X in Flight

XYZ #1

by Karen Rivers

X in Flight centers on the lives of three intriguing teens. X — short for Xenos — is 17, tough but shy. He’s a decent golfer, but his mother thinks he’s the next Tiger Woods. One night, X is shocked to discover that he can fly. Is he a superhero? An angel? Or just really screwed up? X’s girlfriend, Cat, is pierced, mean, angry — and afraid. Ruby watches them both in silence. X admires her, but Ruby thinks she’s going crazy. Their lives intersect one terrifying night at a school dance, when X’s powers are the only way to save Ruby’s life. Does he believe in himself enough to do it? Dark, deep, and dramatic, X in Flight is a bold departure from the humorous Haley Andromeda series, but it shows Karen Rivers at the height of her powers. Here, she proves her matchless ability to create and understand today's teens and their complicated lives, and to tell intense stories with honesty, humor, and intelligence.

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Karen Rivers is too thrown by the "Date of Death" drop down that has appeared below her name in the editing section of this page to actually write anything about her life. When she recovers, this box will be filled with imperative biographical information and may include SECRETS and probably also a few LIES. Now she is going to sit back and anxiously track that "Date of Death" box in case a date suddenly appears, foretelling her imminent doom.

Reviews

[Marnie (Enchanted Bibliophile) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2½✨

Teen drama and turmoil at full throttle

The way this story was told from three different perspectives—first, second, and third person—really threw off the flow. It felt like I had to reset my brain with every chapter.

[M. Slinger-Carreer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not my cup of tea. Basically no story at all. I guess it's suppose to be a slice of life but it's just three overly stereotypical, angsty teenagers having a lot of feelings.

[Care · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. I would definitely recommend this urban low-fantasy series. Fascinating take on a coming-of-age story that incorporates magic and fantasy. Gritty and dark.

[Alexa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story line. Three teens who all take turns explaining a bit about who they are in chapter form.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen for TeensReadToo.com

Xenos, or X, doesn't know why things happen. Like why he has to have the blackest skin, when his mother is so white. Or why he had to be born with such ugly features and so many zits. Or why he has never met his father and his mother doesn't even want to talk about him.

He especially doesn't know why, out of all the powers he could have, he had to possess the power to fly.

But that isn't the only thing X has to worry about. There's his girlfriend, Cat, who has her own way of dealing with things, and who absolutely loves X, more than he loves her. Then there's Ruby, the girl he knows but who doesn't know him. The girl he feels a connection with; she just doesn't know it. The girl he would rather be with than Cat. The girl he is writing his part for.

Cat herself has a lot to say, and most of it isn't pleasant, but she keeps it to herself, not mentioning to her parents what she is thinking and not telling X how she feels. Ruby, on the other hand, doesn't know what she wants to say. Always thinking one thing, she then starts over and thinks something else. She does know something, though: she wants to be more than friends with Joey, more than the girl that he goes to whenever he isn't in his right state of mind.

Told in three points of view, X IN FLIGHT intertwines the lives of three teens who are all different and all want to be heard. From the past to the present, their fate has been mapped out for them, and the ending just may be as grim as their lives already are. Poor decisions will be made, actions will be regretted, and lessons will be taught and learned.

Karen Rivers does an excellent job of developing the three characters with their own points of view. X, Cat, and Ruby all have lives quite similar to those who read their stories, including trouble dealing with family, relationships, and their identities, which adds a sense of realism to the novel.

A great debut in what is shaping up to be a terrific trilogy, X IN FLIGHT will indulge the reader with its dramatic action and unique narratives.

[Camila · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has a different way of writing that makes a person think of other peoples opinions on the same topic. The story is told by three different viewpoints Xenos, Ruby and Cat. They are all in high school and there is somewhat of a love triangle going on between the two.

The authors way of writing is another reason to read this book. It is a type of ranting that is funny and unique. The author also makes you realise that other people see things differently than you do.

A big thing in this book for me was what we think of ourselved and what other people think of us.

***For mature readers.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

YA book by my friend (how pretentious does that sound?) but, seriously, by my friend Karen. I loved it. It has three main characters and somehow she made each of their inner voices sound different. I really adore the ending which I was afraid was going to be different because the book is one of a series. But now I see that they are a series but connected by having one character with a supernatural ability. The only problem I had with the book is that I want more of the characters. This was one of those books that I was sad to finish but can't wait to read the next.

[Neill Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Xenos has been raised by an aboriginal mother – his father was black but he has never been part of X’s life. The story is told in alternate chapters by X (first person), X’s occasional girlfriend, Cat, (third person), and X’s desired girlfriend, Ruby (first person). Whereas the characters have rich inner lives they are all unable to communicate in any meaningful way with those around them so the story is about their struggle to relate to their high school society and the fact X can fly remains his secret throughout the story.

[Jeana · Rating 4 out of 5]

X in Flight is a book you would not expect it to be. It was a sheer brilliant read with real characters and situations (Apart from flying), wrapped up in one great novel. A hard to put down novel that keeps you wanting more. You will be tense by the time it ends and will be wanting to go onto the second book the second you finish the last page.

[Haley · Rating 4 out of 5]

X, a teenage boy trying to live his life normally. This is quite a difficult thing when you can fly. I personally feel that the book ended too soon for me. I really enjoed it though, a short but decent read.

<3

[Eva Edge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, this one is confusing. Not bad but confusing. Book is written in first, second and third person, depends on who's point of view is described.
I loved the sarcasm, made me smile constantly. I didn't get the point of the book (I know there is two more books in series but surely you must have some ideas what was this book about) it was like about everything and nothing.
When I was reading chapter about Cat I actually thought it's about the Cat and I was getting so confused why he addressed Cat as his girlfriend. Just then I realised that Cat is a name of the girl and nothing to with pet cat 😂
The main answer "why X can fly" never come so no idea why he gets this power. It's not like he was using it for missions or something. Or if it was answered then I missed it.
It's definitely teenage book more than adult read.

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Set in Canada. 256 pp. Interesting premise and storytelling technique that each of the chapters’ POV chapters are told in varying person (X in first person, Ruby in second, Cat in third). That said, the typesetting and grammatical errors are unprofessional and distracted me from the story.

[Kate]

I vividly remember a surprising amount of this book considering I read it back in 2012...

[Sophia · Rating 5 out of 5]

X was an asshole but I liked the story, didn't rlly talk about flying much though??

[Canadian Children's Book Centre]

Seventeen-year-old Xenos (X for short) has a secret. Half black, and half white, he has never been a “normal” kid, but with his newfound ability to fly, he learns that nothing is ever easy, even with wings. X’s voice is one of three that author Karen Rivers uses, to tell the story. She employs a different tense for each of the three characters telling the story, and skillfully dances with each character, until she pulls the pieces all together in one final startling and tragic event. The first voice belongs to Xenos, the link between the two female voices in the novel, and is a first person account. From the tone of his writing, it becomes clear early on that he is writing to or for a particular person, but the identity of that person is a mystery, revealed only in the last sentence of the book. His narrative is as honest and genuine as he can make it, and his confusion and uncertainty with himself emerge clearly through his writing. The second voice is relayed in third person past tense, and belongs to X’s girlfriend Cat — an edgy and troubled teen. Cat is a twin, but makes a deliberate effort to be the polar opposite of her over achieving sister. She smokes too much, drinks too much, and parties just a little too hard. Despite the use of the third person, the narrator gets inside Cat’s head, and readers gain a deeper sense of who she is, as well as additional perspective on Xenos. For the third voice, Karen Rivers writes in a rare second person personal tense — using “you” — putting the reader directly into Ruby’s shoes, and creating a feeling of reading for a part in a play or a film. Ruby is troubled and frail, and she goes mostly unnoticed by her peers, but harbours a secret crush on Xenos. Ironically, Xenos has also noticed her, and is intrigued by her for reasons he can’t quite fathom, but she is completely unaware of his interest. Ruby is also emotionally complex, and the use of second person is a highly effective method. The author also shifts to this tense for Cat’s last chapter, finishing her story when either Cat or the narrator is no longer able. First in a trilogy, this immensely powerful and unique book will hold readers until the last page, and leave them anxious for the next volume in the series.

Reviewed by Rachel Steen in Canadian Children's Book News
Spring 2008 VOL.31 NO.2

[Darcy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an interesting book about 3 kids, X, Cat, and Ruby. X, a poor mixed kid, that seems to always be thinking about his background and his place in life. Cat is his girlfriend. X thinks she is dating him because she wants to shock her parents. That may be the case as Cat is full of piercings, multi-colored hair, smokes and drinks like crazy, so dating a boy like X would fit in. The odd thing is that Cat is a twin, her twin seems to be the perfect girl and you can see how she is jealous of her and she doesn't feel like she is good enough for X, but also treats him like crap. Ruby is the girl no one notices. But some how Ruby has shown up on X's radar.

Each chapter is told from a different person's perspective. Each one expounding on what is wrong in their crazy teen lives. At times this book is very boring and doesn't really pick up until the last 50 pages or so. With all of their self pity it is hard to even like these characters and often you don't care what happens to them.

Not sure if I will pick up the next one.

[Renae · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really stange book. It continuously jumped between characters, and at times it was them thinking, then the next sentance was someone talking about them. It was a strange enough story line without that confusing the matter. But in the end it was a book that as much as it was a struggle to read, you wanted to hold out until the end, just to find out what happened.
The book follows a bunch of kids in their last year of high school. Ofcourse for the story to be interesting they arent the normal happy kids, they are the ones with problems. Xenos (X) is from a single mum family, but that would be boring to leave it as just that...so his Mum is also a hippy and they live on a golf course. Cat is his girlfriend (kinda) and is the type of attention seeking goth/rebel my life sucks teenager, who actually comes from a perfect family.
But you get where I'm going. It has the means to be an amazing book, but it think it was the way the story was told that ruined it and made it hard to follow. \

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

My book goal for the year was to read a book for each letter of the alphabet. I picked this book up as my X book and admit that it is probably not something I would have picked up otherwise. I do enjoy young adult books but I didn't care for this one much. I just couldn't relate to either any of the three narrators and I actually I didn't really like any of them.

I'm not sure if it was because of the three narrators but the story seemed very choppy and I thought a lot of it was slow and boring. I'm not sure if the rest of the trilogy follows the same characters or different ones but I don't think I will read any more of them.

[Danielle · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book. I honestly believe that this is the worst book I have ever read. And you can quote me on that. (I even dislike it more than A Complicated Kindness because at least at some points in that book, I had hopes for it)

If you want to read a book that has no plot, no explanation and completely angst ridden teenagers, then this is the book for you.

[Swan Bender · Rating 2 out of 5]

Granted I felt this story revealed how teens thought and felt but it didn't drive me to read more in this trilogy. The author gave the PoV of each teen and this presented her writing as inarticulate and stunted in the process. The fact there were magical powers or a back story to learn more about didn't offer a draw to read more.

[Julie]

X in Flight by Karen Rivers (2007)

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. At sometimes it was very inapropriate, but seeing how im 13 i dont care(:

[Monica]

http://www.monniblog.com/2009/01/x-in...