REVIEW: #57 Goth Girl Rising

Synopsis: (Taken from the Book)

Time is a funny thing in the hospital. In the mental ward. You lose track of it easily. After six months in the Maryland Mental Health Unit, Kyra Sellers, a.k.a. Goth Girl, is going home. Unfortunately, she’s about to find out that while she was away, she lost track of more than time.

Kyra is back in black, feeling good, and ready to make up with the only person who’s ever appreciated her for who she really is. But then she sees him. Fanboy. Transcended from everything he was into someone she barely recognizes. And the anger and memories come rushing back. There’s so much to do to people when you’re angry. Kyra’s about to get very busy.

Review:

To be honest, after reading The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy & Goth Girl, Goth Girl Rising was a disappointment. In the first Fanboy/Goth Girl book – the writing is so witty and personable and real. I found Goth Girl Rising to be anything but – and it stars a girl! You think I could relate?

Lyga had no issues writing from the point of view as a Fanboy/Geek – because, well– he’s admitted he is! But it wasn’t quite the same feeling of reality seeing him write from the point of view of an emotional, troubled, teenaged, female little girl. While both Fanboy and Goth Girl touch on stereotypes, I felt Goth Girl was overly stereotypical to being down right insulting to the Goth scene. Not all Goths are depressed and obsessed with death.  Not all are involved in drugs and sex.

But what bugged me most of all was Kira’s two-faced un-even personality. One minute she’s writing something so profound and the next she’s acting like a 2 year old. In the Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl -she was a bit out there and emotional, but she wasn’t so .. horrible? I don’t know. I just didn’t feel her in this book. I couldn’t relate. I couldn’t even find myself liking her – even after I realized why she was as messed up in the head as she was.

On a positive note, the book was an easy and quick read. The chapters are short – sometimes just a few pages. The reading style is very simple and non-complex so it’s something you can read just about anywhere. (But I guess that’s also a negative thing?) The writing just wasn’t up to par, although the story and the concept is interesting and  caused me to continue reading.

Will I stop reading Lyga’s work because of Goth Girl Rising? No. He had way too much talent poured into The Adventures of Fanboy & Goth Girl to judge him on Goth Girl Rising alone. Besides, Lyga is friendly and engaging with his fans and always willing to answer questions that arise. Lyga is a talent that shouldn’t be missed.. but, I would recommend not taking Goth Girl Rising too seriously.