Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Escape Theory by Margaux Froley Review


"Sixteen-year-old Devon Mackintosh has always felt like an outsider at Keaton, the prestigious California boarding school perched above the Pacific. As long as she’s not fitting in, Devon figures she might as well pad her application to Stanford’s psych program. So junior year, she decides to become a peer counselor, a de facto therapist for students in crisis. At first, it seems like it will be an easy fly-on-the-wall gig, but her expectations are turned upside down when Jason Hutchins (a.k.a. “Hutch”), one of the Keaton’s most popular students, commits suicide. 

Devon dives into her new role providing support for Hutch’s friends, but she’s haunted by her own attachment to him. The two shared an extraordinary night during their first week freshman year; it was the only time at Keaton when she felt like someone else really understood her.  As the secrets and confessions pile up in her sessions, Devon comes to a startling conclusion: Hutch couldn't have taken his own life. Bound by her oath of confidentialityand tortured by her unrequited love—Devon embarks on a solitary mission to get to the bottom of Hutch's death, and the stakes are higher than she ever could have imagined."

Remember Thirteen Reasons Why (Jay Asher)? If you love that book, you'll probably love this one too. They have the same type of character. They have the same type of unrequited love. They have the same kind of inner torture of the main character, in this case, Devon Machintosh. But, of course, there is some differences. For example, the guy in Thirteen Reasons Why has some voice recording of why the girl would commit suicide, but Devon has nothing. No explanation. No goodbye note. Only memories of him and her in the kitchen, making pancake and talking about life, school, and some other important subjects. 

Enough comparing these two books. They are very different than most people would think. 

Told from Devon's POV, Escape Theory is full of mystery and hidden secrets, scary dark sides and shady deals. Escape Theory is recommended to people ages fourteen and up. They better be mature too, because there is a lot of the wrong/inappropriate content. Immature boys would laugh, laugh, laugh, and giggle in all the wrong parts. 

Escape Theory is amazing. The plot get thicker and thicker with every dirty secret Devon uncovers in her shrink sessions. Escape Theory oozes mystery and intrigue. I can't help but keep reading. The author's writing is amazing. Devon feels real and alive, in my eyes. She is like, right next to me, reading over my shoulder and wondering what the heck am I saying. (What the heck am I saying?) 

The ending. The ending. Ahhh! It feels great to have closure. Escape Theory delivered the awesome ending. I hate the fact that Hutch is dead. 

Characters: (Naw, just Devon.)

Devon, the star of Escape Theory, is struggling with her feelings. As her memories resurface from the past and hidden, she wonders if it is possible that Hutch didn't kill himself. Instead, she wonders if he was murdered. With her obsession with Hutch's death and suspicious thoughts, she digs through the dirty secrets of the school and the Hutchins family. 

Rating: Four out of Five

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