Sunday, March 11, 2012

Review ~ GRAFFITI MOON, by Cath Crowley

Graffiti Moon
Senior year is over, and Lucy has the perfect way to celebrate: tonight, she's going to find Shadow, the mysterious graffiti artist whose work appears all over the city. He's out there somewhere—spraying color, spraying birds and blue sky on the night—and Lucy knows a guy who paints like Shadow is someone she could fall for. Really fall for. Instead, Lucy's stuck at a party with Ed, the guy she's managed to avoid since the most awkward date of her life. But when Ed tells her he knows where to find Shadow, they're suddenly on an all-night search around the city. And what Lucy can't see is the one thing that's right before her eyes. ~ From GoodReads

It's a quest. Lucy, Jazz, and Daisy have just finished high school and are looking for adventure. Lucy is out to finally meet Shadow, a brilliant and elusive graffiti artist. Jazz, Lucy's best friend and psychic, simply wants an adventure to remember, but as long as she out, she's up for meeting Poet, Shadow's partner in art. Tagging along is Daisy, whose boyfriend Dylan knows Shadow and Poet. Daisy and Dylan are maybe/kind of broken up (because he threw eggs at her!) and Dylan is determined to win her back before the night is over. Dylan's friends Ed and Leo, always game, are also along for the ride. Leo and Jazz have some serious chemistry. And as for Lucy and Ed...that's a long and painful story. But as the night goes on, Lucy learns that just maybe, what she is searching for is actually in plain sight.

If I let myself, I could totally go nuts with this review. I would go on and on about every little thing I loved about GRAFFITI MOON; the dialogue, the narrative, the brilliant, overlapping points of view between Lucy, Ed and Poet, the way author Cath Crowley uses art as a tool to explain the characters...
But I'm going to dial it back on the fan-girling and keep it short and simple.

The characters in GRAFFITI MOON, the narrative that is given to them is among the best I've read. The are dead funny. I literally had to put my book down several times while I laughed at the ridiculously honest things they would say to one another. The scenarios in which Lucy would get herself into made the awkward girl in me love her so much. I mean, how many times has one of us freaked out and thrown an elbow or a fist? I know I have. Or how many times have we been so upset or frightened that we need to stop and throw up? Again, I have. And even though the characters get a bit dramatic, they're just real. Absolutely no angst going on here.

And even as funny as the characters are, there are some serious things going on in GRAFFITI MOON, as well. Learning disabilities, shame, broken hearts, broken families,  poverty... these are just a few of the issues that are touched on. The art is fueled by the inner turmoil of the characters. The author explains their longing and desperation in such a heart-slamming way that I ached for them. Ed is one of the most heartfelt, endearing characters that I've ever read.  When I would read his narrative, I would think of him as a firefly, trapped in a glass jar. He is fueled by brilliance, but trapped, longing for a way out.

This is the first book by author Cath Crowley that I've had the pleasure to read. She is truly remarkable. I loved how the chapters narrated by Poet were in verse, which is becoming a favorite of mine. The use of artistic works as a metaphor for the characters was perfection. You do not need to be an artist or educated in the visual arts to understand the subtleties. But I promise you, you will come out of GRAFFITI MOON with a serious appreciation for it.

I loved every page of GRAFFITI MOON. I loved the adventure, the search. I love books/movies in which a character is in search of  a person or party or object and doesn't even realize that what they've been looking for, they've actually been looking at the entire time. I don't often say this, but this story actually made me want to go back and be a seventeen year old girl again for just one night. The sense of promise, that anything can happen on this very night, well... it's a feeling I long for every now and then. But I'll settle for living for that moment through beautiful books. And GRAFFITI MOON did that for me.


Favorite Quote(s):

"We'll meet and click and sit up all night and everything will tip out of me and into him and the other way around and while we're tipping the night will fade and the world will get pink and in that pinkness he'll kiss me." (pg. 104)

"I stand behind her, watching her watching my work. I feel like I'm shedding skin, feel like if she turns she'll see a skeleton man behind her and then she'll know. (pg. 143)


Hardcover, 272 pages
Published February 14th 2012 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
You can purchase GRAFFITI MOON at:
Source: Won in a giveaway not affiliated w/the author or publisher.

21 comments:

  1. Oh YAY! You loved it too! I loved the crazy night Lucy had searching for Shadow! I too long for those days *sigh* of high school and finding parties. The book also had such deep emotions too. I loved the alternating POVs. I laughed when Lucy kept telling Ed she would sleep with Shadow and then his corresponding thoughts made me chuckle. I know nothing about art but even those parts were beautiful and easily understandable. It was a great read and I have just recently picked up another one of her books but haven't had a chance to read it yet.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I thought the book was so effing brilliant. I just can't even...

      You must let me know what you think about this other book. I'm dying to read more from Crowley!

      Delete
  2. This is a great review, Andrea! I love books that make me feel like a kid again. :-)

    And I love your blog's new look, by the way! Beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I so want to read this book. Since I first heard about it I have wanted to, and every review I read makes me want it even more. Awesome review babe!! I really need to get this book.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yea, get it! I really think you would love it, Amy.

      Delete
  4. I've been meaning to read this book for a while, thanks for this lovely review! Since my love for contemporaries has been rekindled recently, I really need to read it soon. :)

    Agnieszka @ Nook of Books

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow! If you liked this that much I think I'll have to check out these books.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Lovely review. I've seen nothing but great things about this one and this has added another to that list. I'll have to make sure that this one gets moved up the list.
    Shellie @ Creative Reads

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Shellie.I cant wait to see what you think!

      Delete
  7. This is next for me after I finish what I'm reading currently! I'm really nervous about the whole verse thing, but we'll see how it goes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There's very little verse. I wish there was more. It was beautiful.

      Delete
  8. This sounds great! I love multi-POV books, esp when the chapters and characters feed off one another. Thanks for sharing your review!

    ReplyDelete
  9. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  10. You toooooo! Oh my, everyone raves and raves about this book. I've had it for months and I don't know why I haven't picked it up before now, but after seeing this review, I think I will have to do so soon. I'm so glad you loved it, Andrea. :)

    Wendy @ The Midnight Garden

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Please read it soon. I cant wait to see what you think!_

      Delete
  11. I want to read it!!! :-) Sounds completely awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I keep hearing how friggen great this book is.. Honestly, I had no desire to read it really until now. The description just doesn't do it for me for some reason. Your review makes me really want to read it..

    Now I'm not just saying that because I want to get all Munchy on your carpet (I really do). you make this book appeal to me.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I thought I posted on this too, but guess I didn't. :) I really want this. maybe we just talked about it on the twittah

    ReplyDelete

Comments are bloggy food. Feed me!

Recent Post