Author: Mette Ivie Harrison
Publisher: Egmont
Publish Date: October 11, 2011
Source: Netgalley
Why You're Reading This Book:
- You're a young adult fiction fan.
From Goodreads.com: "A modern retelling of the German fairytale "Tristan and Isolde", Tris and Izzie is about a young witch named Izzie who is dating Mark King, the captain of the basketball team and thinks her life is going swimmingly well. Until -- she makes a love potion for her best friend Brangane and then ends up taking it herself accidentally, and falling in love with Tristan, the new guy at school."
My Two Cents:
This book is a retelling of the Wagner opera Tristan and Isolde with a paranormal twist. It definitely sounded like an interesting premise but the execution was not great. I really do love retelling of classic stories but I like when the story blends into whatever is the new time period is. With this story, it just seems like it was plopped into modern times with no real adaptation. The names have been modernized a little bit but not much, which sort of takes you out of the world of the book.
The paranormal element of the book really has to do with the different powers that some of the characters have. Izzie's mother is a witch who can make magic potions for a variety of maladies. Izzie steals a love potion meaning to get her best friend, Branna, together with the guy of her dreams. But instead she and Tristan, the new guy at school, inexplicably drink it instead and fall in love, which is sort of strange. The magic is sort of sprung on you and isn't really woven into the story at all.
Also, none of the characters are really likeable. Izzie is sort of naive and doesn't seem to care that her best friend, Brenna, seems to really hate her. Tristan is just a little strange. Not long after she gives Tristan the potion, she's trying to figure out ways to get rid of him, which is also very strange.
This book was just not my cup of tea.
I've heard similar things from other reviews for this one! =/
ReplyDeleteYeah, I had high hopes for it. *sad trombone*
DeleteEvery time I read a review for this one, I hold my breath in hopes for something better. So many people have said similar things, just as Jenny said. The cover is SO BEAUTIFUL, though. I want this one to be good SO MUCH.
ReplyDeleteI know that you're not supposed to judge a book by its cover but this cover is gorgeous and I was hoping for a story at least half as gorgeous as the cover and it really fell flat for me.
DeleteI was excited to read Tris and Izzie because I'm really interested in Arthurian legends and I like retellings of myth, legends, and fairytales. When I heard about this modern retelling of the legend of Tristan and Isolde, I was all over it. Unfortunately, this book was a waste of my time. The author has taken a fascinating, compelling legend and reduced to a bunch of unlikable teenagers behaving badly.
ReplyDelete