McCafferty, Megan. Thumped. 304 p. 2012. Balzer + Bray. Hardcover $17.99. ISBN 9780061962769.
Last year, Megan McCafferty introduced the satirical dystopian world of Bumped, in which teen pregnancy is revered and two long-lost twin sisters become victims of society's out-of-whack ideals. (Read my review of Bumped.)
The plot of Thumped picks up right where Bumped left off and charges full steam ahead without an obvious rehash of the previous volume. If you're hazy on the details of Bumped, the first few chapters of this sequel might be a little confusing, but McCafferty smoothly weaves in the details of the first book as the story progresses.
Like its predecessor, Thumped is satire, with moments of laugh-out-loud humor, but sometimes the plot and characters seem a little scattered. There's a lot going on, and some of the secondary storylines (like: what's going on between Zen and Ventura Vida?) felt underdeveloped and didn't add anything to the book's main plot. I found Bumped hilarious, smart, and unexpected, whereas Thumped doesn't necessarily bring anything new to the table. At the same time, it's definitely a fun read, and it ends with a positive message.
Bottom line: if you liked Bumped, you'll enjoy Thumped. I liked it!
Thumped will be available in bookstores everywhere on April 24. ARC for review kindly picked up for me at ALA Midwinter by my friend Lalitha of Masala Reader.
I still need to read Bumped sadly. I met Megan last year at BEA and she was amazing and I feel so sad I've put this series off way too long.
ReplyDeleteI think maybe you've waited till the perfect time to read both books, actually-- I have a feeling Thumped stands stronger if it's read right on the heels of Bumped. I enjoyed both books so much, but my general feeling is that they could very well have been one long book instead of two. So read them together and enjoy!
DeleteI would love to meet Megan McCafferty- she seems like so much fun. Lucky you!
What a great ending to such an innovative beginning. Thumped really did Bumped justice. Not only are loose ends tied up, romances rekindled and a revolution started, but it's all completed in the same sassy and satirical narratives of twins Harmony and Melody. Can't wait for more from this author.
ReplyDeleteMariz
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