Blink and Caution in Mock Printz 2026

Jan 13, 2012 Mark rated it really liked it

Shelves: coming-of-age, sibling-relationships, young-adult-literature, mystery, suspense, drug-abuse, survival

Blink is a street kid, living day-to-day in downtown Toronto, scrounging for meals left outside hotel rooms. Caution is running from her abusive, drug-peddling boyfriend, and also running from a terrible event that shattered her family, and her notion of who she is. When Blink stumbles across a fake kidnapping, and follows the instinct to grab a left-behind cell phone, he quickly gets swept up into a case of business and government conspiracy. His path crosses with Caution's as they both work to Blink is a street kid, living day-to-day in downtown Toronto, scrounging for meals left outside hotel rooms. Caution is running from her abusive, drug-peddling boyfriend, and also running from a terrible event that shattered her family, and her notion of who she is. When Blink stumbles across a fake kidnapping, and follows the instinct to grab a left-behind cell phone, he quickly gets swept up into a case of business and government conspiracy. His path crosses with Caution's as they both work to get out of Toronto - he to rendezvous with the daughter of the "kidnapped" executive, she to get farther from her boyfriend and her ghosts. Once they meet, their involvement in the kidnapping case escalates, even though neither of them has ever met the man in question. They have only each other to rely upon, but when they've spent so long surviving on their own, can they even begin to find the trust they need to make it?

I've enjoyed the craft and care with which Wynne-Jones writes since reading The Uninvited, and this one takes the craft to a new level. We read about Blink and Caution in alternating chapters, with Blink's being written in second person (which is a much bigger deal to me than you might expect - it's hard for a writer to handle that POV well). It's fascinating to see how the two characters come *this* close to running into each other throughout the first 2/3 of the novel, and Wynne-Jones offers little nuggets of information about each of the characters very gradually, so that by the time they do run into each other in the train station, we're completely invested in them each. The mystery around the kidnapped executive isn't all that compelling, but it's an effective vehicle to reveal more layers of the characters. Even guessing Caution's traumatic event from a mile away ruins nothing - and I applaud Wynne-Jones for revealing it so subtly, without fanfare. It's affected Caution deeply, but there's no need to dwell on it for pages and pages. This is a fast-paced, superbly-written story, and I can see why it's ended up on so many "best of" lists for 2011. Well worth the read. ...more

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Nov 28, 2011 Terri rated it it was amazing

"Blink & Caution" is book number seven in my challenge to read twelve 2011 young adult award contenders this month! I am a member of a book club made up of adults (librarians, booksellers, authors, and those in the publishing industry) who read "children's" literature. We are looking at four+ possible contenders for the Caldecott, four+ contenders for the Newbery, and four+ contenders for the Printz. This is a book I have read many great reviews for and that has come up a lot in my world. I am s "Blink & Caution" is book number seven in my challenge to read twelve 2011 young adult award contenders this month! I am a member of a book club made up of adults (librarians, booksellers, authors, and those in the publishing industry) who read "children's" literature. We are looking at four+ possible contenders for the Caldecott, four+ contenders for the Newbery, and four+ contenders for the Printz. This is a book I have read many great reviews for and that has come up a lot in my world. I am sorry that I waited so long to read it. It a book that I know my students will love! A definite deserving contender.

This is one of those rare books with characters that I will never forget.I was invested in both Blink and Caution. Author Tim Wynne-Jones has crafted nuanced, multi-faceted, believable characters. Both have had every bad thing that can happen to a teen happen to them. Both are homeless and on the run. Both of their voices ring true and strong. Truly memorable.

"Blink & Caution" begins with the unusual present tense, second person narration of Blink (Brent) Conboy. He is cruising an expensive hotel looking for food that patrons have left unfinished outside of their hotel rooms. As he does so, he witnesses a crime that is not what it appears to be. He ends up with several hundred dollars, a cell phone, and a picture. Meanwhile, in alternate chapters we hear Caution (Kitty) Pettigrew's story from a present tense third person perspective. She is trying to collect money that big-time drug operators owe to her "boyfriend," a petty drug dealer. Blink and Caution nearly meet several times when they unknowingly cross paths. They finally come together when Blink becomes involved in the supposed kidnapping of the man whose cell phone he has, and Caution flees with her "boyfriend's" money stash when he is abusive towards her, and she realizes that he is having an affair with another woman. The two join forces to find out the truth about the crime Blink has witnessed.

Wynne-Jones has created a thrilling, action-packed mystery. In fact, I had to put it down at times because I couldn't take the tension. However, it was so compelling that I would quickly pick it up again and keep reading. I was literally on the edge of my seat as I read. I took the book with me to the gym, when I was riding in the car, everywhere... because it was so compelling! So in terms of plot, this is a winner - the pacing leaves the reader breathless. And I loved that I could not predict where this was going to go!

"Blink & Caution" is one of those rare books that will appeal to both male and female teens. The reader can enter through what Nancy Pearl calls the "plot door" and the "character door," and be totally engaged no matter his or her preference. In addition, for those who notice and appreciate quality of writing, this will also be a winner. Since the Printz is a literary award, it deserves to be considered for a Printz. However, my money is still on "A Monster Calls" by Patrick Ness. Only five books to go!

...more

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Sep 08, 2013 Dana Berglund rated it liked it

Shelves: audiobooks

I listened to the audiobook, which was very good. The reader makes such a difference, and the reader's voice for Blink, for that unique second-third person narrator voice, was excellent.
Blink is a street kid who left behind an abusive family but kept his anxious tics, looking for a good breakfast when he witnesses and then entangled himself in some serious sh...stuff. Caution is the "girlfriend" of a magical drug dealer, in self-inflicted limbo because of mistakes in her past. We spent the firs ...more

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May 21, 2013 Bethany Miller rated it really liked it

Shelves: royal

Two homeless teens – Blink and Caution – are drawn together and into a white collar crime in this suspenseful thriller. Blink (who used to be called Brent) wanders the halls of a fancy hotel in search of leftover breakfast on room service trays when he sees a group of men come out of a room who don’t look like they belong in the hotel any more than he does. They pull off rubber gloves and one of them throws the keycard on the floor before they disappear down the hallway. Blink decides to investi Two homeless teens – Blink and Caution – are drawn together and into a white collar crime in this suspenseful thriller. Blink (who used to be called Brent) wanders the halls of a fancy hotel in search of leftover breakfast on room service trays when he sees a group of men come out of a room who don’t look like they belong in the hotel any more than he does. They pull off rubber gloves and one of them throws the keycard on the floor before they disappear down the hallway. Blink decides to investigate and finds a wallet (with $600 in it) and a cell phone. Caution (who used to be Kitty) ran away from home after a tragic accident for which she blames herself. She’s been living with Merlin, an abusive small time drug dealer. Her circumstances are not good, but she doesn’t believe that she deserves any better. Caution finally snaps when, in the same day, she discovers that Merlin is cheating on and that he has posted a “home movie” that he had made of Caution on a web site called Amateur Whore. She erases every file on his computer, finds his hidden stash of money ($8,000), shoves it into her backpack and takes off. Fate brings together these two teens who both seem to be on a crash course for disaster. Together they must decide if there’s a way back to the lives that they left behind.

Evaluation:
Blink & Caution is a suspenseful thriller blended with gritty contemporary teen lit, and the result is a unique and engrossing novel. The point of view alternates between Blink and Caution with Blink’s chapters written in the second person point of view and Caution’s in third person omniscient. The use of second person point of view seemed odd at first, but this unexpected twist ended up working well, drawing the reader more fully into Blink’s character. Both main characters have tragic stories and difficult lives, but even though they’ve been beaten down, a glimmer of hope for the future still remains. It’s impossible not to root for them both to find a way back to a better life. Highly recommended.
...more

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Dec 29, 2011 Debrarian rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya-aka-teen

Read for Mock Printz.

Straightforward, apt phrasing. Eg: "early darkness settles in and any warmth the day might have gathered around itself is sucked right back down into the ground." (66)

Evocative metaphors: "winter is out there somewhere lacing on his skates" (87)

Great sense of place (eg the trees in the rain beside the lodge, p. 296)

Often very funny.

Blink's 2nd person voice amazingly effective.

***Spoiler*** in quibble with ending:

Quibble: Sustained tension until the end, when suddenly everyt ...more

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Jun 16, 2012 Ricki rated it liked it

Blink, a homeless teen, is just looking to get some leftover hotel food when he witnesses foul play. Caution is on the run from her drug-dealing, controlling boyfriend and desperate for cash. The two become entangled in a web of crimes. Told from alternating perspectives, this book is sure to hook readers with both suspense and mystery.

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May 18, 2011 Emily Rozmus rated it really liked it

Shelves: review-books, books-to-read-summer-of-2011

Non-stop action will drew me into this story, starting from the first few pages. Along the way, I found myself afraid and sad for Blink and Caution - Brent and Kitty- teens who will be all too recognizable as their tragically familiar pasts surface. I was put off by the Canadian setting at first- Canada is so foreign despite its seemingly common facade - but eventually, I settled in for the ride. Though some parts were predictable, I still found the book hard to put down and only every day life ...more

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Jun 03, 2011 Jan rated it really liked it

Shelves: teenbooks, contemporary

I really liked the two main characters who told their story in alternating chapters. It was a bit strange toggling between 3rd person narrative (Caution) and 2nd person present tense (Blink). But I think it worked. The plot had some predictable moments, but the growing relationship of the two characters was really appealing.

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