Paranormalcy

Image of Paranormalcy (Paranormalcy, 1)
Author(s): 
Release Date: 
July 25, 2011
Publisher/Imprint: 
HarperTeen
Pages: 
368
Reviewed by: 

The genre of paranormal literature in the young adult book world has exploded in the last year or two. It almost seems as if every book has at least one werewolf, vampire, or rogue faerie running around between its covers. Sometimes it feels like they all begin to blur together in one endless stream of the supernatural.

Amazingly, author Kiersten White has found a way to not only make paranormal fresh, but also to create a story that goes beyond just the paranormal creatures themselves. In her new book, Paranormalcy, she creates a world that is full of the paranormal, but not overrun by them. It’s the story of your average teen girl who’s not really average at all.

Paranormalcy is a book that will grab you from the very first chapter. It’s different, it’s new, and it’s a keeper. Evie is your everyday teenager except for one thing: she works for the IPCA (International Paranormal Containment Agency)—meaning she spends a large amount of time hunting and tagging paranormal beings in the real world.

Evie is unique: She can see through the “glamours” of any creature, meaning none can hide from her “special” eyes; she is one of a kind. However, in other ways she is just like most teen girls, yearning to experience a real high-school life, addicted to a teen TV drama, and dreaming of the day she will receive her first kiss. While pining for a more normal life, Evie has learned to adapt to her world as she knows it until events begin to make her question whether she is an employee of the IPCA or one of its prisoners. Who can she really trust? Who is the real enemy in the struggle between humans and paranormals?

Throw in a dash of true teen love, a hunky supernatural, and the possible end of the paranormal world and you have a nonstop thrill ride. Adults and teens alike will devour this fresh perspective and hunger for more after the last page has turned.

Kiersten White has created a work that has exceeded its hype, Paranormalcy is a must read not only for lovers of the supernatural, but for anyone who enjoys a well-realized story.