Review: Misfit

MISFIT
Jon Skovron
Paranormal Young Adult
382 pages
Amulet/Abrams
Available Now
Received as part of tour through
Teen Book Scene

THE STORY
Jael has a secret she's fairly positive no other girl at her Catholic school shares: She's half demon on her mother's side. Her mother died not long after she was born, leaving her ex-priest father to raise her. With each day she keeps hoping a relationship with him will happen, but each day he keeps his silence about her mother and keeps Jael at a distance.

Things change on her sixteenth birthday however when her father gives her a necklace her mother required he pass on before she died. Though he won't tell her anything about it other than not to put it on, Jael's curiosity gets the better of her she ignores his order, only to find herself suddenly getting flashes of her mom and dad's past.

Turns out her father has had good reason to keep things from her all this time. An extraordinarily strong demon has a vested interest in Jael's demise, and he's finally found her after searching for sixteen long years. If she can't embrace the part of her that's been suppressed since birth, he will destroy everything she cares about and everything her parents were fighting for.

MY THOUGHTS
Misfit is a decidedly unexpected read, one that coats us in a somber and dark residue for the duration of the story and forces us to squirm a bit as we learn more about Jael's demonic heritage. This story is certainly neither bad nor poorly written, just one of those whose subject matter is at times uncomfortable though we can't help but want to fight through the boundaries of our comfort zones and tentatively set foot on the other side to follow Jael on her journey. Religion plays a fairly large role, but Mr. Skovron keeps his story from being a sermon, infusing the characters with relatable and intriguing personalities that keep the religious overtones from overwhelming the plot itself. Misfit is a challenging read based on the content, leaving us a bit in limbo in terms of our thoughts on it as a whole, but for all the elements that add to our indecision, the characters themselves provide a saving grace.

Jael is a light in the rampaging darkness of her story, dealing with a father who is physically present but emotionally absent while struggling through a Catholic school that teaches lesson after lesson wherein demons are the epitome of evil. Half-demon herself and with a deceased demoness mother, we instantly feel Jael's loneliness and desire to be different from the depictions she's assaulted with on a daily basis. She's strong mentally, and, when she comes into her demonic powers, incredibly strong physically, allowing us to easily root for her to find her place in her family, her humanity, and her demonic legacy.

In addition to Jael, Mr. Skovron also entertains us with several well-executed secondary characters. Jael's demon uncle Dagon adds quite a bit of levity to the story, working with Jael to help her understand her new gifts while training her to face the demon hunting her. Love interest Rob is adorable, his interactions with Jael sweet with an underlying tang of romantic tension that provides a welcome distraction from the weight of Jael's new purpose, the revelations regarding the death of her mother, and the destruction Belial (the demon after her) is bent on executing. Also of interest is the gradual growth between father and daughter, the pieces that have kept him from fully embracing his role as a parent beginning to fall into place with Jael's acceptance of who she truly is.

Overall, Misfit is strong in its characterization, giving us something positive and tangible to latch onto as armor against the pain, the exorcisms, and the suffering we witness over thousands of years when Jael is granted access to a few of her mother's ancient memories. Finishing this book does result in an involuntary full-body shudder to shake loose the lingering unease, so for those who relish a story that doesn't wrap you in a soft, welcoming cocoon but rather pushes buttons and seeks to evoke a visceral response, Misfit will appeal to you.

Rating: 3.5/5