Review: The Fever by Megan Abbott

The Fever by Megan Abbott
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was my first Megan Abbott novel and I only picked it up after hearing good things from a few readers that I trust! And I'm glad that I picked this novel up but I'm not sure that I loved it as much as some others have. Definitely a compelling read with pacing that keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the novel. The story itself is definitely compelling and interesting. There is a strong focus on the lives of teenagers and high school which is to be expected given this is a young adult novel but part of me was hoping for something with a little more depth which is why I'm rating it a 3 instead of a 5.

The concepts being explored in this novel could have gone so much further with small shifts in focus. However, it is a good read that most who enjoy young adult reading will love! There is much good here such as Abbott's exploration of the impact of 'the fever' on this community and the exploration of the inner lives of teenagers (male and female). This novel was much darker than I expected for some reason. I was a little surprised by that aspect of the book ... in a good way. However, I was disappointed in the 'big reveal' which I didn't find to be nearly as good as all that led up to it. Perhaps that is just personal preference, in the end, but it just didn't resonate with me.

I think this was good for what it is ... but I was a little disappointed as I was hoping for a bit more given how many great things I was hearing about it. If you're a YA fan, this is one you should definitely consider. If the inner lives of teens is not your thing, you may want to skip this one!