Monday, September 03, 2012

Review & Giveaway: Send by Patty Blount

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Send
Patty Blount
Pubication date: August 1st 2012
by Sourcebooks Fire

 

To keep his secrets, all he has to do is listen to the voice in his head and just walk away…
On his first day at his new high school, Dan stops a bully from beating up a kid half his size. He didn’t want to get involved. All he wants out of his senior year is to fly under the radar. But Dan knows what it’s like to be terrorized by a bully-he used to be one. Now the whole school thinks he’s some kind of hero, except Julie Murphy, the prettiest girl on campus. She looks at him like she knows he has a secret. Like she knows his name isn’t really Daniel.

*A copy was provided by Raincoast Books for review purposes*
A surprisingly heartfelt and touching novel on the subject of bullying, Send is a story about a bully who is trying to forgive himself for going too far.

Dan is starting a new school with a new identity; he and his family are trying to move on from a past long wanting to be forgotten. Dan instantly appears as someone unstable, though not necessarily in a bad way. He’s dealing with a lot of grief and guilt over what he has done in his past, not to mention his 13 year old self – Kenny – that he still talks to on a daily basis. Yes, this does sound bizarre, and it is, I mean, his younger self is living in a room in his head, sometimes he sulks, sometimes he slams doors, it’s all very… odd. But you know what? It fits. This imaginary alter ego used to be who he was… before. He hasn’t forgiven him, he also doesn’t want to forget him. I found this very enlightening; it’s a great way to get to know Dan in a more personal manner. So, although it may be a bit… unorthodox, we get to experience his inner turmoil in a truly vivid and unique fashion. Kenny definitely plays an important role in this novel, proving himself a crucial character.

Alter ego aside, Dan is a broken individual who has been through extreme pain and fear throughout the years. Everyone makes mistakes, and sadly, Dan’s has had grave consequences. I found myself drawn to his character very quickly. His emotions roll right off the pages. His character has a lot of depth; a lot of carving went into creating his layered personality, his damaged spirit, and his guilty conscience. I really enjoyed how largely character driven this novel was. Equally important were the side characters. We have a blooming friendship and a budding romance, both alternating from heartwarming to frustrating. Brandon, Julie, Jeff, Kenny – they all serve a purpose inside this new chapter in Dan’s life.

The point of this story is about Dan figuring himself out; forgiving his 13 year old self for what he did. His past is given to us in increments, we don’t learn right away exactly what happens. This way of telling grabs your attention, making you hypothesize, assume, or even deduce what happened before you learn the truth. It’s not to create anticipation, but rather build our understanding of Daniel before we learn all about Kenny: his past. The plot itself tries, and fails, to hide what some may consider a twist. However, I think the predictability of it may not be completely unintentional. I’m sure that, like me, many readers will not be shocked by the developments that occur, and I’m also sure that just as many will not care. It’s not about “aha” moments, but about Dan finally having the best reason to fight against his inner-self and learn to trust, to love, to hope, and to forgive.

A very emotional read that deals with a serious topic so often ignored, yet so affecting to those victimized – Send is a great novel that will be inspiring to both young and old, leaving a great message in its wake.

4 Hot Espressos
This post was a part of It Only Takes One Click Blog Tour

  Giveaway
Sourcebooks Fire has generously offered up one finished copy of Send for giveaway

Open to US & Canadian addresses
Giveaway ends September 17th, 2012
Use the Rafflecopter below to enter
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Giselle

Canadian blogger, wife, mother, coffee lover, and sarcastic at heart! She has had a love for all things bookish since before Amazon and eReaders existed *le gasp*. You can also find her organizing tours and other fun things at Xpresso Book Tours.

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26 Responses to “Review & Giveaway: Send by Patty Blount”

  1. Sam

    Sometimes, a character-driven book is exactly what I need. I passed on the opportunity to review this, but I hope I can get to it sometime in the future. Beautifully written review as always, Giselle! 🙂

  3. Rebecca

    I only recently discovered about Send recently but after your review, along with the blogger who introduced us, I am so. very. excited! Send sounds like an amazing story and I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy! I understand that Dan talks to his 13 year old self – Kenny – but why the different name? Does this have something to do with his past? Becca, intrigued! Hmm, I wonder if my library has this. Love this review, Giselle!

    I know this is random but I just wanted to say, your amazing. ♥

  4. Maja (The Nocturnal Library)

    Ohh, I’m not sure I’m quite ready for a book about bullying. I tend to be overly sensitive about these subjects and I end up seriously sleep-deprived, that’s how much it affects me.
    I love that it’s so well done, though. Sam is right, character based books can be a real treat.
    Awesome review as always, Giselle. 🙂

  5. Eileen

    Awesome review! 🙂 I like how your review focused a lot on Dan’s character because I found that the best part of the story and I agree, I totally loved how Dan grew and changed over the course of this story! 🙂 I’m glad you liked this Giselle I think we have the same rating for a book lol 😉

  8. Alexia561

    Enjoyed your review! Hadn’t heard about this one, but it sounds intriguing. Having his younger self living in his head sounds a little odd, but I’m curious now to read it for myself!

  10. C.J. Listro

    Wow, I’ve never heard of this and I’m glad you featured it! I love well-written, psychological books about real teen problems. Fantasy is great, but sometimes you need to remember the real world. This book sounds like something I’d love. Character depth is key for me.

    C.J.
    Sarcasm&Lemons

  11. Danny

    I loved this book! But, as genuine and honest the ending seems, I was disappointed in the ending… but the story was great, the topic touching and Dan a wonderful protagonist to drive the story!

  12. Giselle

    @Rebecca: Thanks Rebecca! You’re super amazing too! 😀

    And the different names are because Kenny is his real name (well Kenneth) and he’s had to change his name/identity so people wouldn’t know what he did when they moved. So he goes by Dan, but his 13 year old self is Kenny 🙂

    I hope you love it!!

  15. Kris (Imaginary Reads)

    I loved this book as well. I agree that Dan the book is filled with raw emotion. Much of it comes from the depth of Dan’s character and the pain he suffers from the consequences of his actions from the past. Glad to see that you enjoyed it as well!

  16. Shooting Stars Mag

    I’m quite intrigued by this one. Bullying is such a serious issue, and I’m curious to see how this unique-sounding novel tackles it. Thanks for the giveaway. 🙂

    I love character driven novels as well. How exciting!

    -Lauren

  18. Amy

    This sounds really awesome!! You know I am a big character reader, so a book that is very character driven usually sucks me right in. I love great emotional books!! Great review Giselle!!

  21. Jenni @ Alluring Reads

    I’m with you on the twist not being a shock, and I think that was intentional on the authors part to. For what it was it played out perfectly for me, I questioned it all along, and then right when I forgot about it BANG. I think it was perfect that way. Great review, I’m happy you liked this one as much as I did!

  22. Christina

    I can deal with the younger self thing, I think, except why the heck is his younger self’s name different? Is that explained? Because that is SO weird. *shakes head* I really don’t think I’m probably going to get to this one, but I’m not saying no. Lol.

  25. Kristin @ My ParaHangover

    Thank goodness for Sundays! I almost forgot to get back here to comment. I was reading from my phone all week while I waited in the school parking lot 😀

    My son’s only in 1st grade and unfortunately we’ve already become acquainted with the term bully. My son was called a bully last year (in Kindergarten) by other kids’ parents b/c of his hitting – he’s autistic and has difficulty talking/communicating and he wasn’t getting the help he needed in school. Loooooong story – we’re doing MUCH better.

    But there’s so many sides to bullying and so many misconceptions, people ignoring the signs, etc! I’m really excited to get a hold of this book!! Thanks for the giveaway opportunity 😀