Pure (Pure Trilogy, #1)

by Julianna Baggott

[Briana @ Pages Unbound]

This review is also posted at Pages Unbound Book Reviews.

Pure is a highly imaginative and thoughtful novel that will appeal to readers of all ages. The book is focused on issues that will resonate with many children and teens, but does not have a “young” voice or approach to its difficult subject matter. Baggott assumes her readers are intelligent and prepared to face the issues that Pressia and Partridge do. She leads readers through a wild, unique world and asks them to think deeply about life, mortality, childhood, and truth.

Pressia and Patridge are both richly developed characters who must adapt quickly to the circumstances of their broken world. They must define and redefine survival, strength, and trust. Each grows tremendously throughout the book and will doubtless continue to do so through the series. Readers are treated to chapters in both of their point of views, as well as two other characters’. Although the POV switches can be surprising at first, as there is no pattern, Baggott thoughtfully explained in a talk that I attended that she writes each chapter from the point of view of the character with the most at stake in the scene. So far, I think this approach is working well and adds a level of intensity to the novel that might not otherwise be present.

The prose of Pure is haunting and beautiful, and it also helps make the story palatable—at least to readers like me. I shied away from Pure for awhile, thinking myself too squeamish to handle a novel where characters are fused to objects, animals, and even other characters. A man with birds embedded in his back? Gross. However, Baggott writes the story in a way that these events seem about as natural as they must have become to the characters. It may be disturbing, but it is possible to overcome repulsion and move on with life. One gets the sense from Pure that perseverance like this is one of humanity’s greatest strengths.

One of my most highly recommended reads of 2013.