Review: Above by Leah Bobet

Title: Above

Author: Leah Bobet
Pages:  368
Publisher:  Scholastic
Genre:  Urban Fantasy
Release:  March 22nd 2012
Buy the Book at: Book Depository / Amazon

A gorgeous urban fantasy about dangers outside and in.

Matthew has always lived in Safe, a community hidden far beneath the pipes and tunnels of the city Above. The residents fled to Safe years before to escape the Whitecoats and their cruel experiments, and now Matthew is responsible for both the keeping of Safe’s stories and for Ariel—a golden-haired shapeshifter, and the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen. But one horrifying night, an old enemy murders Safe’s founder, Atticus, and the community is taken over by an army of shadows. Only Matthew, Ariel, and a handful of friends escape Above. Now they not only have to survive in a sunlit world they barely know, but they must unravel the mystery of the shadows’ fury and Atticus’s death. It’s up to Matthew to find a way to remake Safe—not just for himself and his family, but for Ariel, who’s again faced with the life she fled, and who needs him more than ever before.

An urban fantasy and a love story, Above is the breathtaking debut of an extraordinary new voice.

Once Upon a Time...

Once upon a time, there was a story written in a way I never read before. It was different, special, and unique. It was compelling and heart wrenching. It was a story exceptionally  well written... and it stole my heart.

Leah Bobet's first novel surprised me with a delightful story filled with feelings and powerful emotions. Above is a fable that, I must admit, took me a while to get into due to its unique writing style.  However, it is exactly the writing style that once I understood it, made me love this book so much. Above is told from Matthew's point of view. Yet, the narration is not like any other I have ever come across. Matthew is a teller, thus the story is told in storyteller style. While I tried to get to see the world through Matthew's eyes, I always found myself failing to get that connection and understanding between character and reader. It was later, when I finally realized that I was not supposed to get into Matthew's head at all, that my reading experience absolutely changed. I finally understood that I was actually supposed to keep quiet and just listen to what Matthew had to tell me. So I did.

Matthew was born in Safe, a place below Above where "monsters" shelter themselves from the people Above. One day, he found a beautiful and delicate bee-girl, Ariel, on the sewers near Safe. He took her with him to his place. He promised her he would never hurt her; He promised her she would always be safe. Then, the shadows came. They killed Atticus, the founder of Safe, and many others who lived there as well. Only Matthew, the sweet Ariel and a few others, made it out of Safe alive. They ran away from Safe, left the shadows behind and went up to Above.

I love how moving the story is as well as all the life reflections Bobet put into this tale. Above is a beautiful story that will certainly serve as a lesson  and inspiration to many readers. Leah Bobet's first novel went beyond my expectations and now I am eager to know what else she will put on the shelves next. If you haven't read this book yet, then I highly recommend you to pick it up. You will be greatly pleased with Leah Bobet's Above.

Above is a story of surviving, mistakes, love and lies. It is a story about the consequences of our actions and how just one little thing can change everything around us. It is a story about Monster-like people who by the inside are even more human than the normal people living above them. Above is a dark yet enchanting story where every word brights with mesmerizing beauty, even in its most heart-wrenching moments.

Leah Bobet's debut novel is a powerful and emotional tale that readers will certainly remember for a long time. Very recommended!

❤Thank very much to Scholastic Canada for sending me a copy of Above for review❤  


Visit Leah Bobet's website at http://www.leahbobet.com