The Replacement

Reader: Meghan K
Age: 16
Title: The Replacement
Author: Breanna Yovanoff
Publisher: Razorbill
Pub Date: 9/21/10
Galley: Yes
Recommend: Yes
Convince us to read the book: 17 years ago, something stole Malcolm Doyle from his crib and left something else in his place. In the present day, Mackie, the thing that replaced Malcolm, is just trying to get through high school and maybe score with Alice, a girl in his class.
Compelling Aspect of the Book: I liked this book. I really did. It took classic Irish mythology and made it suitably modern and unique while still being recognizable. It was a little jarring to see some of the terminology changed ('replacement' in for 'changeling,' anyone?) but the book was good enough that I stopped noticing after a while. Mackie was very well-written. I wanted to know what would happen to him next, and how he would deal with the challenges thrown his way.
Were you disappointed with the book at all: I felt like the story was blatantly setting itself up for a sequel, but hey, what else is new? Also, as much as I liked Mackie, I thought a lot of his friends were kind of unrealistic. My biggest gripe was with Tate, his love interest. Her character just fell flat for me.
Cover: I liked this cover, eventually. I didn't like it when I first picked the book up, but once I read it, I liked it because of how well it reflects the contents.
Did you finish: Yes
Age Range: 14-18 and up
Quality: 4Q Better than most