Title: Wings

Author: Aprilynne Pike

Rating: 1/5

Reviewer: Analiese Jackson
This review could equally have been titled “perhaps the most ludicrous piece of “literature” I have ever read in my life”, simply because there is no other way to describe it. Touted as “a remarkable debut” by Twilight author, Stephenie Meyer, I’d have to say that the only thing remarkable about it is the fact that it got published in the first place. That, or the fact that I managed to not only read but finish this relentless piece of drivel.
You’re probably puzzled by this introduction and its scathing-ness. Well, let me tell you this: Wings is basically Twilight…but with faeries (yes, that’s ‘faeries’ with an ‘e’, just to give the book that little bit more mythological legitimacy). Laurel, the protagonist, is a less than ordinary 15 year old. Not only is she a vegan, but she’s lithe and pasty, regardless of how much sun she gets. What’s more, she’s been home schooled all her life and has no friends her age. Not one. When she moves to the town of Del Norte and begins to attend mainstream schooling, her life is turned upside down by her relationship with the intriguing David. Not to mention the fact that there seems to be some sort of supernatural growth coming out of her back…
You may ask yourself: “why is this book so abhorrent to you, you insensitive reviewer? Surely it’s just a whimsical story of young love where you have to suspend your disbelief for a bit to buy the fact that there are full-grown faeries walking among us. What’s so bad about that?” What’s so bad is that this story is so formulaic it teeters on the ridiculous. It essentially features everything that Twilight does: the Mortal/Mythical creature/less awesome mythical creature love triangle; your mysterious new setting (a town with questionable weather patterns) and a final chapter so open ended that it’s basically pleading for a least another two books before anything concrete is resolved. By the time I’d finished reading Wings, I felt as though a little part of my soul had died; the part that hoped that there was still some decent young adult fiction being produced for girls.

Apparently, Disney has bought the rights to this book and is intending to turn in into a film, with Miley Cyrus billed to take the role of the somewhat passive Laurel. Whilst this may excite young girls across the nation, I’d consider it just another reason not to even make eye contact with this book.