Cold Skin – Steven Herrick
Marirosa Mia: I rarely gravitate toward novels written in verse. I don't think I've ever woken up and said, "Why, today I need some verse with my coffee!" Not that I dislike verse or anything. In fact, it usually takes me about a second to remember what verse is.... Never mind. Let's move on before I start reminiscing about brain cramps and 8th grade English class. On to more important things, like gripping YA novels.
A cast of brilliantly stitched characters inhabit the small, post-WWII Australian coal-mining town where COLD SKIN is set. We hop from point of view to point of view, guided by each character through the town until, just a quarter of the book in, we get such a sense of place, it's as if we've lived there all our lives. And when a young girl shows up dead and the detective work starts, a sense of dread and unease quickly set upon me. I started to wonder whether, and hope that, the character I'd started to love and trust would make it out alive. Julie?
Julie: I was beside myself too! I so admire the pacing of this book. Often, when I'm writing, I fret about fireworks--is there enough real action to keep readers interested? But Herrick takes his time introducing each character, letting us get to know them and their world and their feelings, good and bad, about each other. Relatively little happens. Still, the tension keeps growing and growing. I was riveted.
I also appreciate the balancing act Herrick manages with the characters. They are individuals, but they also resonate as archetypes: the strong, simple, moral hero; various fashions of villain; the girl who can escape because of her beauty. And so they feel known, without ever veering into stock.
My one reservation about the book is the ending. I don't mind the whodunit answer, but the story surrounding that resolution struck me as off. I won't say more, for spoiler reasons. Mia, was there anything you didn't love about the book?
M: Julie, I understand what you mean about the ending. Perhaps this was because it felt a bit too rushed? I think that was it for me. I wanted (and I know this sounds weird because I usually never want this from an ending) it to draw out a little more, like the rest of the book. Just more time and detail to make my skin crawl a bit more, know what I mean?
J: That wasn't my initial reaction, but I think you might be on to something. Do you have a favorite character, or pairing of characters? My favorite pairing is Eddie and Mr. Butcher. So much great, negative feeling there. My least favorite, in terms of the writing, is Eddie's dad. I think some of his actions don't ring true. How about you?
M: I was also a fan of Eddie. My least favorite character actually has to do with personality rather than writing, as I think he was very well written: Eddie's brother, Larry. He was such a creep that I found myself frowning every time I read his sections!
J: Ew, yes! Larry is intensely creepy. Do you think you'll give any of Herrick's other novels a try? THE WOLF, maybe?
M: [runs to look up description of THE WOLF] Yes, yes I would.
J: Me too!
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