least, and the characters deal and struggle with a lot. They're all outcasts in some way. And WTF is happening at the very end of this story when they're in the hospital.. seriously. It had nothing to do with the rest of the book. So try this out if you like stories with a lot of unanswered questions.

Bottom line: It didn't make me want to read the sequel.

Rating:

2/5 book sharks