Since I was so impressed with The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson, I recently picked up her Scribbler of Dreams, which was published in 2001. This YA contemporary love story is a little bit Romeo and Juliet, a little bit Hatfield and McCoys. Kaitlin Malone was born and bred to hate the Crutchfields, just as her family before her hated the Crutchfields, and the Crutchfields hate the Malones too. It all stems from a falling out between two Crutchfield sisters a few generations back, the marriage of one of them to a Malone, and a dispute over land. To make things worse for the Malones, the Crutchfields have gotten rich. To make things far worse, Kaitlin's father is just now getting out of prison -- for the manslaughter death of Robert Crutchfield.
Kaitlin's family can no longer afford her private high school, so she must now go to the public one, in a town controlled by the Crutchfields. Enrolled there under an assumed name, Kaitlin, an aspiring writer, meets and falls for a gentle, artistic, gorgeous guy named Bram. And then finds out his whole name. Bram Crutchfield.
Unwilling to give up the bond they share, Kaitlin reveals nothing. As the two fall in love, she starts on several occasions to tell Bram the truth but can't go through with it. To keep him from finding out her true family heritage as they grow closer, she weaves an elaborate web of lies. The book becomes a real page-turner as everything drives toward the inevitable moment when Bram Crutchfield learns his beloved, his soul mate, is Kaitlin Malone -- daughter of the man held responsible for his father's death.
In the end, of course, lies can't promote a good relationship any more than hatred can. But maybe, just maybe, their love can end the hatred rather than multiply it a thousandfold for the generations to come.
4 comments:
Sounds good! I loved Adoration but haven't read anything else by MP.
It's interesting to compare them. I find Adoration more ambitious and higher concept, which makes sense since Adoration is 7 years later. I find Scribbler more character driven, yet everything drives toward a climax that keeps the pages turning. For me -- but many don't agree -- I found Adoration overshadowed by Neal Shusterman's Unwind. Whereas I don't see Scribbler taking a back seat to similar books. A lot depends on what else gets published about the same time yours hits the stands.
Marcia, I came across your blog thru PJ Hoover's blog. I have yet to read Adoration, and Scribbler sounds excellent. I think I'm going to have to get both of these ASAP. Thanks!
Thanks for coming, Angie! Yes, I'd recommend both books.
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