3 out of 4 stars
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Have you ever wanted a superpower? Specifically, one that comes from an unusual animal trait. Like, maybe, a shark’s ability to swim extremely fast, or a chameleon’s gift for camouflage? Teagan gets the once in a lifetime opportunity to have intricate animal talents bestowed upon her. Or, at least, a once in an afterlife-time opportunity.
Teagan, after having walked in on her fiancé sleeping with her best friend, feels like life is no longer worthy of her presence. She goes home, and in a flourish of self-pity, drinks a few shots of tequila followed shortly by every pill she can find in her house. This book, aptly named the Suicide Project, follows a government-sanctioned secret organisation that seizes young adults that have attempted suicide. The near-dead subjects are taken from hospitals without consent, and their family and friends are left thinking that they had succumbed to their injuries. Teagan wakes up with a new lease on life. New friends, new amazing abilities, and, most of all, the surety of never having to go back to her old life. The only question is, can she bite the bullet and thrive in this new regime?
The premise of this book is awesome. I was excited to read it the second I read the blurb. It did not disappoint. I enjoyed it up until the last page which, I should mention, had me raring to get the next instalment. The characters are all distinct and developed with care. I came to know every single person in the story, and I felt like I was standing in the group, participating. With a delicate subject like suicide, it’s very easy for an author to either push the boundaries of insensitivity, or go the other way and suppress the elephant in the room. Yazz Ustaris handles this topic with finesse and gives hope for second chances.
When thinking about the plot, it’s odd to note that nothing really happens in this book. Coming in at 352 pages, the book has more of a middle than a beginning and an end. Having said that, Ustaris has a way with words - keeping me entertained throughout. Even with nothing groundbreaking going on, there were always little details that kept the story going. The characters obviously played a huge part, and my interest in them was integral in my want to read on.
There is, however, one thing that is sorely lacking. An antagonist. This book is all sunshine and rainbows. Even with the depressing beginning, the story is upbeat and cheerful right the way through. Teagan reminds me of a camp counsellor. Her overly optimistic persona and almost irritating way of seeing the good in everything had me rolling my eyes a few times. There was no real conflict, or even a moment where I thought things might become turbulent. This is why a villain in a story is so important. Without one, the book seems almost incomplete.
After considering the pros and cons, I found that I still thoroughly enjoyed the Suicide Project. My need to get my hands on the next book is a testament to Ustaris’ great talent as a storyteller. There were quite a few errors littered throughout the book preventing a perfect rating. With that in mind, as well as the lack of a baddie, I come to a rating of 3 out of 4 stars.
I feel a younger audience would appreciate this book. I would have put it in the young adult fantasy genre, had one existed on OnlineBookClub. However, any fan of superhero stories will enjoy this. It’s a fun, quick read that is easy to get into and hard to let go of.
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The Suicide Project
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