Janie's Private Eyes
I continue to like this against my better judgement.
First of all, David is still the narrator despite his being unimaginative and stodgy, as well as not being involved in pivotal scenes, he merely comments afterwards on what Janie and Co. got up to. His humor, too, seems to have developed into something dangerously close to the Mr. Derp shtick practiced by the protagonist of 'Fool's Gold'.
Snyder still doesn't know what to do with Amanda after de-fanging her at the end of the first book, and its almost an 'Equus' situation to see Amanda post-supernatural being so average. Sure, her hurt over her father's benign neglect and her mother's remarriage has been addressed, but what does she have left?
Janie is delightful, of course, and like how we should have heard more from Blair during 'Blair's Nightmare' or Amanda during her own damn kidnapping, we should have heard this story in her words. As it is we have to wait for David to pay attention her to hear her precocious reasoning and wild speculations.
On top of all these flaws, the book doesn't have a climax. With each sequel the important lynch pin of the plot happens further removed from David's perception. To what purpose?
I did say I like the book, and I do, the characters are comfortable and easy to get along with, and there are times when David's jokes charm and Amanda's snobby teenager bit becomes a straight-man act in itself in the face of Janie's blunt curiosity.
Stanley Family
Previous: 'Blair's Nightmare'
