Negative Positive
Title: Needs Work
Review: The concept itself was excellent, which is why I picked up the book - modern day kid pulled into a fantasy world in the midst of turmoil. However, I found the characters to be two-dimensional and lacking in any real emotion, which is why I could barely finish (and really, I only bothered to finish it because leaving books half-read annoys me). The dialogue was overly dramatic and any obstacle the characters faced was far too quickly overcome. The lack of real human connection and struggle negated any merit the book may have gained from its concept. It's been several years since I read this book, and it still strikes me as the worst fantasy novel I've ever pulled off the shelf. It could have been quite good if only it had gone through several more drafts with a focus on bringing characters out of the caricatures.
Is the review positive or negative? 