Slide by Jill Hathaway

The Skinny: The title is Slide, so where is all the sliding?

In Slide, Vee struggles with her ability to “slide” into other people’s bodies and observe what is occurring to the person whom she entered. While navigating the difficulties of high school social circles and trying to decrease the amount of attention her moments of loss of consciousness create, Vee discovers that a series of tragic deaths may be more sinister than people believe. She decides to use her ability to uncover the truth.

I was interested in reading Slide, because the premise is unique, and I was looking forward to reading how a young girl copes with her unexplainable ability. My initial interest was quickly replaced with confusion and frustration. The title of the work is Slide, but there is too much attention placed on Vee’s investigation. I understand that Hathaway desired to show Vee using her ability to research events, but it was poorly executed. By the time I finished the book, all I could think was that it should have been deconstructed into two different works. The first book should focus on sliding and the second on the investigation. Placing every element in a single story created a work that felt like a potpourri of ideas.

Though I appreciate Hathaway’s creating a story that is unique, I am underwhelmed by the result. It is apparent that Hathaway is a good writer and is capable of developing a story that is filled with suspense and intrigue. I hope that her next work is more exacting.