Alex's Reviews > White Fox

I hate what I'm about to say... I don't want to hurt the author's feelings at all! I'm so sorry, Sara!

Let me preface this by saying that this was a thick book. I have so many books I want to read that if a book is over 360 pages, I tend to shy away from it. But this one sounded SO GOOD. And, I'm a teen librarian, so I thought, "Oh, I MUST read this!" And, I was the first on the wait list at the library. I just saw all of that to say, I was in anticipation waiting to get this book. I went into it so hopeful!

I genuinely liked all the characters, especially Tai. The writing itself was great. The imagery was a little thick at first, but I grew accustomed to it as the novel progressed. The building up to the climax was slow burning but really great. I had a little difficulty caring about what happened to their mother during the first 60% of the novel, but then once the novel started picking up, I really did want to figure out the mystery. Also, I thought it was cool how the novel has almost sci-fi tendencies to it with the Pocket Girlfriend and Mina.

Now, why did I give this 1 star? First of all, there were so many characters. I had to make a list. But I would have only knocked off one star for that.

But, I spent HOURS reading this book. Which would have been fine if it had been awesome.

SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But I read lead after lead after lead. (Is it the pharm company? Their dad's evil right-hand man? His nephew? Their dad? Baba? Daria? Linos and his mom? Mina? At one point, I even though Manon knew something? The Deli? Brando? Mitso?) We were taken down so many paths.... and when the book finished, not only were there so many loose ends, but we find out their mother had fallen down a freaking sinkhole.... which OK, I'm not even mad she died by falling down the sinkhole. I am mad, though, that there were 20 other possibilities that the author set up (and never had clarity of at the end!!!!!) but we find she died by sinkhole. What a cop out! It's like when I read a thriller, and at the end, we find out it was "all a dream" or "the protagonist actually made it all up in their head." There could have been so many cool ways the author could have tied together all the story lines to their mother's disappearance. I'm just so disappointed!!!!!