Rage

Rage
By Jackie Morse Kessler
April 18 2011
228 pages (netgalley)

Summary: Missy is a cutter. It’s what she does to deal with all the built up emotion. It is how she handles her boyfriend dumping her, feeling lonely and people bullying her at school. Knowing that Missy has a tendency to destroy, Death shows up and provides her with an offer: be War, one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse. Deciding her life could use a little distraction, she takes it. But Missy wasn’t expecting to have to handle the world’s emotions. In order to balance out the world’s self-destruction, Missy must first try to figure out how to handle her own.

Review: The horseman concept is really intriguing and I’m glad that Kessler decided to continue with War. The pacing is rather fast, which makes the book feel much shorter than it actually is which results in a rather engrossing read. Missy wasn’t as captivating a character as Lis was in Hunger and some of the storyline seemed a little circular, but I still enjoyed her story. The bullying and the way that she was teased did add an element of honesty and was a heartbreaking addition to the story. Of course, the best character of both these books is Death. Kessler exceeded all expectations in Rage with this wonderful character.

Also by Jackie Morse Kessler: Hunger

If you liked Rage, you might also enjoy: Willow by Julia Hoban, Scars by Cheryl Rainfield and Grace by Elizabeth Scott

Additional Info: A portion of the proceeds from Rage will be donated to the organization To Write Love On Her Arms.

Author website: http://www.jackiemorsekessler.com/index.php

Rating:
Writing 3/4
Characters 3/4
Plot 3/4
Originality 4/4
Popularity 2.5/4
Cover 4/4
Grade Level Interest: JS