The Suite Life of the Young and the Restless, as I've been calling it, isn't quite what I was expecting when I first picked it up. I was under the impression that it would be a bit more mystery and not so much drama but, that being said, it was still an engaging read to say the least. Many have been comparing it to shows like Gossip Girl which, admittedly, I'm not a fan of. Still, there's a lot about the book that can be talked about so let's dive right in.
The Tower in New York City in the year of 2118 is a city within a city. The foundations and lower floors consist of lower class workers while the upper floors consist of snobby socialites and dirty, scandalous secrets. It is within this high-tech world that all shares the same roof, that five teens are living their own stories. Leda, Watt, Eris, Rylin, and Avery all live complicated lives and when you live the high life, sometimes you fall.
Each of the five stories, or rather the five characters you follow in this book, are just what drama fans will be looking for. Apparently, a hundred years from now, the legal drinking age will be lowered to 18 and so these high schoolers will be free to indulge and make poor decisions at their leisure. There's also a lot of complicated details tangling their individual worlds together. Two girls love the same guy, one gets spied on by another, one's ex is now interested in someone else, and that kind of thing. While it is interesting following the events that eventually tie all these characters together, I can't help but feel it is a little convenient at times. Thousands of people living in this building-world you've got going on and you just happen to run into the ex-boyfriend of an emotional wreck who just dumped a hot chick and is looking for a rebound? Hm, I say.
While these people are the types you generally can spot in any teen drama, they are pretty well developed. Avery is genetically altered to be perfect and has a decidedly not perfect crush on the worst person possible. Leda is attempting to balance her life after getting back from rehab. Eris is the local slut whose life has suddenly turned upside-down. Watt is a hacker who stumbles into a world he's not ready to handle. Rylin is the working-class girl with the upperclass boyfriend who showers her with gifts and the occasional trip abroad. While some of the things these people go through are a little far-fetched at times, I'll admit that the reactions of the characters are realistic. For partying teenagers, some of them can behave pretty rationally...except when they're supposed to be irrational and that works pretty well too, I guess.
Now, there are a couple of things in this book that will...bother people. I hinted that one of the characters has an inappropriate crush and...yeah, it's pretty inappropriate. While it doesn't go that far it is enough to be kinda squicky...just not overly squicky. I can't really say much more without spoiling it so...read it if you're really curious. There's also stealing, hacking, drug-use, sex, and all kinds of stuff that minors really shouldn't be doing but it fits with the tone that the book is going for. Teenagers do stupid things sometimes, this is life. And seeing as life in this world literally takes place miles in the air...yeah, things can get pretty crazy.
Final Verdict
The substance in this book is well done but the style is just not my cup of tea. That being said, it is not a bad book in the slightest. It's engaging, the characters are realistic, and the drama is overflowing but not ridiculous. If it sounds to your liking, please go ahead and read it, but I'd wait for it on paperback.
Have you read the book? What did you think? Comment below and share your thoughts. Please make sure to Follow Midnight Readings for instant updates. Have a book you'd like me to read or would like to make a recommendation? Contact me on goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/65448711-michelle-beer
Next Time: Drink up, me ladies, yo ho....
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