The Mockingbirds

The Mockingbirds


Author: Daisy Whitney

Publisher: Little, Brown and Co.

Pages: 332

Read Time: 4 days

Rating (1-5): 3.75

Tag Words: Private School, music, date-rape, justice, To Kill a Mockingbird, secret society, Contemp Author Challenge, 2010 Debut Author Challenge



My Summary:

When Alex is date raped her Junior year of high school she goes to the Mockingbirds. This society of students believes in justice and may be Alex’s only hope at regaining part of what she lost that drunk night.

My review:

I know for certain what I didn’t like about this book, and I know the parts I loved.

I’m going to begin with the parts I loved! Namely Alex and Martin together. Kissing. Oh my gosh. Such good kissing! The kissing, and really any scene with Malex was so ‘Mazing that I nominated them for Heidi Kling’s award show, The Smoochies! Really, the kissing, the support of Martin, the strength he had was such a perfect parallel to the vulnerability Alex felt at this point in her life. I will read any romance story Whitney writes in a heartbeat!

Also, the tie-ins with Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird were beautiful and fit perfectly within Alex’s story. All the Mockingbird’s literature was really well written, some of the posters and documents Alex read around campus during her trial gave me shivers.

The parts that felt a bit weak were mostly confined to the first 200 pages. The choices Whitney made didn’t really bring much intrigue, suspense, or any real pain on Alex’s behalf. Instead of Alex waking up next to her rapist, in a bed, a dorm room, ect. I would have made Carter a bit more allusive, just so add to the fear. I also would have included a scene where Alex did try to go to her school early on, only to be dismissed; if that scene had been included I would have felt the injustice of Themis, instead of just being told about it.

And finally, The Mockingbirds weren’t covert enough. There were too many shouts and not enough whispers from this supposed secret society.

I just think making bolder choices would have given The Mockingbirds the air of mystery I was expecting.

Notes on the Names: Neither here nor there. They weren’t bad names, but none stuck out as a “Wowzer!” *spoiler* The alliteration of Martin the Mockingbird was a great touch. *spoiler end*

Thoughts on the Cover: The ARC was red, my cover is blue, the design is the same, but I don’t know which I prefer. It is mentioned that the Mockingbird flyer's are red in the book, but I think I would have been more naturally drawn to the final color palette.