Review: The Replacement

The Replacement

By Brenda Yovanoff

Publication date: September 21, 2010

My review:

It is not unheard of for kids in the town of Gentry to go missing. People just don't talk about it. They mourn and they go on, hanging horseshoes and other protective charms over cradles. Mackie Doyle has been taught from an early age the importance of blending in. To stand out in Gentry is to invite trouble. The problem is that Mackie is different from everyone else-he is deathly allergic to iron and blood because Mackie isn't human. He is a replacement, left in the crib of Malcolm Doyle. Now his classmate Tate's sister Natalie is gone, replaced by a "child" that dies. Tate asks Mackie for help but how can he help her? Mackie must go back to his roots and the world that left him for dead to save Natalie.


The Replacement is set in a creepy town with an interesting premise based on Celtic folklore.  There is no name given to the creatures who live beneath Gentry but they appear to be based on folklore surrounding the Fae, or Old Ones. If this story was told from Tate's perspective I think it wouldn't have worked as well as it does. Mackie is an unusual protagonist but his flaws and differences make the reader like him more.

It is hard to define what genre this book belongs to. It has elements of romance between Mackie and Tate and at times it could almost be a suspense or horror novel. It also takes a look at the deeper idea of what it means to belong. I am not sure if this book is part of a series but it works as a stand alone novel.  Brenda Yovanoff's debut novel is fantastic and Mackie Doyle is a memorable protagonist. I would strongly suggest The Replacement to fans of Sarah Rees Brennan.


Readalikes: The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan, Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater, Devil's Kiss by Sarwat Chadda, Nevermore by Kelly Creagh, Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, The Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent