Friday, July 5, 2013

A review of Remembering Raquel by Vivian Vande Velde

The cover of this book is very up-beat and cheerful-red background, white butterflies, and bold, black, curly lettering.  The book is the opposite.  The entire book is sort of disconnected.  The stories of how the people did, or didn't, know Raquel are good separately but not together.  It also lacked the page-turner quality that is so important in books.  The part of the book that I really liked was Raquel's blog:  She talked about becoming a crazy cat lady and about how no one would ask her to the dance.  It's still depressing but it's the cheeriest part of the book.  Through the book, everyone is wandering the same thing.  Did Raquel not see the car?  Was she pushed? Or did she knowingly step in front of the car?  In the end, the question of what happened isn't answered.  There really isn't a conclusion or someone saying that they figured out what really happened.  I know that in everyday life you don't know what happens and sometimes you just have to pick the ending you like best, but this could have been wrapped up a little better.
            The book wasn't bad but it wasn't good either. 

            Two out of five stars.

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