Book 81 (a Mythopeic Award Winner): Doll Bones by Holly Black

Doll Bones by Holly Black

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Page Count: 247
Fiction Genre: Fantasy, YA, Horror, Adventure, Paranormal
Dates Read: September 23-24, 2015
 
Summary
Zach, Poppy, and Alice have been friends what seems like their entire childhood.  Now that they are getting older, and things are changing, they feel a force that's dividing their friendship.  Suddenly Zach wants to spend less time with the girls, especially since his father threw out all of his toys.  Now Poppy believes she is being haunted by a china doll who used to be a key character in their childhood games, and she need Zach and Alice to help her free the doll's child spirit.

Review
I was expecting a book for a young adult, but not for a children's book.  I think had I realized that sooner my review would be better.  It is a much needed expectation.  I struggled to enjoy this one.  The idea of the story was great, and was very reminiscent of R.L.Stine's Goosebumps books.  I realize that character development in childrens books is very different than YA or even adult books, and I think that is what was the hardest for me with this one.  I wanted to see more of who Zach, Poppy, and Alice are.  It left the book seeming lifeless.  The few illustrations in the book are delightful and very beautiful.  I enjoyed seeing that they were added to the story. 

Ratings (based on a 10 point scale)
Quality of Writing - 6
Pace - 3
Plot Development - 3
Characters - 2
Enjoyability - 3
Insightfulness - 2
Ease of Reading - 7
Photos/Illustrations - 6
Overall Rating - 2 out of 5 stars

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