There are not many
that I have come across in my reading, but I have met a few. It seems that I
have met more of them in recent times. This book is one of them – a stumbling
block – in more ways than one. I kid you not! This 233 page Caudill Nominee for
2013 took me more than a month to finish.
It would be fair to
add on my behalf as well as the book’s that I was ridiculously busy with all
things in preparation for the summer programs and then the summer programs
themselves covering three separate events and two separate places. I really didn’t
know if I was coming or going or even eating. Not to mention school was out and
schedules completely change.
However, if the book
had been remotely enticing in anyway, I think I would have been able to finish
it much sooner. As it was, I didn’t even bother to finish it quickly to put
myself out of my misery. In fact, I rather ignored it… Very unusual for me. Consequently,
the review simply wouldn’t write itself.
Quick synopsis: Emma
is freakishly tall, freakishly pale, freakishly smart and has freakishly bright
red hair. She is also freakishly introverted. Her last name is Freke and saying
her first and last name together, aloud, is freakishly bad form. It would not
be so freakish if her mother shared any of these same traits, but she doesn’t.
Not a one.
Emma’s mother is short
and round and olive-skinned. She is the epitome of an Italian American woman.
But she is also a free-spirited, bohemian who couldn’t find her head if it wasn’t
attached to her neck. She owns a business, but doesn’t exactly run it. In fact,
she relies upon her twelve-year-old daughter to keep it open, staff and
organize it. Donatella is more than willing to let customers think that Emma is
her employee rather than her daughter.
There is a book
because this summer, Emma is invited to the family reunion of her, before now, unknown
father’s unknown side of the family. And guess what? Emma’s blood relatives who
are accepted happen to be tall, pale and red-headed! Cursed is the child born
otherwise. Exiled is the child born with a creative bone in his body. The Freke’s
are an organized routine-driven clan.
Of course Emma
discovers that she loves the creatively free-spirited life in which she has
been raised. But she is ultimately relieved that she is not adopted and there
is a reason for her looks and some of her character-traits that obviously didn’t
come from Donatella.
Wasn’t so quick was it…
So I’ll keep my
personal objections to a minimum.
When the book opens
up, Emma is in her counselor’s office and the counselor is asking ridiculous analogical
questions regarding popularity. I have a very hard time believing that Emma
would be required to see a counselor for something as trivial as lack of
friends when the real problem in her life is a neglectful mother.
I also find it hard to
believe that Emma is excelling in her school work no matter how smart she
proves to be. She receives no support from her mother or the elderly
grandfather that lives in their apartment with them. Emma also ditches
afternoon classes twice a week preferring to watch her mother’s bead shop in
Donatella’s forever absence. And it goes unnoticed.
The characters and
situations are simply not believable.
My favorite character,
for I do have one, is Fred Freke, a literal outcast. He is so different from
other blood Frekes – he short, dark and he wants to be an entertainer – that
the rest of the clan is required to ignore him. The reader cannot even tell who
his parents are. Not believable, but delightfully rebellious nonetheless and he
makes Emma more likeable and less monotonously whiney.
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