One of the best things about being a librarian is that I get to lead a book group. Between the members we choose a variety of genres within the Young Adult section from a pre-made list. I've read a lot of books I wouldn't have chosen on my own, discovering a couple new favorites along the way.
This past month we read Prisoner of Cell 25 (Michael Vey #1) by Richard Paul Evans. I was intrigued when I read the synopsis because I'm usually a fan of science fiction, and this one was about teens with electric powers. Overall, it read like "popcorn sci-fi," meaning I enjoyed reading it immensely, but it wasn't groundbreaking or original in it's content.
What it did do well was capture my attention early on. I was eager to find out what would happen next. I also liked getting to know Michael. It was enjoyable seeing the perspective of a character who not only has "superpowers," but a syndrome I don't know much about: Tourette.
Michael's friendship with Ostin was adorable, bromantic, and very sweet. I also liked that Taylor wasn't your stereotypical popular cheerleader type. In fact, Evans was very good at making all his characters seem real. By telling us the backstory of the bullies from the beginning of the book, both Michael and the reader felt more sympathy for and understood why these kids were the way they were. After all, "walking a mile in someone else's shoes" is a great way to learn empathy and understanding.
There wasn't too much I was disappointed in. The prose was a little weak at times, and I would have liked a few of the characters to have been fleshed out more. Additionally, the back and forth between first and third person was somewhat jarring and took me out of the story a bit. I'm curious to see how he'll stretch this story into seven books. There doesn't seem to be quite enough left for six more.
Otherwise, it was a very enjoyable and quick read that hit the spot after some stories with heavier content. If you are looking for lighter science fiction, or a young adult novel without gratuitous content than I would recommend this book to you. I know a lot of times it can be hard to find something that you feel "safe" reading. While stories about the more difficult things in life can bring up some important conversations, occasionally one wants to read something enjoyable without the incredible emotional turmoil that can come from other stories.
As always, happy reading,
Cordelia M. Blythe
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