Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier || Well What Did I Expect?

My first book review on this blog! In fact, this is my first review of any kind on this blog. I'm pretty happy to be finally starting this. I finally finished something so I can review it!

I came by this book via recommendation. A friend of mine thought I'd love it, because it has to do with history, and time travel. Well that's an obvious way to suck me in because I LOVE BOTH THOSE THINGS. Glorious, right?

Let's just say, I came in with no expectations.

...

Who am I kidding, I always come into a book with expectations. It's how I live.

I came into this series hoping for the best. The synopsis actually holds a lot of promise. Like a serious amount of promise. But unfortunately the book didn't deliver as well as possible. I have a lot of issues with this book, but never the less, it completely sucked me in. It was obviously an easy read, and was just good enough to keep me turning the pages. I suspect I'll come to like it better once I've finished the trilogy.

I want to like this book a whole lot. But unfortunately it wasn't really all that great. It was enough to suck me in, I won't deny that. But there are so many things I would have changed. Yes, it's a children's book. But it's the mark of a good children's book that adults can also enjoy it as well.

I'm mostly going to go over the characters, because that's where my biggest problem lies.

Gwen

~ You are actually an annoying, uncultured twit ~

Usually you are supposed to love a main character. Often related to them. They're funny, lovable, and should have a proper character arch that makes it impossible to not love them. Unfortunately, Gwen is a disaster. I can't relate to her at all! She has a complete disregard for history. Like yes, I suppose I know more about history than the average Joe, but she crosses a line for me.

Gwen is furiously dim witted, and is just like other girls. Yes, this was even mentioned by Gideon in the book. He thinks she is just like other girls, giggling all the time, obsessed with celebrities, always criticizing other girls, watching popular movies all the live long day, etc. Well Gideon, you speak the truth. Even though Gwen tries to defend herself, it is in vain. She truly is boring and just like everyone else.

Though I'll admit, her ability to speak with ghosts is pretty cool. Even if no one really believes her except Lesley.

Not to mention the fact that she is... well. An idiot. I'm sorry Gwen, but it's true. As the adults all talk about time travel, and events that even I as the reader don't fully understand yet, she just sat there and didn't understand a word. In fact, throughout the book she states multiple times, "I had no idea what they were talking about."

ARE YOU KIDDING ME.

Okay, I'll take a moment to acknowledge that this book is geared towards thirteen-year-olds. Yes, I am a full grown adult. But you know what? I don't like stupid characters. I'm sorry. But if I, as the reader, can understand much of what they're saying, then Gwen should have, at the very least, had a slight idea as to what they're talking about. But no. She continues to be annoying, and I fully agree with Gideon. You go man.

Charlotte 

~ Basically the person I aspire to be/who I wish was the main character ~

I started the book thinking, "ah, snotty relative. A character for both the protagonist and reader to hate to bring them closer." Yet here I am wishing she was the main character.

First off, I get the idea of writing a character who isn't all prepared for time travel. Makes it more relatable to other people, and gives you a reason to over explain obvious things in order to teach more on history. But you know what I would like better? A story about a girl who's been trained all her life to fit into the past in preparation for time travel. A girl who has conflictions about trusting her parents and the lodge because, whatddya know, pretty sure Lucy and Paul are gonna be the good guys here.

Charlotte actually is interesting, in comparison with Gwen. She has training and knows the secrets of time travel, her family is fawning over her all the time which could be played over in different ways. Basically, I just really wish she was the protagonist instead of her ridiculous cousin.

Gideon

 ~ I feel like we would be besties ~

It's dead obvious that Gideon and Gwen will be together by the end of the series. So of course they're going to start out hating each other.

The reasons why they hate each other are pathetic, to be honest. Gwen hates Gideon because he's a jerk to her (which is true, get it together bro). Gideon hates Gwen because she's a boring cliche and gets in the way (entirely true, but doesn't excuse your attitude young man). Yet through there evident disgust of each other, Gwen is still very in awe of how "handsome" he is, and even though Gideon is obviously in love with Charlotte, he's a backstabbing cheat because he's always checking Gwen out (you creep) and *spoiler* they kiss at the end of the book.

Which may I say, it was the most RANDOMLY PLACED KISS I have ever read. Seriously, there were still hating each other when suddenly, they're flirting. Next second kissing. Boom, end of the book. What. Just. Happened.

Never the less, I feel like without Gwen (or if Gwen was a minor character) Gideon would be my favorite character. Mostly because he's very knowledgeable about the past, which I'm into, but he holds that very high in his line of work. As well he should. I cannot stand Gwen's disregard for keeping this historically accurate and not drawing attention to themselves. Gideon understands the importance of keeping time in tact. Thank you sir.

Count Saint-German

 ~ More like Count Saint-Ger-Lame ~

If he's supposed to be scary, then he's failing. If he's supposed to end up being the villain, the setup is mediocre. If he's supposed to be, at the very least, an intimidating character, the author fell flat on her face in mud trying.

Because I actually know rich people, I have very high standards for the "mysterious and powerful" characters. Like, really high standards. I've been around them. I know how they walk, talk, sit, stand. It actually is different, and quite fascinating to observe.

Not to mention that, next to a properly done psychopath, those are my favorite types of characters. So before the characters met him, I was like, "yes, this character sounds interesting." Then I met him. He was sad. I felt no power radiating from him. No precision, which is key to those types of characters. Then to top it off, he had a blatant show of power my freaking out Gwen. Bad move sir. That's not how you do it.

I'm not saying there's only one way to write these types of characters. I'm just saying the way Germain was written wasn't the right way.

Plus, Boris Kuester von Jurgens-Ratenicz is the perfect portrayal of that type of character. So my expectations raised impossibly high after binging the entirety of Royal Pains because #BORIS

Finally, here are the characters barely worth mentioning, but worth just a bit of my time.

Lesley: #stereotypicalbestfriend
Aunt Maddy: Whyyyyy would you make this annoying character
All the Adults in Present Day: You don't sound like adults, you should like children and are poorly written
James the Ghost: Can I please have an entire series about you?
Madame Rossini: Stop calling Gwen a "swan-necked beauty" it's creepy and you're just all around annoying
Rakoczy: I want him to be the villain because #notlamelikegermain


As for the rest of the novel, I found the story to be enticing enough. The mystery behind the chronograph, the circle of twelve, and all that. The terms were cliche through and through, but it still managed to suck me in enough. I can see basically everything coming a mile away, expect what the secret of the chronograph is. That one I've yet to figure out.


Rated PG for mild language (damn, hell)