Book Review Ten: Rules of Attraction

Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles, published by Walker Books.

[I had a chance to read an Advanced Reader's Copy of this novel which was really exciting. It's not set to be released until April 13th! ]

This story was a sequel to Perfect Chemistry which I haven't read. Perfect Chemistry was the story of how Alex Fuentes, a Mexican ex-gang member, falls for Brittany, a cheerleader. Rules of Attraction is about how Alex's brother, Carlos (still affiliated with a gang) comes to live with Alex from Mexico and starts falling for Kiara Westford, an insecure goody-goody. It sounds like the two novels are very similar, Alex and Carlos are the same character type and Kiara and Brittany seem to have very similar backgrounds and moral beliefs. The only differences may be the external storyline about Carlos' setup with a drug lord.

Right off the bat I knew this novel was not suitable for younger teens or pre-teens. I would say 15 and older is a suitable age range due to underage drinking, marijuana use, sexual relations, drug dealing, and extreme cases of violence. The scenarios that are presented seem a little hard to believe at times. Some of it may be contrived just to assure that the characters are believable, whereas they may not be as believable together as they are apart. For instance, I believe that Kiara wouldn't drink but Carlos would, which is exactly how they are portrayed. However, I don't believe that Kiara would be so understanding about Carlos' drinking and just ask for the keys. I think she would have asked him not to, or to have a conversation about how uncomfortable it makes her. Maybe that's because I was uncomfortable with it when I was her age, or maybe it's because teens nowadays do a lot more drinking and drugs than I was subjected to when I was in high school. Other situations that weren't as believable were Kiara's father's willingness to accept Carlos into his home and his willingness to find a solution for Carlos' setup with the drug lord at the end of the novel. I didn't believe it would be that easy for Carlos but it was a nice ending.

Rules of Attraction is a very romantic novel once the two characters admit they are falling for each other. It's hard for them to stay together due to complications in their relationship and Carlos' unwillingness to stop being a jerk and to forget his past. He is fascinated with Kiara though, which I find very appealing.

"What kind of girl wears baggy shirts every day, has a gay best friend, stutters when she's nervous, tapes shower schedules on the bathroom mirror, makes stupid cookie magnets just to piss me off, works on cars like a guy, and gets excited about the challenge of putting a condom on?" (pg. 274). He may not be able to express his feelings to her very well, but the reader knows exactly how he feels at all times and that's very important.

The novel is written from both the perspective of Carlos and Kiara, with the chapters alternating whose voice the reader is connected to. In Carlos' perspective we get a great deal of Spanish language thrown in, for example: pendejo, gringos, and cachorro show up quite a bit. It's not necessary to be familiar with these words in order to understand him, however it shows how attached he is to Mexico and his heritage. Carlos is not only proud of where he has come from but he uses it as a crutch to his advancement in education and the social ladder. It's an interesting and accurate portrayal of teens who have had a rough life: they are proud of their own strength, however they doubt they can amount to much more, and don't see a value in "normal" futures.

The novel ends in a cheesy epilogue set 26 years in the future. It's slightly ironic and lovable, giving some teens hope that two people from completely opposite worlds can find love. Overall I liked the novel and enjoyed not only the main characters but the development of the relationship between Alex and Brittany, Tuck as the gay best friend, and Brandon, Kiara's adorable younger brother. There were some really good smaller scenes that built Carlos' character quite well, and some that actually surprised me about Kiara and how maybe she wasn't such a goody-two-shoes after all.