Red Rock, reviewed as an ARC!
Reviewing... [40]
Source: Received for review. Thanks Curious Fox...
Publisher: Raintree - Curious Fox
Publication Date: September 12th 2013
Paperback - 221 pages
Genre: Young Adult Sci-Fi Author: Kate Kelly  Rating: 4.5 out of 5; I really liked it. Recommended for: "roadtrip" fans, it's really got those elements clear & also, if you ask me, UKYA-ness is clear too! |
I'm grateful for this opportunity but it hasn't altered my opinion in any way; I just truly believe this is a 4.5 book (in other words an amazing one). The sense of place, particularly, is outstanding. I feel like this book has such strong elements of this that, in fact, it could have been written to show people that there are very interesting places outside of America. There's so many places in England mentioned, Greenland and as it says Malta, sinister monasteries et al. I was so interested by it all, whether (like on page 82) I knew the places that were travelled (oh yeah, I know East Anglia, Cambridge is one of them!) or I was completely unaware of a place's appearance outside of the description given in this book.
So many scenes were done really effectively because of the surroundings, the ice caps & Danni's lack of phone signal. We emerged there in just the third chapter after so much action has already taken place. Danni has lost another relative, besides her parents, and is distraught when following her Aunt's death she has a huge burden. It involves a red rock, Mars Exploration Agency (MEXA) & seemingly, many of her family. It's a huge burden for Danni & it sounds mean, but I loved reading about how she dealt with it. This book was just awesomeness contained inside 221 pages & you will love the scientific elements, the very realistic contemporary elements & just, I hope, everything. No pressure to enjoy it as much as me or anything ;)
The characters were of course, very intriguing. From the confident Gracie, awe-struck Danni to her living Uncle, Robert, whose job is much more than archaeology. One of the worst things for Danni is lack of contact with Issac & he was definitely in the background for most of the book- even when he begun to surface I still don't feel we got to know him- not as much as Danni would know him. All she knows is, well, there's something more intense between them now.
In my opinion, it wasn't worth saying it was intense when everything else was too, Gracie & Danni were proper intense together, MEXA just might be a smidgen intense & frankly the plot? It's not slow-paced, that's for sure. If I've ever read a book that is easy to get into & then read through rapidly it's Red Rock, which is Kate Kelly's debut. Curious Fox once again managed to snap an author that has had writing talent from page 1 of their debut novel (or published one, at least).
What makes this book different though, you ask? When something seemed convenient there were consequences. That's not exactly a spoiler, don't worry, it's just the lay of the land (or book, rather). I love seeing this, it shows me that actually the book hasn't dissolved into fictional pulp. It adds realism knowing that actually- all is not as it seems, the reader doesn't know everything & there's no telling what will happen next... That's all I can say!
The only bit that was unrealistic, at least a tad even now, was Danni & Gracie's relationship. That was definitely different to what I thought but there quick friendship was later explained, yet still- didn't they seem a bit too close? It sounds odd but I was almost expecting them to start kissing even if there was no hint of their sexuality- it's not that type of book (it'd be interesting if it was, I mean it involves the global warming issue one, why not add some very human internal ones?).
You should definitely pick up Red Rock, if you hadn't guessed I'm totally for this book & am excited to see what happens when it goes out into the big, wide world...
(Just to tease you even more as part of my SRS Challenge I wrote this & even while I was reading I decided to write more... What can I say? I'm weird.)
Have a great day all!
So many scenes were done really effectively because of the surroundings, the ice caps & Danni's lack of phone signal. We emerged there in just the third chapter after so much action has already taken place. Danni has lost another relative, besides her parents, and is distraught when following her Aunt's death she has a huge burden. It involves a red rock, Mars Exploration Agency (MEXA) & seemingly, many of her family. It's a huge burden for Danni & it sounds mean, but I loved reading about how she dealt with it. This book was just awesomeness contained inside 221 pages & you will love the scientific elements, the very realistic contemporary elements & just, I hope, everything. No pressure to enjoy it as much as me or anything ;)
The characters were of course, very intriguing. From the confident Gracie, awe-struck Danni to her living Uncle, Robert, whose job is much more than archaeology. One of the worst things for Danni is lack of contact with Issac & he was definitely in the background for most of the book- even when he begun to surface I still don't feel we got to know him- not as much as Danni would know him. All she knows is, well, there's something more intense between them now.
In my opinion, it wasn't worth saying it was intense when everything else was too, Gracie & Danni were proper intense together, MEXA just might be a smidgen intense & frankly the plot? It's not slow-paced, that's for sure. If I've ever read a book that is easy to get into & then read through rapidly it's Red Rock, which is Kate Kelly's debut. Curious Fox once again managed to snap an author that has had writing talent from page 1 of their debut novel (or published one, at least).
What makes this book different though, you ask? When something seemed convenient there were consequences. That's not exactly a spoiler, don't worry, it's just the lay of the land (or book, rather). I love seeing this, it shows me that actually the book hasn't dissolved into fictional pulp. It adds realism knowing that actually- all is not as it seems, the reader doesn't know everything & there's no telling what will happen next... That's all I can say!
The only bit that was unrealistic, at least a tad even now, was Danni & Gracie's relationship. That was definitely different to what I thought but there quick friendship was later explained, yet still- didn't they seem a bit too close? It sounds odd but I was almost expecting them to start kissing even if there was no hint of their sexuality- it's not that type of book (it'd be interesting if it was, I mean it involves the global warming issue one, why not add some very human internal ones?).
You should definitely pick up Red Rock, if you hadn't guessed I'm totally for this book & am excited to see what happens when it goes out into the big, wide world...
(Just to tease you even more as part of my SRS Challenge I wrote this & even while I was reading I decided to write more... What can I say? I'm weird.)
Have a great day all!
1 comment:
Awesome review Amy! So glad you enjoyed this one, It's on my list for this week! Can't wait to read it now :)
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