Mundie Moms

Monday, January 31, 2011

Book Review- Arson


By Estevan Vega
Published by Tate Publishing
Released on May 4, 2010
Source: Author
4 Stars- Really liked this book. Go pick it up.

Synopsis (From Tate Publishing): "Arson Gable feels like a freak. He can create fire. He never asked for it. He never wanted it. But he can't shut it off.
Before now, three things were true: he both loved and despised his grandmother; his life was going nowhere; and he was alone. But when a strange girl—who feels more normal behind a mask than inside her own skin—moves in next door, Arson hopes to find something he's never had: purpose. Using what he fears most about himself, Arson must face his consuming past and confront the nightmare that is his present as he walks the fine line between boy and monster. Dark, moody, and breathtakingly relevant, Arson, the chilling chronicle of an isolated boy with unimaginable ability, is sure to ignite the hearts and minds of a new generation."

I’ve been curious about Arson since I first read its synopsis and saw its creepy cover. I thought that the story would be mainly about the boy that has the ability to create fire with his mind but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it was about more that than.

I thought Arson would be more of a paranormal novel but to me it was a lot more contemporary with a little bit of paranormal which made for a great story. It focuses more on Arson's struggle trying to keep a low profile around his peers so nobody will notice his ability or what he believes to be a curse. We really don't get to see a lot of his fire ability, just a few glimpses when he tries to get some control over it. Arson is part of a very dysfunctional family, he lives with his grandmother who seems to really hate him sometimes and blames him for the death of his mother which makes Arson feel worse about himself and hate his powers even more. This grandmother had the craziest mood swings, she would be nice and sweet towards Arson one minute and then just go completely evil on him. Those were probably the scariest parts of the book because you really didn't know what this woman would do next and I was just as scared of her as Arson was.

When Emery moves next to Arson's house he finds someone almost as different and an outcast just like him. I really loved Emery, I think more than any other character in the story, and there aren't many good ones in this one. She just had a way that would just win anyone over if you looked past the mask that she wears and gave her a chance, she was brave, smart, fun and easy to talk to. Arson finds this same qualities on her and finds someone he can really talk to with ease and be his true self around her, she makes him come out of his shell and brings a little happiness into his very depressing life. I loved that these two damaged characters grow closer to each other even with all the craziness going on around them and at home.

Estevan Vega throws a few unexpected surprises into the mix, he makes you think that something else is going on in the story and that you think you know what's going to happen next just to be proven wrong. I loved that! With every few pages we get to see the story unravel and see what's really going on in Arson's life and his past. I was glad that we actually get to see Arson's powers come into action towards the end, and they were just as amazing and dangerous as the premise lets you believe. The ending takes the story into a completely different direction, more on the paranormal side. I thought all along that this would be a stand alone novel, and it had the feel of it while reading it, but it leaves you with a heartbreaking cliffhanger of an ending and lots of questions. I can't wait for the next one! I'm really looking forward to seeing where this story will go next and what will happen to Arson and Emery.

3 comments:

  1. Thank you Cynthia! This is an awesome review! I love books that have surprises and keep you guessing as to what's going to happen next.

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  2. Wonderful review Cynthia! Thank you for reviewing a book that was not at all on my radar. Now, I'm looking forward to picking it up!

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  3. Thanks for the review - I haven't heard of this one, thanks for bringing it to my attention. I love books that can surprise me.

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