Ultraviolet: So unexpected in a VERY good way...

Once upon a time there was a girl who was special.

This is not her story.

Unless you count the part where I killed her.

Sixteen-year-old Alison has been sectioned in a mental institute for teens, having murdered the most perfect and popular girl at school. But the case is a mystery: no body has been found, and Alison's condition is proving difficult to diagnose. Alison herself can't explain what happened: one minute she was fighting with Tori -- the next she disintegrated. Into nothing. But that's impossible. Right?


Book Review

Title: Ultraviolet
Author: R.J. Anderson
Publisher: Carolrhoda Books
Publication Date: September 1, 2011

My Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

So unexpected in such a good way. It's impossible to talk about how amazing this book is without delving into spoiler territory, so I'm keeping my recommendation vague and short: READ THIS.

You start with that stellar hook (kudos to R.J. for captivating me from chapter zero) and you think you know what type of book Ultraviolet is going to be, but then it completely twists and morphs through different genres to become an entirely different book. And R. J. Anderson makes it WORK.

(Can I just say how refreshing it is to have a scientific explanation for a character's special abilities? None of this you have these powers 'cuz you just do. Nope. There is a brilliant explanation for everything that happens in this book, and I. LOVED. IT.)

I recommend going into this one blind. I didn't even read the blurb--I just started reading--and that enhanced the experience of immersing myself in this absorbing, mind-bending novel.

Lastly, that GORGEOUS writing. There is some stunning imagery in Ultraviolet that touches all of the senses. I was swept away by the unique, stirring descriptions for the way Alison senses the world. It's unlike anything I've read this year. Where did R.J. come up with so many different ways to describe the mundane things we see and hear every day? Seriously, that's some beautiful writing.

Avoid spoilers like mad and go read this book.