BANISHED by Sophie Littlefield

BANISHED
Author: Sophie Littlefield
Source: Personal Purchase

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (October 12, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0385738528
ISBN-13: 978-0385738521

SUMMARY:

There isn’t much worth living for in Gypsum, Missouri—or Trashtown, as the rich kids call the run-down neighborhood where sixteen-year-old Hailey Tarbell lives. Hailey figures she’ll never belong—not with the popular kids at school, not with the rejects, not even with her cruel, sickly grandmother, who deals drugs out of their basement. Hailey never knew her dead mother, and she has no idea who her father was, but at least she has her four-year-old foster brother, Chub. Once she turns eighteen, Hailey plans to take Chub far from Gypsum and start a new life where no one can find them.

But when a classmate is injured in gym class, Hailey discovers a gift for healing that she never knew she possessed—and that she cannot ignore. Not only can she heal, she can bring the dying back to life. Confused by her powers, Hailey searches for answers but finds only more questions, until a mysterious visitor shows up at Gram’s house, claiming to be Hailey’s aunt Prairie.

There are people who will stop at nothing to keep Hailey in Trashtown, living out a legacy of despair and suffering. But when Prairie saves both Hailey and Chub from armed attackers who invade Gram’s house in the middle of the night, Hailey must decide where to place her trust. Will Prairie’s past, and the long-buried secret that caused her to leave Gypsum years earlier, ruin them all? Because as Hailey will soon find out, their power to heal is just the beginning.

MY THOUGHTS:

Banished, to me, left me scratching my head at the end.  I was confused and I felt my reading appetite had been unsatisfied. While I like the idea of The Banished, I still haven't quite got the understanding of the history.  I had to reread a bunch of parts in this book because it tended to go off onto another subject before explaining the first thing that was introduced.

The author has a wonderful idea for the book.  I loved the characters in the story, but I couldn't get invested in them as much as I like to because there were so many questions left unanswered.  I loved how the women have the ability to heal and the men have the visions.  I thought this makes for a perfect love connection some how between The Banished. 

I really wish the author would keep in mind though that when you are writing a book that is part of a series, spread out the history.  I was bored halfway through the book because it was so slow in taking off.  Then it peaked midway and fizzled towards the end.  The pacing needs to be fine tuned for the follow up books.

I might read the next book in the series, but it isn't one that I will be rushing out to buy on release day.

MY RATING:

 
  If the library doesn't have it, don't worry about reading it! 2 STARS