Review: Dani Noir - Nova Ren Suma

Where I got it: Inter-library Loan
Rating: 3.5 stars  

Cover Rating: 4 stars (It's cute. Totally fits the story.)
Genre: Young Adult

Publication Date: September 17, 2009

Publisher: Aladdin

Page Count: 263 p.

Buy it: Book Depository / Amazon
Add it: Goodreads

Dani loves film noir movies. Little Art plays those lovely black and white flicks, which is the only good thing in her middle-of-nowhere town. Dani wishes her life were more like the movies and less like the suck-fest it has become now that her parents are divorced. Then one day, a mystery presents itself and Dani is on the case. There's a girl in polka-dot tights and she knows she has to figure out who she is and what she's doing. There's deeper reasons why this mystery means so much to her, and as she unravels the mystery she discovers things about herself and the people around her that she never would have known.

This was such a fun read. Even though she is selfish and sarcastic, she was quite a great character. Dani is going through a tough time with her parents divorcing, so it's no wonder she's acting out. Of course Dani is aware that she's in a bad situation and knows that she can get away with being a brat. She was a very real character though and that I liked. I loved that she was into film noir and had a cute little theater to watch them in. I would love to have an amazing little place like that in my town. She is very into the whole solving the mystery of the girl in the pink polka-dotted tights, that she doesn't really think things through. Dani never focuses on the big picture, because the case hits too close to home and she seems to have a hard time removing the personal touch from it.

I was a little disappointed in the lack of drama in the dramatic conclusion to the mystery. I feel like the scene should have been more explosive. It would have made it more entertaining and more realistic. I don't think those things fade quietly into the night. DRAMA! Regardless it was still a good conclusion.

I think this book could use a sequel, because there are just too many unresolved emotion with Dani and the new family. I think there was never any closure either way, she still hadn't decided if she was okay or not. Those things do take time, but I would really like to see what terms she comes to.

The other characters were pretty unique, at least the ones we get to actually meet. Even though Dani made him out to be annoying, I grew quite fond of Arthur. He was an okay kid, sweet. He just seemed like a really nice boy, bored, but keeping himself occupied.

If you get the chance to check out his book, I highly recommend you do. It was a fun romp with a teen sleuth in a small town.

First Line:
"A slow fade-in on my life:
There's this little mountain town, smack between two long highways that go nowhere in either direction."

Favorite Line:
"A femme fatale can be an enigma all she wants. She can walk off into the sunset  as one, dragging his heart along with her."