Requisite Replacement

The Replacement  by Brenna Yovanoff

This book gets a well deserved 4 gnomes and a gnome hat out of 5 gnomes for a truly great story that puts a superb twist into an old story.

Mackie is a changeling that is accepted by his family, he knows that he's different and that he replaced the real Malcom. His family makes sacrifices for him by not using normal silverware, not having friends over and his Dad a minister even leaves the Sunday School ground unconsecrated so Mackie can still go there.  His Mom also has a doozy of a secret to hide.

The town of Gentry is one heck of a place where most people seem to have a hint at least that horrible things are happening but they still don't leave the town. Everyone knows the traditions that should stop their children from being replaced but no on talks about it.

Mackie's relationship with his sister Emma is great because she seems to be the one that has accepted him since the very beginning. She saw him on the night that he was switched. It's great that his sister's love is the driving force of why he's still there and not sicker then he already is.


Friendships and relationships are well portrayed. Roswell, besides having an awesome name, is sympathetic to Mackie and would follow him anywhere. Roswell has a great personality because he has a very charmed life.

The potential love interest Tate doesn't seem like she really even likes Mackie in the beginning. Tate is seen as highly damaged because of the disappearance of her sister. Then Tate starts asking questions that no one bothers to usually ask.

Damaged as she is though Tate is one of my new literary heroes for some of the things that she does in the book.  She doesn't back down and let's just say she's also quite good with a crow bar. One of my favorite quotes in the book has Tate saying, 

"Look, I'm sorry I had to punch your girlfriend in the face, but sometimes white-trash moments are necessary, okay?"

Mackie tries to blend in but it's hard when so much of the world is made of iron that causes him to be horribly sick. He has a crush on Alice who's not the nicest person.This crush on Alice leads to an
incident with a tongue ring which has consequences afterward that really make you think, wow he is so interested in the wrong person.

Mackie does find the world that he is originally from and this leads to some shall we say interesting characters. These two worlds are vividly described and there is plenty of creepiness thrown in throughout the book. 

There are secrets galore in Gentry and at the end the town has a potential chance for a new beginning. The ending really makes you wonder what's going to happen next.