The Replacement

Mar 09, 2011 Amelia, the pragmatic idealist rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, ya-kids-teen, arcs, penguin, own, paranormal, mc-guy

I absolutely adored the originality of The Replacement. I think the fact that this is the author's first published book is phenomenal. The story's major strength was in its imagery and attention to detail. The eerie town of Gentry and the House of Mayhem under the slag heap were so detailed, so vividly imaginative, that it turned Replacement from a fun book to an edge-of-the-seat thrill ride.
The characters were also fleshed out very well and very creepily, I might add. The Morrigan and the "crea...more I absolutely adored the originality of The Replacement. I think the fact that this is the author's first published book is phenomenal. The story's major strength was in its imagery and attention to detail. The eerie town of Gentry and the House of Mayhem under the slag heap were so detailed, so vividly imaginative, that it turned Replacement from a fun book to an edge-of-the-seat thrill ride.
The characters were also fleshed out very well and very creepily, I might add. The Morrigan and the "creatures" of her court were so hideously delightful, unlike anything I've read before. I liked how they were portrayed, too. They weren't evil, and yet they were so creepy and so ominous that you couldn't help but feel apprehensive. Side note: Don't you just love it when books make you FEEL? Though the story deals with 'changelings' I liked how The Replacement seemed to have its own original, tailor-made folklore. Never once did the word 'faerie' get attached to any of the characters, therefore I felt like I was reading a brand-spanking new take on an old concept. I'm almost positive you haven't read anything like this before.
As to the MC himself, Mackie Doyle is one of the most endearing, likable and heroic guys I've seen in YA fiction in a loooooooong time. You could not find a better guy to root for in a story like this. His voice is perfect.
- Months after reading The Replacement, I think that the book's actual story definitely held up to its awesome, breathtaking cover. Cover design lures you in, story keeps you satisfied. Period.
All these things being said...

I did have some issues with the pacing of the story. Seemed like an emphasis on the high school "drama" subplots and not really enough of a focus on the "creatures" until halfway in. Replacement's thriller/suspense tone was offset by high school popularity issues and two chapter-long parties (which included underage drinking, of course - y'all know that I find that really annoying). It may sound like nitpicking, but in a fantasy story with horror overtones, those things were distracting and threw the pacing off. And personally, I could have done without the 'Alice' character. I didn't really see any purpose to her inclusion in the story, although I just loved it when Tate beat her up :P
**As to content, be aware that there is strong language throughout this book, as well as some moderate-level sexual content, again just FYI for the viewer's discretion.

But did I enjoy this book? Definitely. Would I recommend it? I'd say it's one that would be worth your time, yes. The Replacement was a fascinating, thoroughly original story that I absolutely devoured. To my knowledge, it's a standalone novel, and in an age where most authors are birthing out [random] sequels after-the-fact, a good ol' single installment story is worth its weight! Check this out :D(less)

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Dec 11, 2010 Cara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, paranormal, male-protagonist, series

While reading this I felt like I was in a dark funk, and that's because Mackie Doyle has been in this kind of funk for almost his whole life. He has never felt like he belongs because he's just a replacement. A replacement that has to keep that a secret at all cost, but that can't last for long can it? His secret is jeoparized when Tate's little sister is thought to be dead, but Tate doesn't believe that and presses Mackie to give her some answers. How can he do that though, when he doesn't even...more While reading this I felt like I was in a dark funk, and that's because Mackie Doyle has been in this kind of funk for almost his whole life. He has never felt like he belongs because he's just a replacement. A replacement that has to keep that a secret at all cost, but that can't last for long can it? His secret is jeoparized when Tate's little sister is thought to be dead, but Tate doesn't believe that and presses Mackie to give her some answers. How can he do that though, when he doesn't even know what he really is himself?

The relationships that Mackie has are the strongest part of the book. My favorite one being Mackie's relationship with his sister Emma, but his friends also were top notch. What also was done well was the feel of the oppressive cloud that Gentry has over it's head. You can tell the secrets are being buried, but no matter how hard the people try, the secrets bubble up to the surface again.

Now, I wasn't feeling the chemistry between Mackie and Tate at first. I kept wondering why Mackie even liked her, but as the story progresses the romance between them does get better. Then there is this scene where the "ugly" things undergound play a concert and I'm assuming you were suppose to feel the music and just how great it was. I guess I'm not that intuitive because I tried but I couldn't get it. All I kept thinking was, "Ok, so they play really good and..." Those are little irks though because I could understand Mackie. He tries so hard to be normal, and aches to be like everyone else, but he knows deep down he won't be able to do that. Along the way he comes to learn that people do actually love him despite and because of what he is.

The cover is very fitting to the book, and I think it's interesting how the author put old superstitions into pratical ways it would hurt a person like Mackie. I'm not sure, but it looks like there might be a series. Either way the story can stand on it's own. Just so people will know, there is teen drinking and some profanity.

Get lost in the world of ugly things, but coming out you might realize maybe, just maybe, they aren't as ugly as they seem.(less)

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Dec 03, 2010 Jillian -always aspiring- rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: covers-i-love, fab-writing, out-of-the-box-ideas, writing-to-which-i-aspire, couldn-t-stop-reading-it, 2010-reads, prose-envy, reviewed

I'll admit: I went into this book with lots of expectations. I'm a casual reader of the Merry Sisters of Fate flash fiction blog, contributed to by YA authors Tessa Gratton, Maggie Stiefvater, and Brenna Yovanoff, so I knew Yovanoff could write an engaging tale in few words. The question was, though, could she engage me for a full novel?

Yes. Yes, she could.

This book, however wonderful with its spooky and horrific factors, is not without its quirks and flaws. The fey lore here is quite different...more I'll admit: I went into this book with lots of expectations. I'm a casual reader of the Merry Sisters of Fate flash fiction blog, contributed to by YA authors Tessa Gratton, Maggie Stiefvater, and Brenna Yovanoff, so I knew Yovanoff could write an engaging tale in few words. The question was, though, could she engage me for a full novel?

Yes. Yes, she could.

This book, however wonderful with its spooky and horrific factors, is not without its quirks and flaws. The fey lore here is quite different from any I've encountered before, so getting used to the two Houses and their creatures was a bit difficult at first. Mackie, the hero, can be quite a jerk at times (though he is very well-written for s male protagonist from a female author). The heroine (I don't even know if I can call her that), Tate, is less of an active part of the plot and more of a way for the plot to have a reason for being and a way to surge forward when Mackie tries to avoid doing anything. The town of Gentry is strange and creepy, bound by traditions we never fully understand. Honestly, the book could have done with more fleshing out of plot here and there. BUT -- but where Yovanoff does shine, even with the flaws in her plot and its execution, is through her prose and the flaws of her characters. There's just a fragile human quality to all of these characters, and I loved that. The two best characters to me were Mackie's sister and his best friend Roswell. I guess I liked how self-sacrificial they seemed when it came to the people they loved, and I saw that quality in all the other characters to some extent too. So, yes, Yovanoff has things to work on, but she has great potential. I look forward to the next novels she will write. I also have to wonder if she will ever revisit the town of Gentry. There's a lot of potential with the stories to come there, so I hope she does.

Yes, I realize my review may have reinforced the misgivings people may have before they decide to pick up this book -- but this book is less about horror and more about humanity. The strangeness of the plot is just a way to show how precious humanity really is -- especially to the beings and creatures who can never truly have it. I hope the people who eventually read this will see and understand that. (less)

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Oct 10, 2010 oliviasbooks rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of K. Creagh's "Nevermore" and D. Reeves' "Bleeding Violet"

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, urban-fantasy-paranormal, love-story-romance, ghosts-dead-people, faeries-elves-pixies, horror, read-2010, to-re-read, stays-with-me, male-point-of-view, i-cannot-tell-you-my-secret

Financially you are very lucky indeed, if you are born as an inhabitant of the small town Gentry: Although all around the industry’s prospects are bleak, Gentry still flourishes. This astonishing piece of luck is something best not talked about. That is the consensus of the supersticious townsfolk. Equally hushed are murmurs concerning the random bad luck which eventually strikes among the community: Every now and then an infant suddenly dies.

Mackie Doyle knows that he, too, would have died as...more Financially you are very lucky indeed, if you are born as an inhabitant of the small town Gentry: Although all around the industry’s prospects are bleak, Gentry still flourishes. This astonishing piece of luck is something best not talked about. That is the consensus of the supersticious townsfolk. Equally hushed are murmurs concerning the random bad luck which eventually strikes among the community: Every now and then an infant suddenly dies.

Mackie Doyle knows that he, too, would have died as a baby – were it not for his sister Emma, who as a tiny girl nursed him back to health, in spite of the knowledge that the crib held a replacement instead of her brother, and his parents, Gentry’s Methodist preacher and his wife, who taught their changeling son from an early age to keep his otherness (intolerance of blood, iron and sanctified ground and also heightened senses) hidden on all accounts. Their caution even includes a "no-visitors-to-the-house" rule, because they fear their iron-free household might start the community's rumors. Therefore Mackie is quite at a loss when his moody and fierce classmate Tate, whose baby sister Natalie just recently “died,” pesters him of all people relentlessly for answers and help and seems to be immune to his habitual elusiveness.
As Mackie’s physical condition worsens, because being perpetually surrounded by iron and blood seems to poison him slowly causing breathing difficulties and fainting fits, and members of his people repeatedly appear, inviting him to return to the dark and underground "House of Mayhem”, he decides to try to find out what really happened to Natalie, to his town and to himself. His visit to one of the two dangerous female rulers of the supernatural realms puts him smack into the middle of a ruthless power struggle between evil in the shape of beautiful decay and maybe-evil-maybe-less-evil in the shape of an ugly, capricious little girl with too many teeth.

I am usually not a great fan of horror tales. I am rather the girl with her head between her knees when things become gruesome at the movies. But Brenna Yovanoff does this mixture of urban fantasy, love story and eerie, eerie, horror fiction so beautifully, so vividly, colorfully, tenderly and poetically I simply had to love it and to savor each description without closing my inner eyes. The disclosure of the shocking facts also works great for the reader: It is clear from the beginning that Mackie knows more than he lets slip, but his eyes get opened wider along with the reader’s.

Mackie is an unusual character, he stands out, but at the same time he is a quite normal sixteen-year-old: He admits admiring classroom bitch Alice because of her attractive exterior and detects only gradually the lovable layers of vulnerable daredevil Tate. I also liked how he interacted with the Morrigan – simultaneously tender and afraid.
I was always uneasy about Mackie’s parents: Was their love for their replacement son sincere? What did they hide? But I was kind of envious because of Mackie’s sister Emma and his best friend Roswell, who both loved Mackie so unconditionally and unwaveringly and chased away his fear of being an intruder within the human world and their lives. Brenna Yovanoff has a true talent of showing her readers love in all possible shapes – even that between antagonized celtic goddesses.

It's true, the world-building gets never fully explained. But if one reads the novel vigilantly, it becomes pretty clear that a complete understanding is not intended: “The Lady” illustrates at one point how her people has always been defined by the imagination, the superstitions and the limitations of the humans whose sacrifices, attention, admiration or fear keep them alive. They are what we imagine them to be. They are repelled by what we imagine them to be intolerant of. And that changes with our culture. Interesting, isn’t it?

This book is very good, Brenna. I like it and its ending as it is. It does not need a sequel!
(less)

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Nov 15, 2012 Tanu rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: why-did-i-fall-for-this, ya

Bleeeeeh, I quit!

I need to learn to do this more- quit a novel after 10 chapters or so when I clearly realize that it will disappoint me in the end. Call my policy discriminatory, but I can’t give YA the same privilege as Classics or Booker Prize winners. They are not allowed to be boring! Or slow! Or have a dull premise! Or be average !

Plus, the character and the choices they make are so bizarre. One moment the male protagonist is cribbing about dying, the next he is checking out some girl,...more

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Jul 02, 2012 Monica! rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, i-love-you-for-your-cover, the-sparkles-mean-its-magic, warm-fuzzies, hark-a-questing-beast, what-is-this-feeling, manly-man-man-man, goodreads-made-me-do-it, how-all-stories-should-begin, i-see-dead-people

For a book featuring such a ridiculously awesome holy-crap-are-you-seeing-what-I'm-seeing cover, there were lot of things that I was not wild about.

Tate was a somewhat uninspiring love interest. I get that Mackie is attracted to her because she’s so anti-establishment, and rages against the dark, and is so full of the anger, and also is good looking. But I just didn’t personally care much about her, except for that last kickass moment at the end where she was beating the shit out of (view spoile ...more

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Oct 01, 2010 Mariel rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: outsiders

Recommended to Mariel by: changelings are my favorite fairy mythology

I would have liked The Replacement more if the realizations and observations were made naturally, instead of told to the reader by the first person narrative of Mackie. Mackie is a changeling. His adoptive not by choice human family know what he really is. Their town has known for a long time that their kids die and are replaced by these things that are not their children. They look like them, only wrong. It could have been an interesting take on kids who are placed with other families for whate...more I would have liked The Replacement more if the realizations and observations were made naturally, instead of told to the reader by the first person narrative of Mackie. Mackie is a changeling. His adoptive not by choice human family know what he really is. Their town has known for a long time that their kids die and are replaced by these things that are not their children. They look like them, only wrong. It could have been an interesting take on kids who are placed with other families for whatever reasons (switched at birth, kidnapping) and the nature of adoption. (The past couple of years it is a topic on the mind as many missing kids were discovered living in those homes. Almost all of the time in highly traumatic situations. Stockholm syndrome struck, and resettling into a new family was hardly easy.) I did like that Mackie's sense of what was dangerous to him (iron and blood) was like something he couldn't help but not notice. The impending threat was palpable. If only his notice of everything else was like that, something he couldn't help but be wary of, instead of just told to the reader. The nuances of those relationships with family and town aren't nuances if just stated in a rush. The history of the town was told to Mackie as a cautionary tale of what he faces. Told to us, as to him, not living in it. It could have been much better... The Replacement is Brenna Yovanoff's first novel. I guess making mistakes comes with the territory, but still. I can't help but get antsy when the view of what is happening is dictated to me thus. I don't wanna have to look over the shoulder of the narrator and ignore annoying movie-style voice-overs of what everyone else is probably thinking (yeah, YOU say they are thinking, I think).
Changelings have for a long time been some of my favorite tales of the fairy mythology. I love switched at birth stories. My mom and I had a blast making up different stories about how I couldn't really be her daughter. (My older sister preferred the baby-in-a-dumpster version for me, or anything about me maybe being a hermie.) For some reason we never did the changeling version. (less)

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Jan 22, 2011 Thomas rated it 3 of 5 stars

Somewhere between a two and three on this one... I'll go with 2.5.

There seems to be a reasonable amount of hype for this book. Honestly, the only reason I picked it up was because one of my favorite authors, Maggie Stiefvater, heartily endorsed it with an extolling review. Did it live up to what I had predetermined it to be? No, not quite.

This is the epitome of a paranormal story gone wrong. Take an interesting concept like faeries that do not belong in the human world but inhabit it anyway, but...more

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Dec 24, 2012 Book Chick City rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

Reviewed by Jo for Book Chick City.

The Replacement’s plot is very intriguing. In the town of Gentry, human babies are often given as tribute to the inhabitants of the town’s Underworld and as a replacement an otherworldly baby is left in its place. These babies usually sicken and die quite quickly, but our narrator, Mackie, has made it to High School. Even though Mackie has made it so far, he still is slowly dying of allergies to the world around him, and he longs to be human for as long as he c...more Reviewed by Jo for Book Chick City.

The Replacement’s plot is very intriguing. In the town of Gentry, human babies are often given as tribute to the inhabitants of the town’s Underworld and as a replacement an otherworldly baby is left in its place. These babies usually sicken and die quite quickly, but our narrator, Mackie, has made it to High School. Even though Mackie has made it so far, he still is slowly dying of allergies to the world around him, and he longs to be human for as long as he can. After a classmate’s sister (another Replacement) is kidnapped by Them, he faces his origins and the creepy, dark creatures who live in the town’s Underworld to help his friend.

This book was wonderful! I really enjoyed the parallel worlds of Gentry, and the way the town people know but choose to ignore what is going on. Although never given a name, the underworld creatures seem to be Fae based on the fairy legends of changelings. I think not giving them their proper name added to their creepiness! Even though a replacement for their child, Mackie’s new parents love him, and try their best to protect him from all he is sensitive to, such as iron and consecrated ground, even though his Dad is a Pastor!

Mackie as a protagonist has a really good voice. I sympathised with his need to belong, but not sure of where he actually does belong. I think we have all felt that at some point in our life. Mackie’s friend, Tate was also a great character. After her sister is taken, she is expected to accept it and continue normally, another event to ignore. But Tate will not and she asks Mackie to help discover what is going on. I do enjoy characters that go against what is expected and together they, and their hint of romance, are very enjoyable to read.

The actual Underworld of Gentry, called Mayhem was very twisted, and dark. Deliciously so. It was really quite grotesquely beautiful in its descriptions, and I felt it was very real. The characters of Mayhem are very interesting, some are just as dark and twisty as the underworld itself, some were kind and nice.

The actual pace is quite fast after the first half, and the overall tone is quite dark and sometimes not an easy read. It really didn’t feel like a YA novel! The underlying message is one I think we can all appreciate and enjoy, that no matter who you are, we all need some love.

VERDICT:

Part thriller, part fantasy, part romance….The Replacement really is a mix of genres which I really enjoyed. The Replacement has action, humour, very good writing style and it’s full of brilliant characters. So far it is a stand alone book, but I would love to see more of this world.(less)

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Aug 13, 2011 Lea rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: boring-as-hell, confusing-as-hell, contemporary, creepy, dark, depressing-as-hell, epic-fail, had-potential, horror, not-what-i-thought-it-would-be, wtf, lazy-writing, made-me-want-to-punch-something

So to put it simply, I was not a fan of this book.

Like, at all.

Actually, I kind of hated it.

I'm really not sure what I was expecting it to be, but I definitely wasn't thinking it would be a lame high school drama mixed with painfully dull characters and even more painfully boring and lackluster writing. I guess the cover is what attracted me to read this book in the first place, but honestly, great packaging and poor content does not equal a good book.

First, there were the thoroughly unlikabl...more

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Apr 25, 2012 Pamela rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: bizarre, confusing, overrated, pointless, angst, reimaginings

I think that the time I spent trying to get through the muddled, twisted, ultimately pointless narrative of The Replacement has muddled my own mind. I can't quite articulate what it is that makes me dislike this book so, and yet, there it is. The plot seems like it should be fairly straightforward: it's Yovanoff's take on the idea/myth/fear of the changeling, the fey baby who replaces the human baby taken away from its parents. The hero, if you can call him that, whose name is Mackie and who thu...more

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Nov 21, 2010 Annalisa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, young-adult, cover

2.5 stars

For a first novel, there are a lot of things about this book that excel. Yovanoff masters the ambiance. The dark, rainy days, the mysterious mythology of the town, the poetic writing, it all creates this creepy, unsettling feel that looms the entire story. The idea behind the novel is so original and creative that I was always wanting to flip pages to find out more. Not far into the book though, I started to get frustrated with the lack of answers. The plot takes way too long to develop...more

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Jan 03, 2011 kari rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, ya

I really enjoyed this book, start to finish and it definitely grabbed my imagination and kept me reading, waiting to find out what happened next.
Mackie is an interesting and unique character that I really cared about and hoped he would find a way to live in the world. I liked his growth during the story, how he figured things out, both about the world of Mayhem and about the human world where he's been living.
There could have been a bit less about the popular teenage girl. I kept wondering how...more

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Dec 13, 2010 Stephanie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, horror

The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas is a classic story by noted speculative fiction author Ursula K LeGuin, and is one that is bound to resonate with most readers for some time afterwards. Omelas is a utopian society in which everything seems to function in not simply an orderly, but in almost an enlightened manner. But the crux of the story is that the glory of Omelas rests firmly on the continued torment of a single child. The question posed by the story is a seemingly simply moral dilemma: wou...more

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May 27, 2011 Kat Hooper rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook

ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.

Mackie Doyle is a Replacement — a changeling. When he was a baby, the fairies left him in the crib when they took the real Malcolm Doyle away. His family knows this, but he needs to keep it a secret from the rest of Gentry, his hometown. Mackie tries to be a normal teenager — he goes to school, the teenage night club, and to parties. But he can’t go to church where his father is the pastor because it’s painful to stand on the consecrated land. Also, blood,...more ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.

Mackie Doyle is a Replacement — a changeling. When he was a baby, the fairies left him in the crib when they took the real Malcolm Doyle away. His family knows this, but he needs to keep it a secret from the rest of Gentry, his hometown. Mackie tries to be a normal teenager — he goes to school, the teenage night club, and to parties. But he can’t go to church where his father is the pastor because it’s painful to stand on the consecrated land. Also, blood, steel, or anything else made of iron makes him sick and weak.

The Doyles aren’t the only family that’s been affected by fairy activity. The residents of Gentry know this, but they never talk about it — everyone just pretends that everything is normal. Until Tate’s little sister suddenly gets sick and dies and Tate starts demanding answers from Mackie.

Mackie’s story is compelling; I wanted to know why Mackie was different and how he would find out the truth about himself. Brenna Yovanoff writes him well — he feels like a real teenager — and she doesn’t give us all his background at once, so there are lots of discoveries to make, though as the story goes on, it’s hard to enjoy a hero who’s usually sick, weak, or afraid. I was also intrigued by the relationship between the fairies and God, though I never came to a satisfactory understanding about what it was.

Unfortunately, the more we learn about Mackie, his family (especially his mom), his town, and the fairies, the more unbelievable the story becomes. If Mackie gets sick being around blood, what about the blood in his own body? Are we really supposed to believe that the people of Gentry know about the fairies but don’t talk about it? Why don’t Mackie and Tate tell any adults about their suspicions? Why do the adults let their kids roam around in the middle of the night?

If you want specifics about why I thought the plot didn’t work, please see my spoilers in my complete review at Fantasy Literature.

So, my main problem with The Replacement was the plot. Because I couldn’t believe in it, the gothic feel that Yovanoff was going for just didn’t work — it felt more emo than gothic and mostly served to remind me why I’m glad I’m done with high school.

I was attracted to The Replacement because of the cover art (when will I ever learn?) and I listened to Brilliance Audio’s version. The only reason I even finished the book was because it was performed by Kevin T. Collins who also did Jeffrey Ford’s The Shadow Year, a book that I really enjoyed, partly because of Collins’ excellent narration. I think Collins’ serious-sounding voice, and my nostalgia for his performance of The Shadow Year, is what delayed my realization that The Replacement was not worth my time.

ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.(less)

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Dec 27, 2012 Kristen Rudd rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, 2011, debuts

I picked this book up based on the cover art alone. A book title referring to a changeling with scary-looking implements dangling over a crib? Yes, please. Then I read the back blurb and realized that the story was going to be told in first person through the replacement's perspective.

It's a modern twist on fairy tale and mythology themes. I had to read it.

I liked it. I didn't LOVE it, but I liked it and think it's a decent debut novel.

There were a few things that bothered me. One is that the bo...more

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Oct 19, 2011 Kana rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, audiobook

I felt this story had a solid premise but as others have commented about, it dragged and was slow in several parts. (And the reader sounded like he was on the verge of coughing or tears throughout the entire book, so it was hard to read the character's emotions in alot of spots. Or maybe that was the intention of the book/author. I'd have to listen to other books read by him to know.) Overall I felt the background story, the characters, had a really good basis. But that too much of the book was...more I felt this story had a solid premise but as others have commented about, it dragged and was slow in several parts. (And the reader sounded like he was on the verge of coughing or tears throughout the entire book, so it was hard to read the character's emotions in alot of spots. Or maybe that was the intention of the book/author. I'd have to listen to other books read by him to know.) Overall I felt the background story, the characters, had a really good basis. But that too much of the book was 'filler' that could have been used to give the characters more than their two dimensional feel. Alot of the language felt odd for teenagers to use (50cent words, or way of phrasing things, especially in arguments). Alot of the reactions were under or over exaggerated, especially for Tate - there was no build-up or middle ground. She either has a really good theory of what's going on in the town and is angry over it or totally oblivious when proof is presented to her and kept repeating 'what!?!?!?!' in astonishment, it felt silly. It was also very confusing what sort of relationship Macky and Tate really had throughout the book, which was frustrating. I didn't know if I should like her or be wary that she was just using him. It wasn't consistent. Macky's personality was timid and frail at one point and then BAM! heroic and a confident jock the next, then back to being an uncertain outcast teenager again. There was an attempt at character growth but it came in jolts which didn't fit the slow pace of the the rest of the book.
Like I said, I felt this was a great start, very interesting premise, and I didn't hate it. But it felt more like a rough draft then a final revision of a story. I know it was the authors debut. And I take that into consideration.
She did a great deal of research into fairies, but unless you did the same type of research (like I have), it was too subtle to catch. I know why she never outright said it, and only says the word 'Fay' in one sentence in the entire book. I know why, and not naming them is a very fairy aspect, but I think she should have found a happier middle-ground for those not fairy-crazy (like me). Otherwise people were left with 'what the hell are they!?!?!' Or at the very least, say it on the cover. Just get it out of the way so people aren't left so confused.
Having said all that I would still love to see a continuation or another attempt at the story, because I do think the premise is a very interesting one, and deserves more attention. I can see this turning into a movie if she works at it. And I would love to see it. (less)

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Jun 07, 2011 Rebekah rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Oct 10, 2010 Enna Isilee (Squeaky Books) rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2010, reviewed-on-blog

http://www.squeakybooks.com/2010/07/r...

This book was NOT for me. Probably one of my least favorite books of all time. I don't want to be mean. This isn't to say no one will like it. Heck, the author is published, so she's better than me in that way. But I just could not stand this book. So much profanity, so much vague-ness, so many things left unanswered.

*sigh* Sorry, world.

FULL REVIEW (posted on www.SqueakyBooks.com 7-27-10)

I have never given a book zero stars on my blog before. I don't usual...more http://www.squeakybooks.com/2010/07/r...

This book was NOT for me. Probably one of my least favorite books of all time. I don't want to be mean. This isn't to say no one will like it. Heck, the author is published, so she's better than me in that way. But I just could not stand this book. So much profanity, so much vague-ness, so many things left unanswered.

*sigh* Sorry, world.

FULL REVIEW (posted on www.SqueakyBooks.com 7-27-10)

I have never given a book zero stars on my blog before. I don't usually like to review books that I have such strong negative feelings for. But there has been a lot of hype for this book around the blogosphere, and I just wouldn't feel right if I didn't give you guys my two cents. I'm going to try to be nice, I have nothing against the author. She's published, which is a lot more than I can say.

In regards to the book-- The premise was so interesting! A faerie trying to live in our world with all the downsides of being a faerie. It's cool, right?

I also really liked Mackie's sister Emma. She was the only person actually willing to do something about the chaos that was Gentry and Mackie's life. His parents... I was glad that they kept Mackie and didn't treat him like a freak, but they still bothered me. For reasons to be explained.

The entire book was extremely vague. No one in the town of Gentry ever talks about ANYTHING. They all know that there are strange things going on, but no one does anything about it. Even Mackie's best friend never questions his weird behavior. I recognize that there was probably a deep meaning behind this. But I just couldn't find it. I just found it extremely annoying, and it made the characters seem very two dimensional. So many questions were left unanswered that just made me so frustrated.

Also, the profanity. This book is described as "Edward Scissorhands meets The Catcher in the Rye." This probably should have tipped me off, since I couldn't stand TCitR. This book had so much profanity, and underage drinking, and immorality. *sigh* I just don't want to read books that gritty. I can handle some grit, but not to that level.

Anyway. Lots of people love this book, including plenty of people whose opinions I really respect. But just be aware when you pick it up that it is very edgy.

I hope I wasn't mean. I didn't want to attack the author or book in any way. Every book has its place, even if it's not on my shelf.(less)

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Sep 30, 2010 Amelia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, best-character-set, best-original-idea, best-plot, recommended, reviewed, urban-fantasy, 2010-2011-reading

Originally posted on The Authoress: Book Review and More.

This is one heckuva creepy book. It took me some several moments of contemplation to pinpoint just what, exactly, made it so hair-raising. I'll tell you, most books are so straight-forward about what they have to offer. They tell you something is creepy--it's direct and it sucks the fun out of picturing the scene for yourself. Brenna Yovanoff went about it a different way. She just gave you what it was--straight up, without flourishing it...more Originally posted on The Authoress: Book Review and More.

This is one heckuva creepy book. It took me some several moments of contemplation to pinpoint just what, exactly, made it so hair-raising. I'll tell you, most books are so straight-forward about what they have to offer. They tell you something is creepy--it's direct and it sucks the fun out of picturing the scene for yourself. Brenna Yovanoff went about it a different way. She just gave you what it was--straight up, without flourishing it around unnecessarily. Then again, it's also what she doesn't say that gave me pause. Reading this book, I felt like I was constantly treading around broken glass--and I was so screwed if I happened to stray. So yeah, really creepy.

I love how the story progresses. Most times, when I can't get a handle on a book within the first few chapters, I reject it out of pure frustration. But there's something about this book...I slowly started to realize what was really going on as I continued to read the book. I knew that there was something dark about the town of Gentry, but what? I was left figuring it out as I read--and it was thrilling.

"The Replacement" is, in my mind, the literary equivalent of film Noir. Or, if you want to get technical, it's very much like Gothic fiction. It's very dark and progresses slowly, not continuing like you expect it to--it goes slow when you expect it to rush. There isn't a lot of humor and you start to expect a sad ending.

The antagonists freaked me out. Seriously, it's hard to write a creepy villain because it's difficult to keep it original--if you try too hard, it flops, but if you don't try at all, it still flops. I think that making a villain creepy is similar to how you make someone funny--you make them surprise you. If they don't follow the script, it switches your mind off and makes you more susceptible to buy in to whatever they're doing. Needless to say, I was getting really creeped out by the antagonists in this book.

I liked the romance. Going in, I wasn't sure what was going to happen. What was Mackie going to do? Who was he going to pursue? Alice was the typical queen bee but I thought it interesting how Mackie reacted to her. Tate was totally awesome, though she might come off as a creeper to some people.

Overall, I loved it. It was a refreshing change from the stock cut-out books that flood the shelves nowadays. This is a book full of originality and personality. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a break from the normalcy flood. A stunning debut.

Shew! I LOVE that cover. It's so appropriate for the book and just screams creepy. Love, love, love it.

WARNING! Lots of typical high-school language, so younger readers beware!(less)

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Nov 13, 2012 Krys rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, horror-thriller, medium-length-book, own, first-person-narrative, twins, fairy-pixie-themed, read-in-2010, stand-alone

Mackie Doyle has always had a severe allergy to metal. Riding in cars makes him nauseous, touching jewelry gives him shocks, and smelling blood weakens him. He lives in the little town of Gentry where children disappear and are replaced with inhumane creatures... and Mackie begins to suspect he is one of them. When a classmate's little sister goes missing Mackie finds himself spiraling deeper and deeper into the mystery of what happened to the little girl.. only to discover more and more truths...more

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Dec 04, 2012 Nevey Berry rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own

One of the best books I have ever read....

The replacement is "One of the best books I have ever read." still I have a hate/Love relation with it. You can never love it completely or hate it to the edge as it was almost perfect (for others it can be perfect but not me).

Mackie is not a human; he once was but now he is one of them living among us. The people of the underworld who must sacrifice a living child to keep them powerful.

Mackie is one of the teen characters that you will like but the one...more

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Nov 20, 2012 Rain Misoa rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Horror Fans and people who can ignore stupid teenage hormones.

Recommended to Rain by: Library

Shelves: must-own

What an amazing ride this was! I'm not even sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing. So let's start shall we? I've seen this book around everywhere. People kept saying how good it was and how scary it was and me, being a huge fan of the horror genre, decided to check it out. I go to the library taking out my usual eighteen plus books (no lie) and I see it there on the shelf. Of course I had to bring it home with me to read. It took me a while to get to it and I finally did. Oh, and I am so g...more What an amazing ride this was! I'm not even sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing. So let's start shall we? I've seen this book around everywhere. People kept saying how good it was and how scary it was and me, being a huge fan of the horror genre, decided to check it out. I go to the library taking out my usual eighteen plus books (no lie) and I see it there on the shelf. Of course I had to bring it home with me to read. It took me a while to get to it and I finally did. Oh, and I am so glad I did. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting and I did have a few issues with it but it was still worth my time.

Brana Yovanoff wrote a great book. I love her writing style. It's smooth and engaging. It sucks you in from the get-go and I did not want to put it down. Her ability to write a story is among the best I have ever come across. I am looking forward to reading more books by her. Especially if she has more characters in her books like Emma, Roswell, and the Cutter! Oh my God! The Cutter! He is freaky, mad, and terrifying all in one! (Not to mention sexy as hell!) Definitely one of the best horrifying creatures to ever be created in a book. Emma is sweet, smart, and looks out for her brother. Roswell = Best. Friend. Ever. Yovanoff did a fabulous job in creating these characters.

There is one thing that bugs me about this book, though. The romance aspect. In my opinion, it came out of no where. Mackie and Tate were decent characters. I thought Tate was pretty badass. I liked her attitude and how she didn't put up with anyone's bullshit. Mackie was tragic and I felt for him... at the beginning. The moment he started acting like a douche, I lost all respect for him. Still, overall, they were good characters... as individuals. Pair them together as a couple and it went down the toilet. Whenever they were together, all Tate did was yell at him and insult him whilst Mackie just tried to ignore her. Then, all of a sudden, they were doing the nasties. I still don't see how their relationship worked. So, even though I love this book (the world, the plot, the side characters, etc.), I did not enjoy the romance aspect of it. Yovanoff still needs to work on that, I'm afraid.

Overall, I do recommend this book. It was such a fantastic read! So engaging! You will NOT want to put it down! Especially once you get introduced to the Cutter! Ugh! So amazing! My advice to readers, ignore the crappy romance to the book and you will be fine. You shall enjoy it. It's not necessarily scary as it is creepy which, if you ask me, is just as good! Have fun with this lovely book! <333(less)

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Sep 05, 2012 Juliette rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Il Sostituto è un libro decisamente particolare.
Dopo aver letto The Curiosites (una raccolta di storie di Brenna Yovanoff, Maggie Stiefvater e Tessa Gratton), e aver apprezzato molto lo stile della Yovanoff, ho deciso di dare una possibilità a Il Sostituto, che avevo in mente di leggere già da qualche mese.

E ora, che dire?Sono felicissima di averlo acquistato!Questa è una delle storie più originali che abbia mai letto, sviluppata in un modo semplicemente meraviglioso ed estremamente diverso da q...more

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Oct 09, 2011 Holly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, kindle, mystery-suspense, sci-fi-fantasy, urban-fantasy, young-adult, e-book, favorites, heartbreaking-heroes, horror, keepers, kick-ass-heroes, my-dream-men, obsessively-readable, male-pov, paranormal

5++++ stars

Every once in a while I stumble upon a book that takes me completely by surprise. I had no idea what to expect going into this book, but decided to take a chance on it because of the interesting synopsis and creepy cover art. I am so glad I did, because this was hands down one of the most enjoyable reading experiences I have had all year.

On the surface, Mackie seems like an average teenage boy. He goes to school, has a crush on a cheerleader and feels alienated from the adults in his...more

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Aug 05, 2012 Tarra rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: under-250-pgs, dual-realms-or-worlds, family-baggage, just-shoot-me, kelting-mind-talking, nearly-cockeyed, run-of-the-mill-human-characters, supernatural-magically, underground, weak-protagonist, whiney-protagonist

Hmmmm. Okay.

There are a few things:

1) I never truly felt a connection to any of the characters, at all. I honestly could not have cared less if The Lady massacred all of the main characters, not the child (because I have one that age), but all the others. Hell, she could have sent a bloody effing river through town and drowned every citizen in Gentry. I would have sighed, shook my head and then turned the page. No tears shed, sleeping soundly. Truth.

2) I didn't feel the connection of character t...more Hmmmm. Okay.

There are a few things:

1) I never truly felt a connection to any of the characters, at all. I honestly could not have cared less if The Lady massacred all of the main characters, not the child (because I have one that age), but all the others. Hell, she could have sent a bloody effing river through town and drowned every citizen in Gentry. I would have sighed, shook my head and then turned the page. No tears shed, sleeping soundly. Truth.

2) I didn't feel the connection of character to character. Yeah Roswell was Mackie's best friend, but was he really? Cuz Mackie was surely tight-lipped and so freaking awkward when it came to letting him in that it made me embarrassed to read it. I was constantly having to read through my fingers and half cussing at him to just "fucking say it!". Hot Damn.

Tate, the love interest, I guess, was supposed to be some bad ass, hardcore, biotch with nerves of steel and blood that ran ice cold or some shit. All I picked up on was Biotch. She wasn't tender enough to be likable. She kissed Mackie a few times but it was to train him in a Pavlovian Response technique for telling her information or agreeing with her....? What? Also, it was alluded that she was whorey...Mmmm, yeah there's nothing like a good ol' whorey love interest to warm the cockles.

3) There was a lot of assumption going on on behalf of the author. There were revelations said and somehow I was supposed to already know, duh, that that's what was happening and why. Um, no. I'm sorry but I was way lost towards the end when things were just being unfolded like an eager toddler "helping" on laundry day.

4) The "hero" was stupid and weak. He never gave me the impression that he was a force to be reckoned with. This book should have taken the perspective of Tate. I kept thinking "He's about get all kinds of ass kicky all over the place" but no, he never did. Ever. He had far too many weaknesses and nothing to set him apart from any of the other monsters. He was weak and stupid. Ooo also he hardly gave a shit about anything. He was not noble or good and honestly, spent most of the time curled into a little ball of puke and shivers. Disgusting.

All in All: Horribly unimpressed. It tried too hard and seemed forced.

I was looking for YA that was different from fallen angels, zombies, vampires, magic, werewolfs etc. etc. and I guess I found it but not in the way where you find a whole twenty dollar bill on the sidewalk, instead in a way where you find half of a fifty. So close, but no potato.(less)

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Feb 24, 2012 Shayla rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 03, 2011 Esther rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My problem with this book - I just didn't care!

Now, I know that sounds terrible but first let me explain what I mean by it.
I had no idea what The Replacement was about when I began to read. I mean, obviously I'd read the blurb but I had purposefully avoided reviews due to the danger of it being spoiled for me. So, I had a very open mind about it.

First off, Mackie.
I just did not get the guy. Normally, I love reading from a guy's perspective. I find it extremely interesting and all round excit...more

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Dec 12, 2011 Kyle rated it 1 of 5 stars

Maybe it's just me, but I have a serious issue with books about faeries. I loathed the Iron King very deeply, and this was almost just as horrendous, except in the end, I don't think it got quite to the level of annoyance that The Iron King brought me to. I bought this very early on into the year, and I found myself bored after the first five pages, so I just let it sit on my Kindle for another eight months, until I tried reading it during my birthday/vacation the same day I couldn't get into Ma...more Maybe it's just me, but I have a serious issue with books about faeries. I loathed the Iron King very deeply, and this was almost just as horrendous, except in the end, I don't think it got quite to the level of annoyance that The Iron King brought me to. I bought this very early on into the year, and I found myself bored after the first five pages, so I just let it sit on my Kindle for another eight months, until I tried reading it during my birthday/vacation the same day I couldn't get into Maggie Stiefvater's "Lament" (SURPRISE! ANOTHER FAERIE BOOK!) after 15% of annoyance, so I read the first 15% of this.

However, back in the beginning of this month, I sat down, and said, "Kyle, just get it over with and you never even have to think about it again." So, I sat down and basically devoured the entire thing in a few hours. An extremely unpleasant experience, one that I would not want to re-live, nor do I plan on it.

So, for a basic synopsis of this book, it follows a boy named Malcolm “Mackie” Doyle, who lives in the small, depressing town of Gentry. He’s a “normal” kid who has three good friends, and a crush on a popular girl, who is starting to notice him. Soon, the reader finds out that Mackie isn’t exactly . . . human. The real Mackie was switched before he was a year old, and was then replaced by a changeling, who is our main character. So, it turns out Mackie (our narrator Mackie) is a faerie.

Now, very rarely do I have problems with the setting of a novel. Normally, it’s just not something I care for, unless it’s something like Prague and the Otherworld from Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone or Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, because those settings are interesting and unique. The small town of Gentry was neither interesting nor unique, but was dreary and boring. In fact, it reminds me a lot of my negative feelings towards Gatlin, South Carolina from Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl (my current read at the moment). The reason these stand out so much is because the author, Brenna Yovanoff, seem to put an emphasis on the boringness of it all. Well, if the setting of a novel can make me bored, that’s typically not a good sign for me.

The characters themselves were just as boring and flat as the town they live in. Mackie is boring, and has to be coaxed into doing anything interesting or exciting. Tate was all headstrong, but really doesn’t do anything until the end (well, she did more than Mackie). The Cutter – a wimpy excuse for a villain, seeing that he did nothing and subsequently got beat up by a sixteen year old and then gave up. Everybody else was just boring, and not even worth being mentioned in this review.

The writing itself I have no comment on, since while I’m an aspiring writer, I’m not necessarily any good. However, something about the writing kind of bored me to. Not to say that it was bad, but nothing to add a little spice to it, you know? In the book I’m writing, my main female protagonist, Carly, is a fourteen year old girl who was raped and now has a six-month old child, and starts out really depressed, then the whole supernatural part comes in, and slowly she opens up more and gets this really sassy, funny (to me anyway) voice. Mackie is just really boring and monotone. Anybody else feel that way?

Overall, just so I don’t become too repetitive, this book just bored me and made me want to take a long nap. Plus, that ending (as in, the last page ending) was so happily ever after, that it made me want to throw up – don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind endings with happiness in them, but for the kind of atmosphere Brenna Yovanoff set up in the novel, you’d expect a much darker tone to it.

Anyway, 2/5 stars for The Replacement. Nothing special, and I wouldn’t recommend it . . . to anyone really. However, I do want to check out her new novel, because . . . well it has demons (I think), and I’m kind of partial to angel/fallen angel/demon novels.
(less)

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Oct 03, 2010 Alan rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

1 like · like · see review

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