The camp
The camp is a thriller A young adult novel written by award-winning Spanish journalist and author Blue Jeans. The work was first published on April 7, 2021 by the publisher Planeta. After its release, the story has received mostly mixed reviews from the public, obtaining an average rating between 3.83 and 4,5 stars on Goodreads and Amazon, respectively.
Despite its good statistics, The camp continues to receive slightly acidic comments from fans of the crime novelOne of the most common is that it is a light read, but it is worth remembering that this is a book recommended for 14-year-olds. To be critical, it is necessary to take into account other factors that do have weight.
Synopsis of The camp
A tribute to Ten bold
The premise of The camp The event takes place in what seems to be an idyllic setting: an exclusive summer retreat in a remote natural setting, to which ten prominent influencers from different parts of Spain have been invited. The participants have been selected for their outstanding academic, artistic and sporting abilities, and will compete against each other to win the title of “the best of the best”.
However, what at first seems to be a unique and exciting opportunity for them, soon turns into a nightmare. The mystery begins when one of the participants appears dead. In a remote place, with no access to outside help and surrounded only by their companions and the organizers, the characters must face a dilemma: who is behind the murder?
The change of style of Blue Jeans
With The camp, Blue Jeans takes a turn in his career. While known for exploring youthful feelings and personal relationships, this novel marks a shift by focusing more on the suspense psychological and in a more classic mystery plot. Although it maintains its characteristic agile style and directly, it explores new edges, such as fear, guilt and the pressure of being the target of a deadly game.
Throughout the work, the author manages to create a suffocating atmosphere, playing with the protagonists' insecurities and the tensions between them. As in his previous works, the characters are well-defined, but this time, the plot becomes a puzzle. Readers find themselves slowly delving into the secrets of each young man, as they try to discover who is responsible for the crime.
Narrative style of the work
At the same time, the change in the author's style plays a trick on him. The narration of The camp It is so direct that it tends to tell too much. and showing very little. For example: the writer almost obsessively describes the physical appearance of his characters, leaving aside the setting. Likewise, the dialogues feel forced and not very credible in relation to the reading public.
While it is true that this thriller It is aimed at a target very youngIt is also true that teenagers have a great capacity for discernment, so it is not necessary to bombard them with irrelevant descriptions of the actors, especially when there are so many of them. In addition, the volume is written in the present tense with a third-person narrator.
Building the main characters
The camp It is a curious phenomenon as far as the construction of its protagonists is concerned. On the one hand, they are all well-defined – this, in the most superficial sense, of course: their physical features, their hobbies and attitudes are more obvious. On the other hand, the characters, although they are described as being over twenty years old, act like hormonal teenagers.
Despite the imminent danger that looms over them, the romantic tensions they have developed throughout the story seem to be more important. Another conflict that arises is temporality: The novel explores several timelines that are framed in chapters titled with the names of the protagonists, whom the narrator follows in their extravagances.
Tracking over time
The first chapter of the novel begins on the young people's eighth day at camp, which implies some knowledge of the protagonists regarding their companions. However, Blue Jeans makes use of explanatory dialogues on obvious matters that everyone should understand at this point, such as the ties they have with each other and the role of each person in the place.
There are also serious issues that are handled in a very frivolous manner, such as the repercussions of actions that could jeopardize the reputation of one of the country's most important athletes - a fact that is said ad nauseum and barely shown. In conclusion, The camp It is a novel with an interesting premise and ineffective execution..
About the Author
Francisco de Paula Fernández, better known as Blue Jeans, was born in Seville. He grew up in Carmona, where he lived until he was eighteen. Later, He graduated in JournalismAs a writer, his works have been translated into several languages, with more than two million followers around the world, who await the latest adaptations.
Considering the success of the film productions that have been inspired by the Blue Jeans stories, There is no doubt that the author has managed to connect with younger readers.An example of this is the series The invisible girl, the protagonist of a major release on Disney+. Given this prestige, the author has been recognized with the Cervantes Prize (2013).
Other books by Blue Jeans
- You know I love you? (2009);
- Songs for Paula (2009);
- Silence me with a kiss (2011);
- Good morning, princess (2012);
- The club of the misunderstood (2013);
- Do not smile that I fall in love (2013);
- Can I dream with you? (2014);
- I have a secret: Meri's diary (2014);
- Something so simple (2015);
- Something as simple as tweeting I love you (2015);
- Something as simple as kissing you (2016);
- Behind the wall (2016);
- Something as simple as being with you (2017);
- The invisible girl (2018);
- The crystal puzzle (2019);
- Julia's promise (2020);
- Chopin's crimes (2022);
- Chopin's last melody (2023);
- An influencer died in Paris (2024)