March 28, 2012

Review: Thumped by Megan McCafferty

Thumped by Megan McCafferty
Hardcover, 304 pages
Expected Publication: April 24, 2012 by Balzar + Bray
It’s been thirty-five weeks since twin sisters Harmony and Melody went their separate ways. And now their story has become irresistible: twins separated at birth, each due to deliver twins…on the same day!
Married to Ram and living in Goodside, Harmony spends her time trying to fit back into the community she once believed in. But she can’t forget about Jondoe, the guy she fell for under the strangest of circumstances.
To her adoring fans, Melody has achieved everything: a major contract and a coupling with the hottest bump prospect around. But this image is costing her the one guy she really wants.
The girls’ every move is analyzed by millions of fans eagerly counting down to “Double Double Due Date.” They’re two of the most powerful teen girls on the planet, and they could do only one thing to make them even more famous:
Tell the truth.

After reading McCafferty’s Jessica Darling series, I was a huge fan of hers. So it came as a big surprise to me that I hadn’t enjoyed Bumped as much as I had hoped and thought I would.

Bumped and Thumped are satires, and I think one has to really bare that in mind in order to enjoy it. There is a very clear message here, and the Bumped series is an entertaining way to send that message. They are both fun to read. But if you’re looking for an engaging, intricate plot (as dystopians are expected to be), and fleshed out characters, this just isn’t that series.

I enjoyed Thumped more than Bumped, and I think that’s because I knew what to expect this time around. I don’t think these books are meant to seem particularly deep. It’s supposed to be fun, and yet the driving force behind them is clear. They carry very strong messages, messages that I think are important and need to be yelled from rooftops all over the country, and I think what makes this series special is that they are right there. You don’t have to dig too deep to see what these books are saying. It’s a slap in the face, and it’s a slap in the face that this country—with the obsession with Teen Mom and 16 and Pregnant—needs.

Messages and general enjoyment aside, I wanted more out of the series. There just wasn’t enough of anything. I would have loved to see more of this world, more of Goodside, as well as all of the different types of relationships that take place in this story. I feel like it had a lot of potential that didn’t come to fruition. However, I did enjoy myself and I think what these books are saying just should not go ignored.

3/5 Stars

3 comments:

  1. I'm considering picking up Bumped, as I never got around to it, partly because of the mixed reviews! But if this one's meant to be pretty good it might be worth it!

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  2. I've tried reading Bumped before and the dialogue just didn't sit well with me. I found that I couldn't connect to the characters, but I do believe that the message is an important one. Thanks for sharing your thoughts:)

    Sarah Bibi Setar

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  3. I actually really enjoyed Bumped and I am counting down the days until Thumped releases. I definitely agree with you about it being satire but I still found it an interesting read.

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