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This book was nominated for the Morris Award this year (one of the nominations OWEN had last year), but more importantly, I got to meet Steph last October, and she is delightful.
I liked this book for a couple of reasons. Last year was, for a lot of reasons, The Year I Read Contemporary, which I don't necessarily do. I'm in it for fantasy. Part of my reason for this is that contemp is so BLEAK. MINNOW BLY could have been one of those books that gets described as "relentless", "raw", or "gutting", but instead Oakes made several choices in the narrative (totally earned, btw the way), that kept the soul-crushing at minimum.
Part of this is that adults were all good at their jobs. I mean, there's a monster in this book, of course, but none of the teachers, therapists or guards are asshats, even if sometimes Minnow would rather they leave her alone.
Minnow herself was excellent. Angry and hopeful, sheltered and desperate, eager and scared. I believed everything about her.
Also, you know how I feel about pay-off and justice, and GOOD LORDE, did Oakes deliver.
I liked this book for a couple of reasons. Last year was, for a lot of reasons, The Year I Read Contemporary, which I don't necessarily do. I'm in it for fantasy. Part of my reason for this is that contemp is so BLEAK. MINNOW BLY could have been one of those books that gets described as "relentless", "raw", or "gutting", but instead Oakes made several choices in the narrative (totally earned, btw the way), that kept the soul-crushing at minimum.
Part of this is that adults were all good at their jobs. I mean, there's a monster in this book, of course, but none of the teachers, therapists or guards are asshats, even if sometimes Minnow would rather they leave her alone.
Minnow herself was excellent. Angry and hopeful, sheltered and desperate, eager and scared. I believed everything about her.
Also, you know how I feel about pay-off and justice, and GOOD LORDE, did Oakes deliver.
