As part of my reading group on Goodreads, I read Shatter Me. I wrote my thoughts in a review that, looking back, seems a bit too forgiving. But I love X-Men and I did like a couple of the characters, so I managed to get through it. And I write. I know how hard it can be. But the more I think about that book, the more I shake my head.
This blog post not only sums up my thoughts on the book better than I did, it is a fantastic lesson for those who want to be a Writer, especially those who think metaphors and speculative fiction mix like sugar and lemon juice in water. 🙂 Do not mix. Read the post and you’ll see why. Plus, you’ll get introduced to some of the most awful sins a writer can commit when it comes to phrasing, plot, characters, etc.
(For the record, I feel for Ms. Mafi. I struggle with many problems in my writing. Every writer does, more or less. I think what gets me is not that she’s written a bad book but that it managed to get published. Not just that, Nathan Bransford touted it [though his use of the word “unique” to describe her phrasing gives me pause]. She does have talent. If an editor had worked with her…ah, well. Back to work.)
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