Helpful Score: 2
I was really impressed with Hunger, the first book in this new series that combines mythological influences with serious modern issues. However, I have to be honest and say that the second book, RAGE, didnt work for me quite as much.
I cannot say anything bad about this series intentions. These issuesanorexia and self-injury, body image and bullyingshould be taken with the utmost seriousness, and yet Kessler uses such a wonderfully unique way to talk about these issues, which might have been beaten to death in more academic or psychological fields. The idea of these new Riders having to overcome their own issue in order to fully embrace their role and help out others is wonderful. Throw in some persnickety steeds and a wry-voiced Death, and youve got an utterly cool blend of the magical and the all-too-real.
RAGE didnt quite fulfill its mission for me, though. For some reason, I found it really hard to connect with Missy. Not that her situation does not provoke sympathy, for it does, oh it does. But she was so defined by her pain, by her humiliation, that she felt less like a real person and more like a literal poster girl one holds up to a crowd of bored at risk high school students and says regarding her, YOU SEE WHAT CAN HAPPEN? YOU DONT WANT THINGS TO TURN OUT LIKE THIS. Not a very effective teaching strategy by any means.
RAGE felt, to me, like it was concentrating much more on the message it was trying to send and less on developing unique characters or a compelling plot. Supporting characters were flat and not very convincing: for example, I knew I was supposed to feel angry at Missys bullying classmates words and actions, but at the same time I felt it was more for showkind of a this is what bullies are supposed to do and sound like act. The message got in the way of the story, I guess.
If you read and enjoyed Hunger, I encourage you to give RAGE a try. Perhaps its been a while since Ive read Hunger; perhaps you will find less issue with RAGE than I did.
I cannot say anything bad about this series intentions. These issuesanorexia and self-injury, body image and bullyingshould be taken with the utmost seriousness, and yet Kessler uses such a wonderfully unique way to talk about these issues, which might have been beaten to death in more academic or psychological fields. The idea of these new Riders having to overcome their own issue in order to fully embrace their role and help out others is wonderful. Throw in some persnickety steeds and a wry-voiced Death, and youve got an utterly cool blend of the magical and the all-too-real.
RAGE didnt quite fulfill its mission for me, though. For some reason, I found it really hard to connect with Missy. Not that her situation does not provoke sympathy, for it does, oh it does. But she was so defined by her pain, by her humiliation, that she felt less like a real person and more like a literal poster girl one holds up to a crowd of bored at risk high school students and says regarding her, YOU SEE WHAT CAN HAPPEN? YOU DONT WANT THINGS TO TURN OUT LIKE THIS. Not a very effective teaching strategy by any means.
RAGE felt, to me, like it was concentrating much more on the message it was trying to send and less on developing unique characters or a compelling plot. Supporting characters were flat and not very convincing: for example, I knew I was supposed to feel angry at Missys bullying classmates words and actions, but at the same time I felt it was more for showkind of a this is what bullies are supposed to do and sound like act. The message got in the way of the story, I guess.
If you read and enjoyed Hunger, I encourage you to give RAGE a try. Perhaps its been a while since Ive read Hunger; perhaps you will find less issue with RAGE than I did.
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