Evelyn Illustrated (Evelyn Hernandez #3)

Philip
Hoy
Genre: 
Young Adult

MAGICAL REALISM:  Evelyn Hernandez is not your typical teenager.  At her high school she has become known as “The Revenge Artist,” and when they say artist, they mean it literally.  Evelyn has a gift. When she draws things in her mysterious black book, strange things happen.  From helping the police, to helping abused teenagers, Evelyn is put in situations that most normal teenagers could never imagine, but what happens when the worlds she draws in start to cross, and the line between helping or hurting isn’t so clear?

“Evelyn Illustrated” is not your typical teenage revenge story.  The elements of the paranormal are subtle, and it is clear that the protagonist is conflicted about real damage that she might be causing, even in the name of justice.  This is the third book in this series, and when trying to read this as a standalone, the reader definitely feels as though they are missing out on information that is general knowledge to the characters, and thus some of the story is confusing.  While the idea for the book and the series is good, some of the events unfolding fail to make logical sense, even making vast allowances for the fact that this is supposed to be paranormal.  Perhaps if the reader knew the details from previous installments they might feel differently, but as it stands, the story feels unsatisfying even though the main questions are answered.

Melanie Newton