Wanted--Dead or In Love

May 15, 2014
Bonnie and Clyde have languished in Limbo for decades, but thanks to a teenage girl on probation who touches the bullets that mowed them down, they have a chance to rekindle their romance.Monroe's father has added to his collection of gangster memorabilia five slugs from the outlaws' final shootout. After pocketing two of the slugs, Monroe hears a voice in her head with a Southern accent and becomes convinced that she's possessed by Bonnie. Monroe meets Jack at a party and lets him hold the slugs; soon, he's possessed by Clyde. Chapters alternate between Monroe, who's trying to keep Bonnie from taking over, and Clyde, who's more successful at controlling Jack and restarting his crime spree-a technique that meets with only mixed success. Monroe's foulmouthed, bad-girl persona and snarky attitude are unconvincing, as are the shallow characterizations of high school life. Clyde's more compelling narrative, written in dialect, is rich in humor and colloquialisms from the 1930s as he confronts life in 21st-century Chicago. Plot points arise and are dropped without ceremony, like a skateboarder with an otherworldly message for Monroe and a stereotypical deer-hunting redneck who nearly sidetracks Monroe's efforts to get to Bonnie and Clyde's memorial in Louisiana.Four personalities in two bodies (and plenty of sexual tension) make for a wild ride in one stolen vehicle after another, but uneven quality in the writing weakens the overall effect. (Fantasy. 13-17)

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June 1, 2014

Gr 9 Up-Extensive historical research, moments of literary brilliance, and a quirky paranormal lilt are not enough to recommend this coming-of-age adventure. When the story begins, Monroe is already on probation. Since her mother's death, Monroe's life seems to be a series of bad decisions. Enter Bonnie Parker, literally. The spirit of the infamous gangster's moll inhabits Monroe after she "borrows" the bullets that killed Bonnie and Clyde. Bonnie is searching to be reunited with her true love, the notorious bank robber, Clyde Barrow. Clyde takes up residence in the body of the not-so-chivalrous Jack, a stranger to whom Monroe shows the bullets at a party. Although they each experience their ghostly cohabitations differently, Monroe and Jack are united in their common goal: to lay the souls of Bonnie and Clyde to rest. That is, until Clyde, now in full romance novel character tradition, reveals himself to be a bad boy with a sensitive heart. Then, Monroe must decide whether to give in to her growing feelings and help the charming gangster or save the unlikable, ordinary Jack. A surprise twist at the end adds to the underlying feeling that charming, sexy men who murder deserve a second chance. The 1930s Texas drawl of Bonnie and Clyde is jarring. The unnecessary inclusion of a single racial slur doesn't increase the historical accuracy and feels off-putting. Although there are moments that readers will connect with emotionally, the ultimate journey is flawed.-Cindy Wall, Southington Library & Museum, CT

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