#Review: Can't Look Away

Review: Can’t Look Away by Donna Cooner

Title: Can’t Look Away

Author: Donna Cooner

Publisher: Point

Publish Date: August 26, 2014

Cover: I like the cover, I think it really suits the book. Yeah all the the screenshots of the video looked poised, but it still kind of looks good. I like how the did the play button in the middle of the ‘o’ in ‘look’. I think that looks cool, and I love how they included the play button throughout the book.

Characters: The characters were kind of flat, with not a lot of personality. They weren’t memorable. They were just sort of there with no real purpose. I didn’t like them, and I didn’t even have a favorite. The author didn’t give us enough details about the characters to decide a favorite. I hardly know anything about any of the characters.

Plot: I loved the concept of this book. That’s why I picked it up. I think it really relates to how the world is now. I was really excited for this book before it even started.

Once I started reading it, my high hopes started going downhill. It was boring. Nothing really major happened. It had lessons in it, but I didn’t feel as if there was a climax. The book was a steady stream of uneventful moments. I know that I’m comparing this to sci-fi/dystopian novels that are action packed, but nothing exciting happened in this book. It just made me really sad and to want myself to act nicer towards my sisters.

The plot was very believable; I could see something like it happening in real life. But it would be with more emotion. I think the mom was the only one that as truly devastated about Miranda’s death.

The concept was great, the story wasn’t. I hope I read another book like this that reaches up to my high hopes.

Overall: I feel as if everything could have been explained a lot better. The ending was kind of abrupt, and I felt as if it shouldn’t have ended yet. I was still looking for more of the story. I wasn’t ready for it to end; I was still waiting for something to happen.

This book was really sad at some parts, but I don’t think Torrey was really sad about her sister’s death. I don’t think the author gave Torrey the impression of heartbreak and sadness that comes with the loss of someone close to you.

Some parts of the book confused me, like the point of el Dia de los Muertos, the day of the dead. It was mentioned a lot, but I never really knew what it was besides a day to remember the dead. It’s an interesting thing, it just wasn’t given justice. Also, I don’t know how the mom got miraculously better. She was so devastated and then she’s almost fine. I don’t think you can get over someone that quickly, but good for her.