I thought it was realistic and unfair that her parents would suddenly put restrictions on Sydney to avoid the same thing happening again. The most interesting thing about this book (in my opinion) was the way Sydney was treated by her parents after Peyton's conviction.
It was honestly quite hard to pity her and I had to roll my eyes when the legal stuff put strain on funds and they had to sell the beach house they never used anyway (boo freaking hoo). Then the camera turns to Sydney, who has to deal with the subsequent horror of overprotective parents and concerned friends. The story begins with Sydney's brother - Peyton - being sent to jail for crippling a boy while drunk-driving. Maybe it's because I've recently read books about people who are starving, discriminated against, consumed by grief, but I found it hard to be worried what would happen to a pretty, wealthy girl with loving parents and good friends.
But I just didn't feel much concern for Sydney or Peyton. Perhaps it will appeal more to readers who genuinely enjoy quiet stories about everyday people. Saint Anything needs a good shot of drama, angst, tragedy or something in order to be more than an exercise in good character writing. Very few authors manage this to the extent that Dessen does.īut where is the hook? Where is the drive to keep turning pages to find out what will happen to Sydney? To Peyton? To Mac and Layla? It's so so tame. Every character is complex and developed, complete with likes, dislikes, aspirations, hopes and quirks that make them uniquely themselves. The narrative flows smoothly and the everyday dialogue feels realistic - she captures the "voice" of teenage girls very well. I'm rating up on this one because it's hard to deny that Dessen is a competent writer.
But I finally decided to cast aside my reservations and try this - a great writer can make any story interesting, right? Saint Anything is my first Sarah Dessen book, which may have been a mistake, but all I know is that this book is a perfect example of how to write great, natural dialogue, fleshed-out characters and relationships, and never once make me feel a single emotion.ĭespite reading praise after praise about Sarah Dessen, I admit I've avoided her work because her stories just do not sound very compelling.
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