Project 17

I have to admit, I was disappointed by this book. It had a lot of potential to be more and in the end it just fell short.What works in this book is the atmosphere: Stolarz does an amazing job of setting up the creepy atmosphere of an abandoned asylum. What makes this so great was that most of the creepiest aspects were the parts that would likely be normal in any other place, like drawings by the inmates. These probably wouldn't attract a huge amount of attention in a still-active asylum but put them in an empty building at night? Creepy. Same thing goes for the murals on the wall in the hydrotherapy room.(slight spoilers here, nothing major)However what doesn't work is that the book is a little too choppy at points. We're introduced to various characters that have some pretty deep backstory to them, only for this to be somewhat swept to the side in favor. There's no instalove here for the most part, although I do think that the couples are paired off too quickly and for the most part these are done too quickly. The relationships between them just feel a little forced. The ending especially feels rushed since the epilogue undoes the creepiness of the final bit in the asylum. This is where the pairings felt a little too forced since everything was a little too happydappy-ish of an ending. I think that this was probably due to it being a Disney book since they aren't exactly fans of leaving things ambiguous or having non-happy endings here. This last part might kind of be a spoiler although I'm not giving any big answers, so I'm going to tag this with a warning accordingly, although anyone who is familiar with Disney will be aware that this is how they operate with anything non-adult related unless it's a series, in which case they'll be a little more willing to end a "first book/film" with a less happy ending.In the end this isn't a bad book but when you hold it up against Stolarz' amazing Magic series it just falls short because you know that she's capable of so much more. I'd recommend it as a library read rather than purchase it outright like I did, just to make sure that you like it.

Laurie Faria Stolarz first came to my attention in 2007, when PROJECT 17 was first published. I enjoy reading about weird shiz, and an abandoned mental institution set for upcoming demolition definitely counts as such, so I immediately added it to my wishlist. Then I tracked down the author's Stacey Brown series, and thoroughly enjoyed it. (Minus the graphic novel, BLACK IS FOR BEGINNINGS - it's more character-driven than plot-oriented.)Only recently did I manage to buy PROJECT 17. Set in the same Stolarzverse as BLEED, a collection of connected short stories I read during the past year, six teens embark on making a reality film.Derik LaPointe's parents are grooming him to take over running the family's diner, but he'd rather become a videographer. Entering this reality film-making contest should help him on his way. Liza Miller is too perfect to connect with, so readers may find her off-putting. Tony Cassis doesn't really have a plot, but he's tacked onto Greta Barbosa's. An actress not getting the lead roles she wants, Greta's time during the filming goes deep inside an unexpected character.Chet will ring familiar with the author's fans; he's like Amber and PJ from the Stacey Brown series. But instead of being just the designated comic relief, Chet has depth - we learn why he mucks around so much, and it's a truth that really strikes a chord.But Mimi's journey is the one most connected with the institution, and comes to a heartbreaking conclusion.The abandoned mental institution drew me to this novel, and its history is definitely the highlight. There are hints at a haunting, but I brushed them aside and enjoyed the story for what it is: not really about the teens who film it, rather the institution's former inhabitants. Suspension of disbelief is required to tolerate the happenstances of the therapy and patients' things still being left around, even though it closed in 1992.I would've loved to learn more about the therapies and patients, but as it is PROJECT 17 packs a mighty emotional, unforgettable punch.