domingo, 16 de outubro de 2011

Hunting Lila, Sarah Alderson

I'm submitting this book to the 2011 Debut Author Challenge, hosted by The Story Siren.


Review: I loved this book, but I'm not sure I can sure explain why. I'll try, though. Lila lives in London with her father, to where they retreated when a family tragedy occurred. They left behind her brother Jack, who stayed in the US living with his best friend Alex. Now the thing is, Lila has been in love with Alex for what it seems like forever.

Meanwhile, she discovered some latent superpower of telekinesis, and when she fears she has no control over it, she runs to California, where her brother and Alex are Marines in a special Unit doing all kinds of top secret stuff. Only, it turns out Lila has more to do with this Unit than expected, and guns, shootings, fast cars, and being on the run from the Unit and from a group of psychic dangerous people ensue.

And that's why enjoyed this book. I mean, between psychics, and Marines, and being on the run, and shootings, and all the drama in between, this book felt utterly exciting, with a cinematic feel about it. The first half is a bit slower, setting the stage to the second half, just full of action, where you feel you can't quite keep up with Lila. The paranormal aspect is quite refreshing, and seeing it mixed with a military tone even more so.

About Alex and Lila... I think I felt bad for Lila, yet amused with her as well. She carried this impossible crush for so long, she daydreams constantly of Alex, she almost can't control herself when he is near... unrequited love can have a bit of an obssessive, pathetic quality to it, and yet the author manages it well, showing us how lost Lila is in that love without losing her personality.

Besides, the both of them are quite cute together, and how things develop between them is just awesome. Though all the book's action catches up with them just when things are getting interesting, so I'm definitely curious to see what happens in the next book.

The secondary characters are very promising in general, but I'd really like to further meet the group of psychics, Demos and Suki especially. As for the ending... sort-of-cliffhanger alert! To avoid spoiling it, I'll just say that August 2012 (when the sequel, Losing Lila, will be published) seems very far right now. I may have to check the other Sarah Alderson book expecting publication, Fated, in January 2012.

On a side note, can I just say how droolworthy this cover is? I really like the use of color, the red shoes and the blue dress (I think Lila wears a dress like that in the book), and the font just suggests me all the action in the book. Besides, the image represents very well a certain scene in the book, and also the book's feel throughout the second half. So, perfect cover.

Pages: 320

Publisher: Simon Pulse (Simon and Schuster UK imprint)

4 comentários:

  1. É bem giro. :D Acho que não consegui transmitir bem sobre o que é, mas ao ler é muito divertido, às vezes quase como um filme. Sinto que é um livro um pouco guilty pleasure, porque não exigiu muito de mim como leitora (não é nenhuma obra prima), mas é mesmo o que estava a precisar. :)

    O único senão que vejo é o facto da paixoneta da Lila poder ser irritante para algumas pessoas, e o facto de ser um pouco "frívolo", com tanta gente bonita pelo meio - mas como a história se passa na Califórnia... :P

    ResponderEliminar
  2. Parece interessante. Quando falaste na "Unit" lembrei-me daqueles militares na Buffy. É do género? :D

    ResponderEliminar
  3. *envergonha-se por só ter visto episódios salteados da série em questão xD* Neste caso até vi alguns episódios dessa temporada em que os militares aparecem. :)

    Agora que falas nisso, o propósito dos militares da Unit neste livro é parecido com o dos militares na Buffy. A diferença é que no caso do livro não conhecemos tão a fundo o que eles fazem, como são as instalações, etc. Talvez no próximo livro.

    ResponderEliminar