Red Hood
By: Elana K. Arnold
Red Hood: You run naked into the woods…
Me: Oh, I would never do that!
I think Red Hood finally made me understand my problem with the 2nd person You narrator. It takes me out of the story completely. You do this and you do that and I’m just sitting there with the book shaking my head thinking obviously you don’t know me very well.
So the You in the story is actually Bisou a 16-year old who after a slightly embarrassing sexual experience with her boyfriend gets her period runs naked into the woods and into a wolf that she somehow manages to kill wolf turns back into teen asshole at death and suddenly Bisou has more problems than her period.
It took me probably about 30% of this book to get into it and I think it comes down to how I read. I don’t see myself in the story, ever. I mostly imagine whatever actors and actresses work or just the ones I like and see it playing out like a movie in my head so the “you” stuff doesn’t work for me at all.
Plus like the period gives her super powers thing was a bit much for me to be honest. I mean I get where the author is going with this but even if my senses were heightened and I could kill wolves and protect the innocent I’d probably still happily give my period back.
Anyway the book does pickup after a second month and Bisou makes friends with a girl called Keisha, a reporter looking for a scoop and comes to know Maggie better. Maggie is a schoolmate whose being targeted by an incel in the school. Grandma tells some stories (thankfully in a different POV) and yeah it’s a little sappy and coven like girl power! But I liked it.
I mean there are some pretty glaring questions if you think about the story too much and I wouldn’t expect much in the way of answers but I doubt that was the point. The point is more along the lines of its tough being a girl so maybe we should stick together more and I could appreciate that one.
Though I don’t know if I’d read Arnold again in the future, or at the very least, I’ll make sure to double check the POV 🙂
Recommend: 50-50
It’s a message book that’s a bit weak on plot so if that’s what you’re looking for go for it!
Oh no. Second person narrative is a BIG risk, especially when you can end up offending the reader. Pretty sure most of us wouldn’t run into the woods naked after getting our period, that defies common sense, and I like to give us enough credit to think we have that.
The incel targeting a female character sounds like it’d be a interesting premise if it was explored singularly. I can’t think of any book that comes to mind though, but I think it’s something we probably should see more of in books (if it doesn’t already exist and I just don’t of it).
Sorry this one disappointed you! I do agree that second person narrative is a huge risk, and I’m usually not the biggest fan of it.