Friday, December 7, 2012

READ-A-THON! X-It by Jane George: Chapter 7-9 “Let’s hear it for backstory!”

*THIS POST CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR THE BOOK

Check out the intro postthe first post, and the second post of this Read-A-Thon!

Disclaimer: This book contains some descriptions of sexual nature (that only adds to the plot and characterization, if I may add).

Here's what X-It is about:

Genre: Young Adult
Pages: 210
Publication Date: Mar 26, 2012
Website: Jane George | X-It on Goodreads

Synopsis:


LOVE IS A DRUG.


In 1980 NYC, eighteen-year-old J.J. Buckingham is an uptight trendoid. Working as a mannequin painter and a counter girl, she moonlights as a creature of the nightclubs. J.J. falls for aloof, crazy-talented artist and bicycle messenger X-It. In order to win his love, she succumbs to the dark machinations of drug dealer Marko Voodoo. X-It will love her if she’s the queen of underground Manhattan, right? Her plan backfires with horrendous consequences. Can J.J. find her way out of a maze of drugs, clubs, and danger?


In Chapter 7-9...

J.J. is still annoyed with her apartment being occupied by people she has been running away from. She decided to take a trip back to her hometown, traveling partway with X-It.

My thoughts

J.J. is getting even more and more interesting, if that’s even possible. I may even have to do a character study on this girl if I have the time! She’s a contradiction to herself; she wants to do things and thinks about them always, but never gets to doing them.

What’s funny is that, usually, I would jump to the conclusion that such a character is either indecisive or weak, but with J.J, I never lose hope in her (although I still feel she could have handle the house residence problem more firmly). Maybe it’s the language she uses, or the different things that she notices, but in any case, kudos to the author for the amazing characterization!

I was just thinking about how contradictory J.J. is when her backstory was revealed. I've been waiting for this, and I think it explains a lot, especially why she half wants to be a rebel, yet still knows what is right and what is wrong. It is not completed yet (I think we still have 2 chapters or so before she comes back), and I hope the next chapters will cast even more lights on why J.J. is like who she is right now.

We actually see J.J. and X-It bonding in these chapters, instead of just hearing J.J. talk about it. It was a beautiful sight to read, and I’m sure I was swooning when I reach this:



X-It and I spend the night propped against each other in hard plastic chairs at the bus station. He doesn't mind because the image we make fits some kind of cinematic idea he has in his head.

Now that I mentioned that, let’s talk more about X-It (after all, the novel is named after him, isn’t it?). 


You know how in movies, there would be a guy going on a boring-as-hell life, and BANG, a girl who is everything his life is not, runs straight into him? I personally think X-It is just like that to J.J. He is not the perfect boyfriend, who is sensitive and caring and sweet, but he has all this whimsical ideas going on in his head, it seems as if he’s always on edge. He completes her AND fits her, and I do hope they somehow end up together. 


That seems too much to hope for in this kind of story, though, so I’m just gonna cross my finger that they remain just as they are now. Because I seriously need more scenes like this:



X-It pushes up the armrest, “Can I lay on you?” 
Without hesitation, I extend my hands and gather him into my arms.

Feverishly waiting for more backstory!Don't forget to comment on your thoughts about the book!

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