The Marvelous was high on my most anticipated reads this year. It sounded incredible: six teens locked together in a mansion, competing for the prize of a lifetime, in a competition hosted by an heiress, Jewel, founder of a massively popular social media app? This synopsis sounded amazing. While this book had some good, I was also disappointed by it in some parts. Let’s head into my review!
The Marvelous by Claire Kann Published by Swoon Reads on June 8, 2021
Genres: mystery, young adult
Format: ARC
Source: Edelweiss, Macmillan INTL
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From the author of Let's Talk About Love, t his YA novel follows a young woman as she host san epic night of games with a big cash prize for the winner.
Everybody knows Jewel Van Hanen.
When Jewel inherits a not-so-small fortune, she decides to throw a party to celebrate at her new estate. Except she isn't hosting an ordinary high school party: she's hosting a bash with an exclusive guest list of her most loyal "friends" and a life-changing cash prize awarded at midnight.
Once the party begins, her friends embark on an unforgettable game solving cryptic clues, confessing their darkest secrets, and conquering fear-based dares. But as the game grows tougher and intensely more personal, they all begin to wonder: Who exactly is Jewel Van Hanen and why would she put them through this?
I received this book for free from Edelweiss, Macmillan INTL in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
☂️ TRIGGER WARNINGS:
confinement, panic attacks, emotional abuse, death of parents (in the past), kidnapping, gun violence, buried alive, controlling parents.☂️ DIVERSITY:BIPOC and mixed race main characters.
There are no spoilers in this review.
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I ENJOYED…
☂️
- The setting of The Marvelous is, for me, once of its strongest suits. Set in a gigantic mansion filled with secret rooms and incredible treasures… it feels like you’re stepping into an Alice’s Wonderland of sorts, with so many secrets and weird things happening, rooms that aren’t what they seem, riddles and puzzles, bones and darkness, labyrinths and portraits. You never know what you’ll find or what to expect and that was so thrilling to read!
- This story is told by three of the players in the game:
- There’s Nicole, Queen Bee of the app. An orphan after the death of her parents, she’s struggling with her job and winning the cash prize could really change her life. I really liked Nicole, right from the start. She’s determined, but she’s also so damn caring about everyone, I loved that about her so much.
- Next, there’s Luna. She’s probably Jewel’s biggest fan and she loves figuring out puzzles, the hardest of them all being Jewel herself. A little bit of a fangirl, she’s also so curious and wants to win and to figure out all of the mysteries herself. Sometimes, she’s a little bit of a daredevil, too. While I liked her point of view, I felt like I had a harder time connecting to her.
- Finally, there’s Stella. Homeschooled, the only people she’s ever interacted with in real life are… her parents. She’s a bit socially awkward and strange, at first, but I found myself growing fond of her by the end of the book.
- I enjoyed the relationships between the main characters. From total strangers to friends, I really liked seeing their connection with each other grow, some a little more with others. They’re all so different and yet they kind of fit together, too!
- A relationship I was particularily a fan of was Alex and Luna’s. Alex is Luna’s friend, escorting her in this little adventure. I liked how they were together, completing each other, their closeness and how protective they were of each other were lovely to follow.
I HAD A HARD TIME WITH…
☂️
- There are four main players in this story, yet we only get three points of view. This made me a little sad and a little frustrated, too. I wished we could have heard Harlow’s point of view, just as well, especially given what happens in the story, too. No spoilers, of course!
- While the synopsis and the story as a whole holded a whole lot of potential, I sometimes felt a little confused while reading. Confused about what was happening exactly, about the characters’ motives and the entire situation, even as the book wrapped-up. I found myself wondering about a lot of answers even as I finished reading the book.
OVERALL
☂️
While The Marvelous held a whole lot of potential, I found that it wasn’t entirely met by the end of the story. It may be a case of it’s not you, it’s me, but I found myself having a hard time connecting with the story and with everything happening while reading, which made this a confusing experience, at times. Still, the cast of characters, the twists, turns and surprises kept me reading, curious to see what would happen next. If this sounds like your kind of story, give it a try!
FINAL RATING : 3 drops!
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Did you read The Marvelous or do you want to? Do you have any recommendations of books with a scavenger-hunt? Let me know in comments!
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