Please Ignore Vera Dietz
PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZBY: A. S. KING
Vera’s spent her whole life secretly in love with her best friend, Charlie Kahn. And over the years she’s kept a lot of his secrets. Even after he betrayed her. Even after he ruined everything.
So when Charlie dies in dark circumstances, Vera knows a lot more than anyone—the kids at school, his family, even the police. But will she emerge to clear his name? Does she even want to?
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Remember when I gushed on and on about THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE? No? Then click HERE to refresh your memory.
Well I just finished the book above and I loved it -- but for completely different reasons. A. S. King absolutely nails what I like to call -- the real American teenager. Never once, and I honestly mean never, did I do an eye roll and say, "Oh please...that is soooo the author talking." If you follow my blog, you already know how I feel about that -- how I like my authors to be quiet and let their characters do the talking. And talking about talking, this book had rich and authentic dialogue. No hollow dialogue there, only brilliant and witty writing.
I finished the book in two days. It's that good. Get your hands on a copy and meet Vera (you're going to absolutely love her personality - her depth - her vulnerability...her). Meet Charlie (oh wait until you meet Charlie - he is Jordan Catalano from My So Called Life - at least that's how I pictured him - hot, messy and tortured). Meet the Pagoda. Uh huh. The Reading Pagoda has a few chapters written in first person. Genius. Absolute genius.
King also is wicked with her plotting -- she weaves in and out of past and present with absolute ease on the reader and the mystery of Charlie's death is slowly and meticulously revealed one deliciously painful layer at a time.
Yeah, I cried at the end. Cried for Charlie. Cried that it was over.
This book is right up there with THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE STORY OF A PART TIME INDIAN and LOOKING FOR ALASKA and THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE -- which are all spot on contemporary YA -- which equals honest and extremely well written.
