“Pinned” by Sharon G. Flake

I really wanted to like this book. The first read in my summer blitzkrieg for the “Books for the Beast” conference, it has a strong premise and comes from an award-winning author. The concept, as mentioned, is good. Autumn, a nearly illiterate high school girl wrestler, with dreams of becoming a chef, is in love with Adonis. Adonis is a brilliant and hard-working boy in a wheelchair who looks down on most of the people around him (yes, there is irony in that). The story (more of a love story than a sports tale, as it was marketed to me) is told by each of these characters, in alternating chapters, until the inevitable conclusion. The title is simultaneously a reference to Autumn’s skills on the mat and her determination to “lock” Adonis into a relationship. It was difficult to warm up to Autumn and Adonis. Autumn is a cheery and upbeat young woman, but she is also stubborn, a tad whiney, and makes an absolute pest of herself around Adonis (think “stalker”) – forcing her affections on him to the point where he gets very mean with her. Adonis is arrogant and stuck-up and even in his “internal monologue” doesn’t seem to have a spark that makes him worthy of Autumn’s attentions. On a subtle level, it felt like a young woman trying to be in love with someone who is, frankly, abusive. That wasn’t the biggest problem for me, however. The writing was just messy. In so many ways, this felt more like a draft than a finished product. Where were the editors? So many threads were raised and never followed through on that I lost count. What really happened when some bullies tried to drown Adonis? It is hinted at throughout, but there is never a full re-cap or reckoning. Will Peaches (Autumn’s best friend) and Adonis ever make peace? Not clear. From the first page, Adonis is described as having arms “frozen in place.” Is he a quadriplegic? No, he is a paraplegic, and the arm thing is another aspect of his personality, but that doesn’t become obvious for several chapters. At one point, Autumn “raises her pant leg” to show off wrestling bruises to Adonis … two paragraphs later he describes her as wearing tights. There is a gift – a box of cupcakes, but it materializes out of nowhere and disappears just as fast. Autumn has a confrontation in the cafeteria, then she is suddenly in the library. The whole book is like this … sloppy and disconnected. What should have been a fast read was weighed down as I kept flipping back to see if I had missed something or read it wrong. Lastly, I’m not sure I like the semi-manufactured resolution, which has Autumn’s parents taking drastic action to help their struggling daughter – “tough love” I suppose, but in this piecemeal novel, it only works because the author seems determined to crowbar it in. Not my favorite. Hopefully, the next few on the list hold greater potential.