I was talking to some of my coworkers about books I might purchase for some of my kids for Christmas and during that discussion, Sassymonkey reminded me that Francesca Lia Block (who Michelle loves) has written an adult novel. Before I had the chance to figure out whether I should buy it or reserve it at the library to read, first – I found it sitting on the library bookshelf. That answered that question. And boy am I glad it was on the shelf.
The Elementals is not a long book so it should have taken me a day to read. Two max. It took a week. I couldn’t get into it. As TW said after she read it – nothing happened.
There’s not much action. There’s not much dialogue. There’s a good bit of sex. It’s also very much a Francesca Lia Block novel. Magic, fairies etc. Except, there’s not. The fae weren’t real fae and the magic was (mostly?) not real magic. Which is maybe what makes this different from her YA novels and what makes this an adult novel? Allusions shouldn’t need to be explained to YA readers, much less adults. Block should stop doing that, it just adds to the word count and annoys readers.
Blah.
I just didn’t like this book and I spent the enter time reading it trying to figure out why this is listed as an adult novel. (Hoping the 20 somethings/30 somethings who love Weetzie Bat will take a chance on her new book just because it’s not listed as YA?)
I’m glad I didn’t buy it. I wish that wasn’t the case, but it is.
I’ll leave it here on the library cart in case Michelle wants to give it a try while she’s home for Christmas but she’d probably be happier reading one of the old Francesca Lia Block YA novels. Weetzie Bat FTW – Ariel/Jenni/John/Perry/Tania (the Elementals), not so much.
That is disappointing.