Critique

This book had beautiful descriptions, but they were often difficult to understand.  The book changed narrators with each chapter and was told mostly through flashbacks.  The switching of narrators and time periods made it difficult to follow.  The story was character-driven because it is told through stories of the characters.  We think that Anwell/Gabriel has a mental disorder, which seems like Dissociative Identity Disorder or Schizophrenia.  He has an alternate personality, which falls under Dissociative Identity Disorder, but he also interacts with his alternate personality, which is a characteristic of Schizophrenia.  We felt that this text might be confusing and a little disturbing for young adult readers.  We think that Hartnett was trying to show that the trauma of Gabriel’s abusive parents and accidentally killing his brother caused him to develop a mental disorder.  His friendship with Finegan, his alternate personality, was strong, but very unhealthy.  We think that this could show young adults the effects of being in an unhealthy friendship like Gabriel and Finegan.