Over You is told in Sam's perspective, though she often speaks of Sadie in the second person, reminiscent of an epistolary. Part One of the novel is dominated by Sadie. All Max talks about is Sadie. Readers see how inconsiderate and reckless Sadie is and learn Max's obsession with her is all that keeps her sane. Sadie is extremely needy and bossy. Though she is broken, it is very hard to sympathize for her with such unlikable traits. Most readers will undoubtedly be irritated by her. Because of this, the beginning of Over You soon became a scratched record with its incessant portrayal of Sadie's selfishness and Max's obsequiousness.
Things pick up in the following sections, when Sadie is not around much to have her dangerous hold on Max. Dylan, a mysterious romantic interest, is not what the blurb alludes he will be. He is not the one who transforms Max. He does make her go pitter-patter, but I never felt that he brought her to self-discovery. He is a douchebag who often berates Max, whether in regards to her field of study of her sexuality. This is definitely arguable, but I found his inclusion as a mere plot catalyst and not necessarily an inspiration for Max's evolution. The blurb is highly misleading, and would make one think that a love triangle of the sorts will be involved.
As Max slowly begins to identify herself, with Sadie barely around, readers see that she has problems of her own. Earlier, readers were fed with why Sadie's life was not perfect. Readers know that Sadie has an alcohol problem and an absentee mother (Lark). Like Sadie, Max also has an absentee mother in a metaphorical way. Her mother is very distant, though they live in the same house. These family troubles give Over You an even more gritty interior, but without overdoing it. Reed handles these dark topics in a delicate, yet absorbing manner, proving that social issues in literature do not have to take over a story to show their effects.
Over You is filled with such conflicts, but is centralized on Sadie's evolution. There are instances in the novel where Max does not know how to handle herself alone without the need to be Sadie's extension. These parts were impacting, as they rectified how Max was suppressing her individuality. Having been released from Sadie's control, Max begins to explore and enjoy her life the way she wants to. I honestly felt so proud of her to see that. I also loved that her bisexuality never seemed to be an 'issue' in Over You as it so often is used for. Her sexuality never defined her in this book, even if it was negatively confronted by other characters.
What I really loved about Over You was its writing. Reed's prose is pleasurable to read, with its figurative language. It is excellent. This is especially evident in the mythological interludes. They are these expositions that each focus on a Greek god. Not only were they beautiful passages, but they reflected one of Max's passions, which are often hidden behind the flamboyance of Sadie. These passages are not just for showiness either because they each represent the ensuing conflicts. Reed really has a penchant for compelling writing, and I am glad she hooked me with my first book of hers.
There is not that much more to say about Over You because it is highly introspective book. It really takes focus on Sadie and Max, so those looking for a character-driven book with strong romance will be left disappointed. It is a book I can see people reflecting on for days. It is definitely a convincing read, and it makes me glad I finally took a chance to read Reed. It is a cautionary tale that carries a message that we all should know, especially during teenage self-discovery. I do hope it inspires the Sadie and the Max in each of us, because let's face it, most of us can be bitchy, and we can be subservient. It's only human.
]]>Image credit: Nina of Nina Reads |
The internet is a wonderful display of intellectual work ranging from Epic Rap Battles between historic figures to reviews gushing about about books. With this influx of other's ideas comes great responsibility. Here are some thoughts (my opinions) to consider:
1. Don't plagiarize. Like duh. There are many times the ideas of someone else are so creative that they leave you thinking "now why didn't I think of that"? For some, plagiarizing is no big deal, so the "copy and paste" function (and some tweaking, mind you) is nothing of great concern - no matter how big or small their readership is. You all know this , but it still happens. We have seen it happen. Avoid it like the plague.
2. Provide sources to images and "trigger posts". If another article has inspired to you write on a subject matter, and you share very similar opinions, it is great to highlight the original source, especially if posting times are close to each other. Images also need to be credited to their owners. If you cannot link to the owner's actual site, link to the website you found the image on. Whether an SNL gif, or an infographic, if the image is not yours you must post a link to its origin. An absent link denotes your ownership and creation.
3. Do not redistribute digital review copies. It takes money, time and mental work to write a book. When an author sends you a review copy, it is only for you. Even if the book was the best you ever read and you gave it a glowing review, that doesn't mean you can share it with who you want. Even letting someone use your account information to access a book is unethical. If you feel like sharing a book, gift a copy. Nothing says you love a book than legally sharing it with author's. Or building a shrine for it. Or selling your first-born for a limited copy. UPDATE: Jessica from Literary, etc mentioned in her comment below that: "it's important to note too that if you're part of a multi-member blog, it's not okay to share that one ARC you received for review and distribute it to all members of your blog to read on their own time unless you have permission from the publisher or author." This is so true! Thanks for pointing that out, Jessica!
4. Don't sell ARCs. Or pay for them. An ARC always come with the instruction to not sell it. ARCs are expensive to make and to send out. Selling ARCs on eBay, Amazon and other sites is against the publisher's rights. I wish marketplace websites would emphasize this more, but it is not happening. If you ever receive an ARC from one of these sites, and you feel lucky, something is out of place (your ethics?) Get mad. Politely inform the marketplace of the incident. Ask for a refund. It hurts me seeing ARCs sold.
5. Don't try to pass a book you didn't completely finish or understand as a normal, non-DNF review Sometimes you do not need to finish a book in its entirety to comprehensively explain your feelings about it. Sometimes you can skim through the ending, and still have an overall reaction to it. I have seen it many a time. However, there are times it is obvious that a reviewer has no idea what the book was about. Once I read a very problematic book, yet another reviewer who completely abhorred it, mentioned a genre element that was not present at all (alongside misspelled character names). I immediately realized that she was trying to fake a full review after barely reading the book or understanding it. That is being duplicitous - a very unfair action to do to your readers. This is why DNF and micro-reviews exist.
6. Give credit to meme creators I would have expected this to be a minor issue, but I am noticing an increase in uncredited memes. All book blog memes that I have seen require a mention of the creator. If you are not the creator of In My Mailbox (which has recently been passed down to another blog) or whatever other meme, it's required that you credit the host. Remember, it was not your idea.
7. Have a clear, distinct review policy. A review policy is extremely important! Yes, it is great to know what genres you prefer to review, but what is your clause on accepted books? Do you promise to review them? Or are reviews not guaranteed? Or how about handling review requests? Do you ignore the ones you are not interested in? Or do you notify the author that you cannot accept their book? Whatever review quirks you have, whether it be the submission process or format preferences - be sure to clearly state them in your review policy. These are serious jumbles of text - they are like your blog laws! They dictate one of the most important aspects of your blog! You want authors to know exactly what will happen. Unless they choose not to read it, of course.
8. Don't be a snob! I am just adding this tip after seeing Charlotte mention it on Gypsy Reviews! I had to unfollow some bloggers who obviously had a superior air to them. I always tried to interact with them, and they left me there in the dust. Yes, your blog may be successful, but you are not a celebrity. Everyone has the right to ignore people no doubt, but if you like to exercise it in the blogging world, especially on social media where followers are more comfortable, then blogging is probably not for you. Interaction should not be reserved for a select few. It only makes you look like a snob. Be nice to your fans! Aren't they one the big reasons you do what you do? Or are you just planning to request ARCs with "numbers"? I'm more than a statistic. Whew. I think that's enough for this topic! Hope my tips are helpful!
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