Author: Megan Miranda
Release Date: February 5th 2013
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Source: Received from the publisher via NetGalley
Her boyfriend was stabbed. He bled to death in her kitchen. Mallory was the one who stabbed him. But she can't remember what happened that night. She only remembers the fear...
When Mallory's parents send her away to a boarding school, she thinks she can escape the gossip and the threats. But someone, or something, has followed her. There's the hand that touches her shoulder when she's drifting off to sleep. A voice whispering her name. And everyone knows what happened. So when a pupil is found dead, Mallory's name is on their lips.
Her past can be forgotten but it's never gone.
Can Mallory live with that?
My Thoughts
The premise for this book makes Hysteria sound like a psychological thriller/mystery/who-dun-it for young adults, and something which would be right up my alley. But after reading it, I feel more like I was led-up-the-garden-path.
The first half of Hysteria has a lot of jumping back and forth between the present and flashbacks of that night and events leading up to Brian's death, which I have to be honest, got a little tiresome. It made for a rather disjointed read and if it hadn't been for the strange bruises and spooky whispers that Mallory experienced, I would have given up on it before even getting halfway.
The second half of Hysteria was greatly improved; it moved more fluidly, the story was a lot more interesting and I was able to relate to Mallory. The relationship dynamics both between her parents and her friends began to feel more real and take on a new direction; and the secrets surrounding Brian's death and the strange goings on at the boarding school began to reveal themselves.
Bearing in mind that this is a book for a YA audience, I think the story has been told in a way that wont go over most teenagers heads, but as an adult (and parent of a teenager) reading Hysteria, the realities of Mallory's condition and her actions, felt downplayed and lacking in consequences; I felt the story lacked an honesty that deprived it of being a 5 star read.
Not quite what I was expecting, Hysteria was an intriguing but dissatisfying 3.5 stars :]
Awesome pick! I love reading books involving boarding schools! Love the animated gif with the excited kids. Made me laugh! Thanks for sharing! Happy reading :)
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