Release by Patrick Ness

I need to just talk about this book quickly because it is driving me MAD and none of my friends have read it so I'm going to say what little I have to say here right now.

Look at it — there's the cover — it's a beautiful book, no doubt, and an ever more beautiful hardback. Ness' writing is also beautiful — and so clear. Adam's story in this book is fantastic, powerful, hard-hitting, all that. It's just so real. 

BUT.

There's another story running throughout this book with a different character, and it focuses on the mythic and fantasy. But get this — it has nothing to do with the other plot. You could just cut all those italic chapters from the book (and, I know, I'm not a published writer who may even slightly know how to write a powerful story) and I think it would be better.

The story follows Adam struggling through all these tragic events in a day that could all be real. He struggles with his family, his friends, his love. And when one of those powerful moments happen we — cut, to a chapter about a ghost and a god-damned FAUN.

Now, don't read me wrong here — I think this other book inside the book is great (the faun was a cool character) — but it shouldn't be a part of Release. It feels so out of place and random. It feels like it doesn't suit the story at all. But I'm sure it could work well as its own thing, maybe throw in other stuff I-don't-know-it's-Patrick-Ness-I'll-read-it-anyway.

Maybe I'm just not getting it. I'm sure there's a message and themes going on in there, perhaps a certain deepness that is lost on me. But regardless, as a reader, I felt like it took away from the amazing story that is of Adam Thorne.

Okay. Wanted to get that out.

Rad.