Thursday, August 4, 2011

Dangerous Neighbors by Beth Kephart –NOT RECOMMENDED

Kephard, Beth Dangerous Neighbors, 192 pgs. EgmontUSA, 2010. $12.40. Language-G, Violence-G; Sexual Content-PG.
Katherine is full of grief at the loss of her twin Anne. Through various flash backs we see the better times in their relationship, when the sisters were best friends. We also see how they grow apart, much to Katherine’s dismay, when Anne begins to secretly date a neighborhood baker. Throughout this we find Katherine wandering, grief stricken, through her city, where the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition is occurring.
I failed to buy into Katherine’s grief because she was so pathetic. Even though there were lovely descriptions of the events going on in the city, I was so annoyed at being along for the ride with the main characters gloom, I couldn’t enjoy the scenery. I think students will check out within pages. The only thing that kept me going was to find out how Anne actually died and to find out more about 'dangerous neighbors' -yawn. Though the plot probably led to something redeeming about the nature of love and grief, I was so numbed by the whole drab experience, that those lessons were lost on me.
MS –NOT RECOMMENDED Reviewer: Stephanie MLS graduate.

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