Mini-Review: Harbinger by Sara Wilson Etienne

Harbinger
by Sara Wilson Etienne

Published February 2nd 2012 by G.P. Putnam's Sons BYR

When sixteen-year-old Faye arrives at Holbrook Academy, she doesn't expect to find herself exactly where she needs to be. After years of strange waking visions and nightmares, her only comfort the bones of dead animals, Faye is afraid she's going crazy. Fast.

But her first night at Holbrook, she feels strangely connected to the school and the island it sits on, like she's come home. She's even made her first real friends, but odd things keep happening to them. Every morning they wake on the floors of their dorm rooms with their hands stained red.

Faye knows she's the reason, but what does it all mean? The handsome Kel tries to help her unravel the mystery, but Faye is certain she can't trust him; in fact, he may be trying to kill her - and the rest of the world too.

Rich, compelling writing will keep the pages turning in this riveting and tautly told psychological thriller.

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy (sort of dystopia)

Publication Date: Feb 2nd 2012

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons BYR

Format: Hardcover, 309 pages 

Series: NO!

Source: My TBR

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With a cover like that you can't really blame me for trying it, right? Even after all the bad reviews I've read of it, I still needed to read it for myself. How was it?

It.

Was.

Torture.

Yup. Just like that. And not the good kind of torture, mind you. :P This was one strange book, if I've ever seen (read?) one. Three quarters of it were so slow, confusing and plain I ALMOST gave it up several times.

I suppose the author tried to maintain an atmosphere od mystery and tension and all that jazz going, but it came out very frustrating and somewhat misleading to me. Yes, MISLEADING just about covers the whole thing.

There was a couple, one I felt I could come to care about... but, clearly, that never happened. They had this nice chemistry and... well, that's it. No, I mean  it. Maybe one little kiss and then BAM, they're lifelong enemies. Or something. It was irritating, because they kept chasing each other, then pushing each other away... that annoying tidbit was partially explained at the end of the book, but not really. Yes, I have a fantastic way with words, I am aware of it.

The whole 'Family' thing was interesting in a sort of creepy way. Unfortunately THAT wasn't well explored in the book. I wish i could have seen more of it. 

This was supposed to be a dystopian world, and that was what really made up my mind about even picking the book up in the first place... turns out it was also one of the things that annoyed me the most about 'Harbinger'. There was NO explanation and almost ZERO world-building concerning their supposedly 'ruined' world. 

I didn't hate this book, I really didn't. But I ALSO didn't even remotely like it. And I wouldn't recommend it. At all. Sorry. Except maybe for super crazy cover-whores. Only THEN it's worth your time.

Authors, a little piece of advice: WE WANT TO SEE THE WORLD BURNING!!!! So, you know, show us. Or at least let us know what came to happen. Best regards, readers of dystopia.