ARA Review by M. D. Sanders of Roan

[M. D. Sanders]

[Following is an OnlineBookClub.org ARA Review of the book, Roan.]

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2 out of 5 stars

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In Roan, after odd encounters in a bar and at a fountain and the unfortunate death of his mother, a whiny teen is forced to undergo mysterious changes and discovers he isn't as human as he believed when he returns to their hometown- and spends much of the book complaining about how he just wants to be normal and fit in while strange things happen around and to him, triggered by fae and mythological beings, and made worse by the people around him repeatedly making dumb choices.

And I gave it 2 out of 5 stars, because I would not have finished it if I hadn't gotten it for the sake of reviewing- but because I did I forced my way to the end. I probably would've dropped it around halfway in, due to irritation, which would've given it two stars because I had otherwise found it enjoyable, but pushed to the finish to review it properly. Such usually ends up with me slightly increasing my rating as the plot kicks in and gets better, but in this case did the opposite: with the treatment of the love interest I went from finding it irritating to actively disliking it, which should've pulled it down to one star. However, by the end the underlying plot and finale restored it at least a little. Not enough to reach three stars where I would've finished it willingly and just not continued- there were far too many places I wanted to drop it- but I was at least brought back to only wishing I'd dropped it due to the underlying plot and world setting being interesting.

But here let me preface this with an apology: the irritation isn't necessarily due to poor technical writing skills, the author just hits way too hard on a few too many of my personal pet peeves. And the active dislike a matter of personal preference in how fantasy stories should end.

In which, I absolutely loved the setting and world-building and the way the author weaves together elements from indigenous American, Celtic, and Christian lore to produce a premise that feels both real and magical.

However:

The main character is just along for the ride, and I hated having to read a story about him. Basically everything happens to him or because of who he is, rather than- or even despite- his decisions.

And he whines about it. He's going through changes that make him effectively superhuman and instead of figuring out exactly what he's now capable of whinges on about how despite acting like a loner and choosing to avoid going to school to be in an around people his own age, just wants to fit in and be normal. Instead of being special and having supernatural abilities. Like seriously? Teens go around inventing mental labels just to pretend at being special and different on a daily basis: it's not only obnoxious but also unrealistic to have one complain and moan about discovering they're ACTUALLY special. I mean sure, right at the start when he starts changing due to a bad experience a little reluctance is normal, but you need to work through and get over it and get on with the story. Not still be moaning about it through the whole bloody thing.

Also, the main character is surrounded by mentor type people who actually know about what's going on and despite pretending to care about him willfully choose not to explain it fully even when asked, keeping him in the dark. Then as knowledge is slowly wrenched from their tight fisted grasp it only comes in tiny enigmatic chunks that hint at the truth instead of explaining things properly. OR they get annoyed when he makes decisions that go against what they never bothered to properly explain. (What? A couple of teenagers of the opposite sex who we practically slapped together and watched as they grew fond of and started dating each other and allowed to go out and about alone together did EXACTLY WHAT ONE WOULD EXPECT, to HEART WRENCHING, WORLD DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES, which we never bothered stopping nor properly warning them about? Better only explain after the fact what they caused and chastise HIM for it. Instead of themselves for letting it bloody happen.) Which is complete idiotic B.S., that I can only think a result of the author wanting to add an air of mystery for plot reasons while lacking the forethought to write it in a way that makes sense. Having characters obviously know but withhold important information about life changing events doesn't feel mysterious- it feels like they're jerking his (and the readers’) chain around for no reason when they could just explain so the poor guy at least has a bit of warning. Heck, he might have even stopped whining if they had and he could accept and brace himself for what was coming.

Oh, and the friend who knows (if not openly supports) that mc and his sister are dating, only to act all betrayed when they do what dating teens who are frequently left alone do? That's bloody dumb. At worst he would want them to keep it to themselves so he didn't have to think about it: unless he were portrayed as deeply, excessively traditional and overtly religious up to that point which he ISN'T, his reaction makes zero sense from consideration of an average modern teen's perception. And even then a realistic teen male reaction would more likely be to sock his friend and make up after getting a promise of honorable treatment out of him, not drag on acting all butthurt. It's his sister, not a love interest they were mutually attracted to with a stolen march- there was no betrayal involved and only an idiot wouldn't expect things to happen at some point. It reads like it was written by someone fifty years out of touch with how teenage guys act in modern society.

There's also a problem with the villains acting antagonistic for antagonism’s sake. Irrationally hating on the guy because the story needs people to start fights with him, without REALLY having any particular reason to hate on him. (Oh boo hoo, when we got possessed and involved with freaky fae stuff he cleaned off all the gore and watched over us instead of joining in. We should all hate and talk about what a weirdo HE is for doing it and drive him out of town?)

And there's the fact half the time the villains’ plot seems to move forward because everyone in town choose to act in stupid ways that actively aid such.

So... that's really about it. The writing isn't bad mechanically, the premise is solid, the underlying plot good, the world building GREAT, but the main character’s persistent limp noodle attitude and the active plot being driven by people interacting in dumb ways and making stupid decisions irritated me to the point I couldn't personally enjoy it. I just really hate his character type, and the plot tropes the novel plays on.

What'd be better in my mind? Reverse the initial character arc: after working through a swift moment of reluctance due to the unpleasant way it starts, have him at first thrilled and excited on learning about his abilities and heritage, with the mentor figures properly explaining what's going on and why it's important. Then he does something- something horrible and disgusting and against his original nature enough that he THEN changes his mind and rejects it. (Heck, the scene with the antagonist? Have him be the one that catches and devours, and give the others- and himself- actual reason to think him weird and inhuman.) Have the mentor figures properly warn him against/forbid him being romantically involved, and have him CHOOSE to ignore them and do it anyhow, sneaking out and dating secretly for love and rebellion after rejecting the change- only later to discover why they'd warned him when it was too late, but HAVE THE WARNING.

Heck, it would actually give the brother a reason to be upset, if instead of supporting the relationship it had been forbidden and done secretly behind everyone's backs.

And find a way for the villains to move the plot that DOESN'T rely on the entire town acting stupidly as possible and letting it happen. Heck it's not even in character, when they're not supposed to trust newcomers and strangers yet somehow take to the outsider doctor who's done things to make himself blatantly suspicious, along with the help of his allies’ overt intimidation, instead of a figure from their own history and lore.

And seriously, the entire arc with the love interest making THE DUMBEST POSSIBLE DECISIONS she could to put herself directly in harm's way without support she could've easily gotten or protection she actively abandoned? WHAT THE HELL. GET RID OF IT. Or at least have it FORCED on her, not an act of willing idiocy.

Only for what happened to her, after the arc ended? The specific event was wholly unnecessary. There you have my active dislike. Having horrific things happen to characters the reader has become attached to while the heroes are artificially rendered impotent to stop them just makes for unpleasant reading. While I personally felt her ultimate fate wholly unnecessary to the plot, if it truly had to be kept that way it could've just as easily been wrought with dignity, either swiftly and cleanly or a result of heroic sacrifice without the unpleasantries brought into it, or if not, had a means of undoing with a rescue and recovery as multiple beings seemed capable, instead of having it go the way it did.

Ugh.

By the end, the world setting and underlying plot had at least pulled me back enough to be interested in what would happen, especially when MC started to grow some agency at the very end, but there are too many times my irritation at the characters- or disgust at their treatment- would've made me drop it for my overall opinion to improve.

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