Review: Envy

by Gregg Olsen
publisher: Splinter
date published: August 23, 2011
format: ARC
pages: 352
source: LibraryThing Early Reviewers
Amazon / Goodreads / B&N

From Goodreads:

Murder is such a dirty word…New York Times bestselling adult true crime author Gregg Olsen makes his YA debut with EMPTY COFFIN, a gripping new fiction series for teens based on ripped-from-the-headlines stories…with a paranormal touch.
Crime lives--and dies--in the deceptively picture-perfect town of Port Gamble (aka “Empty Coffin”), Washington. Evil lurks and strange things happen--and 15-year-olds Hayley and Taylor Ryan secretly use their wits and their telepathic “twin-sense” to uncover the truth about the town's victims and culprits.
Envy, the series debut, involves the mysterious death of the twins' old friend, Katelyn. Was it murder? Suicide? An accident? Hayley and Taylor are determined to find out--and as they investigate, they stumble upon a dark truth that is far more disturbing than they ever could have imagined.
Based on the shocking true crime about cyber-bullying, Envy will take you to the edge--and push you right over.

What I Thought

Envy has an entirely different feel when compared to other YA novels of its kind. The narrator's voice differed in that it was a third person omniscient point of view, with the viewpoint coming across almost as though the story is being told by detective or someone else in such a field. That coupled with the descriptions of the mysterious watcher at the beginning made for a unique reading experience that kept me guessing the entire time.

Though it possesses a paranormal flavor, Envy is, first and foremost, a mystery novel. It is based upon a well-known internet bullying case that occurred a few years ago, though the story has enough of a plot twist to still be able to take you by surprise, even if you do recognize the case in question. The addition of the psychically gifted Ryan twins, Hayley and Taylor, made for a riveting read that kept me on the edge of my seat and, at times, my hospital bed. Yes, everyone, it was so interesting that I couldn't put it down as I waited in the hospital's ER while waiting for someone to check out my shoulder. I guess for that I should thank Gregg Olsen for keeping me distracted from a very painful morning.

I loved the setting for this book. Port Gamble, a place along the coast of Washington known for its folklore regarding empty coffins and instances of tragedy, was an excellent backdrop for the goings-on of Envy. It came across as a bleak, sleepy town with just enough spookiness to add an edge of foreboding to the story. I could easily picture the places described as I read the story and tried to piece together the mystery at hand. It made for a thrilling read and wouldn't have been out of place as a fall evening kind of read.

The only aspect of Envy that I wasn't so sure about was the frequently alternating points of view. The omniscient narrator mentioned earlier tended to jump from person to person and setting to setting fairly often, making keeping up with the plot a bit difficult, at times. If there is the smallest distraction, you may find yourself needing a reminder as to whose experience you are reading about. However, the chance to see the events through the eyes of so many characters does come in handy and definitely adds to the framework of the story. It is definitely worth keeping track of who saw what, as well as what they thought. The plot is made all the more detailed through these characters and the observations that they are able to share.

Overall, I really enjoyed my time reading Envy. It was an excellent way to shake things up with my reading and added a new author to my "books to look for" category. I look forward to seeing what the Ryan twins have in store for us in future installments. I give Envy 4 hoots.






Obligatory legal statement: This ARC was provided to me free of charge via Library Thing Early Reviewers. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.