How?!
I mean, how is this even possible?
I’ve read my fair share for books by Hazel Grace so, I thought that by now I would at least have
an inkling of what could be expecting me once I dived deep into “Catfish”.
Oh, but little old me was so wrong…
Firstly, let’s just get some things out of the way: I’d hate to repeat myself too much but since I
know it’s almost impossible, I’ll just embrace it.
Hey, maybe if you’re a first time reader, it’ll help you get a sense of what you’re about to get
yourself into.
Here’s some little-loose-bit-and-pieces-slash-keywords from a couple of my previous reviews:
* “beautiful and captivating writing style”
* “original ideas”
* “unique characters”
* “twisted/questionable morals”
* “unconventional relationships”
* “a somber ache”
* “every single second of palpable tension, impending doom, danger and pain, gut-wrenching
descriptions and excruciatingly honest exchanges.”
Are you conviced yet? Okay, let me expand on it, point by point, shall we?
Hazel Grace has indeed, in my opinion, a very specific and recognizable writing style and that
alone is able to get you immersed in the world she created: her first introduction of characters
let's you know straight away some of their traits while giving a small sense of what you could
expect from them. And I do mean “small” – this lady right here was been knighted by yours truly
was one of the Queens of Plotwists.
That would lead us directly to some of the other points I mentioned above. All of the books I’ve
ever read by Hazel Grace – and I absolutley mean it when I say “all” – have refreshingly original
plots and, as you would expect, extraordinarily unparalleled characters. Even if you normally read
dark romance or alike and are generally comfortable surrounded by some “fuckedupness”, I can
almost certainly guarantee you that you’ll have some difficulty scouring your brain for similarities
to other fictional beings. Don’t think I need to go into too much detail about the “unconventional
relationships” item from the list above since I guess you’ve gathered by now that’s just a given,
taken the singularity of the intervenients. Still, if I could offer you an exemple of this exact
concept – while at the same time giving a book suggestion – I’d point you towards the Bases
Series.
Also yes, I said it – Fuckedupness: I believe I came up with that on my own; I might trademark it,
who knows? ;D
Regardless, I’ve yet to find a better word to describe in general terms what you could expect
from a book by Hazel Grace. And since I’ve started this, I might as well keep going: perfect
representation of the made-up expression used above, would be the Disorderly Duet. Quick
warning – prepare yourself.
Remember those “twisted/questionable morals”? Uh… yeah, Wyatt is king. I’d said you'll feel like
kissing and slapping him at the same but that would only be the first level of that game, so I
don’t know; are you ready for the boss fights?
Ok, so we’ve reach the two most cryptical of all the elements cited - “a somber ache”/
“every single second of palpable tension, impending doom, danger and pain, gut-wrenching
descriptions and excruciatingly honest exchanges.”
Every story I’ve ever read had this uneasiness to it, some anxiety-inducing restlessness.
It’s this permanent fog of uncertainty, waiting for the other shoe to drop and everything go
sideways; anticipating that supposedly inevitable pain and suffering.
You’re kept on your toes at all times and white knuckling the edge of your seat, bracing for it all.
I’m sorry it got me this long to get here but I needed to get that all of my chest; I finished reading
“Catfish” last night and I myself, was left in this peculiar introspective state.
So, Wade and Reagan…
What to say?
There still so much to learn about both of them, and the plotwists are just getting started, and
obviously the cliffhanger is not even the one I was expecting it to be, and I won’t even try to
guess what the next book’s starting point is going to be, and…
Yeah, unknowns and just some of the reasons why Hazel Grace is a freaking genius.
She gaves us yet another badass woman to cheer for and another hot-asshole to swoon and
drool all over, but those are just some of the surface level, obvious actions to engage in.
There’s so much more to Wade than meets the eye and I genuinely felt his struggle – the battle
between what we worked and fought for his entire life and what his heart wants and absolutely
cannot get. My heart actually hurts for him. And I’m honestly terrified of Reagan's reaction when
she finds out the truth.
And Reagan? She’s such a complex character.
She has so much on her plate already and I don’t think she realizes the full extent of her influence
and/or her part in all of this political world.
Also, I extremely curious about some of the characters already introduced and how they’re going
to develop.
Needless to stay that I’m beyond excited for book two and it can’t get here fast enough.