Melody Burning

Gr 7—10—This fast-paced melodrama is told from the alternating views of teens Melody McGrath, a high-maintenance music/TV star, and Beresford, an orphan who lives behind the walls of Melody's high-rise apartment building. Due to the ambitions of her barracuda mom, Melody is a superstar singer and the lead in a hit TV show. She describes her poor-little-rich-girl life of fame and glamour in a breezy, Hollywood voice. Beresford's story unfolds in the third person, as readers are told about his solitary existence hiding in the walls and ceilings of the building, sleeping in vacant apartments, bathing when people vacation, and dressing in tenants' forgotten clothes. When the pricey high rise's greedy owner hires an arsonist to work security, it soon becomes apparent that the occupants are in grave danger. The story feels like a mash-up of Beverly Hills 90210, The Phantom of the Opera, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, with a little Spiderman thrown in for good measure. Lines such as "Careful, Jim, he's a monster!" and "I want him. I can help him grow and become a real person" exemplify the lack of subtlety and character development. For readers wanting romantic adventure with clear-cut good guys and bad guys in a no-brainer read, this will be a good fit.—Maggie Knapp, Trinity Valley School, Fort Worth, TX