"TRIS & IZZIE," by Mette Ivie Harrison, Egmont, $16.99, 262 pages (f) (12 and up)
“Tris and Izzie” by Utah author Mette Ivie Harrison is a young adult fiction book that retells a classic love story in a high school setting.
Izzie is leading a life that every teenager dreams of. She has friends, she is popular, and she is dating the captain of the basketball team.
Izzie becomes determined to set her best friend up. When she meets Tristan, an incredibly good-looking transfer student, she decides that he is perfect match.
To help the process along, Izzie makes a philtre, which is a magical love potion. Things go wrong when Izzie drinks the potion herself and becomes enamored with Tristan.
To further add to the conflict Izzie learns that she has magical powers that evil creatures want to steal. Izzie now has one unwanted boyfriend that she has to deal with while she is fighting for her life. High school couldn’t be more complicated.
The cover of the book leads the reader to believe that they are about to read a heart-wrenching love story. Instead, the reader is taken on a magical and mystical journey filled with strange creatures and powerful humans.
The plot of the story resembles that of “Fablehaven” and not the classic story “Tristan and Isolde.” This makes the love story and the high school setting seem out of place.
The transition between the normal and magical worlds is rushed, causing the reader to wonder what just happened.
The book does have its strengths. Though the outcome of the story is easily predicted, the author keeps the reader engaged throughout the whole book. The characters are likeable and the attention to detail is striking. The author also takes an occasional stab at humor and is very successful.
Though the plot of the story is sometimes outrageous, young adults will surely enjoy “Tris and Izzie” because it is an entertaining and quick read.
Shelby Scoffield is a graduate of Brigham Young University and a graduate student at California State University, Stanislaus.