Faye Kellerman's Peter Decker is one of my favorite detectives. I have loved him since I first met him, and his lovely wife, Rina, while I was driving alone to Stone Harbor, NJ. I enjoy her husband, Jonathan's books as well. I usually only like men mystery authors but in the case of the Kellermans, I prefer Faye to Jonathan, though I never miss a book by either author. If Faye is an A, Jonathan is an A-, that's how awesome they are. Double Homicide, a book containing two short novels by Mr. and Mrs. was a serious treat. When I saw Prism on the YA shelf in the library I thought WAY COOL! Prism is written by Faye and the Kellermans' daughter Aliza who is a junior in high school. I really like the premise of the book- three high school students get into a serious accident in the California desert on their way to a school field trip. They struggle their way into a cave and fall deep down into it. The next morning when they wake up, they find themselves back in their old, safe world-- but something is very weird. Things are just a little bit off. The first clue that they aren't in Kansas anymore comes when Kaida, the main character, sees a man being hit and killed by a car. Bystanders just look the other way and a "clean-up" crews throws the dude into a van and drives off. No one seems bothered by this at all, they just find it kind of gross. I am about half way through the book and I want it to be over. Its not bad, its just not as magical as I thought it could be, given that Faye Kellerman is involved and that the premise is so good. I am not going give up on the book though, it isn't that bad. More importantly I won't give up on Aliza Kellerman.I remember when her older brother, Jesse started publishing his own works. His first book, Sunstroke was like this one, an interesting premise, but sluggish. But his second, Trouble and his third, The Genius, were excellent page-turners. I would think that the Kellerman gene for writing is inside Aliza as well and I look forward to seeing what else she has to offer.
SOOOOOOOO
I finished Prism this morning and I have to say that it ended smartly and made me wanting a sequel! It really seemed to pick up the pace after the first 100 pages. The end redeemed it all for me and makes it a book worth recommending for sure. Now I am even more excited about reading more from this Kellerman.
SPOILER!
One of the funniest things about this book was the hilarious ending. I am not sure it was meant to be hilarious but I bet it was. Either way, I laughed out loud. The premise of the whole book is that Kaida and her friends fall through some kind of hole and end up a world exactly like the one they came from-- except there is no concept of health care. No medicines, no doctors, nurses, 911, nothing. You break something, too bad. You get sick and don't just get better, sorry. It a whole "natural order" of things kind of deal. Well at the end of the book Kaida and her friends find their way home...so it seems...but....Kaida wakes up in the hosptial right? There are doctors and nurses, meds, etc. She and her friends are going to be okay! Everything is normal! But the last sentences of the book are Kaida asking her mom how long she will be in the hospital and her mom replying, "As long as it takes for you to heal."
HILARIOUS!
Kaida and her friends sure as heck didn't end up in TODAY'S US of A! Just as someone who has had out-patient brain or heart surgery (no lie, it happens more than you think.)
This ending was so clever! I loved it! And I hope to hear from more Aliza Kellerman soon!
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