REVIEW: Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

Title: Graffiti Moon
Author: Cath Crowley
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Publication Date: 14 February 2012
Format: Netgalley, ebook
Senior year is over, and Lucy has the perfect way to celebrate: tonight, she's going to find Shadow, the mysterious graffiti artist whose work appears all over the city. He's out there somewhere—spraying color, spraying birds and blue sky on the night—and Lucy knows a guy who paints like Shadow is someone she could fall for. Really fall for. Instead, Lucy's stuck at a party with Ed, the guy she's managed to avoid since the most awkward date of her life. But when Ed tells her he knows where to find Shadow, they're suddenly on an all-night search around the city. And what Lucy can't see is the one thing that's right before her eyes.




My Review:

In Graffiti Moon, Lucy is on the hunt to find and meet, Shadow, the graffiti artist that’s been painting the town walls with beautiful spray painted art. Lucy celebrates with her friends on finishing their twelfth year. During their celebration, she gets a run in with Ed and his friends. They claim to know who Shadow is. Although, Lucy wants nothing to do with Ed and vice versa, he takes her on this journey to find Shadow by visiting his artwork across the city. What Lucy doesn’t know is that Shadow is just around the corner, possibly right under her very nose.



I had no idea what to expect with Graffiti Moon. I was interested in the blurb alone, but by the end of the book I was amazed and so blown away. I was left completely speechless. Cath Crowley keeps her readers second guessing what will happen in the book and it’s highly captivating and oh so addicting. I for one, could not put the book down. I read it in one sitting!

 

Cath Crowley’s writing is pure art. The way she forms words into sentences in this book is so incredible. I have never read anything so eloquent. Not only is her writing, easy to read, it’s clear, graphic and expressive. Her writing evokes immense emotion from the story, to the characters and to the readers. The lyrical quality of her writing makes this book one of the best I have ever read.



Graffiti Moon is split into three perspectives between Lucy, Ed and Poet/Leo. Cath Crowley does an excellent job of keeping each perspective separate. Each character’s voice was unique and very easily identified. I loved getting into all three of the character’s heads. I was able to connect and relate to each character without trouble. I loved how all three of them were connected to art. I loved their unwavering passion for doing something they loved so much. The three of them together made the whole story blend well. I thought Cath Crowley was brilliant in the way she crafted the story and made everything have a purpose and a connection. Everything was intertwined and I loved how it all unraveled slowly, but surely the more I read.



“For a while, for as long as you're looking at it, that painting is the world and you get to be in it.” 

Lucy was a force to be reckoned with. She’s this fierce and determined character that I couldn’t get enough of. She was intelligent and very outspoken. I loved her decisiveness and how she never backed down. She wanted what she wanted and she wasn’t going to let anyone stop her. She just said what came to mind and didn’t think about what everyone else thought.

 

I saw Ed as this quiet, reserved character. But as I got to know him, he became this mysterious and alluring artist. I loved how he cared so much for his mother and how he really wanted to help her. I really empathized with Ed, because I too, have trouble expressing how I feel in words. I thought Ed was smart, charming and very fascinating. I loved how he expresses how he feels in his art; how he doesn’t hold back.

Leo’s parts are mostly written in poem form. He expresses how he feels or what is happening in poems. Even though his parts were few and far between, they were absolutely stunning. His poems were descriptive and full of feeling. Leo’s perspective was a delight to read.



The whole book takes place in one night alone. This night is full of adventure and budding romance. It’s very fast-paced, but it’s never overwhelming. I got to learn more about the character’s past and their feelings towards each other. I read how Lucy and Ed slowly got to know each other once more and rebuild some of their old feelings for one another. It was so magnificent.


The secondary characters were very lovely. They were well developed and very likable. I loved how Jazz, Daisy and Dylan were connected to Lucy, Ed and Leo in different ways. I loved how they all went on this experience together. It was great to read their banter and interactions towards each other. It was a real pleasure to get to know these characters like they were my friends too.



Overall, I found Graffiti Moon to be an intoxicatingly beautiful love story about discovery, truth and making the right choices. It’s realistic, smart, witty and full of laugh out loud moments that will make your stomach hurt. The characters are super fun to read and the romance will make your heart skip a beat or two. 



Cath Crowley will surely sweep you off your feet.




My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.



*Thanks to Netgalley, Random House and Cath Crowley for allowing me to read this book :] In no way do they influence my opinion of this book. It is solely my own.