'Maybe' is definitely gold
I haven't been exposed to a lot of Elizabeth Scott's work, but her novel Stealing Heaven made a positive impression on me. Concerning a pair of scam artists - a mother and a daughter - I read the book during finals week of my second year in grad school, and the frenzy of the plot and the frenzy of that week made for a singular reading experience. Let's just say I was lucky enough to finish it, though to date it's one of the only books I haven't written a review for since the summer of '09.
Having two pseudo-celebrities for parents has taken its toll on Hannah, a high school senior who tries very hard to deflect any kind of attention. But she loves her mother Candy, even though Candy runs a titillating website showcasing her Playboy centerfold body for the few fans she still has. Hannah hates her father, Jackson, a Hugh Hefner wannabe who lives in a "castle" and has a low-rated reality show centered around him and his castle-mates (younger versions of Candy). Hannah would much rather concentrate on Josh, her dreamy coworker who writes poetry and reads really difficult books and cares about everything. He's the opposite of Finn, Hannah's other coworker who plays football and jokes around all the time. But just as Josh starts to show an interest in her, she finds herself drawn toward Finn - even though she swears to herself and Teagan (her one friend in town) that Josh is the only one for her. Convinced of Josh's superiority, Hannah strives to be the kind of girl she thinks he wants, but knows deep in her heart she's not. But a last-minute visit to Jackson and support from an unexpected source lead her to realize that maybe she doesn't have to be anybody but herself.
I have in the past ragged on books that fail, or at least don't succeed, at balancing multiple subplots. At my count, Something has about four: Hannah's relationship with her mother, Hannah meeting Jackson again, Hannah being pulled in two directions by Josh and Finn, and Teagan's failed college career. However, all of these elements fell into place because of Scott's well-crafted plotting and pacing - never outstaying their welcome, but also never disappearing for long. In short, they provide just enough richness to make the story palatable and pack enough emotional punch when the time is right - and all thematically connected.
As a protagonist, Hannah doesn't really stick out - which is too bad, because she proves to be something of a badass when she stands up to a bully and annoys her prying neighbors. But there's a very good reason for her reticence, so we understand why she acts (or doesn't act) the way she does. More compelling is her relationship with Candy, a sweet and caring woman who's going through her own stuff, and their heart-to-hearts really get to you. The one serious conversation Hannah has with Jackson - an emotionally weak man - is all the more affecting because of the heartbreak that comes after. The will-they-won't-they of Hannah/Josh/Finn isn't as compelling, as it's easy to pick up on the fact that Josh really is too good to be true (but to the author's credit, we don't know exactly why until the last minute). The characterization of Finn is what really pulled me in; he's written like a subversion of the "dumb jock" stereotype that Hannah thinks he represents. Instead, he's funny and generous and smart - but in a believable teen boy kind of way. Josh is a featherweight; Finn is a rock.
The one subplot that didn't work as well as the others was Teagan's, but this is because she exists solely as a sounding board for Hannah. I know what Scott was going for, but the inclusion just felt clunky. I would've loved to have heard more from Michelle, a conservative school friend of Hannah's whose spontaneous acts of kindness were fun to see.
Come for the love triangle, stay for the family bonding. Rating: 4 ponytail holders out of 5.
I have in the past ragged on books that fail, or at least don't succeed, at balancing multiple subplots. At my count, Something has about four: Hannah's relationship with her mother, Hannah meeting Jackson again, Hannah being pulled in two directions by Josh and Finn, and Teagan's failed college career. However, all of these elements fell into place because of Scott's well-crafted plotting and pacing - never outstaying their welcome, but also never disappearing for long. In short, they provide just enough richness to make the story palatable and pack enough emotional punch when the time is right - and all thematically connected.
As a protagonist, Hannah doesn't really stick out - which is too bad, because she proves to be something of a badass when she stands up to a bully and annoys her prying neighbors. But there's a very good reason for her reticence, so we understand why she acts (or doesn't act) the way she does. More compelling is her relationship with Candy, a sweet and caring woman who's going through her own stuff, and their heart-to-hearts really get to you. The one serious conversation Hannah has with Jackson - an emotionally weak man - is all the more affecting because of the heartbreak that comes after. The will-they-won't-they of Hannah/Josh/Finn isn't as compelling, as it's easy to pick up on the fact that Josh really is too good to be true (but to the author's credit, we don't know exactly why until the last minute). The characterization of Finn is what really pulled me in; he's written like a subversion of the "dumb jock" stereotype that Hannah thinks he represents. Instead, he's funny and generous and smart - but in a believable teen boy kind of way. Josh is a featherweight; Finn is a rock.
The one subplot that didn't work as well as the others was Teagan's, but this is because she exists solely as a sounding board for Hannah. I know what Scott was going for, but the inclusion just felt clunky. I would've loved to have heard more from Michelle, a conservative school friend of Hannah's whose spontaneous acts of kindness were fun to see.
Come for the love triangle, stay for the family bonding. Rating: 4 ponytail holders out of 5.
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