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Gobbled #1
Goblin Fruit
What if the "drug epidemic" actually WAS an epidemic? What if you could catch an addiction as easily as you catch the stomach flu? What if the drug you wanted more than anything in the world would turn you into a zombie, able to move and eat, but not think? 16-year-old Clara's mother is a catatonia patient, a.k.a. zombie. So is Audrey's brother. Together, they're desperate to find a cure before it's too late. Their only clues are in the 150 year old poem, "Goblin Market."
172 pages, Paperback
First published December 10, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
January 12, 2013
I thought I'd write this review to let people know a little more about the inspiration behind Goblin Fruit.
The most direct inspiration was the poem, "Goblin Market" by Christina Rossetti. I highly recommend this poem. It is included in the appendix of my book.
Less direct inspirations came from some of my childhood fears and from the anti-drug campaigns in American schools in the 1990s.
When I was in elementary school, anti-drug campaigns tended to have a much stronger scared straight component than they usually do now. I remember there was one video we watched where a cloud of marijuana smoke followed a boy around and made him do awful things. It was terrifying.
One day, when I was around eight or nine years old, I was walking home from school and I stepped on a cigarette butt on the sidewalk. It looked a little strange to me and I decided it must be from a joint. Afterward, I refused to wear any of the clothes I'd had on that day, including even hair barrettes and my backpack. I wouldn't tell my parents why, so they were awfully perturbed, but my clothes were contaminated. I was contaminated.
I had nightmares about drugs, about not being able to resist trying them, even though I knew they would kill me. And I dreamed about a drug that spread like a plague. If you touched a user it would enter your system, and you'd want to use too.
Of course, now it is widely accepted that fear-mongering campaigns often backfire. Once I became a teenager and realized that my fears had been overblown, I was dying to try drugs to see what the fuss was all about. If they were worth lying about, they must be really good.
I didn't realize I was writing my childhood dreams until I was on the second or third draft of this story. I didn't forget the dreams, I just didn't realize they could still have such an impact on me as an adult. It was scary writing this book--a tale of drugs, apparent insanity, goblins, zombies, broken people, plagues--but in the end, like Rossetti's poem, I hope it's a tale of redemption, and our power to save the ones we love.
The most direct inspiration was the poem, "Goblin Market" by Christina Rossetti. I highly recommend this poem. It is included in the appendix of my book.
Less direct inspirations came from some of my childhood fears and from the anti-drug campaigns in American schools in the 1990s.
When I was in elementary school, anti-drug campaigns tended to have a much stronger scared straight component than they usually do now. I remember there was one video we watched where a cloud of marijuana smoke followed a boy around and made him do awful things. It was terrifying.
One day, when I was around eight or nine years old, I was walking home from school and I stepped on a cigarette butt on the sidewalk. It looked a little strange to me and I decided it must be from a joint. Afterward, I refused to wear any of the clothes I'd had on that day, including even hair barrettes and my backpack. I wouldn't tell my parents why, so they were awfully perturbed, but my clothes were contaminated. I was contaminated.
I had nightmares about drugs, about not being able to resist trying them, even though I knew they would kill me. And I dreamed about a drug that spread like a plague. If you touched a user it would enter your system, and you'd want to use too.
Of course, now it is widely accepted that fear-mongering campaigns often backfire. Once I became a teenager and realized that my fears had been overblown, I was dying to try drugs to see what the fuss was all about. If they were worth lying about, they must be really good.
I didn't realize I was writing my childhood dreams until I was on the second or third draft of this story. I didn't forget the dreams, I just didn't realize they could still have such an impact on me as an adult. It was scary writing this book--a tale of drugs, apparent insanity, goblins, zombies, broken people, plagues--but in the end, like Rossetti's poem, I hope it's a tale of redemption, and our power to save the ones we love.
October 30, 2017
It seems Goblin Fruit was inspired by a Poem called Goblin Marquet by Christina Rosetti. The story unveils in a world where human touch is forbidden. GOblin Fruit is a potent drug that makes people catatonic and even the slighthest touch can have disastrous consequences.
The story focuses on three young protagonists Clarity, Audrey and Todd. Each has a close one that fell victim to GF. Narration switches from third person to first person. In my opinion it works well and adds some dynamics to the story. The characters are clearly teens and they deal with some realistic problems (ex-boyfriend, being considered fat by others and laugh at etc.).
The language and the plot are simple and while there are some twists none of them was really surprising.
The pacing was uneven and at Times the story was slow and focused on meaningless things. The ending felt rushed and not too convincing. I was planning to give this book three stars, but the ending was a big letdown for me, hence I’ll stay with two stars. I don’t want to spoil things for others so I’ll limit myself to saying the way the characters behaved during final conflict resolution seemed really off to me and the dialogue didn’t manage to bear the drama in convincing way.
All in all, it’s not a bad bok but It feels a bit undercooked.
"With goblin fruit, addiction is contagious. If you touch a user, you'll crave the drug. If you crave it, you might take it. If you take it, you might not stop. If you don't stop, you'll become a zombie, slang for a catatonic, someone who can eat, and move, and breathe, but nothing more. If you become a zombie, people might touch you, and if they touch you, they'll crave the drug..."
The story focuses on three young protagonists Clarity, Audrey and Todd. Each has a close one that fell victim to GF. Narration switches from third person to first person. In my opinion it works well and adds some dynamics to the story. The characters are clearly teens and they deal with some realistic problems (ex-boyfriend, being considered fat by others and laugh at etc.).
The language and the plot are simple and while there are some twists none of them was really surprising.
The pacing was uneven and at Times the story was slow and focused on meaningless things. The ending felt rushed and not too convincing. I was planning to give this book three stars, but the ending was a big letdown for me, hence I’ll stay with two stars. I don’t want to spoil things for others so I’ll limit myself to saying the way the characters behaved during final conflict resolution seemed really off to me and the dialogue didn’t manage to bear the drama in convincing way.
All in all, it’s not a bad bok but It feels a bit undercooked.
May 16, 2019
I found this tale very unpleasant, but that is probably a good thing if any YA readers are considering experimenting with odd substances. A young teen narrates part of the story and her dad is a doctor working with comatose patients who have taken a drug called goblin fruit. This is not only addictive, but the sweat of the patients can addict someone to the chemicals in the drug, so now many folks wear gloves and masks on the street. People gradually work through their cravings to the point of collapse. The social consequences have been well thought out by the author.
Alternate parts of the storyline are written in bold italic to indicate a different narrator. This font is very hard to read and I didn't put much effort into it because all the tale is either at high school or about drugs. Anyone who wants to read more on these topics might enjoy the story more than I did. I also didn't like how fruit is seen as a potential horror and the one meal we see the family enjoying does not contain any fruit or veg. Mature teen readers or adults could give it a try.
I downloaded an ARC from Instafreebie. This is an unbiased review.
Alternate parts of the storyline are written in bold italic to indicate a different narrator. This font is very hard to read and I didn't put much effort into it because all the tale is either at high school or about drugs. Anyone who wants to read more on these topics might enjoy the story more than I did. I also didn't like how fruit is seen as a potential horror and the one meal we see the family enjoying does not contain any fruit or veg. Mature teen readers or adults could give it a try.
I downloaded an ARC from Instafreebie. This is an unbiased review.
January 26, 2013
Goblin Fruit by Erin Burr is the story of three teenagers living in a world where hand-holding is forbidden, drug-induced catalepsy has overwhelmed the population, and their families' lives have been torn apart by death, divorce, and drugs. Clarity (Clara) is the sixteen-year-old daughter of Dr. Frank Harman, a psychiatrist running a catatonia center in the southwest United States. Her mother, Sincerity (Sara), is one of the patients at the center in which Clarity and her father live.
Her school life is difficult, especially when it comes to her former best friend Jamie, Jamie's new boyfriend Pete, and Pete's best friend, Todd - especially Todd. Unbeknownst to Clarity, Todd has plenty of problems of his own - problems with his family that include deep-buried, well-hidden secrets. Both Clarity's and Todd's worlds are thrown into a tailspin when Audrey enters the picture.
Sixteen-year-old Audrey, who lived in the desert town as a small child, is forced to move back after her father dies and her brother becomes cataleptic after taking Goblin Fruit, the newest drug on the black market. Touching someone who has taken Goblin fruit makes a person desperately crave it, the cravings lead to taking the drug, and taking the drug leads to catalepsy.
Although Audrey and Clarity become fast friends, the three teens are involved in an altercation on Audrey's first day at school and are assigned to work together on a project as punishment. This project makes them realize just how intertwined their lives really are, though it does not make the girls and Todd more agreeable to each other. But, could this project somehow help them find the cure for catalepsy? Does a cure even exist? Or will the entire human race eventually become zombies and face extinction?
******************MY OPINIONS**********************************
Before reading this book, I was unaware it was geared toward a young audience (though - in hindsight - the title should have been a dead giveaway). After discovering my oversight, however, I transported my mind back to that of a sixteen year old girl and tried to read the book from that former perspective. The writing and content are appropriate for younger audiences (I would say pre-teen and up); the vocabulary is not too advanced for this age group and the writing is simplistic enough to appeal to them. As for the rising action and conflict, it was a bit mundane for my own taste but would likely be suitable for its intended demographic. The characters were dealing with some realistic problems that teens face in their families and, therefore, mostly seemed genuine. Clarity, perhaps due to living such a sheltered life, possessed traits that made her appear much younger at times; certain scenes made her seem nine or ten, rather than sixteen.
This was a quick read, I completed it in one sitting (approximately 4-5 hours). I felt the rising action dragged a bit before the main conflict finally played out, and that was rushed, with a rather weak resolution and denouement. Because of the rushed conflict and the abbreviated conclusion, I felt there were many loose ends that remained untied. I suppose these remaining loose ends could lend themselves to a sequel; however, in the end, I simply felt let down.
All in all, I still rated it three stars ("I liked it") because the characters were realistic and likable; though abridged, the family conflicts were honestly portrayed; and the plot - while a bit saccharine - lends itself well to the younger audience interested in exploring the prevalent zombie trend, without it being graphic or inappropriate for fledgling readers. This piece takes a little deviation from the true zombie genre and softens it a bit. I would recommend it for young sci-fi fans or budding readers enamored with the recent zombie craze.
********************WARNING: SPOILERS********************************
This piece contains a lot of symbolism and is, essentially, a modern interpretation of Christina Rossetti's mid-19th century poem, "Goblin Market." While the poem has been analyzed and interpreted a number of different ways, Goblin Fruit portrays it as a piece of sisterly love, friendship, heartbreak, sacrifice, and hope.
Goblin Fruit itself takes a satirical perspective on modern culture. In the book, the cataleptics "will all move if you guide them," poking a bit of fun at consumerism and advertising. Further symbolism in the book includes the setting, which appears to take place in present times and is characterized by a locale in which the landscape is sparse and bare and the buildings are flat-topped and unnatural, built to appear to fit in. I see this as representing the American population - full of many simple minds, shaping and building themselves to fit in with those around them. Further, each character in the story has an absent parent, which strongly mirrors our younger generations. In one case, a parent has died; in another, the father is mostly an absentee parent, wealthy and living the consumerist lifestyle with a new wife who is young, beautiful, and rich; in the third, the girl's mother is a cataleptic, symbolic of the "me, me, me" generation of parents who exist in the child's background without being involved, while the child loves that parent unconditionally, regardless.
Without dissecting this story, and taking it for what it is - a soft zombie book aimed at adolescent readers - it fulfills its purpose with grace. There are elements of friendship and love, the value of innocent physical contact - such as holding hands, smoothing someone's hair, or wiping tears from someone's face - between people, and the significance of strength and sacrifice in times of turmoil. It is not a book I would read again but would definitely recommend for fledgling readers.
Her school life is difficult, especially when it comes to her former best friend Jamie, Jamie's new boyfriend Pete, and Pete's best friend, Todd - especially Todd. Unbeknownst to Clarity, Todd has plenty of problems of his own - problems with his family that include deep-buried, well-hidden secrets. Both Clarity's and Todd's worlds are thrown into a tailspin when Audrey enters the picture.
Sixteen-year-old Audrey, who lived in the desert town as a small child, is forced to move back after her father dies and her brother becomes cataleptic after taking Goblin Fruit, the newest drug on the black market. Touching someone who has taken Goblin fruit makes a person desperately crave it, the cravings lead to taking the drug, and taking the drug leads to catalepsy.
Although Audrey and Clarity become fast friends, the three teens are involved in an altercation on Audrey's first day at school and are assigned to work together on a project as punishment. This project makes them realize just how intertwined their lives really are, though it does not make the girls and Todd more agreeable to each other. But, could this project somehow help them find the cure for catalepsy? Does a cure even exist? Or will the entire human race eventually become zombies and face extinction?
******************MY OPINIONS**********************************
Before reading this book, I was unaware it was geared toward a young audience (though - in hindsight - the title should have been a dead giveaway). After discovering my oversight, however, I transported my mind back to that of a sixteen year old girl and tried to read the book from that former perspective. The writing and content are appropriate for younger audiences (I would say pre-teen and up); the vocabulary is not too advanced for this age group and the writing is simplistic enough to appeal to them. As for the rising action and conflict, it was a bit mundane for my own taste but would likely be suitable for its intended demographic. The characters were dealing with some realistic problems that teens face in their families and, therefore, mostly seemed genuine. Clarity, perhaps due to living such a sheltered life, possessed traits that made her appear much younger at times; certain scenes made her seem nine or ten, rather than sixteen.
This was a quick read, I completed it in one sitting (approximately 4-5 hours). I felt the rising action dragged a bit before the main conflict finally played out, and that was rushed, with a rather weak resolution and denouement. Because of the rushed conflict and the abbreviated conclusion, I felt there were many loose ends that remained untied. I suppose these remaining loose ends could lend themselves to a sequel; however, in the end, I simply felt let down.
All in all, I still rated it three stars ("I liked it") because the characters were realistic and likable; though abridged, the family conflicts were honestly portrayed; and the plot - while a bit saccharine - lends itself well to the younger audience interested in exploring the prevalent zombie trend, without it being graphic or inappropriate for fledgling readers. This piece takes a little deviation from the true zombie genre and softens it a bit. I would recommend it for young sci-fi fans or budding readers enamored with the recent zombie craze.
********************WARNING: SPOILERS********************************
This piece contains a lot of symbolism and is, essentially, a modern interpretation of Christina Rossetti's mid-19th century poem, "Goblin Market." While the poem has been analyzed and interpreted a number of different ways, Goblin Fruit portrays it as a piece of sisterly love, friendship, heartbreak, sacrifice, and hope.
Goblin Fruit itself takes a satirical perspective on modern culture. In the book, the cataleptics "will all move if you guide them," poking a bit of fun at consumerism and advertising. Further symbolism in the book includes the setting, which appears to take place in present times and is characterized by a locale in which the landscape is sparse and bare and the buildings are flat-topped and unnatural, built to appear to fit in. I see this as representing the American population - full of many simple minds, shaping and building themselves to fit in with those around them. Further, each character in the story has an absent parent, which strongly mirrors our younger generations. In one case, a parent has died; in another, the father is mostly an absentee parent, wealthy and living the consumerist lifestyle with a new wife who is young, beautiful, and rich; in the third, the girl's mother is a cataleptic, symbolic of the "me, me, me" generation of parents who exist in the child's background without being involved, while the child loves that parent unconditionally, regardless.
Without dissecting this story, and taking it for what it is - a soft zombie book aimed at adolescent readers - it fulfills its purpose with grace. There are elements of friendship and love, the value of innocent physical contact - such as holding hands, smoothing someone's hair, or wiping tears from someone's face - between people, and the significance of strength and sacrifice in times of turmoil. It is not a book I would read again but would definitely recommend for fledgling readers.
January 15, 2015
First of all, thanks to Erin Burr, the autor, for making this book available to read on goodreads for a limited time.
This book was a really great surprise. If I had to describe it, I would say that it's a modern and original reinterpretation of Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti. But it's more than that. It's a dystopian novel and I love dystopia! I love exploring 'alternate' realities.
Goblin Fruit show us a world were a new drug has appeared:
Everything happens in a world were hand-holding is forbidden, were everyone wears gloves, were everyone panics. Clarity and Audrey are teenagers with catatonic relatives: Clara's mother and Audrey's brother; and they will do anything to have them back with them, alive. With the help of a copy of Goblin Market, the two girls think up a way to save the people affected by catatonia.
As Clarity realizes in the book,
This book is a great allegory of drug abuse and shows, in a reliable way, how difficult is to live with an addict and to handle the situation on your own.
This book was a really great surprise. If I had to describe it, I would say that it's a modern and original reinterpretation of Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti. But it's more than that. It's a dystopian novel and I love dystopia! I love exploring 'alternate' realities.
Goblin Fruit show us a world were a new drug has appeared:
"With goblin fruit, addiction is contagious. If you touch a user, you'll crave the drug. If you crave it, you might take it. If you take it, you might not stop. If you don't stop, you'll become a zombie, slang for a catatonic, someone who can eat, and move, and breathe, but nothing more. If you become a zombie, people might touch you, and if they touch you, they'll crave the drug..."
Everything happens in a world were hand-holding is forbidden, were everyone wears gloves, were everyone panics. Clarity and Audrey are teenagers with catatonic relatives: Clara's mother and Audrey's brother; and they will do anything to have them back with them, alive. With the help of a copy of Goblin Market, the two girls think up a way to save the people affected by catatonia.
As Clarity realizes in the book,
This book is a great allegory of drug abuse and shows, in a reliable way, how difficult is to live with an addict and to handle the situation on your own.
January 16, 2013
4.5 stars. Goblin fruit is an amazing book. The story is well paced and the characters are not annoying. It is a little confusing at first but it gets easier to understand quickly. I liked the story's originality and would happily read a sequel! I recommend this book for all dystopian fans.
January 24, 2013
Here is why I liked this book
1. It is about saving lives
2. Forming friendships
3. Creativity within the writing
4. Family
April 6, 2018
The premise is unique and interesting, and I liked the way the mystery of the “fruit” gradually unfolded. Clarity’s and Audrey’s thoughts and actions seemed more like 13-year-olds to me, so I was surprised when they hopped in a car and drove somewhere! Despite some overly informative dialogue where some background details were revealed, the story kept me reading. The ending was rather abrupt, but overall I thought it was a good read.
February 7, 2013
I had added this to my to-read shelf a while ago, remembering the poem by Christina Rosetti that is referenced in this book. When I got a message today from the author letting me know it was available to read on goodreads for a limited time, I promptly dropped what I was reading and have spent the last couple hours with Clara and Frank and Audrey.
This was a heartbreaking story and such a wonderful allegory cautioning against drug abuse without feeling like one of those condescending tales. Rather, it's on the edge of paranormal. There ARE goblins.
You have Clara who has never known her mom and has grown up under the assumption that her mom was a fruit user, the first catalepsy patient from abuse of Goblin Fruit. You have Audrey, whose brother is currently catatonic. You have Frank, Clara's dad, the doctor working to try and find a cure. Anna and Maria, nurses who care for the patients.
Society is in panic and it's sad. Human interaction is completely cut off due to fear of being contaminated through skin secretions of the drug. There is no more touching or handholding or shaking of hands, things that bond us together.
You travel with Clara and Audrey and revisit bits of the poem as they are grieving for their loved ones and then venturing to find a cure. I wish there had been more an explanation as to the goblins themselves. But perhaps that can be for a later book?
Excellent read. So happy to have had the chance to read this on goodreads. Thank you, Ms. Burr!
This was a heartbreaking story and such a wonderful allegory cautioning against drug abuse without feeling like one of those condescending tales. Rather, it's on the edge of paranormal. There ARE goblins.
You have Clara who has never known her mom and has grown up under the assumption that her mom was a fruit user, the first catalepsy patient from abuse of Goblin Fruit. You have Audrey, whose brother is currently catatonic. You have Frank, Clara's dad, the doctor working to try and find a cure. Anna and Maria, nurses who care for the patients.
Society is in panic and it's sad. Human interaction is completely cut off due to fear of being contaminated through skin secretions of the drug. There is no more touching or handholding or shaking of hands, things that bond us together.
You travel with Clara and Audrey and revisit bits of the poem as they are grieving for their loved ones and then venturing to find a cure. I wish there had been more an explanation as to the goblins themselves. But perhaps that can be for a later book?
Excellent read. So happy to have had the chance to read this on goodreads. Thank you, Ms. Burr!
March 29, 2017
Loud, extended groan. This book held such promise. In the end I think it comes down to:
1. Everything aside from the lterary critique felt non-researched. Adding, “man” to the end of sentences to portray someone who is drugged/high? Really….
2. I abhor drugs, they’ve ruinedmy family, but if you’re going to show them in use and the effects at least blood well know what you’re writing. I needed more reason, more science, behind the “Fruit”. Instead we constantly get: because Goblin Fruit by Christian Rosetti!
3. These characters were some of the most flip-flop personalities I’ve read. Even discounting the parts when they were under the influence of drugs from chapter to chapter little stayed the same but their names (sometimes, Marcos? Marcus? Pretty sure those were the same guy??)
4. The abundance of spelling and grammar errors makes me think this was very much NOT ready to be published.
I was just disappointed at every turn.
So! Why 2 stars? The writing style, though odd was an interesting choice (I don’t think it was a good choice, but interesting). Alternating chapters in 3rd person and 1st person. It was disorienting and jarring, but I appreciate the effort to be unique. Also, I really did love the idea of this. It was just very poorly done, or needed a few more drafts/edits to clean it up.
But it was short and fast to finish. Not enough to convince me to pick up anything else by Burr though.
1. Everything aside from the lterary critique felt non-researched. Adding, “man” to the end of sentences to portray someone who is drugged/high? Really….
2. I abhor drugs, they’ve ruinedmy family, but if you’re going to show them in use and the effects at least blood well know what you’re writing. I needed more reason, more science, behind the “Fruit”. Instead we constantly get: because Goblin Fruit by Christian Rosetti!
3. These characters were some of the most flip-flop personalities I’ve read. Even discounting the parts when they were under the influence of drugs from chapter to chapter little stayed the same but their names (sometimes, Marcos? Marcus? Pretty sure those were the same guy??)
4. The abundance of spelling and grammar errors makes me think this was very much NOT ready to be published.
I was just disappointed at every turn.
So! Why 2 stars? The writing style, though odd was an interesting choice (I don’t think it was a good choice, but interesting). Alternating chapters in 3rd person and 1st person. It was disorienting and jarring, but I appreciate the effort to be unique. Also, I really did love the idea of this. It was just very poorly done, or needed a few more drafts/edits to clean it up.
But it was short and fast to finish. Not enough to convince me to pick up anything else by Burr though.
February 2, 2013
I originally chose this book for my daughters and ended up reading it shortly after it arrived. I love that the story gives a teachable moment about drugs without being overbearing. This book is so much better than the just say no to drugs campaign offered by schools. If schools would just issue this book as required reading, the story would give a young adult some insight into why we don't want want them to try drugs. Audrey and Clara are engaging and interesting and the disengaged adults are realistic because they are like many modern parents.
The worst part of this book was the back cover. I realize the pattern design is part of the publishers format but the green color of the words is very difficult to read. I could not read it in my house, I could not read it with a mouse, or at my local bookstore. When browsing books, the cover catches my eye, the synopsis on the back cover decides whether it makes it into my basket.
I won an advance readers edition on Goodreads. I will also repeat a portion of this review on amazon and barnesandnoble.com
The worst part of this book was the back cover. I realize the pattern design is part of the publishers format but the green color of the words is very difficult to read. I could not read it in my house, I could not read it with a mouse, or at my local bookstore. When browsing books, the cover catches my eye, the synopsis on the back cover decides whether it makes it into my basket.
I won an advance readers edition on Goodreads. I will also repeat a portion of this review on amazon and barnesandnoble.com
January 29, 2013
I can honestly say I almost cried more than once if you're faint of heart or don't like sad stories I'm afraid this isn't one for you. However I loved this book myself, amazingly written and bound together by a beautiful poem, albeit strange. A must read.
December 16, 2012
Really enjoyed this book! Creative story with a great take home moral! The characters are relatable and you quickly become invested in them.
August 19, 2019
Can you blame me for looking at the title of this one and assuming it's a fantasy novel? It turns out it's more realistic than I anticipated -- there's little in the way of magic or the supernatural here, though a few elements hint towards magical realism. There's nothing wrong with a more realistic book, of course, and within this book there were the seeds of some interesting ideas. Sadly, the writing is bland and has some weird stylistic choices, and I wasn't able to get terribly invested in the characters or the story.
Clarity and Aubrey are two girls whose families have been touched by a dreaded new drug called goblin fruit -- a highly addictive drug that renders its victims catatonic... and said victims can turn other people into addicts just by skin-to-skin contact. Clarity's mother was one of the first victims, and her father is valiantly working towards a cure; Audrey's brother has just gone catatonic, and she's just as desperate to see him cured. But when Clarity starts to see goblins -- real or hallucinations, she's not sure -- she wonders if there's more to the spread of the drug than she realized, and both girls discover the cure may not come without a price...
There are some interesting concepts to this novel -- the drug itself, a society where hand-holding and physical contact are forbidden due to fear of being "infected," etc. Sadly, the writing itself is bland and formulaic, almost workmanlike, and while not awful isn't terribly good either. The author also makes the odd decision to tell one girl's story from the first person POV (and in bold italics no less) and the other's in third person. I'm not sure what's behind this decision, and it just felt weird to me. Also, if you're already switching POVs between the two main characters, you don't need a font change as well.
The characters themselves are fairly bland. There's little difference between the voices of Clarity and Aubrey, and the only thing really differentiating them is their hobbies (Clarity's an artist, Aubrey a musician -- and Aubrey's love of music seems to be only used to name-drop the author's favorite bands). Tom, a minor character, is actually a more well-developed and compelling character, but he's treated largely as a plot device. None of the other characters are fleshed out enough to care about. Also, Clarity's goblin hallucinations are never fully explained -- we never learn if she's actually seeing these creatures or if they're just figments of her imagination.
This book was apparently inspired by a poem called "Goblin Market," which is included in the back of the book (and is long enough to eat up over a tenth of the page count). It's interesting, but not terribly memorable in and of itself.
"Goblin Fruit" is a book with some interesting ideas, but needed a rewrite and some stronger characters to carry said ideas. I doubt I'll be continuing with this series, and while it's not an actively terrible book, it's bland enough that I can't find myself recommending it to anyone.
Clarity and Aubrey are two girls whose families have been touched by a dreaded new drug called goblin fruit -- a highly addictive drug that renders its victims catatonic... and said victims can turn other people into addicts just by skin-to-skin contact. Clarity's mother was one of the first victims, and her father is valiantly working towards a cure; Audrey's brother has just gone catatonic, and she's just as desperate to see him cured. But when Clarity starts to see goblins -- real or hallucinations, she's not sure -- she wonders if there's more to the spread of the drug than she realized, and both girls discover the cure may not come without a price...
There are some interesting concepts to this novel -- the drug itself, a society where hand-holding and physical contact are forbidden due to fear of being "infected," etc. Sadly, the writing itself is bland and formulaic, almost workmanlike, and while not awful isn't terribly good either. The author also makes the odd decision to tell one girl's story from the first person POV (and in bold italics no less) and the other's in third person. I'm not sure what's behind this decision, and it just felt weird to me. Also, if you're already switching POVs between the two main characters, you don't need a font change as well.
The characters themselves are fairly bland. There's little difference between the voices of Clarity and Aubrey, and the only thing really differentiating them is their hobbies (Clarity's an artist, Aubrey a musician -- and Aubrey's love of music seems to be only used to name-drop the author's favorite bands). Tom, a minor character, is actually a more well-developed and compelling character, but he's treated largely as a plot device. None of the other characters are fleshed out enough to care about. Also, Clarity's goblin hallucinations are never fully explained -- we never learn if she's actually seeing these creatures or if they're just figments of her imagination.
This book was apparently inspired by a poem called "Goblin Market," which is included in the back of the book (and is long enough to eat up over a tenth of the page count). It's interesting, but not terribly memorable in and of itself.
"Goblin Fruit" is a book with some interesting ideas, but needed a rewrite and some stronger characters to carry said ideas. I doubt I'll be continuing with this series, and while it's not an actively terrible book, it's bland enough that I can't find myself recommending it to anyone.
September 20, 2017
3 Stars
This book was a unique quick read, but the first thing I’ll say is that at the beginning it felt very young to me. I enjoy YA, but this seemed more for someone in middle school (at least until the climax). However, as the book continued that really didn’t seem to matter as my interest piqued with the events that occurred.
I thought I had a lot more to go; my Kindle said I was at 77% but then a few pages later the book ended. Come to find that the Ebook contained an excerpt of the second book as well as the lengthy poem “Goblin Market” that’s mentioned repeatedly in the book. So the book itself is very short.
The story seems to be winding towards some explosion of events but I wasn’t quite sure what that was going to be until it happened. When it does, though, it makes up for the few things I didn’t like about the book. Things started happening so quickly and I had to stay up and finish it, so I’ll give it credit for keeping me reading when I should’ve been in bed! The ending, however, seemed to be a little at odds with the beginning. Although the book is about a drug called Goblin Fruit that renders users catatonic, the violence that occurs at the end doesn’t quite match up with the youthful innocence that it starts with. Not that I minded – the end was the best part – it just seemed to cross genres a bit towards the climax.
I did have a bit of an issue with the end, however, and that’s where the writing itself comes in. Imagine if your mother was catatonic all your life-16 years-and you suddenly The characters’ underwhelming reaction to certain things were slightly unbelievable, or maybe I was just hoping for too much.
But overall, it was a fun little read.
This book was a unique quick read, but the first thing I’ll say is that at the beginning it felt very young to me. I enjoy YA, but this seemed more for someone in middle school (at least until the climax). However, as the book continued that really didn’t seem to matter as my interest piqued with the events that occurred.
I thought I had a lot more to go; my Kindle said I was at 77% but then a few pages later the book ended. Come to find that the Ebook contained an excerpt of the second book as well as the lengthy poem “Goblin Market” that’s mentioned repeatedly in the book. So the book itself is very short.
The story seems to be winding towards some explosion of events but I wasn’t quite sure what that was going to be until it happened. When it does, though, it makes up for the few things I didn’t like about the book. Things started happening so quickly and I had to stay up and finish it, so I’ll give it credit for keeping me reading when I should’ve been in bed! The ending, however, seemed to be a little at odds with the beginning. Although the book is about a drug called Goblin Fruit that renders users catatonic, the violence that occurs at the end doesn’t quite match up with the youthful innocence that it starts with. Not that I minded – the end was the best part – it just seemed to cross genres a bit towards the climax.
I did have a bit of an issue with the end, however, and that’s where the writing itself comes in. Imagine if your mother was catatonic all your life-16 years-and you suddenly The characters’ underwhelming reaction to certain things were slightly unbelievable, or maybe I was just hoping for too much.
But overall, it was a fun little read.
December 11, 2017
I'm not going to retell the summary like other reviewers have (I'm going to assume you've already read the main summary provided anyway). This is simply my opinion of the book: It was good. Probably not my favorite, but interesting enough that I could read the next books in the set. I feel like there were spots that could have used more editing with misspelled words or sentences that didn't quite flow smoothly, but otherwise it read fine. It did definitely read like a YA or children's book though and wasn't challenging that way, but that's okay since I believe it was geared towards that age group. I think the writing style could improve, but I suspect that will happen over time with experience and more external editing. Something I've been watching for in books recently since reading a reviewer's comment for another book is the difference between "being told" verses "experiencing" the story. I guess I don't always notice and honestly not entirely sure what that means, but I kind of felt like this one was being all "told" and I didn't always get to experience the story or the character's emotions myself. Not sure if this makes complete sense and I'm not exactly sure I've figured out the difference, but I felt like there wasn't much left for the imagination or emotions. So, overall the story was interesting and I liked the characters, but I really feel like the writing style could improve. There were the twists in the plot, though I suspected what might happen but I couldn't guess who would be affected or to what extreme. I think that's good though because it should be slightly predictable since it's following the poem, but the unknown is what kept it interesting. Anyway, it didn't make my "really like" or "love" rating, but I did like it and maybe eventually I'll get to reading the rest of the set once I finish some of my other "to-read" books.
January 15, 2018
2 / 2.5 ☆
So I chose to read this as part of my reading challenge under the "Book you chose based on the title" marker.
The title was intriguing, but sadly the story was not.
Goblin Fruit is a drug, one that can cause people to become zombie-like, the body works but the mind is gone.
Our two main characters both have family members who have taken Fruit and become meatshells of their former selves.
The book was short (my kindle version has the story end at 81% and the rest is an extract from the second book) but it felt incredibly long. It was dull and kept repeating itself.
Some of the "plot twists" weren't as twisty as the author may have hoped. *cough* Nick being that guy *cough*
I got this book for free from bookbub as a download. I won't continue with the series.
So I chose to read this as part of my reading challenge under the "Book you chose based on the title" marker.
The title was intriguing, but sadly the story was not.
Goblin Fruit is a drug, one that can cause people to become zombie-like, the body works but the mind is gone.
Our two main characters both have family members who have taken Fruit and become meatshells of their former selves.
The book was short (my kindle version has the story end at 81% and the rest is an extract from the second book) but it felt incredibly long. It was dull and kept repeating itself.
Some of the "plot twists" weren't as twisty as the author may have hoped. *cough* Nick being that guy *cough*
I got this book for free from bookbub as a download. I won't continue with the series.
January 31, 2021
Interesting story
I haven’t read a story quite like this one before. I enjoyed it enough to finish it in a day. I appreciate that it was clean of sex and profanity. The main character discovers she has a special ability to see goblins. This is in a world where some people have eaten goblin fruit, a drug that renders them catatonic eventually. The drug then comes out of they hands as they waste away. MCs mom is in a facility that cares for the victims of goblin fruit and is herself a victim.
The plot might have been a little weak, but the story remained interesting none-the-less.
I haven’t read a story quite like this one before. I enjoyed it enough to finish it in a day. I appreciate that it was clean of sex and profanity. The main character discovers she has a special ability to see goblins. This is in a world where some people have eaten goblin fruit, a drug that renders them catatonic eventually. The drug then comes out of they hands as they waste away. MCs mom is in a facility that cares for the victims of goblin fruit and is herself a victim.
The plot might have been a little weak, but the story remained interesting none-the-less.
October 15, 2017
So there is this drug, called Goblin Fruit. No one is sure, how they make it. After few uses, or just one, if you have genetic disposition, you get catatonic. Even after few years, people can't touch users or catatonic people, there is still enough drug in the sweet, that will make you crave it.
Story is mostly told from two perspectives. Clarity lives in one of the centres, that houses such people. Her mother is catatonic. Audrey and her brother had a band and were touring, getting quite known. Until he become catatonic too. He is house at the same centre at Clarity's mom. Audrey comes to visit her brother one day, and the girl meet.
They become friends, helping each other and try to find clues to save their loved ones in old song.
I love the story, it's about drugs, friendships and family. I couldn't put it down. It's a bit spooky at times. :)
Also on: http://diaryofawannabewriter.blogspot...
Story is mostly told from two perspectives. Clarity lives in one of the centres, that houses such people. Her mother is catatonic. Audrey and her brother had a band and were touring, getting quite known. Until he become catatonic too. He is house at the same centre at Clarity's mom. Audrey comes to visit her brother one day, and the girl meet.
They become friends, helping each other and try to find clues to save their loved ones in old song.
I love the story, it's about drugs, friendships and family. I couldn't put it down. It's a bit spooky at times. :)
Also on: http://diaryofawannabewriter.blogspot...
December 6, 2022
Gets a point for introducing me to the "Goblin Market" poem. Apart from the idea of a infectious addiction, I wouldn't recommend reading this. The characters are bland, I had trouble keeping them apart because no one has an voice of his own. The relations between them are too confusing or at least badly explained. Bully-turns-friend trope, which I loathe. An oh-so-meaningful sacrifice that gets totally lost among the lack of character and badly written action. Had the feeling the author couldn't decide whether there is a POV and if yes, on whom.
October 5, 2017
If you like the poem “Goblin Market,” you should read this book. It’s a fun and different spin on the poem. The switch between narrators can get a little confusing especially with all of the characters. They intertwine and mingle so much that I sometimes had to stop and think about the relationship of the characters with the narrator at the time. Because of this, it would sometimes pull me out of the story. However, it is a fun read and a cool spin on a great poem.
October 19, 2017
So new drug that can make people immediately addicted but some go into walking catatonic shells of human beings. Enter two teen girls who have loved ones who have been affected by this drug in some way. But it really made no sense and took too long to really figure out the above to really have a sense of involvement in the storyline.
October 20, 2017
I figured out the plot twist for the villian pretty early, but the story was still pretty engaging. I would have liked slightly more world building and more character depth, but for a book based on a poem, it wasn't bad. I did not really enjoy the ending, though, given how loose it was and how obviously sequel bait it felt.
December 26, 2017
I wasn't expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did, but, well ... I liked it. Fancy that. And you can read my full thoughts here!
December 25, 2017
Could not finish the story.
I think if the font was changed this would have been easier to read. Most of the story is in italics so it was hard to read. I couldn't get into the story. I wanted to like this book but I didn't.
I think if the font was changed this would have been easier to read. Most of the story is in italics so it was hard to read. I couldn't get into the story. I wanted to like this book but I didn't.
February 4, 2018
I really tried to like this book.
I did dig into some of the reviews and saw a good chunk of readers who loved this book.
I also liked the inspiration behind the series: reoccurring nightmares and poetry. I mean, how intriguing is that?
Sadly, I couldn’t rate this book more than 3 stars.
I did dig into some of the reviews and saw a good chunk of readers who loved this book.
I also liked the inspiration behind the series: reoccurring nightmares and poetry. I mean, how intriguing is that?
Sadly, I couldn’t rate this book more than 3 stars.
February 9, 2018
It was alright, I kept hoping to learn more about these goblins that were mentioned. The second book looks more promising in explaining what happened in the first book. It didn't really answer the questions asked at the beginning of the book
September 8, 2018
Disappointed by this book. The story idea is awesome but it felt rushed from the beginning. Don't get me wrong there were some parts where the pace was perfect so had hope it would carry on that way but no joy.
May read again in the future as may just be the kind of mood am in right now.
May read again in the future as may just be the kind of mood am in right now.
October 29, 2019
Very entertaining, there's enough resolution in book 1 that I don't feel it's a cliffhanger.
It's a cute read, simple, short, mostly resolved, but also leaves plenty story to continue in the coming books. Thanks!
It's a cute read, simple, short, mostly resolved, but also leaves plenty story to continue in the coming books. Thanks!
November 12, 2019
I really liked it!
I'm not much into fantasy/young adult, but I really liked this book. It is about two friends that try to find a cure to a horrible drug. The arthur told a really good story.
I'm not much into fantasy/young adult, but I really liked this book. It is about two friends that try to find a cure to a horrible drug. The arthur told a really good story.
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