Emily the Strange: The Lost Days: A Book Review

Title: Emily The Strange: The Lost Days

Author(s): Rob Reger,(author,illustrator) Jessica Gruner,(author) and Buzz Parker(illustrator)

Genre: Mystery,black comedy

Reading Level: 12 and up

Summary: Emily, finds herself in a strange small town with out a single memory about who she was, what she is like, or even if she has a family. With only a slingshot, notebook, and pen she starts out on a hunt to find her identity and who dropped her off in such a bizarre town and why.

My Review: I've been an Emily fan since I was 12. But that was when she was the queen of hot topic, a place she frequencies less now in days and I don't blame her since it's been overrun by emo-vampires. Anyway I digress. This is her first novel and I must say it didn't disappoint me in her weird/strange department. The narration really felt like it would come from a goth 13 year old girl, (or any 13 year old for that matter)puzzled with amnesia and most of it is telling instead of showing, in a very choppy,adolescent way. The conversations were put out in script form which got kinda annoying. The list of 13 items that was scattered in the book at various spots was also a little tiresome. It was funny in parts and very bizarre in a cartoony "that could never happen way" in others which is what we Emily fans have come to expect, I for one enjoyed all of the odd moments. I feel that people who don't know Emily so well might be a tad confused with the way the story unfolds, (heck even a couple of times I was like "hey what's going on?")because there are a lot of different plot points. Other then that I thought the mystery was rather smart, and there were a lot of clever twist in which you really get to see what a diabolical mastermind Emily is. A lot of the other characters have less personality (there is a reason for some) but Emily "friends" Molly and Jakey added a little color to the narration and gave Emily someone her own age to talk too even though Emily is the type of girl who prefers feline company to humans. The cats, I love the cats but then they don't talk so there more of silent helpers. Overall it was an enjoyable light read.
Content: some crude humor and reference to curse words (although these are put in @#%$! form)
Rating: 3 star out of 5
Recommend: Emily fans and people who enjoy dark humor/books will enjoy this strange fare, others I'm afraid won't warm up to her.