Two street kids get tangled in a plot over their heads - and risk an unexpected connection - in this heart-pounding thriller by Tim Wynne-Jones.Review:
Boy, did Blink get off on the wrong floor. All he wanted was to steal some breakfast for his empty belly, but instead he stumbled upon a fake kidnapping and a cell phone dropped by an "abducted" CEO, giving Blink a link to his perfect blonde daughter. Now Blink is on the run, but it’s OK as long as he’s smart enough to stay in the game and keep Captain Panic locked in his hold. Enter a girl named Caution. As in "Caution: Toxic." As in "Caution: Watch Your Step." She’s also on the run, from a skeezy drug-dealer boyfriend and from a nightmare in her past that won’t let her go. When she spies Blink at the train station, Caution can see he’s an easy mark. But there’s something about this naïve, skinny street punk, whom she only wanted to rob, that tugs at her heart, a heart she thought deserved not to feel. Charged with suspense and intrigue, this taut novel trails two deeply compelling characters as they forge a blackmail scheme that is foolhardy at best, disastrous at worst - along with a fated, tender partnership that will offer them each a rare chance for redemption.
After I read Tim Wynne- Jones' The Uninvited a couple of years ago, I've been looking forward to reading more by him, so when Blink & Caution landed on my radar, I jumped at the first chance I got to read it. Luckily enough, Blink & Caution is a thrilling and suspenseful novel about two teen runaways and the challenges they face.
Blink and Caution have both been living the hard life for the past year. For Blink that means roughing it on the streets, looking for the next way to get a quick, free meal and a place to stay, because after everything that happened at his home, he knows he's never going back. On the other side of town, Caution has been living with her sleazy, controlling, and drug dealing boyfriend, hoping that one day, she'll face enough pain to forget what happened when she was fifteen, the year she ran away from everyone and everything. Though, one day everything changes, Caution leaves her boyfriend once and for all, and Blink stumbles into a fake kidnapping. Now on the run, both of them are soon to find that there's even more surprises in store for them- one that may even land them in each others arms.
One of the most rewarding aspects in this novel was the rich and likable characters Tim had in Caution and Blink. Both are characters that you can't help but root for, especially when you find out about all the pain and suffering they've faced in the past. With that, I liked them even better when they finally found in each other in the story, because with each other, they discover a lot about themselves and each other and gain courage to speak up for themselves. Also, the adventures they have are priceless.
Adding to this, I loved the plot. I thought Tim did a great job of accurately describing the lives of two runaway teens, and what I liked even more was that he never sugar coated anything, instead he gave you a honest view about two very different teens. Further more, the way he tied in the fake-kidnapping mystery worked perfectly not only in the way it brought together they characters but it forever left the reader guessing about what would happen, especially within those last few chapters.
The only aspect of this novel I wasn't two found of was the way Tim brought you Blink and Caution's story. You see, while Caution's part is told in third person, Blink's is told in second person, and I found that to be a little odd and hard to into at times.
Lastly, at the core of this novel, Tim Wynne-Jones provokes some interesting questions and ideas, ones that I'm sure will lead to many conversations off page.
In all, Blink & Caution is an honest and addicting portrayal of two very different teens and the accidents that tie them together. Highly recommended.
Grade: B+
Blink & Caution will be released March 8, 2011!
Source: Publicist at Candlewick. Thanks Tracey!
This sounds very unique and exciting! I've never read anything by Tim before but I'll have to remedy that. Great review :)
ReplyDelete