Thursday, January 28, 2010

Hush, Hush

So I'm reading Hush, Hush, finally. Yes, I know I'm like the last person on the planet. I'll try to keep this spoiler-free, but there's something I'd like to address.

I just finished chapter 13, and things are really heating up. There's intrigue, danger, misdirection, and Vee, who just happens to be the most fun best friend/sidekick ever. It's been easy to gulp down whole portions like a boa constrictor eating an elephant--which might look something like this:
Seriously, though, there's something about Becca Fitzpatrick's writing that's addictive. It's more than just style; I suppose she's given the reader a reason to read on voraciously from the very beginning-- we want to know the truth about Patch. And as we read, the questions keep coming:

Will the characters in the prologue come back into the story?
What, if anything, do they have to do with Patch?
What happened to Vee in the cemetery?
What's the deal with Elliot and Jules?

And those are just the ones I can list here without giving too much of the plot away.

I'm taking this as a lesson, a new writing resolution, if you will. I vow to keep my readers asking questions, the kind that make them want to keep reading, of course, not throw the book across the room in frustration. ;) I will make them gulp down the story like a boa eating an elephant!

Take a page from Becca Fitzpatrick's book:
Keep them asking questions, and you'll keep them reading. Damnitall, I guess this means one last read-through of Mara's story.

15 comments:

Elana Johnson said...

Dude, you'd be turning those pages faster if you "accidentally" didn't read the prologue at all -- which is what I did. And it was a pure accident. :)

Anonymous said...

The cover totally sold that book for me. It's one of the most visually appealing covers I've ever seen.

Voidwalker said...

That's funny, I just read a review on a blog about 2 weeks ago that ripped "Hush Hush" to shreds. Reviews are all relative, so there's no one review that will do any book justice, but it's interesting to hear someone liking it so much, yet reading someone else's dislike.

Tere Kirkland said...

Elana, OMG, that's hilarious! It probably would've confused the bejesus out of me, too! ;)

LT, love, love this cover. The digital images just don't do it justice. And I adore the type-set/font/first chapter letters and everything.

V- I'm reserving judgment for now on whether I think it'll be "love" or "meh" but I do know that she's doing something right with her pacing!

Krispy said...

I had a friend who also ripped this book to shreds, so to speak. Haha. I didn't have as much issue with some of the things she did, though I agreed with many of her points (just with less intensity). Since you're still reading it, I'm not going to say more.

But, I agree on your point that the plot-tension in that book is pretty on. Plus, there's no designing it's a very nicely designed book - cover, fonts, all that.

I look forward to seeing what you think!

Shannon O'Donnell said...

I haven't read it yet, but I am really looking forward to it! :-)

Jade said...

I felt the same while reading it. I devoured it and just couldn't put it down. However, when I was done I felt a little unsatisfied (don't get me wrong, I LOVED it) somehow. Email me if you have similar thoughts and we'll discuss.

But you're totally right. I love books where there is a mystery that you have to unravel. It's the kind of book that I want to write.

Bethany Wiggins said...

I haven't had the chance to read it yet! It sounds fabulous!!!

V. S said...

That book stole my heart.

TerryLynnJohnson said...

I loved this book also! Never mind some of those strangely bad reviews.

Rebecca L Sutton said...

I have a pretty strong opinion of Hush,Hush.

Fallenarchangel.com, the official Hush, Hush fansite...I'm one of the co-owners. ; ) Getting to know Becca has been amazing.

I hope you enjoy the rest of the book! I guess can tell I did. lol

JESSJORDAN said...

You are so spot on about the pacing. Even though I wasn't 100% sold on all the elements of Hush, Hush, the pacing kept me reading throughout the night. Kudos to Becca.

Sara {Rhapsody and Chaos} said...

oh my gosh -- the little prince!!! that picture just made me tear up. For NO reason whatsoever, except I loved that book as a child...

Suzette Saxton said...

Hmmmm.... maybe I will read this one after all. I'd heard it was Twilighty which kind of turned me off.

Susan R. Mills said...

I agree with your thoughts on Hush, Hush. I was sucked in from the beginning. I read the ARC, and I've heard the ending in the published version is different. I plan on reading the published version to compare the two.