Marked - P. C. Cast & Kristin Cast [DNF gladly]

Cast, P. C. and Kristin Cast. 2010. Marked. United States: St. Martin's Griffin.

Rating 1 generous star

 

Below is my review in Goodreads that I wrote after I read this horrible thing:

I stopped at 42% of the book.

Apparently, this demonic chic Zoey Redbutt is so exotic and awesome so she has the right to trash-talking everybody else. I'm so very done with this piece of crap.

That's all I got to say, at first. But I guess I did an injustice deed by writing that short unclear review, although I show my disliking toward this book quite clearly, but that's beside my point. It is unfair for future readers of this book because they wouldn't get enough warning to not read this crappy crap. So here I am, warning you... no, I give you proof! Please proceed reading if you want to see all the evidences I managed to collect.

First, as I said, I stopped at 42% of this book. That means I wouldn't know the full story of Marked, which is okay for me. But, if you really eager to know, well, I gladly provide you the summary I copied from Goodreads because I'm lazy like that:

The House of Night series is set in a world very much like our own, except in 16-year-old Zoey Redbird's world, vampyres have always existed.  In this first book in the series, Zoey enters the House of Night, a school where, after having undergone the Change, she will train to become an adult vampire--that is, if she makes it through the Change.  Not all of those who are chosen do.  It’s tough to begin a new life, away from her parents and friends, and on top of that, Zoey finds she is no average fledgling.  She has been Marked as special by the vampyre Goddess, Nyx.  But she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers.  When she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school's most elite club, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny--with a little help from her new vampyre friends.

Based on highlighted parts, you know now, this is a series, the main character is this Zoey Redbuttbird, and she is a special vampyre with y. I just want you to know that I didn't hope much nor I expect less from this book. I knew nothing about Marked before I started reading it. And I picked this book randomly because I need to wake up from my book coma after The Blood of Olympus fiesta. My brain was refusing to think anything except The Blood of Olympus because that book is THAT good. I just need something totally different so I can stop thinking about how awesome Percy and friends are. So, I thought paranormal romance like Marked will do. And yes, it did very well in waking me from my book coma. Thank you, Marked. This book is so terrible, I almost cried. Almost.

This book is written by a mother and her daughter. That's an interesting point. In the acknowledgment page, the mother thanks her daughter for making sure they sound like teenagers in this book. After I read the first page, I repeat, the first page, I was offended with their impersonation of how teenagers talk.

"[Kayla, Zoey's best friend, is talking to Zoey]... He probably wouldn't even have had hardly any if your stupid parents hadn't made you go home right after the game."
We shared a long-suffering look, in total agreement about the latest injustice committed against me by my mom and the Step-Loser she'd married three really long years ago.

I don't know about you, but I am NOT okay with other people talking bad about my family. Even if they are my fucking best friends and I actually agree with them. It is the same logic like when somebody calls your best friend stupid. WE can call our best friend stupid or anything, OTHER PEOPLE can't. I can call my parents stupid, YOU can't. Plus, in this first page that begins the story, reader is not given any reason to agree with these two stuck-up bitches. So, not a cool way to start your story, Casts.

I still struggled with the first page where our perfect main character describes Kayla, her best friend since third grade, as shallow stupid babbling person. To add to Zoey perfectness, let me quote the lines where she describes a kid she doesn't even know in school:

As it was, there was only one other kid in the math hall--a tall thin dork with messed-up teeth, which I could, unfortunately, see too much of because he was standing there with his mouth flapping open staring at me like I'd just given birth to a litter of flying pigs.

Unacceptable. The arrogance of Zoey Redbutt is high level, yo. I mean, why on earth you think like that if you don't feel yourself as a synonym of perfection, right? And all that is still in Chapter 1, you guys... I can give you tons of other evidences of Zoey Redbutt's rudeness, but those will make a long-ass review. My point is, I don't know how I should empathize with a main character like Zoey Redbutt, sorry, Redbird. It was painful for me to be in the head of this demonic chic, because she also has easily derailed train of thought, and horrible description on things. HORRIBLE. This is where Zoey describes Neferet, the High Priestess of the House of Night. This is where I almost cried:

Her voice was amazing. Even before I looked up from my reflection I knew she would be unique and incredible. I was right. She was movie-star beautiful, Barbie beautiful. I'd never seen anyone up close who was so perfect. She had huge, almond-shaped eyes that were a deep, mossy green. Her face was an almost perfect heart and her skin was that kind of flawless creaminess that you see on TV. Her hair was deep red--not that horrid carrot-top orange-red or that washed-out blond-red, but a dark, glossy auburn that fell in heavy waves well past her shoulders. Her body was, well, perfect. She wasn't thin like the freak girls who puked and starved themselves into what they thought was Paris Hilton chic. ("That's Hott." Yeah, okay, whatever, Paris.) This woman's body was perfect because she was strong, but curvy. And she had great boobs. (I wish I had great boobs.)

Four wasted 'perfect' in describing how purrrrfect Neferet is. LONG BORING TRASH of description. See what I've highlighted? So, if your hair color is carrot-top orange-red or washed-out blond-red, congrats, your hair is horrid according to Redbutt. Guys, now I'm serious. Let's focus on the last line I've highlighted. I honestly don't think you can say something like that, worse, printed it in a book. Those "freak girls" have insecurity they can't handle and they need support and help from all people. Just because you are not in their position and don't have the ability to be sympathetic, please don't be a bitch about it. You get that, Casts! And, what's with all the brackets you use all the time? Damn.

All right, guys. I don't know how to articulate all my anger and hate and rage toward this book anymore, because until 42% of it, all I got is similar like I've shown you above. These so-called writers want to preach their readers using this book, and they do it in a terribly messy way. I distaste their writing style, their non-existent story plot, their unbelievably rude judging characters...

Anyway, I want to tell how magical the couple of this story met. So, this Zoey Redbutt is about to start her first day in House of Night, which is a school for vampyres with y (sorry, I keep repeating this because it is 'vampyre', not 'vampire' in this unique book). In the middle of some kind of hall, she sees our male main character, ...Erik Night (I seriously had to look that up first). Erik is not alone, he is in the middle of almost receiving blowjob from the villain of this story, Aphrodite. Aphrodite forces her way although Erik had said no over and over. Guess what? The first eye contact of our sweet main couple happens right there. Zoey and Erik can't look away from each other, and Aphrodite, completely has no idea they got spectator, says, "You don't want me? That's not how it looks now." Wow. An erection just by making eye contact with Redbutt, while other girl is down there and about to suck your weeny.

Then, Zoey runs away from that hall but I don't actually care about what she does. It is what she thinks that bothered the hell out of me.

Of course there are girls who think it's "cool" to give guys head. Uh, they're wrong. Those of us with functioning brains know that it is not cool to be used like that.

I can't even... GAH! Firstly, do you notice that it is Aphrodite that forces her way toward Erik? Female harasses male. She doesn't be used for oral sex, you stupid! It is the other way around. It doesn't always male harasses female. Secondly, you honestly think that people who like enjoying sex by doing oral sex doesn't have a functioning brain?

Dammit. I didn't plan to write a review as long as this. It seems like I paid much attention to this crappy book. I'm not! I feel ashamed I know the answer of trivia question about this book in Goodreads.

The answer is 'hags from hell'. I know, so original yet brilliant, right? By the way, can you guess how many books this series contain? Go on, think about it. How many books are possibly can be published if the first book is this bad? One? Two? You're wrong.

Twelve books. Like, ten plus two, you know. TEN plus TWO!

And it has FOUR NOVELLAS! FOUR!

The most shocking ever, IT HAS GRAPHIC NOVELS TOO! OHMYGANDALF! Graphic this!

The moment they meet. So magical. I took time to draw that. Appreciate it, Casts!