Undeniably good Young Adult fiction
Written: Jan 18 '06
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Product Rating:
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Pros: pitch-perfect voice; witty; funny; realistic situations; interesting setting
Cons: none
The Bottom Line: For anyone prepared to give YA a chance, this is a great story for teenagers; even adults would be captivated
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| jc_hall's Full Review: Naomi Nash - Chloe, Queen of Denial |
Lately I’ve been on the look-out for novels suitable for a friend’s young teenage daughters, so when I came across this book, I picked it up right away. And, boy, am I glad I did. This is one corker of a book, and absolutely perfect for the 15- and 16-year-old girls I have it in mind for.
Chloe, the protagonist, is a 16-year-old who has three brothers and a pair of well-meaning parents who are constantly obsessed by what would look good on her college resume. But Chloe is a self-confessed coward who wanders around school head-down and happy to remain unnoticed. She never, ever, gets into trouble with her teachers, and she would never be part of the popular cliques.
When she’s offered the chance to join a dig in Egypt, she can think of nothing besides the horrors of flying and the evils that lurk within the desert. But her parents insist, so off she goes, determined to endure what could only be the most devastating experience of her life. But in order to be able to endure the unendurable, she takes on a new persona. Instead of Chloe the Queen of Denial, she reinvents herself as Chloe the Brave, Chloe the Leader, Chloe the Outspoken.
So convincing is she in her new persona that the other kids begin to look upon her as the new person she pretends to be. Even the archaeologists at the dig trust her with tasks not entrusted to any other kid. She even gets to kiss the resident hottie, Seth--that is, until Connor shows up. He’s from her school back home and might recognise her for the fake she is, but then it seems as though Connor is hiding some secret of his own.
When Seth gets Chloe to take him down into a burial shaft, she accidentally picks up an artefact. By the time she realises what she has in her possession, the word is out that a thief has stolen the bracelet, and there’s no way she can convince the odious chaperone Dagmar that she, Chloe, was innocent. Worse still, every time she tries to dispose of the bracelet, it reappears in her possessions, as if by magic. Is the wretched thing cursed? Is Chloe? Will she ever get rid of the bracelet? Or will she be sent home in disgrace? And just what is Connor hiding? And will poor Mallorie, the French girl, learn any English with Su, Chloe’s best pal, gabbling Franglais at her half the time?
'Chloe, Queen of Denial' is a refreshing look through the eyes of a self-conscious and very insecure young girl. She is convinced that she is cowardly and that she must endure all the things she’s afraid of. As the story progresses, she comes to learn that life is to be relished and not endured, and ends up with a much better image of herself.
Throughout the story, the voice of Chloe, the main character, is pitch-perfect. The other kids are all well-drawn, even the minor characters. The author has a wonderful ear for language and especially the nuances of teenage speech. I could hear exactly what inflections these kids were using, and even see the expressions on their faces. That’s how remarkably true-to-life the dialogue is.
The story is well told, and the setting is superb, with the reader almost feeling the harsh Egyptian sun and the wind that blows sand over the kids’ food. You’re almost itching and scratching along with them as they go weeks without a proper bath and have to suffer bug bites and worse.
There’s a lot of humour in this book, and I found myself chuckling in more than a few places, especially at Su’s hilarious and haphazard Franglais. As for the romance, it’s portrayed very naturally and, I feel, appropriately, for this age-group. Some may disagree, as one or two scenes might raise old-fashioned eyebrows, but considering what kids are exposed to nowadays, I feel they're relatively tame.
All in all, I’m blown away by Naomi Nash and her creation, Chloe, and considering this is my first foray into YA fiction for a long time, I’m more than pleasantly surprised, and will definitely look up the other titles in this series. Apparently, there is a companion book to 'Chloe, Queen of Denial'. It’s called 'Eyeliner of the Gods', and is written by Katie Maxwell. The first chapter of 'Eyeliner of the Gods' is included at the end of 'Chloe, Queen of Denial'; it's wonderfully written, and I’ll certainly be on the lookout for it.
Highly recommended.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
jc_hall
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Member: JC Hall
Location: Toronto, Canada
Reviews written: 199
Trusted by: 54 members
About Me:
Going back to Vancouver for Christmas! Happy Holidays, everyone!!
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