Review: A Work of Art by Melody Maysonet

Shy, artistic Tera can't wait to attend a prestigious art school in France to prove to her famous artist father that she can make something of herself. But Tera's hopes for the future explode when the police arrest her dad for an unspeakable crime. Her father's arrest must be a mistake, so Tera goes into action, sacrificing her future at art school to pay for his defense. Meanwhile, she falls head over heels for Joey, a rebel musician who makes her feel wanted and asks no questions about her past. Joey helps Tera forget her troubles, but he brings a whole new set of problems to Tera's already complicated life. Then, to make matters worse, as her relationship with Joey deepens and as her dad's hotshot lawyer builds a defense, fractures begin to appear in Tera's childhood memories--fractures that make her wonder: could her father be guilty? And whether he's guilty or innocent, can she find a way to step out of the shadows of her father's reputation and walk free? Can she stop him, guilty or innocent, from tainting the only future she ever wanted? A Work of Art is a deeply felt story about self-image, self-deception, and the terrible moment that comes when we have to face the whole truth about the myths of our childhoods.

Kindle Edition, 242 pages

Published February 15th 2015 by Merit Press 

Genre: Young Adult

Kristine's Thoughts:

I received an advanced readers copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

I'm struggling a little with my thoughts on this book. I finished it and instead of writing down what I thought right away I gave myself time to think about it. The time was needed for me to figure out how I felt about it. I think the reason that I struggled so much was because there are many excellent early reviews on the book and I was just not that excited by it.

A Work of Art was a very easy book to get through with a unique and attention grabbing plot. A few uninterrupted hours is all that is needed to get through this book. I had it finished in one sitting. Tera deals with many different issues throughout the book from her father to the boy she has a crush on.

So here is what I struggled with...

Tera was seventeen and eighteen in this book but she came across a lot younger. She was so immature and naive as well as not very smart (for lack of a better word) for someone of that age. I had to keep reminding myself of her age because I visualised her at about thirteen or fourteen.

Not only was Tera dealing with the allegations against her father and remembering events from her childhood but she was also dealing with the pressures of being a teenager at the same time. Things like having a boyfriend, sex, drugs and lies were all piled on top of the fact that her dad was in jail for an unthinkable crime. I guess I was hoping that the book would dig a little deeper into her emotional state and frame of mind but it didn't. She got through each trial and tribulation without too much of an impact on her mental health. I guess I was hoping for a little more depth in this area.

The last thing I struggled with was Tera's relationship with her mother. I get why it was the way that it was but as things came to light I expected a shift. There was a slight bit of mending to the fractured relationship but again I was hoping for a little more.

So in the end I think that the book was OK but in order to properly deal with all of the issues that were presented it needed to be longer. Major things happened and any one of the things that Tera dealt with would have a major impact on any teenager. I think a little more time on Tera's emotional state would have benefited the story tremendously. The length of the book and how she went from one situation to the next made it seem a little too easy.

About the Author

Melody Maysonet has been an English teacher, editor, columnist, and ghostwriter. Currently, she volunteer teaches in a homeless shelter, but she devotes most of her time to writing fiction for young adults. She lives in Coconut Creek, Florida, with her husband and son. A Work of Art is her first novel.

Connect with Melody

Website/Twitter/Goodreads