On the Back Cover
Sixteen-year-old Jace Witherspoon arrives at the doorstep of his estranged brother, Christian, with a broken face, $3.84, and a secret. He wants to make a fresh start, but the realities of his old life keep pulling him back; Mom is still trapped with his dad, the abuser. And Jace's ex-girlfriend is sitting on a secret waiting to explode. Swati Avasthi gives us a riveting portrait of that happens after. After you decide to leave, after you make the split -- how do you make a life?
My Thoughts
This novel tells Jace Witherspoon's story after he leaves his abusive father's home, and his journey to reconnect with his older brother (who made the same move many years earlier). Jace and his brother endured the same childhood—starting with watching their father physically abuse their mother, progressing to doing anything to redirect their father's rage towards themselves instead. Both felt trapped until old enough to break free and be self-sufficient, but were powerless in convincing their mother to do the same. Their situation is made all the more frightening because Daddy Witherspoon happens to be a well-respected judge, and has managed to convince his wife (and to some extent his sons) that they can never truly escape. Split follows Jace's choices and actions, newly free from the abuse, but still a penniless high-school student, searching for a brother and father-figure, but also for himself. Told from Jace's POV in first-person narrative, I mostly felt hopeful and frustrated alongside him, but there were times when I felt myself on the opposite side of the table, angry at him. Avasthi did a great job at developing Jace's voice and character.
The story was well-paced and easy to read, and an excellent way to increase awareness of domestic violence, including teen-domestic abuse, to younger readers. I visited Avasthi's website after reading the novel and liked that she explained the story behind Split and her thoughts on domestic violence.
On the Inner Flap
Gorgeous. Fearless. Dangerous. They're the kind of girls you envy; the kind of girls you want to hate. Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Lexi and Thea have caught everyone's attention—but it's Gemma who's attracted theirs. She's the one they've chosen to be part of their group.
Gemma seems to have it all—she's carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door. He's always been just a friend, but this summer they've taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back. Then one night, Gemma's ordinary life changes forever. She's taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove. They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different.
Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price. And as she uncovers the truth, she’s is forced to choose between staying with those she loves—or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets.
My Thoughts
I love Disney's The Little Mermaid, and I love the sirens in Greek mythology. They are very different depictions of the half-human half-fish creatures, though both versions are beautiful and have mesmerising voices. Ariel delights me and the sirens intrigue me, I find mermaids/sirens interesting in either form. I've read a fair number of novels with supernatural elements (vampires, witches, werewolves...), but Wake was my first mermaid novel.
The story follows two sisters: free-spirited, younger sister Gemma (the one who turns into a siren) and responsible, 18-going-on-80, older sister Harper; and their lives over one summer. There was more focus on the sisters in the novel than the sirens, but I grew to like both sisters and the men they fall for, so it didn't really matter. Sure there were some corny parts and a distinct lack of realism, but I couldn't put Wake down and look forward to reading the rest of the trilogy. Based on this one novel, I would place Amanda Hocking's writing on the same level as Stephenie Meyer and Charlaine Harris. I can see why she became a self-published e-book sensation.
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