Greetings,
I've noticed something of a stigma attached to the world of YA fiction, particularly, when it comes to adults. I've heard people say that if someone writes YA books, it's probably because they aren't good enough or smart enough to write for grownups. To say nothing of the adults who choose to read those books. Now, if we are speaking of Twilight and Stephenie Meyer and her middle-aged minions, that might be true, and that also goes for most of her copycats. However, I don't believe this theory generally. I think there is much intelligence flowing through the genre of YA, and when I find a book that proves it, I am happy to share it with others. And last month, I had the pleasure of discovering one - Ugly Stick by Joy Givens.
Okay, before I begin, I must give a disclaimer. The reason that I found this book is because I had a table at a book festival to sell my wares, and I happened to meet a lovely, fellow author named Joy Givens. We had a chance to talk quite a bit and even traded copies of our books with each other. I certainly enjoyed her company, and we've had a few exchanges by way of social media. Bottom line, I really like this person. However, I would never let that cloud my judgement as a critic. It never matters to me how much I like someone. If they do something of which I am not a fan, I will say so. I mean, come on. I'm planning to marry Tom Hiddleston one day, but that won't stop me from saying that I don't like The Avengers. Yeah...And Stalker/Creepy Fan Mode off. Anywho, I know that this blog is pretty unofficial, but despite what many people have said over the past couple of years, especially on Twitter, I happen to think that journalistic integrity is a thing that should exist. So, let's begin, shall we?
Ugly Stick is a 2013 novel telling the story of April Somerfield, a fifteen-year-old girl who has very few fans out in the world and none in the mirror. Yes, she is quite unhappy with herself, being a shy outcast who is far from a beauty queen. What makes things harder is that her family has always been full of beautiful, successful women, and April is certain that she will never be able to carry on that tradition.
So, you may be thinking ahead, assuming that she might have been adopted or was switched at birth, and that is what the story is about. Well, now that's just boring. No, as it happens, the titular "ugly stick" could be more than just part of an infamous expression. It might just be an actual thing. And no, I am not giving spoilers. This is all on the back of the book, because this is merely the setup to lead us into the journey of this young girl. And that journey ends up being quite a fascinating and enjoyable one. Frankly, this is a tale I have never heard before. That's right, folks! I am pretty darn sure that we have...AN ORIGINAL IDEA! And for some reason, that causes the celebratory Price is Right theme to play in my head.
Now, though I admit that this is a new idea, you might be wondering if the author uses any of the tropes we tend to find in YA fiction. Of course, she does. But using tropes doesn't make anyone a bad writer; using them in the wrong way does. Fortunately, that is not the case here, and it particularly does not apply to the types of characters about whom she writes. Yes, we have the loyal best friend, the mean girl and the cute boy our protagonists sets her sights on, but they are all written so well and so uniquely, with a few personal twists of their own, that they don't just feel like lifeless props to push the main character to her next activity. They are there, they are in her life, but the story is hers. Even the boy. Yes, imagine that. Someone writing about a teenage girl liking a boy and having it be just one of those things that she goes through, rather than giving a message of "Life begins at man". You know? The way that some other writers do with their female "characters". Oh, and speaking of the word "character"...
I am happy to say that our protagonist, April, is, in fact, an actual character. She has a distinct personality and special qualities about her, whilst still managing to be relatable, particularly to readers in the same age bracket. It's almost as though you don't have to make your lead character a blank slate in order for people to identify with her. In short, she is something of an anti-Bella Swan. Sorry, I had to bring up the "T" word again, but I can't think of a better example. Seriously, what Joy Givens has proven is that one can create a character that the audience can connect with without making her nothing more than an empty skin suit for people to slip on in order to fantasize themselves into the story. I know that sounded weird, but I think I've made my point.
So, let me wrap this up by saying that I thoroughly enjoyed this book, even being someone who does not often delve into the world of YA. As I said, if a book is written well, with an interesting, unique and original story and ideas, I'm always willing to take a look. Therefore, I recommend Ugly Stick to anyone who simply likes good books, but I especially recommend it to anyone who might be the age of the protagonist here. In fact, if you're a parent of said type of person, I say let your youngsters read this. It says a lot of good things about family and honesty and how we look at ourselves and others. It has wonderful life lessons, really for all ages, and I'm happy to spread the word about a book that can do that.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
