When I started Tim Wynne-Jones's Blink and Caution, I was wary because I'd heard so many people praise the YA novel--especially for its 2nd person narrator. For the first half of the story, I was convinced that everyone was dead wrong, and that Blink and Caution was far from a success--it was a slow, rambling, often disjointed story that overindulged in a kind of Francesca Lia Block-type wordplay. It was only once the main characters met up and their stories intertwined that the novel really picked up, and even managed to change my mind by the end--not only could I see why Blink and Caution had been lauded with so much praise by children's librarians and organizations such as Horn Book, but I actually enjoyed the story.
Despite my enjoyment of Blink and Caution, I couldn't stop thinking about it from a writer's perspective, and under that lens the book was something of a hot mess--but from a reader's perspective it completely succeeds. Here's my completely biased attempt to work through my feelings about Blink and Caution--what worked, what didn't, and why. Spoilers. Obviously.
A quick summary: Blink and Caution is a YA novel about two teenagers living on the streets of Toronto, alternating between Blink's 2nd person narration and Caution (Kitty's) 3rd person narration. The first half of the novel sets up why each character is on the streets (Blink because of an abusive stepfather, Caution because she believes herself to be a murderer) without going too far into the details, which are revealed through flashbacks throughout the novel. As the story opens, Blink accidentally witnesses a CEO of an energy corporation faking his own kidnapping. After Blink acquires the CEO's phone, he becomes drawn into the mystery, with the realization that he is the only one who knows what really happened. Meanwhile, Caution decides to run away from her abusive, cheating, thirty-something drug dealer boyfriend--after stealing about $6,000 from him. Caution avoids Merlin (the BF) with the help of her cousin, and Blink connects with the daughter of the missing CEO, until the two meet on a train and their stories intertwine.
What Didn't Work:
The First Half of the Story.
If the set-up I just described sounds like Strangers on a Train, that's because it is: Blink and Caution meet on a train, begin sharing some of their problems, and plan to help each other come up with a solution. The problem is, imagine if Strangers on a Train had about 90 minutes of film before Guy and Bruce actually meet, going into depth about their backstories, revealing information that ultimately had no connection to the movie's main plot. Blink and Caution could easily have started when the two meet on the train; instead, the reader is treated to about 250 pages (on iBooks, anyways) of details about Blink and Caution's lives that ultimately have little to do with the second half of the story. The set up dragged the novel down, and it almost felt as if I was reading two different books: one about two characters living (separately) on the mean streets of Toronto, struggling to survive, and the other about two teens who decide to solve a mystery and end up on a road trip where they learn more about themselves, grow as people, etc., etc., etc. As a writer, I wanted to scream, "WHERE WAS YOUR EDITOR?!?" This book was a huge violation of Kurt Vonnegut's rule about writing: 'Start as close to the end as possible.' This book felt like going to a crab fest, only to be served pasta, steak, and potatoes before the crabs and Old Bay show up.
Disappearing Plot Points.
This is a HUGE pet peeve of mine when I'm reading, so I'm probably harping on it more than necessary, but this book had so many little plots that were raised and then never resolved or even mentioned again that it made me want to take a red pen and cross out massive chunks of text. (This would have been an especially bad idea because I was reading it on my ipad : ) On the very first page, we learn that Blink is sneaking into a hotel to steal food off of a room service tray. Several times it is mentioned that he is so hungry he is dizzy, on the verge of collapse, struggling to concentrate, etc., but then he proceeds to NOT eat for the next forty pages/several hours, despite several opportunities to do so. At one point he is alone in a hotel room, with a full breakfast, and instead he decides to contemplate a picture he finds in the room, and then leaves without eating anything! He then acquires a few hundred dollars, and STILL wanders around for a while before buying anything to eat. I wouldn't have carried if the author hadn't harped on it so much, but the first thing I learned about this character was that he was basically starving, and then he kept not eating despite ample opportunity.
The eating, however, pales in comparison to a much, much bigger dropped plot point: one of the reasons Caution leaves Merlin (abusive BF) is because she realizes that he has made and sold a sex tape of the two of them. To be clear: Caution is 16. This is child pornography. She realizes this is child pornography. She also realizes that some of Merlin's associates have seen the film. But other than destroying the hard copy in Merlin's apartment, we never hear about the film again, even when Merlin and the previously mentioned associates are out hunting for Caution. Aside from the horror of the film's mere existence, why wasn't Caution concerned that all of the members of this drug cartel know what she looks like? Well, that brings me to the biggest dropped plot point of all: Once Caution meets up with Blink, Merlin and the others apparently just stop looking for her and decide they don't care about the disappearance of $6,000. The whole reason Caution is on the train is to avoid Merlin, but after solving the mystery of the CEO, they head back to Toronto, unconcerned about the drug cartel, who, sure enough, never make another appearance in the novel. It's even mentioned that the $6,000 is put in a college fund for Caution, at which point I think I actually laughed at the ridiculousness of the whole thing.
The Disney Ending.
Here's the thing: I love happy endings. I hate downer endings. And this ending was too happy for even me. Blink moves in with his grandmother, who is thrilled to have him, and basically takes him in as soon as he shows up on her doorstep without a single question (such as: why didn't your mother report you missing?) and Caution is reunited with her family, who all love her, are thrilled to have her back, etc. (Later I'll address Caution's growth as a character in more detail, because it was probably the best part of the novel.) The problem with Caution's happy, loving family is it makes her guilt over the 'murder' seem overblown. The worst part, though, was that Blink and Caution are apparently dating, even though there was zero hint of a romantic bond between them before the epilogue. In fairness, they do kiss once, but it's more of a 'thank god we're alive/we just shared a deep emotional experience' type kiss than a romantic one. I thought Wynne-Jones had established that Caution viewed Blink like a kid brother who needed looking after, which was a neat piece of literary symmetry given that Caution lost her older brother, who always looked out for her, but then at the last moment they are apparently dating, because the whole ending wasn't convenient enough already.
Blink's ADHD/Panic Disorder/Schizophrenia/Whatever
This could have gone under the tag of dropped plot points, but it was so annoying I thought it deserved its own section. From the beginning, it's very clear there is something wrong with Blink: he freezes up, forgets what he's doing/saying, struggles to keep a grip on what's going on around him, and has a mental companion he calls Captain Panic who comes out and yells at him whenever things are going wrong. It doesn't seem like Blink thinks Captain Panic is an actual person speaking to him, which means it's probably not schizophrenia, but there is something wrong with Blink--until suddenly there isn't any more. Even if it's just crippling anxiety (at one point he finds himself struggling to speak during a phone conversation, forcing each word out past the panic/confusion) it should still have been addressed, especially since it's implied that this is part of the reason Blink's stepfather abused him and his mother ignored him. At one point Blink mentally shoves down Captain Panic and seems to triumph over him, but other than that one moment his illness is never addressed and, like the drug cartel, simply disappears at the end. If the author hadn't gone to such lengths to make it clear that Blink had some kind of mental illness this probably wouldn't be bothering me so much, but he did, and then just dropped it, to which I can only say: ugh.
What Did Work
Showing Not Telling
In general, Tim Wynne-Jones is very good at showing instead of telling, letting the audience come to natural conclusions about how Blink and Caution feel at significant turning points in the story instead of laying it out for the reader. Two moments in particular come to mind: after speaking to the CEO's daughter, Alison, Blink has to decide whether to call her back and explain what he saw or to stay uninvolved. He works up the courage to reach out to her instead of waiting for her to call, which is the first proactive action we see him take. We understand what a big deal it is for him to come out of his shell and reach out to another person without Tim Wynne-Jones hitting us over the head with it. The other moment comes when Caution discovers that Merlin has been cheating on her and makes the decision to leave him. Her battle to open the metal horse and access his money requires forethought and physical strength, and it quickly becomes clear that this is the first thing she has fought for in a long time. Although the wordplay becomes overdone at times, this story is an excellent example of letting characters' actions and words speak for them instead of the author explaining each emotional note s/he is trying to hit.
The Character Development
Despite the Disney ending and the tacked on romance, Blink and Caution contains excellent character development, running the main characters on first parallel and then intersecting journeys to discover their own self worth and ultimately decide to reach out and trust others. Aside from living on the streets, Blink and Caution are ordinary teenagers--they want to be accepted but fear appearing vulnerable, they distrust adults and dislike being belittled, and they use attitude and sarcasm to cover their fear and uncertainty. During the story Blink and Caution grow from teenagers into adults, at least on an emotional level. Each becomes confident in who they are, but at the same time they aren't afraid to trust and reach out for others. The biggest change between the first and second half of the story is that Blink and Caution go from reactive to proactive. Both understanding that actions have consequences, but perhaps the biggest lesson for both is that those consequences should be faced head on instead of avoided, and each has the right to make decisions about who they are and how they deserve to be treated.
Caution's MOA (Moment of Awesome)
The best part of Blink and Caution, the part that tips this book from the trash heap to the recommend pile, is the moment when Caution not only faces down her demons, but seizes control and makes them work for her. The reason she ran away from home, the reason she hooked up with and stayed with an abusive drug dealer, is because she feels the need to punish herself for accidentally shooting and killing her brother. Spencer was Caution's world, and in addition to looking out for her and being her best friend, he also taught her to shoot. At the climax of the novel, Blink is locked in a cabin with a man (Tank) who wants to torture and possibly murder him. Caution uses her knowledge of the woods (also taught by her brother) to effectively block Tank from chasing them or communicating with his friends. And then she grabs a shotgun and threatens Tank until he lets Blink go. Not only does she grab a shotgun, but she demonstrates her skills as a shooter, terrifying Tank into obeying her every command. The entire time, Caution wants to drop the gun and run screaming from the situation, but she maintains her cool and rescues herself and Blink, only to completely melt down after they escape. I wanted to stand up and cheer when Tank said she didn't have the guts to pull the trigger and she blew away the lamp next to his head. From that moment, Caution finally releases all the pain and anger she's kept inside and allows herself to feel, and, by extension, return to her family. The brilliance of the writing cannot be overstated here: the reader feels every ounce of Caution's fear and panic at holding a shotgun, and every ounce of her courage and determination to save her friend. The Strange Familiar said it best: "Courage is when you've lost your way but you find your strength anyways."
That's my thoughts in a nutshell. Again, I would recommend reading Blink and Caution, especially if you enjoy strong writing, but I'd also say that skimming a bit in the first half wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. And if you do pick it up, give yourself at least 30-40 pages before you put it down--Blink's 2nd person narration, coupled with his mental struggles, make the book VERY confusing and difficult to read, until you get used to his way of thinking and seeing the world. Ultimately though, I think it's worth it. Best book ever? Nah. Worth a read? Definitely.
--Cates
P.S One final thing I decided to not include in the actual review: I appreciated that Tim Wynne-Jones did not use Caution's story as a way to preach about the evils of firearms. Personal opinions aside, it just wouldn't have belonged and would have taken away from Caution's character development. In the Afterwords, Wynne-Jones reveals that his best friend was shot and killed by his younger brother in a freak accident, and the emotional fall-out for everyone involved was his initial inspiration to write Blink and Caution. I thought it was a great decision to focus on the characters and to keep politics out.
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