Review - Tris and Izzie by Mettie Ivie Harrison

Title: Tris and Izzie

Author: Mettie Ivie Harrison

Series: Stand Alone

Pages: 304

Published: October 11, 2011

ISBN: 9781606841730

Source: Publisher via Netgalley

 

Description: A modern retelling of the German fairytale "Tristan and Isolde", Tris and Izzie is about a young witch named Izzie who is dating Mark King, the captain of the basketball team and thinks her life is going swimmingly well. Until -- she makes a love potion for her best friend Brangane and then ends up taking it herself accidentally, and falling in love with Tristan, the new guy at school.

I Give This ...

  

I confess, I'm not really familiar with the story of  "Tristan and Isolde."  The idea sounded interesting, but what really got me was the cover.  And this book proves that a book I didn't like can be hidden by a beautiful cover just a much as the opposite is true.  

When I finally decided to read this book, I decided to look up it's rating.  I was shocked by this one, and thought to myself it can't really be that bad.  For me, it really is.  I disliked Izzie from the start.  For a young adult book, Izzie is shockingly immature.  She makes rash decisions regarding just about everything.  The whole situation surrounding the love potion just proves how she really only thinks of herself.  She goes over what her mom has told her about them and how they can take away free will and still decides that its perfect for her best friend.  I really don't think she a very good remodel in the female heroine category.

I didn't like Mark anymore.  He's like everything a bad boyfriend is, but yet Izzie still sees him as this perfect guy.  I'm not sure if this is what she thinks a normal relationship should be, or is using him as an excuse to prove she's normal in the first place.  I was indifferent to Brangane.  I didn't like how it seemed like she was plotting against Izzie.  But, I understood her feelings.  I did like Tristan.  The only bright spot in a very dismal story line.  He seemed to genuinely care for Izzie.  Although he professions of love seemed very out of place when compared with Izzie's immaturity.

I also thought the subject matter of magic was really trivialized.   I understood the constant need to hide it from regular people, but the way it was done seemed really bizarre and fake at times.  I also feel like it was thrown in there for a way to bring Izzie and Tristan together.  

Overall, a huge disappointment for me.  I hate writing negative reviews, but sometimes they happen.  I hope this story works for someone more than it worked for me.