Book Review -- Michael Vey the Prisoner of Cell 25

Title: Michael Vey the Prisoner of Cell 25
Autor: Richard Paul Evans
Genre: YA sci-fi
Pages: Hardback, 326
Published: 2011
Opening Lines: "'Have you found the last two?' The voice on the phone was angry and coarse, like the sound of car tires over broken glass."

"To everyone at Meridian High School, Michael Vey is just your average, ordinary fourteen-year-old. But Michael is anything but ordinary -- in fact, he is electric.

"When Michael's best friends, Ostin Liss and cheerleader Taylor Ridley, make an accidental discovery, the three of them learn that there are other kids with similar powers -- and that someone, or something, is hunting them.

"After Michael's mother is kidnapped, Michael will have to reply on his wits, his unique power, and his friends to combat the hunters, free his mother, an save the others."

~ Jacket copy

Thoughts: I honestly hesitated reading this book. While browsing the books in our local Hastings, my husband and I were stalked by an author at her book signing. One thing you need to know about me, I am an intensely private person. I don't mind people saying "hi" or something similar. I hate it when store employees follow me around constantly asking if I need anything; people butting into a conversation I am having with someone on the assumption I am talk to them as well; random people watching over my shoulder and pestering me; etc. Yes, I have O.C.D. (not joking here, people). Yes, I have a tendency to be over-sensitive, but it just bugs the hell out of me. Anyways, after this lady continued to follow us and chatter on and on and on and on . . . She picked up the book and shoved it in my hands. She was insistent on the fact that I read the first two pages. And, unfortunately, at that point I didn't feel as though I had an option. I glanced at the first few pages enough to make some remark concerning the book. However, after finally losing her, I actually was curious about the book. So, I got online to check it out from our library. They didn't have it. I ILLed it, but was told the book was too new; therefore, they would not allow an ILL. This weekend, I got an e-mail stating that the book came in, but I only had it until the 13th (my birthday ^_~). With that in mind, I put down Pale Demon and started this yesterday.

Starting out, I really wanted to hate the book. I really, really wanted to hate the book. And through my persistence, I wasn't too fond of the book to begin with; however, I plowed ahead, bound and determined to finish this book! And, surprisingly enough, I actually ended up enjoying a vast majority of it.

The book starts out following Michael Vey through a few days/weeks in high school. After being sent to detention for being a victim of bullying, Michael unleashes a massive electric bolt into his bullies while they try to "pants" him. Upon witnessing the act, Taylor confronts Michael. And, of course, this leads into a series of adventures and occurrence, which shape the plot of the book. Unfortunately, I cannot go into much detail about it without giving the story away.

At first, I found the author's writing style to be juvenile. Even though the book is mostly in first person POV and written for teenagers, I felt that the author found the intended audience to be a little dumb. It was frustrating, to say the least. However, the story ended up picking up and grabbing my attention. In addition, when the POV changes and the author is writing in a third person omniscient/omnipresent POV, I felt that it was pretty seamless. I didn't feel any hangs up or felt that the book failed. Honestly, I liked that POV better.

Another thing about voice and POV, I noticed that Michael's tone changes once in the facility in California. I wondered if the author intended this to show Michael's change in behavior and attitude. If so, the author did a good job. After the things that he sees and goes through, Michael was forced to grow up.

Even though the bullying bothered me at the start of the book, the author did a good job handling it later in the book. Looking into the lives of past bullies, it is obvious that this is their way of controlling their out of control life. While that is not always the case, I was glad to see that the author took that into account.

And, because I always do, here is an editing hangup:

"Taylor, McKenna, Abigail, and Taylor . . ."

Hmm . . . That's a little awkward. Also, there is another point that Michael is standing and in next sentence he is getting up from sitting in a chair.

Anyways, on the whole I enjoyed the book. It was a fast read and the characters were funny (although definitely stereotyped).


Rating:
Currently: Pale Demon by Kim Harrison
Current Pages: 25504
Current Progress:

71/50 books