Solid: A Book Review

Author: Shelley Workinger*

Genre: Sci-fi..?

Reading Level: ages 12 and up

Summary:Teens who discover they were secretly genetically altered before birth are brought together at a classified site where they forge new friendships, find love, develop "super-abilities," and even unearth a conspiracy.

My Review: I didn't start reading this book with any expectations. I'm not a character driven book kind of girl. Not that I like lifeless, do nothing, characters with no personality. I don't think anybody does... at least they shouldn't.

I thought I'd try out of my comfort zone for once though. The author was kind enough to send me a copy. Actually two copies. The first one got lost in the mail.

It's not a terrible novel. It's not very good either. It needs more work, more polish, not just in the plot (after all I was already warned about that) but in the characters. They weren't strong enough to hold the book together. I didn't much like Clio. She was far to inconsistent emotionally. She's supposed to be all sarcastic, but I guess I just didn't get this very much, because she kept telling me she was being sarcastic. I never actually read her being sarcastic.

The relationships all happened too fast. I didn't understand why both Clio and Bliss disliked Miranda so much, I mean I felt like they were the mean judgmental girls, not her. She was just being herself, stating her own opinions and I felt they were being overly self righteous. I don't even understand what Garret's point was other than to be the annoying goofy one. Then there's the love interest, her and Jake just met, she's already crushing cause he's just that perfect, but whatever that's okay, crushes happen...fast. But then she freaks out 'cause he didn't kiss her at a dance (one of the most confusing bits in the novel as it's their second interaction) then she's saying how much she loves him, and other such things. I like'd Colonel Clark. He was pretty cool, I would've liked his relationship with Clio explored. He so obviously felt fatherly toward her. That was sweet.

The little of the plot that was there, kept the novel interesting. It was a cliched, and over too fast, but I appreciated its existence. I think Shelley Workinger has potential, she just needs to work on developing her characters more, letting them slowly grow and form believably solid relationships...oh gawd I didn't mean that pun. -_-;

Content: just some kissing and minor violence, really tame stuff

Rating: 2 and a half stars out of 5

Recommend: Sure, try it out for yourself. There's also a sequel that can be found here.