The Marvelous by Claire Kann
CW: fat-phobia, being buried alive, emotionally abusive parents, gaslighting/manipulation, dead parents, food insecurity, kidnapping, police interrogation, gun violence
5/5
I mostly stay away from books with more than 2 points of view, but I don't think it's a secret that I will read everything Claire Kann writes. I tend to have trouble keeping up with them or find it a little pretentious in rare cases. The books that won me over with more than 2 points of view are The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series by Ann Brashers, Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass, and now The Marvelous! This is an action-packed book that will please all puzzle-lovers. It's reminiscent of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Saw, and Big Brother, maybe even The Circle. The book does a good job of balancing the pace between high intensity and relaxing moments. I didn't want to put this book down and then wanted more when it was over. Sequel, please?
This book is told via threeish characters. Luna, the young, clever optimist. Nicole, the strong, independent actress. Stella, the outspoken homeschool student. These girls are three of six contestants in the Cruelest Jewel. Jewel is the founder of a social media app, The Golden Rule, that strives for honesty from its users and gives Jewel a chance to do something good with her mass fortune. She has carefully chosen the contestants of her game to tell a story. Her perspective is sprinkled into the book just when it needs it most, but otherwise, the Cruelest Jewel is shown through its participants and not its creator. Luna was picked because she looks up to Jewel like an idol. Alex is invited because Luna is. Nicole is picked because of her acting and her hesitancy toward Jewel. Stella is picked as the wildcard to keep things interesting. Harlow was chosen as a filler that would draw attention from the app users. And player 6 is a mystery you'll have to read to find out about.
I want to convince you all to read this book, but I really can't spoil much as the secrets and the twists are what drive this. Until you are finished, don't assume there won't be something else that comes along to shake things up. The characters in the story only have around 48 hours to play this game and they all have their own reasons to be there and motivation that they discover along the way. The characters are impulsive and realistic. Put aside the idea that you have to like all the important characters to like a story. Their personalities, even of the non-focus characters, shape the tale into a very exciting thing to read.
There are a number of things I appreciated that I am willing to divulge as they aren't spoilers. I loved the casual queer representation in the book and the acknowledgment that you don't need to know your label to know what you like. I also appreciated the effort to normalize therapy. As much as I feel like most avid readers are in therapy or would be if they could, I don't see it brought up a lot in books. I appreciate that the things I didn't like about the ending were realistic. I'd rather see an ending that isn't completely happy but makes sense than a super happy one that forces things. It's a signature move for Kann. I definitely appreciated the discussions of race, privilege, and money in an ensemble cast. Each character sees the world, the game, and the app in a different way.
I have mixed feelings about the audiobook format for The Marvelous. The game features an overarching riddle that gets repeated throughout, just when it's needed. I do not know if it does this on the page too, but I was very thankful for that. If I couldn't easily refer back to it, I would have been lost. I also really like the reader, Joniece Abbott-Pratt's voice. However, the voice did not change between different characters' chapters, so until I got to know the characters, it was difficult to keep track of who's chapter it was. There is also a scene with an Ouija board in which we got the letters, but they weren't repeated as the words they spelled. While I luckily had the means to write it down, not all listeners will be able to readily do that.
If you're looking for a fresh mystery novel that will keep you guessing at every turn, The Marvelous would be an excellent next read. Enjoy the themed rooms, birds, fun outfits, and more! And if this book leaves you needing a moment to process, come talk to me about it. You're in good company!
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