Titles (in order): Shadowland, Ninth Key, Reunion, Darkest Hour, Haunted, Twilight
Series: The Mediator Series, Books 1-6
Author: Meg Cabot (some originally released under Jenny Carroll)
Publisher: Avon Books
Release Date: November 1, 2000 - February 1, 2005
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Suspense
Content Rating: Older Teen (some language, violence, scary situations, sensuality, innuendo)
Format Read: Mass Market Paperback
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase: Azon | B&N | BookDepo | Indiebound
Summary (of Book 1):
Suze is a mediator -- a liaison between the living and the dead. In other words, she sees dead people. And they won't leave her alone until she helps them resolve their unfinished business with the living. But Jesse, the hot ghost haunting her bedroom, doesn't seem to need her help. Which is a relief, because Suze has just moved to sunny California and plans to start fresh, with trips to the mall instead of the cemetery, and surfing instead of spectral visitations.
But the very first day at her new school, Suze realizes it's not that easy. There's a ghost with revenge on her mind ... and Suze happens to be in the way.
* * *
Series: This is a review of the first six books in the series, which comprise Suze's teen years and were originally the entire Mediator series. Meg has since released a seventh book, Remembrance, about Suze as an adult.*
The Mediator series was a favorite of my youth, discovered while browsing library shelves and delightfully devoured through my teens. It was such a favorite that I own an entire set and occasionally re-read them when I'm feeling nostalgic and in need of some classic snark.
The Voice: Mediator is essentially all about the voice. Meg does an amazing job of writing the mind of a teen, young but jaded after a lifetime of dealing with ghosts, who moves across the country to a life of "new"s: new coast, new family, new school, new friends, new loves, and naturally new people trying to kill her. Suze's first person point of view is chatty and telling and her naive yet bad girl flare really brings her story to realistic life despite the paranormal elements. Think Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or Veronica Mars (if Veronica took up ghost hunting).
The Characters: Still, despite Suze's snark and butt-kicking abilities, I must note that she is not a bright girl. Foolish at her best and suicidal at her worst, she's a hit and insult first, try to reason with later kind of gal, and she doesn't see how this is not the best mediation technique. Her communication skills, especially with the dead, are abominable, and only with luck (and typically a trip to the hospital) is she able to accomplish her job in some semblance of the word. But you don't read these books for her mad mediating skillz. You read them for her quick wit, her sweet romance with Jesse, and her ghostly albeit violent adventures. They aren't pretty, but they're entertaining.
As for Jesse, the hot ghost who shares Suze's bedroom, it must also be noted that he sadly has very little screen time. This is a grave disappointment since he is the highlight of the series, but you learn to look forward to his brief scenes and enjoy what time he graces the story. And if you make it to the final book, you are at least rewarded with a lively, Jesse-centric climax.
But then there's Paul. Conceited, creeper Paul is unfortunately as important to the last three books as Jesse (even more so, really) and therefore gets a lot of skin-crawling screen time. Meg did her job of making him unlikable way too well, and it's very easy to find the boy as repulsive as poor Suze does. If you care enough about Jesse's fate to finish the series then he's an antagonistic element you just have to accept and bear.
The Books: The first three books are classic mediator Suze, kicking butt and getting bloody. She takes on the suicidal and murderous ex-girlfriend of her first school crush in Shadowland (1), faces off with a vampire and psychotic businessman in Ninth Key (2), and the first two plots combine for a vengeful teen foursome and psychotic killer in Reunion (3). Spooky and violent, these are quick, thrilling reads that introduce Suze and her paranormal world as she struggles with her new life and confusing feelings for Jesse. (Just be ready to forgive an excess of commas.)
In the last three books, Suze's mediating world expands as she discovers there's more to her gift/curse than she ever knew. She faces deadly ghosts and a backyard body in Darkest Hour (4), meets a very different kind of mediator in Haunted (5), and exploits a newly discovered (if rather illogical) power in Twilight (6). While 4 had its moments, 5 & 6 weren't as enjoyable with their abundance of obnoxious Paul and questionable new powers. But Suze and Jesse's relationship finally reaches its romantic conclusion, and the series ends on a sweet and hopeful note for everyone's future.
Conclusion: Despite the violent undead and psychotic living out for her blood, as well as too little Jesse and way too much Paul, after nineteen years the six-book Mediator series still remains a quick and snarky teen classic for me. Suze can be a serious idiot most of the time, with the living and dead alike, but she and her life are certainly never boring. Definitely recommend for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and/or Veronica Mars.
*A Note About Book 7: Book 7 sees the return of Paul in all his evil glory, so if you despise him in the teen years as much as I did, I recommend you skip Suze's adult stories as I am.
Scribble Rating:
3.5 of 5 Scribbles
