You Know What You Have To Do

A Writer's Opinion About What to Read. Book Reviews, Recommendations and Bookish Stuff.
Stitch is truly a genre-stretching novel mashing up paranormal romance and dystopia science fiction to create a wholly original and intense indie sensation. Without directly imitating recent popular YA books, Stitch has positive similarities that will appeal to fans of books such as the Hunger Games. The sub-layering is apparent, but not difficult to follow. The book is a well orchestrated read that is thematically complex, as well as, intriguingly entertaining. Durante maintains steady control over world building and time jumping, while including various character perspectives. This takes tremendous skill and is a tedious process to prefect during early drafting. I admire the flow, transitions, past, present, reality and alternative reality maze. I have no idea how she pulled it off, but it was wonderful to read a work that demands so much attention from its creator. It truly is impressive. Many kudos! Keeping the above praise in mind, my criticism of a few things shouldn't greatly deter a reader from picking up this book. Mostly, these are minor things that are personal preferences and not necessarily developmental flaws. Let me explain...the pacing picks up and a few areas felt rushed, but remembering that the length for YA tends to fall within a certain page count, and given the events occurring in multiple places, times and realities, it wasn't unreasonable. Due to the placing and nature of the 'reveal', which is mingled with action, the need to move quickly is unavoidable. Nevertheless, it's still hard to conceive that the main characters are accepting of what is happening. However, the setting up of shadow memories makes it more plausible. Secondly, toward the end there is a bit of moralizing, recapping and extended explanation by the main character, which is directed at the reader. Including a "moral of the story" (to some degree) is a classic literary format and has been used over the ages. Is it my favorite? No, not really. I like to think that I can figure out the thematic complexity and ponder the lessons, moral, human condition and apply it to modern concerns and life on my own. However, this won't likely bother other readers unless they hold a degree in English Literature with an emphasis on Creative Writing. Even then, you'd have to be a total snob to point it out. My bad.I'm truly excited about this trilogy and can't wait...and I mean CAN'T WAIT to get book two in my eager little hands. It's refreshingly original and one book the world of indie publishing is going to be proud to claim!