Labyrinth Lost

I didn't end up finishing this book. I don't actually do that all that often. I vet books pretty thoroughly before they make it on to my to-read list. And I read enough that I have a good sense of what I will and won't enjoy. Even when I find myself in the midst of a book I don't particularly like, I'll often just push through. But I'm trying to get more comfortable with just walking away from books. This is partly because my to-read list is currently a bit overwhelming, and partly because my reading time is soon to be seriously constricted. So even though I was more than halfway through this book, and I probably could have finished it in another day, I grabbed a different book when I left the house this morning. Why spend my commute being bored, annoyed, and confused if I don't have to?

My biggest problem with Labyrinth Lost was the protagonist. Alex is surrounded by a warm, loving, supportive family. She has uncontrollable powers that scare her, but her family is arranging a ritual to help her gain control. Any time someone learns the extent of her powers, they give her solid advice and point her towards more knowledge. Everyone in her life accepts her just as she is and wants nothing more than to help her.

And yet. Alex is determined to be the brattiest, least grateful, most melodramatic teenager on the planet. She refuses all advice and shies away from all support, certain that she can solve all of her problems by herself. It's no surprise when everything backfires terribly, resulting in the disappearance of her entire family, but that doesn't make it any less frustrating.

After the spell gone wrong, the books settles into the familiar rhythms of visiting another world. There are magical creatures and dangers and strict rules. It's all a bit paint by numbers. And I really would have enjoyed it, if I were enjoying the protagonist or if I found her friends the least bit believable. As it was, I just found myself getting more and more frustrated by each new unbelievable turn of events or small inconsistency.

So I walked away. Sometimes it's the best thing to do.

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