Teeth: Review by Malissa

Guest Review by Malissa

Title:  Teeth
Author: Hannah Moskowitz
Publisher:  Simon Pulse
Publication Date:  January 2013
Source:  Borrowed from library
Rating: 4 stars

~ The Scoop from Goodreads ~

A gritty, romantic modern fairy tale from the author of Break and Gone, Gone, Gone.

Be careful what you believe in.

Rudy’s life is flipped upside-down when his family moves to a remote island in a last attempt to save his sick younger brother. With nothing to do but worry, Rudy sinks deeper and deeper into loneliness and lies awake at night listening to the screams of the ocean beneath his family’s rickety house.

Then he meets Diana, who makes him wonder what he even knows about love, and Teeth, who makes him question what he knows about anything. Rudy can’t remember the last time he felt so connected to someone, but being friends with Teeth is more than a little bit complicated. He soon learns that Teeth has terrible secrets. Violent secrets. Secrets that will force Rudy to choose between his own happiness and his brother’s life.

 

This is the first of this author's books I've read, and I really liked it. It's gritty, and very real. The characters feel very real to me. Rudy just came to life for me as did his relationship with his little brother. I loved that relationship! And no, I'm not going to say much about what the book is about (I usually don't anyway) because I hate to give away more than the publisher's description does, and because anything I could describe it as might pigeonhole it in an unfair way. Read the description. It will sound weird. It is. And that totally works. It's not a simple book, and is unlike most I've read. 

Yes, I feel a bit like I'm just rambling here, so let me say this: Teeth is what I would call magical realism, would appeal equally to boys and girls as well as realistic and paranormal fans, is about family, and love (but not romance), and a little magic, and sacrifice (isn't love always?), and the cost of living. 

The only caution I would give is that it has quite a bit of language that might make some younger teen readers uncomfortable and deals some with rape (but that's not the theme nor is it an "issue book"). I'd say it's best for highschool readers, and would make a good discussion book for a teen book group. A definite win. I'll give another of Moskowitz's books a try sometime soon.

Have you read it? What'd you think?

Smiles, 
B & M