Word Revel

I'm not sure what it is with me and endings. I noticed that every now and then I get really engrossed in a book, thinking I've found one I really enjoy, only to be disappointed by the ending. Maybe it has something to do with cliffhangers? When I first picked up The Rules for Disappearing, I had no idea it was going to have a sequel. I picked off a library shelf, decided I liked the sound of the blurb and so went ahead to borrow it. Only when I logged it as currently reading on Goodreads did I notice that there is a sequel. The ending of a book also screams for one. There are too many open ended questions at the end, so in a way it's a given. On the other hand, I almost feel like these things were purposely put in place to warrant a sequel. Whatever it is, I'm not going to dwell too much on it because aside from the last 30 to 40 pages or so, I did enjoy reading The Rules for Disappearing.

The narrative flowed well, and I think it was believable, considering that it was supposed to be from the perspective of a 16-year-old girl. The fears and worries of Rose were very well-encapsulated in the voice. Rose was thrust in a position that required a fair bit of responsibility for a teenager, what with taking care of her 11-year-old sister and having to be fairly self-sufficient thanks to a mother who resorted to alcoholism to deal with their family problems. Her father tried to keep the family together though, so Rose did not come off as an adult in a teenager's body in any sense of the word.

Now, Witness Protection. I think that is the main draw of this book. The thrill of being on the run and also of the unknown. I do have to say that despite all the mystery that surrounds Rose, the thrill factor isn't exactly high. It should be on the part of Rose but it doesn't translate all that urgently onto the page, I think. Nonetheless, Rose's past and Rose's present come well together and make her story pretty intriguing. For those who are taken in by dreams and what they mean, you'll likely also getting into Rose's dreams as you try to figure out what they mean and how memories, thoughts and consciousness as a whole might factor in.

All along as I was reading, I felt like I was waiting for something big to happen. It never did. At least not big enough for me. Perhaps that big event I felt myself set up for is yet to come in The Rules for Breaking but because it didn't really happen here in this book, I felt underwhelmed. Don't get me wrong, like I said, I enjoyed reading it but because of all that potential I saw, I felt like that ultimate hook didn't show. In other words, that major climax in the plot didn't show.

This review is also available on dudettereads.com.