Book Review: The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl
The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl
By: Melissa Keil
Published By: Hardie Grant Egmont
Publication Date: September 4, 2014 (US release April 2016)
Page Count: 294
Buy it at Booktopia
Source: Purchased by reviewer
Audience: Young Adult - Contemporary
For some people the end of school can feel like the end of the world. And sometimes, it just might be the actual end of the world.
When the presenter of an obscure late-night TV show predicts that the world will end on New Year's Eve and only Eden Valley will be spared, a host of strange characters start appearing in town.
Alba and her friends are busy working out what they are going to do next now that school has finished, so the influx of newcomers is both an annoyance and a welcome distraction from making major decisions. While it seems her friends have everything figured out, Alba is confused about her options, and about her feelings for best friend Grady. The sudden arrival in town of Daniel Gordon, once best friends with Alba and Grady and now a TV star, doesn't help matters.
Alba is a comic book artist and has created a character called Cinnamon Girl who features on the menus of the family's cafe. But lately, when Alba tries to draw Cinnamon Girl, she won't do what she wants, and seems to have a mind of her own. Alba's confusion and lack of direction is reflected in her drawings, and it takes her quite a while to figure this out.
Melissa Keil creates a beautiful portrait of a small, country town and the people who live there. The local characters jump off the page and the struggle that Alba faces is all too familiar.
From the time that Eden Valley is announced as the place to be when the End of Days happens, the tension builds. Storm clouds gather, both meteorologically and metaphorically. Events will come to a head and things will change for Alba. No matter how much she wants them to stay the same.
The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl is a really enjoyable read and I highly recommend finding it when it's available in your region.
When the presenter of an obscure late-night TV show predicts that the world will end on New Year's Eve and only Eden Valley will be spared, a host of strange characters start appearing in town.
Alba and her friends are busy working out what they are going to do next now that school has finished, so the influx of newcomers is both an annoyance and a welcome distraction from making major decisions. While it seems her friends have everything figured out, Alba is confused about her options, and about her feelings for best friend Grady. The sudden arrival in town of Daniel Gordon, once best friends with Alba and Grady and now a TV star, doesn't help matters.
Alba is a comic book artist and has created a character called Cinnamon Girl who features on the menus of the family's cafe. But lately, when Alba tries to draw Cinnamon Girl, she won't do what she wants, and seems to have a mind of her own. Alba's confusion and lack of direction is reflected in her drawings, and it takes her quite a while to figure this out.
Melissa Keil creates a beautiful portrait of a small, country town and the people who live there. The local characters jump off the page and the struggle that Alba faces is all too familiar.
From the time that Eden Valley is announced as the place to be when the End of Days happens, the tension builds. Storm clouds gather, both meteorologically and metaphorically. Events will come to a head and things will change for Alba. No matter how much she wants them to stay the same.
The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl is a really enjoyable read and I highly recommend finding it when it's available in your region.
Summary:
Alba loves her life just as it is. She loves living behind the bakery, and waking up in a cloud of sugar and cinnamon. She loves drawing comics and watching bad TV with her friends.
The only problem is she’s overlooked a few teeny details:
Like, the guy she thought long gone has unexpectedly reappeared.
And the boy who has been her best friend since forever has suddenly gone off the rails.
And even her latest comic-book creation is misbehaving.
Also, the world might be ending – which is proving to be awkward.
As Doomsday enthusiasts flock to idyllic Eden Valley, Alba’s life is thrown into chaos. Whatever happens next, it’s the end of the world as she knows it. But when it comes to figuring out her heart, Armageddon might turn out to be the least of her problems.
The only problem is she’s overlooked a few teeny details:
Like, the guy she thought long gone has unexpectedly reappeared.
And the boy who has been her best friend since forever has suddenly gone off the rails.
And even her latest comic-book creation is misbehaving.
Also, the world might be ending – which is proving to be awkward.
As Doomsday enthusiasts flock to idyllic Eden Valley, Alba’s life is thrown into chaos. Whatever happens next, it’s the end of the world as she knows it. But when it comes to figuring out her heart, Armageddon might turn out to be the least of her problems.
What a quirky plot for a novel! It sounds like something out of the mind of Terry Pratchett or Neil Gaiman, with the newscaster who predicts the end of the world and consequently sends a quirky cast into the heart of something much more normal. However, I can already tell that Alba is a teen protagonist at her best, conflicted about everything from summer plans to how to make her art work for her!
ReplyDeleteAlso, I love that cover art!
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