“ABANDON,” by Meg Cabot, Point, April 26, 2011, $17.99 (young adult)
What are the chances that two young adult books based on the Persephone myth come out a week from each other? Apparently very high.
On April 19, Aimee Carter’s “The Goddess Test” made its debut. Seven days later, Meg Cabot’s “Abandon.”
Lucky for readers, the myth is just a jumping off point for two very different tales.
The focus of “Abandon” is Pierce, a young woman who got a second chance at life. Pierce hasn’t been the same since the day she died. She was one of the lucky ones, doctors told her. Falling into freezing water after hitting her head made it possible for them to bring her back, they said. But Pierce knows different, the real reason she’s alive.
It’s normal to act differently, for your behaviors to change following a near death experience. That explains Pierce’s behavior as of late. But now, Pierce is moving to a new home in a new state, and she has a chance at a fresh start.
Pierce quickly learns, though, that a fresh start is easier said than done. Everywhere she goes, someone is watching her, appearing at unexpected times, hoping to bring her back to the Underworld.
Having now read both “The Goddess Test” and “Abandon” it’s hard not to compare them. And “Abandon” definitely is the darker of the two.
There’s also a driving force behind Meg Cabot’s writing that really pulls the reader along. There are layers upon layers that provided added depth and maturity. It’s easy to tell Cabot is a seasoned writer with numerous books under her belt. I enjoyed the complexities as well as the lighter moments sprinkled throughout.
Both authors have follow-ups planned and it will be interesting to see how their stories and characters develop from here.
