A Kiss In Time by Alex Flinn : C

Title: A Kiss In Time

Author: Alex Flinn

Genre: YA

Publication: 2009 by HarperTeen

Pages: 384

Ages: 12+

Grade: C

I was told to beware the accursed spindle, but it was so enchanting, so hypnotic...

I was looking for a little adventure the day I ditched my tour group. But finding a comatose town, with a hot-looking chick asleep in it, was so not what I had in mind.

I awakened in the same place but in another time—to a stranger's soft kiss.

I couldn't help kissing her. Sometimes you just have to kiss someone. I didn't know this would happen.

Now I am in dire trouble because my father, the king, says I have brought ruin upon our country. I have no choice but to run away with this commoner!

Now I'm stuck with a bratty princess and a trunk full of her jewels. . . . The good news: My parents will freak!

Think you have dating issues? Try locking lips with a snoozing stunner who turns out to be 316 years old. Can a kiss transcend all—even time?

General: So far, I think this may be the hardest review I've had to write yet.

When I picked out this book at the library, I expected a hilarious, creative novel, a brilliant re-write of a classic fairy tale. And...I guess maybe that's kinda what I got. But...perhaps I should have lowered my expectations just a little. Don't get me wrong. I liked the book. It was very funny; I found myself laughing out loud many times. It just...left me just a little thirsty for more, as if it hadn't fully and totally satisfied me.

Plot: Ok, I can't credit Alex Flinn for the plot. That's...an oldie. But a goodie! He certainly did a good job of making it much more realistic and modern. I very much enjoyed all the scenes where the "Sleeping Beauty" character, Talia, was forced to adjust to the "real" world. For example, the scene where she learns what a bus is, what a cell phone is, a camera, and WHAT?! Girls in PANTS?! My personal favorite was when she talks on the cell phone for the first time and actually throws it away from her in terror :)

The book made you think about things from the classic Sleeping Beauty tale that you never would have thought of before. For example, what if the guy who woke you up (Jack, in this case) doesn't even WANT to marry you? What if your father hates him, and thinks you've ruined the whole country? What if, what if, what if?

But...this is a difficult review, because the book just wasn't...amazing. It wasn't bad, at all. There were things about it that I really did like! But it just didn't stand out. It wasn't hard to put down, and it was not a quick read. It definitely took me longer than usual to get through it. When I did read, it was a good reading experience. The book is cute and funny. It just doesn't beg to be read.

Characters: The characters were very funny. Not the most developed characters ever, but very entertaining. Talia's absolute cluelessness is hilarious, and Jack's utter horror at the fact that they expect him to marry Talia brings a chuckle. But...like most of the other things about this book, it's very...mediocre. It's, eh, okay.

Each chapter is told from a different point of view, either Jack's or Talia's. I did like how that author very noticeably changed the overall voice and tone of his writing depending on who he had written was narrating it. I admired that about his writing.


Overall, the book isn't stunning, but it's certainly not a boring book. The whole novel is just...lukewarm. Not fascinating, but not enough to make you drool. I certainly recommend it as a book to read on the side or something. It IS an entertaining read. Just not a spectacularly fascinating one.

Scores

Plot: 14/20
Characters: 15/20
Ending: 13/20
Cover: 10/20
Style: 18/20
Overall: 70/100

Grade: C