The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

September 21st 2010 by Razorbill

Hardcover, 352 Pages

Purchased

Book Synopsis

Mackie Doyle is not one of us. Though he lives in the small town of Gentry, he comes from a world of tunnels and black murky water, a world of living dead girls ruled by a little tattooed princess. He is a Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now, because of fatal allergies to iron, blood, and consecrated ground, Mackie is fighting to survive in the human world. Mackie would give anything to live among us, to practice on his bass or spend time with his crush, Tate. But when Tate's baby sister goes missing, Mackie is drawn irrevocably into the underworld of Gentry, known as Mayhem. He must face the dark creatures of the Slag Heaps and find his rightful place, in our world, or theirs......(Goodreads)

Review

When we believe in something…that belief breeds power, it gives voice to overcome scary things or to the unseen eye in Gentry, it gives protection against the lively underworld beneath them. The people's belief makes the ground sacred and in certain aspects gives them the power to fight unknowingly. Along with it the power of their fear spreads and whispers to unseen things. Bumps in the night become the bogeyman in the closet and dark places that contain hidden things gain more control and become more powerful. While the people in Gentry remain silent and no one speaks of “them” they all know what lurks underneath and the price for their silence is high.Maybe they are holding on to the hope that not talking about it or ignoring it will change the situation. As the seven year mark of bloodletting arises and one child go's missing no one stands up and no one questions why. But, there is one boy, one who will make a difference and turn the Underworld upside down.

Mackie lives with his family, he is well loved…but different. For one he’s allergic to iron and blood and over the past 15 years has been slowly dying. Being a replacement child from the underworld makes Mackie a bit of an outcast, but with the love of his sister and best friend Roswell, he remains under the radar and maintains a quiet life and able to stay somewhat healthy. When a local baby is stolen and it happens to be the little sister of the girl Mackie loves, he begins to question the way of the underworld. Perhaps its time for things to change, perhaps he’s the one who needs to change things…and perhaps the whole town will pay the price good or bad for speaking out.

For me, this book was like stepping into a creepy Tim Burton movie but more so one of acceptance. Told through the first person account of Mackie I felt outside of the "Fae" aspect, the story was about Mackie longing to fit in. I think he wanted to be normal, he wanted to go to church with his family, a place of consecrated ground he couldn't walk on, he wanted to be a part of the world without the sickness and grief of metals and iron. I think he wanted to belong more than anything and ultimately chose his family and friends to show us the quiet strong hero he could be.Only proving that its always the unsuspecting person who truly makes a difference. Beautifully Creepy, with rock and roll poetics, a dark and dreary read full of haunting writing and tremendous debut talent……I loved it!!

Rating

The Replacement is recommended to mature teens (16& up) and adults. Contains: Violence, murder, mild sexuality including references to various degrees of dress from a guys pov, language, teen drinking and some frightening elements.

4.5/5- YA-Paranormal-Faeries