Flingo
19th March 2008, 10:42 PM
Part of a series called Cutting Edge and subtitled "Gritty, quick reads for young adults", Marty's Diary will be Frances Cross' last novel.
When your dad gets married again, its a good thing, right? Everybody happy all round? Not when your new stepmother can't stand you. And when you don't think too much of her, it doesn't help either. That's bad enough but then other stuff happens, like new babies, and people going nuts. So that's where Marty found herself. Dealing with all this stuff and trying to keep something special between her and both her mum and her dad. "Marty's Diary" is a title in the highly contemporary "Cutting Edge" fiction series for young adults. The series features fast paced quick reads. Each book focuses on difficult topics and situations, one that many teenagers will have experienced first hand or through friends and will be able to relate to.In 156 pages this book contains a surprising amount. It has 2 narrative voices - that of Marty through her entries in her diary, and that of her step-mother, Linda, in the form of letters to her sister. The novel could be half the length, as each incident / drama that happens (and there are many) is related by both characters in a manner that brings to life the phrase "repeating ad nauseum".
I know I'm not the target audience for this book, but I've read so many others that handle similar situations so much better. Marty's diary is full of stereotypes, cliches and teenage tantrums. The writing is clunky and the only blessing is that this lives up to it's "quick read" tag.
The parental divorce and remarriage issue is one that many teens can relate to, but I don't think any of them would feel flattered to see anything of themselves in Marty.
The info about the author states "Sadly, Frances died in April 2007, and Marty's Diary is her last novel. It is also considered to be her best". Now, I know I shouldn't speak ill of the dead, but on this performance I certainly won't be picking up any of her previous offerings - "her best" is not what I would consider to be anywhere good enough.
When your dad gets married again, its a good thing, right? Everybody happy all round? Not when your new stepmother can't stand you. And when you don't think too much of her, it doesn't help either. That's bad enough but then other stuff happens, like new babies, and people going nuts. So that's where Marty found herself. Dealing with all this stuff and trying to keep something special between her and both her mum and her dad. "Marty's Diary" is a title in the highly contemporary "Cutting Edge" fiction series for young adults. The series features fast paced quick reads. Each book focuses on difficult topics and situations, one that many teenagers will have experienced first hand or through friends and will be able to relate to.In 156 pages this book contains a surprising amount. It has 2 narrative voices - that of Marty through her entries in her diary, and that of her step-mother, Linda, in the form of letters to her sister. The novel could be half the length, as each incident / drama that happens (and there are many) is related by both characters in a manner that brings to life the phrase "repeating ad nauseum".
I know I'm not the target audience for this book, but I've read so many others that handle similar situations so much better. Marty's diary is full of stereotypes, cliches and teenage tantrums. The writing is clunky and the only blessing is that this lives up to it's "quick read" tag.
The parental divorce and remarriage issue is one that many teens can relate to, but I don't think any of them would feel flattered to see anything of themselves in Marty.
The info about the author states "Sadly, Frances died in April 2007, and Marty's Diary is her last novel. It is also considered to be her best". Now, I know I shouldn't speak ill of the dead, but on this performance I certainly won't be picking up any of her previous offerings - "her best" is not what I would consider to be anywhere good enough.