Wake (Wake, #1)

by Lisa McMann

[Amber (The Literary Phoenix)]

Wake was refreshing as a short book, but even then on some counts it failed to deliver. The characters remained rather flat and a little stereotyped, and really, how many of us are taking Cabel's sudden and magical transformation very seriously? But if you can get past the stories, McMann's got a very interesting concept. And Janie's best friend Carrie? She's the worst.

Getting past the intellectually shallow characters, McMann does have a very interesting concept. There are not a lot of books that delve into the dream world, and even fewer that do so without tying themselves to Alice in Wonderland. What Janie is, is a dream guide, and in dreams she encourages people to change their dreams. Unfortunately, that is all she does - watches, listens, and tells people to change. The concept could have been pulled a little further, but McMann seems to push for an entirely uncomplicated book, and that's what she succeeds in creating.

Although flat in many ways - including the above as well as sentence structure - Wake is still a charming, quick read. It's got enough paranormal elements that it doesn't feel like a regular YA novel, but it's also subtle enough that those who don't prefer fantasy do not feel ostracized by it. All in all a very quick, fun little read.

((Cross-posted on my blog: The Literary Phoenix.))