pedestrienne

started off strong and didn't live up to its promise. hacking and music are very hard to write. there's a lot of hacking in this book, and it just sounds fake. it sounds like a convenient writerly shortcut. I kept waiting for a twist or a betrayal but it's all very straightforward once May finds the insanely popular yet somehow sort of mediocre webcomic. I found the actions of the police, which were used as a way to justify all the sneaking and teens saving the day, as unrealistic. I know that the police as an institution don't always have a great track record for treating youth, but it's hard to see them just taking some dude's word that a girl is schizophrenic, and anyway there are other avenues to help apart from law enforcement, like the department of health or something. the other reason which I won't spoil is more compelling. but then when things get wrapped up I was like, why would they believe one teenager and not another? good points include: nice use of setting, scavenger hunts are always fun, strong themes of friendship and independence, the comic bits are well drawn, and there should have been more.