Hush, Hush (Hush, Hush, #1)

by Becca Fitzpatrick

[nitzan_schwarz]

2013 cleaning my shelves challenge

YOU CAN ALSO FIND THIS REVIEW ON MY BLOG

Part #1: Overview
Anybody who loved Hush, Hush, you better leave this review five part rant right now because...

And you know what? I am done apologizing for hating this book. Done apologizing for thinking that the world is effing crazy for loving this... thing. I respect your opinion, and if you like it -- good for you, but I still can't understand it.

I don't even know where to begin, there is so much wrong here. So many ire inducing parts and moments. It's setting my teeth on edge just thinking of this book. But I guess I'll zero in on the characters and the romance. Or whatever the heck that was.

Only, I'm going to do a quick overview here and then proceed to rant in details over each and every agonizing bit in separate posts, because when I finished writing it all it was four times the length of my normal reviews and I didn't have the heart to subject you to that without at least giving you the option to choose whether you really want more of this rant in your life.

In short (because the long version is super long) - Nora is an idiot, Patch is a class A jerk, Vee is the worst best friend in the history of literature and I wish she'd die, and the romance doesn't make sense at all. Unless you have a thing for stalkers who force you against walls.

Seriously, there is not one selling point for this whole mess. And if bad af characters and romance aren't bad enough, there was so much inconsistency. It seemed like Fitzpatrick threw in information and people without a thought, reducing or ignoring them when she felt like it.

Like the school assignment that brought Nora and Patch together, and then conveniently disappeared from the plot. Conversations that Nora was supposed to have with her mother, but didn't. Discussions Vee and her should've had, but didn't. Or the tutoring bit.

That's not okay. Don't just put in things if you're not going to go back to them. If you're going to pretend they didn't exist. So much useless information just clogs up an already murky plot, and for nitpickers like me it just serves to drive us crazy, because we effing remember you put it there.

And the ending... just no. And I'm not even going to elaborate on that part because it just pains me to relive this and I would rather scrub it from my mind. But if you want to read what the ending should've been, check out Kat Kennedy's awesome How It Should Have Ended.

So, this is everything in a nutshell. I'll be posting the links here and on the other posts for each and every part of this elaborate rant, so if you are looking for a hefty dose of sarcasm and frustration (albeit funny ones)... continue on.:

Part #2: Nora

Let's take a look on the main character of this novel - Nora.

Nora, Nora, Nora... congratulations, because you've just received first place for the stupidest af "smart girl" I've ever read of. Studious people, stay far, far away from this book because this character single-handedly ruins our entire reputation, proving that getting good grades does not indicate owning/using a fully operating brain.

Come to think of it, she's not even that good at studying. Who does research on a subject by reading one article???

Oh, you don't believe me? I have examples. Too many of them.

For one, she listens to Vee (which you can read of farther on Part #4). She jumps to conclusions based on zero evidence. When she hears a guy's name is just a nickname, she never asks for his real one. She goes for safety to the guy she suspects might be stalking her.

Oh, and hypothetically, should you be looking for a place and a homeless person tells you you're on the wrong track, would you really bargain your clothes for directions from him? Or would you look for a more reliable source of information that has no ulterior motives (like coveting your coat)?

I'm all for giving to the needy, but this is not exactly that, is it?...

And she brings "indecisive" to a whole new level. Do you hate Patch, or are you weirdly attracted to him?? You can't rant on his creepiness, bad vibes and jerkiness one minute than agree with your "best friend" that there is a dangerous, tempting connection between the two of you. Oh, right. you just did. *face palm*

Also - WHY and WHEN and WHERE is that connection you keep talking about? I can't see it. Buuuut, more that on part #5.

Part #3: Patch
I despair for humanity when I think about the fact people like this guy. People fantasize about this class-A douche-bag. People swoon and sigh at his name. People need their heads checked, pronto. Because can any of you seriously tell me that in RL you'll want someone like this?!

He, on purpose, tries to make Nora fail a school assignment (which was then conveniently forgotten and never mention again). Every time they meet, he acts like an asshole, and not in a likable way. He forces her against walls again and again and doesn't stop when she tells him to (RAPIST! RAPIST! HELP!), stalks her (even if he's not the stalker), tries to scare her to death (in the literal sense of the word), always laughs at her, always mean, always tries to get a rise out of her.

And for Pete's sake, the only reason he got close to her was to convince her to effing kill herself for him, so he could execute his plans. W.T.F.

WHAT ARE HIS REDEEMING FEATURES!? ANYONE!? A morbidly curious part of me seriously want to know what you can possibly see in this guy (and don't tell me he gets better, because that sure af doesn't excuse anything). Honestly, people, there is nothing likable about him. I hated his creepy guts.

And then, he wants me to believe he cares for Nora? After she accused him of following and breaking into her house and he was completely unaffected by it, even though he knew he didn't do it so someone must've? At the very least, he should worry someone would kill her before he could convince her to do it herself!

Before they shared a kiss he couldn't give a rat's ass about her. Very endearing. Very believable. A dream guy. Gag.

Part #4: Vee
I have one thing to say to you, Vee dear -

It is my sincerest wish to read an obituary for this character. Please, someone, tell me she was killed off during the course of this blasted series. Or is that too much to hope for? I honestly want this girl dead.

I have never read of a more horrible, self centered, pushy, idiotic, uncaring, rude, brainless "best friend". And I hope I never will, because the day I will will probably also be the day I kill myself. *shudders*

I kind of worry for the author if she thinks this is a good representation of a best friend. And I also have this desperate need to hug my best friends and thank them for being amazing every time I think of this cursed character.

You must be thinking I am overreacting. That there is no need to spew so much hate over a fictional character. I am certain I can change your mind on that with just a simple, if spoilery, questionnaire demonstrating her actions throughout this novel and showcasing how she is the worst best friend on the face of this earth:

Your best friend tells you GUY A makes her uncomfortable (and not in a good way). Do you:
a. stand by her, supporting her and helping to keep him away from her
b. push him on her and say how hot he is, because that's clearly the truly important thing here.

You're sitting between two guys (one of them GUY A) and your BF makes up a lie about a test to escape because she doesn't want to be there and you know it. Do you:
a. Back her up for a smooth escape, even if you don't understand her deal.
b. humiliate her by calling out her bluff.

Your BF tells you she suspect GUY A is stalking her and has tried to hurt her. Do you:
a. Worry non-stop and try to minimize their contract/threaten him with police if he doesn't stop.
b. Set up a double date with him for your BF because his best friend (GUY B) is rich and you want in his pants.

GUY B asks you to go camping with them. Do you:
a. Politely refuse or at the very least keep your BF out of it
b. force your BF to come with, begging her not to ruin this for you, for three days of you, your BF, the guy stalking her and his BF. Because that's a great plan.

If you answered b on all of the above then congratulations are in order (or maybe more accurately consolations...), you are Vee, worst BF on the planet. You're also not the sharpest toll in the shed because after all of the above you also go with GUY B to a party and then break into your school to play... hide and seek...? huh?...

Why, yes. ALL her plans are THIS brilliant. It's actually sort of impressive, when you think of it statistically. I especially liked the one where Nora tells her she's being followed, possibly by the guy who broke into her house, so she disguises herself as Nora to get the stalker to follow her, and Nora could follow him, and... do... something. What, he might be armed? pfft, never mind that. It's not important.

Hahaha, too bad she didn't get killed right there and then. I bet you no jury out there would've have convicted him.

(Noooo, I don't hate this girl with a passion of the seven fires of hell at allllllll)

Part #5: Is This Supposed to Be Romance?
Know all the "still a better love story than Twilight" jokes? They won't work here.

Guy is a jerk to girl all the time. Girl hates guy. But girl is also.... attracted to guy? An attraction that makes no sense, comes out of nowhere and has no basis in the story? But, yeah. She can't hate him for more than a minute (even though her hate is justified) without thinking about the dangerous, undeniable (I DENY) connection between them. Which I never once sensed/saw/understood/anything.

I don't need fingers to count the amount of times he was even remotely nice to her because there wasn't any. The total sum of their proper conversations will probably amount to -1.

there is not one reason for Nora to care for, relay on or fall in love with him. She's freakin' certain he is her stalker for 90% of the book, for Pete's sake! So can you maybe understand why every time she felt safe with/attracted to/lost in the eyes of Patch or anything of that nature (especially since it usually followed his creeptastic behavior or Nora's questions of his involvement in everything) I literally winched in pain and turned away from the book?

I had a physical reaction to this inconceivable "romance".

After all you've read, in this part and the four leading to it, can you imagine how shocked I was to learn that Patch apparently cared for Nora? Even loved her? Even before he entered her life? Dude, just no.

In all seriousness, all you girls--and boys-- out there, I beg you, don't go looking for a "relationship" like this. This is borderline abusive. Never go for a guy who makes a sport of hurting you. Never go for someone who would ignore your "no"s. You are worth so much more than this. Unless you're Vee.

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