Bliss (Crestview Academy, #1) in The Mortal Instruments

Apr 08, 2009 Samantha rated it it was amazing

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The cover of Bliss speaks volumes for the novel itself. There is a picture of a pretty girl, smiling sunnily with a sparkling tiara perched in her glossy hair. A pleasant photo, a memory of a happy occaison. Except that the photograph is spattered with blood. The story begins when Bliss in the Morning Dew is left at her grandmother's mansion in Atlanta by her parents when they move to Canada. Fourteen-year-old Bliss was raised by her hippie parents in a commune so she is naive about the outside The cover of Bliss speaks volumes for the novel itself. There is a picture of a pretty girl, smiling sunnily with a sparkling tiara perched in her glossy hair. A pleasant photo, a memory of a happy occaison. Except that the photograph is spattered with blood. The story begins when Bliss in the Morning Dew is left at her grandmother's mansion in Atlanta by her parents when they move to Canada. Fourteen-year-old Bliss was raised by her hippie parents in a commune so she is naive about the outside world and hasn't been around many people her age. So when she arrives at her new school- the prestigious Crestview Academy- she doesn't know what to expect. She certainly didn't expect the creepy voice she heard the moment she stepped on campus. A voice that speaks of bones and blood and tombs. A voice only Bliss can hear. As Bliss begins to discover what high school life is like and learns about the legendary death of a girl who died at Crestview long ago. Meanwhile she tries to navigate the unknown waters of friendship- some friendships that prove more deadly than others. The short chapters are divided by quotes from The Andy Griffith Show, transcripts from the Tate/Labianca murder trials, and blood spattered journal entries from an unknown writer. This story could be a simple story about friendship and fitting in. Or it could be your average horror story. But it's neither. It's a social commentary that deals with racism, a society's small-mindedness, and what life was like as a teenager in 1969. But like the blood on the otherwise pleasant cover, this story also deals with the occult, insanity, and a friendship skewered so horribly that it brings more harm than anything else. In Bliss, none of the characters are what they seem and the suspense is great, although we do have reprieves in between the scariness, like planning the Winter Dance and Bliss's crush on a cute boy. Bliss is a lovable character the reader grows fond of, and grows fearful for because of the danger all around her that she's not aware of. This is a great read and I definitely reccomend it. It not only makes you think and gives you the shivers, but it also offers a glimpse into another time period.
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