Published by: Quercus.
Format: Paperback.
Released: 6th January 2011.
Rating: 5/5.
Official synopsis: "'The same questions whirl round and round in my head:
What does he want from me?
How could I have let this happen?
AM I GOING TO DIE?'
17-year-old Grace wakes up in a white room, with table, pens and paper - and no clue how she got there. As Grace pours her tangled life onto the page, she is forced to remember everything she's tried to forget. There's falling hopelessly in love with the gorgeous Nat, and the unravelling of her relationship with her best friend Sal. But there's something missing. As hard as she's trying to remember, is there something she just can't see? Grace must face the most important question of all. Why is she here? A story of dangerous secrets, intense friendships and electrifying attraction."
This book is amazing! There. I've said it. Entangled is amazing.
When it first came through my postbox I was a bit sceptical. I am not the biggest fan of pink, and seeing so much pink was shocking! But they always say "never judge a book by it's cover" so it didn't affect my reading experience. And boy what an experience! This book is more twisty than any book I think I have ever read. So many times, when little tidbits were revealed, I'd make a guess, connect the dots, and then something else would happen and I'd change my guess. And then again. And again. And by about the fifth time I decided to give up guessing. But I have to say, I didn't guess the ending. Not at all. This book kept me guessing right until the very end. It is very clever and perfectly written.
It's so engaging. Right from the first page I was drawn in. It was annoying whenever I had to put the book down as I just wanted to read on! Why was this girl locked in a room? Why has she been given a seemingly endless supply of pens and paper? Who is Ethan and what does he really want?
Grace's voice is perfect. Absolutely perfect. Some books, when narrated by one person, in first person, the narration is a bit sketchy, not always consistent. But in Entangled it is perfectly clear that Grace is on every single page. The perfect voice of a teenage girl. I know Cat herself was a teenage girl at some point, but to get it into written word cannot of been all that easy. So this is testament to what an amazing writer she is. (Yes Cat, you're amazing!).
I wasn't that much of a fan of Grace in the beginning however. She was loud, and brash and to start off with, she kind of annoyed me. Every time something good was happening, she spoilt it. But as I read on, I really started to empathise with her, and began to connect with her, to understand her. I understood that her behaviour and attitude has a hidden reason, and that underneath she's just as vulnerable and worrisome as the rest of us.
I like that the cast for this book is pretty small. It allows us to focus on them all the more rather than have to keep remembering who this person is, what that person did and why this person is where they are. There are 7 characters in total but only 3 main ones. Nat. Sal, and of course, Grace.
One thing that I really liked about this book is that it showcases just how much your opinions on someone can change with the slightest event. Entangled is certainly thought provoking and made me think a lot about how I view my family and friends.
I cannot stress enough just how much I love this book, and Cat for writing it. It actually touched me. I really don't know what more to say, other than do not miss this. Please! It's just too brilliant to miss! It's out on 6th January (2011) so put that date in your diaries, pre-order it, save Christmas money. Whatever you have to do to get this book. Do it! You will not regret it! A stunning debut that is beautifully and lovingly crafted! I cannot wait to see what Cat writes next!
Thanks to Parul at Quercus for my copy!
