Books Archives - Page 62 of 72

Yzabel / July 7, 2013

Review: The Necromancer’s Apprentice

The Necromancer’s Apprentice by R.M. Prioleau

My rating: [rating=3]

Summary:

Jasmine Na’Darod lived a simple life with her parents and older sister on the family’s farm. She never strayed far from home until the ill-fated Blood Moon arose, basking the country of Caristan with a terrible, sickening drought.

When her mother falls ill, Jasmine and her family are forced to leave home in desperate search of a cure. During their journey, a series of tragic events will change Jasmine’s life forever.

With her former life shrouded and forgotten, Jasmine embraces a new path granted by an unlikely stranger, who, ironically, practices the Art of death and undeath.

As Jasmine is drawn to this enigma of a man, she soon realizes there is more to him than what she initially perceived — his true motives are beyond anything she could ever imagine…

Review:

A story I enjoyed in general, but I think it would’ve deserved to be a little longer, in order to develop the characters some more, as well as give more details about Jasmine’s apprenticeship per se.

The main problem I had with this story was Jasmine’s passiveness towards what happened around her. Her shutting off all emotions made her too bland, like a blank slate on which it’d be easy to write. Had she had a little more passion in her, it might have allowed for more development, for explanations about how she came to accept her new life—the latter was an abrupt change, after all, with a lot of disturbing events happening, and she went through those like a breeze. There was an abrupt shift in the middle of the book, that I wasn’t sure I really grasped: one moment, she was all resentful towards Dagg, then in the next chapter she talked about him as her beloved Master. This, in my opinion, would have needed more “showing” instead of “telling”, for readers to really feel how she went from one side to the other. I would also have liked to see more of the Master’s teachings.

On the other hand, I quite enjoyed the second part, and the themes explored through this novella. Necromancy is a fascinating subject in itself, because of the questions it raises. The narrative is often fraught with ambiguity: permeated with a dark, corrupted magic that demands “experiments” to be performed, yet hauntingly beautiful in many ways. Some descriptions may need editing, because they were just a tad too flowery and bordering on purple prose. But some others were strong and to the point, albeit in a gruesome way. Although we’re not shown much of the world in which the story unfolds, it’s alright, because we don’t actually need to know: the secluded cave and marshes are good things, providing readers with a definite focus on the characters. This is why I wished we could see more development on that side, for the setting itself is perfect in that regard.

I still don’t know whether I should give this book 2 or 3 stars. However, for now, I’m going to settle on 3 all the same: there’s definitely potential in this story.

Yzabel / June 30, 2013

Review: This Dark Endeavour

This Dark Endeavour by Kenneth Oppel

My rating: [rating=2]

Summary:

In this prequel to Mary Shelley’s gothic classic, Frankenstein, 16-year-old Victor Frankenstein begins a dark journey that will change his life forever. Victor’s twin, Konrad, has fallen ill, and no doctor is able to cure him. Unwilling to give up on his brother, Victor enlists his beautiful cousin Elizabeth and best friend Henry on a treacherous search for the ingredients to create the forbidden Elixir of Life. Impossible odds, dangerous alchemy and a bitter love triangle threaten their quest at every turn.

Victor knows he must not fail. But his success depends on how far he is willing to push the boundaries of nature, science, and love—and how much he is willing to sacrifice.

Review:

2.5 stars. I’d deem this story “okay”. It wasn’t bad, but I expected more of it, and it didn’t leave me with a sense of completion, although I wish it had. There are lots of good ideas in this book, that didn’t work for me, the way they were exploited, and it’s really too bad.

Lots of potential, indeed. For instance, the beginning that hints at a darker side in the two brothers’ relationships. Or the love triangle that could’ve become something really interesting, something that could have seriously thwarted Victor’s motivations. Unfortunately, I think the author didn’t go deep enough with those—perhaps because really going through with them to the end would’ve been too dark for a YA audience? I don’t know. Things felt a little weird in that regard, as if in style and themes, the book was aiming at the older part of the intended audience, yet didn’t dare to go there in the end, and remained a little too “light”, for the sake of the younger ones.

The love triangle also fell flat in general, in my opinion, and more childish than the dark and tragic affair it could’ve been (or than what I expected from the blurb on the back cover). Victor’s love would’ve had more impact for me if it had been there from the beginning, and not apparently triggered at the moment he learnt Konrad loved the girl too. Elizabeth was a character I enjoyed, showing a lot of pluck and decision-making. This may be the reason why I also disliked the way Konrad treated her, as if he was only looking at her, and not “seeing” her for who she was. In itself, this could’ve added to the tragedy of that relationship, but felt a little wobbly instead. This said, to be fair, I’m not too attracted by love triangles in general, so I’m pretty picky about those anyway.

Finally, I would’ve liked the ending to be just a tad less abrupt. It was a necessary ending—it couldn’t have been otherwise—but it came a little too quickly. I guess I would’ve liked some kind of explanation, even a non-scientific one, as to how exactly the tables turned so fast.

What I appreciated, though, was how “This Dark Endeavour” paved the way for Shelley’s story, and could likely bring more people to read that one—which really deserves to be read no matter what. Maybe this is the reason why I couldn’t be so enthralled with the book: because I already know the original masterpiece, and because for me, the stories don’t play on the same level. Nevertheless, this novel could be a good introduction to its predecessor for younger readers.

Yzabel / June 25, 2013

Review: Diverse Energies

Diverse Energies by Tobias S. Buckell

My rating: [rating=4]

Summary:

“No one can doubt that the wave of the future is not the conquest of the world by a single dogmatic creed but the liberation of the diverse energies of free nations and free men. No one can doubt that cooperation in the pursuit of knowledge must lead to freedom of the mind and freedom of the soul.”
—President John F. Kennedy, from a speech at University of California, March 23, 1962

In a world gone wrong, heroes and villains are not always easy to distinguish and every individual has the ability to contribute something powerful.

In this stunning collection of original and rediscovered stories of tragedy and hope, the stars are a diverse group of students, street kids, good girls, kidnappers, and child laborers pitted against their environments, their governments, differing cultures, and sometimes one another as they seek answers in their dystopian worlds. Take a journey through time from a nuclear nightmare of the past to society’s far future beyond Earth with these eleven stories by masters of speculative fiction. Includes stories by Paolo Bacigalupi, Ursula K. Le Guin, Malinda Lo, Cindy Pon, Daniel H. Wilson, and more.

Review:

I got an ARC of this anthology through NetGalley last year, and have just realised I didn’t post a review back then—I suspect I finished it at a moment I didn’t have time to do so, and then it unfortunately slipped my mind.

Most of the works I read are pretty much Caucasian-centred, and I thought this book would provide me with a nice change, as well as with an opportunity to learn more about some cultures I’m not too familiar with—I’m utterly convinced that learning this way, for someone like me, is a solid bridge to wanting to learn more afterwards, and this han’t proved wrong yet. The different cultural points of view developed in the dystopian stories here turned out interesting, and shed light on some very logical aspects I probably wouldn’t have considered at first, due to my own ignorance.

Of course, as is mostly the case in anthologies, some stories I enjoyed more than others (“Next Door”, “Solitude” and “The Last Day” being my favourite ones), but as a whole, “Diverse Energies” holds its ground with a steady momentum, and doesn’t disappoint. At the same time, I also appreciated that this book didn’t give the impression of being the proverbial stone thrown to get the pond to ripple: it was, all that simply, logical, which is in my opinion a very strong point.

Yzabel / June 24, 2013

Review: Kojiki

Kojiki by Keith Yatsuhashi

My rating: [rating=4]

Summary:

When eighteen-year-old Keiko Yamada’s father dies unexpectedly, he leaves behind a one way ticket to Japan, an unintelligible death poem about powerful Japanese spirits and their gigantic, beast-like Guardians, and the cryptic words: “Go to Japan in my place. Find the Gate. My camera will show you the way.”

Alone and afraid, Keiko travels to Tokyo, determined to fulfill her father’s dying wish. There, beneath glittering neon signs, her father’s death poem comes to life. Ancient spirits spring from the shadows. Chaos envelops the city, and as Keiko flees its burning streets, her guide, the beautiful Yui Akiko, makes a stunning confession–that she, Yui, is one of a handful of spirits left behind to defend the world against the most powerful among them: a once noble spirit now insane. Keiko must decide if she will honor her father’s heritage and take her rightful place among the gods.

Review:

(Book provided by the author through ARR #1181 in the Making Connections group, in exchange for an honest review.)

“Kojiki” is, in my opinion, quite a visual story, and would be just as suited if turned into a movie. The author wrote vidi descriptions that allowed me to picture whatever was going on clearly enough—and there was a lot going on. You may not like the story as much as I did if you’re not into action-packed plots; if you are, though, then go ahead.

The story may be more geared toward a younger audience, or at least one who is familiar with anime and some of their most popular themes, such as battles between spirits to save the world. However, there’s no dumbing-down here, as it also deals with deeper themes (treason, lost love, trust issues, being torn between saving or killing a friend…). I appreciate when books go that road, and don’t remain stuck to surface feelings and plots, the way things too often are in such works.

There are a couple of things here I’m not too sure about. For instance, Keiko is quickly thrown into the action—she doesn’t spend a third of the book looking for the gate, or getting into the swing of things; part of me was glad about that, while another part thought it may have been a little too abrupt. There are also several characters and points of view to follow; this isn’t a problem for me, but, again, I found those just a tad bit heavy to get into at first (which means that readers who are less familiar than I am with POV switches might have a harder time here). Another thing that may detract readers is the use of Japanese language. Someone like me, who speaks just enough of it to understand the (quite basic) vocabulary and sentence structures used here, won’t feel lost; on the other hand, I can imagine that someone who doesn’t speak the language may not always guess what those words are about (sometimes the context or dialogue provides an explanation… and sometimes not).

On the other hand, I think the whole mythology unfolding in the book should be easy to understand: spirits linked to elements (water, air, nature, earth…), fighting with their guardians (lesser spirits tied to the same elements) to prevent the world from being destroyed. Pretty basic at first sight, except that what could have been your good old black and white morality undergoes a few twists here. While the battle is fought above Japan, the spirits involved aren’t only Japanese, and hint at different cultures—in other words, they’re not anchored in one time and one place, and truly represent something bigger and older than that. At the same time, much like in legends, those spirits have to contend with their personalities and feelings, and aren’t mere concepts: in that regard, they feel like real people, and have depths as characters (which isn’t so easy to achieve when you’re dealing with what are basically Gods). Perhaps the only character I didn’t really get was Lon-Shan; maybe he would have deserved more screen time?

My conclusion: get this book if you’re at ease with 3rd person narration with several points of view, enjoy vivid descriptions of scenes and battles, want to get a clear visual of what’s happpening, and enjoy diving into plots that involve powerful beings who nevertheless have to deal with human-like problems. If you’re into anime on top of it, you’ll likely enjoy it even more.

Yzabel / June 5, 2013

Review: Showtime

Showtime by Chloe Kayne

My rating: [rating=2]

Summary:

The grandeur of the traveling circus is at its peak in the early 1920s when sixteen-year-old Laila Vilonia is searching for an escape from her bleak future. Behind the gates of the legendary Marvelle Circus, she is thrust into a mysterious world she never knew existed—a paradise populated with outcasts. It’s in this glamorous new home that Laila sparks a controversial romance with notorious sideshow performer, “The Disappearing Man,” and learns just how dangerous her new life can be.

Touring the picturesque eastern coast of America, Laila’s immersed in friendship, vaudeville, festivals, sequins, and serial killers. But behind the curtain, a sadistic plan is brewing that will crack the very foundation upon which she’s become so dependent.

Review:

I wanted to like this book more than I did, because it showed potential. Alas, it just didn’t do it for me in the end.

The author took care of writing vivid descriptions, and those really pull you in, giving a fairly good view of what the circus looked like, the routines its performers went through, and so on. However, there were moments when they interferred with the narrative, slowing it down and making things confusing. I also spotted several misuses of words, which was jarring.

More importantly, while you can tell the author is facinated with her subject and wants us to share this interest, the historical period wasn’t the best choice here. The action takes place mostly in 1918, yet no mention is made of World War I, nor of the impact it was bound to have on circuses (on how many people could afford to attend performances, for instance). The 1900s-early 1910s would’ve been a more logical choice, at least to me. If you don’t care the least bit about historical accuracy, it may not be such a problem, but I couldn’t get past this.

There were a lot of characters—something normal in a circus—and it helped me imagine how life went on there on a daily basis, with everybody’s routines and personal drama; on the other hand, some of them were perhaps given too much spotlight for too little “return on investment” (the story wouldn’t have changed one bit if they had been left out). Also, I think the “Disappearing Man”, and the trick behind his show, should’ve been introduced sooner. The way things went, I felt it odd that everybody talked about the one “dangerous” guy, yet never mentioned the other: they’re all working in the circus, shouldn’t they have known about this?

As for the plot, there were several interesting leads, yet overall it tended to be confusing, with some subplots left dangling in the way (Ethan’s and Jodelle’s never got a proper conclusion); so when some more important things happened, they made me think “oh, yes, true, there was that.” It was hard to picture a clear antagonist, and the one who appeared as the most obvious often behaved, well, too stupidly to leave an impression.

Overall, I’d say this book is worth a pick for its atmosphere and if you like rich descriptions; unfortunately, those weren’t enough for me to go past what I didn’t like in it.

Yzabel / May 29, 2013

Review: Thirteen Reasons Why

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

My rating: [rating=4]

Summary:

Clay Jenkins returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Bakera–his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out how he made the list.

Review:

I’m not sure where exactly I stand regarding this book. I found it fascinating in many ways, including bad ones—sometimes like a trainwreack you can’t help but watch. This story may not be for everyone, and I feel that it has the potential to equally fascinate some people, and alienate others.

Hannah’s character is far from being perfect, far from being a pitiful victim: her stunt with the tapes, all things considered, is actually a pretty cruel one, at least for some of the people involved. Did Clay deserve to hear all that—and wasn’t his being on the tape just as strong accusation as the others (although a more implicit one)? Was the girl with the stop sign more guilty than the guy who wouldn’t take no for an answer at first? Didn’t Hannah bring a lot of her problems onto herself, just because she didn’t react when she should have, didn’t confront people directly, and remained on the side doing nothing? What gave her the right to impose the tapes to those involved (and to those who weren’t, such as the one in charge of keeping the second set)

And yet, it’s also hard to judge her negatively, because nobody reacts to a series of events the same way as the person next door. Had I been in Hannah’s case, I would’ve confronted people much sooner, and not resorted to suicide; but that’s me, a woman with a strong personality when confronted to a lot of stressors, while others that can take me down will do nothing to another person. I don’t think we can judge suicidal tendencies on the account of “Hannah’s problems were too petty to justify it”: it’s not a matter of what’s petty or not, it’s a matter of how people live with their problems. What snowballed for Hannah wouldn’t have done anything to someone else; what would prompt that same someone else to suicide may not have had such an effect on Hannah.

Hannah isn’t a particularly pleasant character, due to her planning the tapes and how it looked like a revenge of sorts. At the same time—something we barely scrape over at the very ending—her actions might also have the potential to bring people to start thinking differently, considering how what seems trivial, little things to them could have tremendous influence on others. In any case, I found this book to be quite a thought-provoking one.

Yzabel / May 27, 2013

Review: Eden

Eden by Janelle Stalder

My rating: [rating=2]

Summary:

Trapped within the cruel world of hormones and bullies, fifteen-year-old Aiden is convinced life has more to offer him. His instincts are proven correct on the night he is awakened by a voice calling to him from outside his window. As he sleepily peers into his yard, his eyes slowly focus on a woman who says she is there to take him to Eden. Aiden is about to fulfill the life purpose he never knew he had.

It is in Eden, a land on the brink of war, where Aiden will finally learn to trust himself and those around him. Accompanied by Wolf, his sidekick Logan, and the beautiful archer, Elisa, Aiden is soon thrust into a battle to save Eden. Meanwhile Elisa, the only girl in the King’s Army, is in the midst of her own struggles. Betrothed to a man she has no intention of marrying, Elisa is caught between the need to prove herself and her desire for true happiness. And now that she has met Aiden, she is more confused than ever.

In this action-packed fantasy tale, romance, adventure, and intrigue surround Aiden as he learns just what he is capable of when he discovers confidence and courage.

Review:

(Book provided by the author through Read It & Reap 144 in the Shut Up & Read group, in exchange for an honest review.)

Overall an entertaining book, with a world that seems interesting, and characters who have potential. However, there were several things I couldn’t really come to terms with.

Among its strong points lies the fact that most of the characters aren’t all black or white. The “bad ones” are able to show proper behaviour, and because they want to seize a kingdom doesn’t make them complete louts, in spite of their reputation. The “good ones” aren’t all perfect either—some are womanizers, can’t express their feelings, or are too proud to lay down their arms (manner of speaking). It paves the way for interesting relationships. The author took into account the training part of her hero, who doesn’t happen to already know everything there is to know as soon as he appears in Eden. As for the world itself, it seems to have potential too.

On the other hand, I regularly felt that this very potential wasn’t realised—which is too bad. For instance, a lot of time was devoted to training, but it would’ve been more believable if it had spanned over a few months, instead of a few days only. Some things were also cut short, or not explained enough. Rose seemed to be here mainly to highlight Callum, more than to create tension regarding her fate and that of her brother’s. I didn’t really understand the logics behind a couple of plot points: why didn’t the arrow turn the tide of the battle the other way, and how come things ended up so fast for the “good guys”? Why was sending Aiden back the only way to save him? (Diana said in the beginning that he couldn’t die while in Eden, which implied he could die in his own world… so what did she do that made it so that he would die in Eden, but not back home?)

Part of me liked the book, and kept on reading to know what would happen. Yet another part always wondered why some things weren’t explained, or seemed to be interrupted. Perhaps the next book will bring answers, but in the meantime, it’s quite frustrating; I could’ve done with a few pointers as to what might happen, so that I may form my own hypotheses in the meantime.

Consider this a 2.5 stars. This book isn’t bad, far from it, and will please some readers. I just think it left too many things unanswered, and moved too fast (in terms of time frame, not of chapter length) for some elements to be fully believable.

Yzabel / May 21, 2013

Review: Seraphina

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

My rating: [rating=5]

Summary:

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty’s anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen’s Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift – one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.

Review:

Mixed opinion on that one.

Gorgeous cover, for starters. Also, pleasant writing, more sophisticated than what is usually found in books intended for the targetted audience (while this might be a bad point for some, I had no difficulty with the vocabulary, and enjoyed the use of less common words for a change).

Rachel Hartman created a world that quickly caught my interest. Among other things: dragons who can take on a human shape in order to understand humans and uphold a decades-old peace treaty, yet are alien to “emotions”, and even fearful of them; zealots on both sides of the fence, who would like nothing more than to see the treaty gone; knights who’re the only ones left with the knowledge of how to fight dragons. Moreover, I was quite fond of some of the secondary characters. Orma was interesting to read about. Abdo and Lars were definitely of the nice kind. Dame Okra and her reactions often made me smile. Glisselda was a pretty positive character, with a strong streak and appropriate reactions.

Alas, I wasn’t so thrilled about the main characters, who fell too flat in comparison. Seraphina could have been much more interesting if her reactions had made more sense; for instance, she spent her whole life hiding who she was, going on with a well-established daily routine, but then throws herself head first into the investigation (I wanted to tell her “Well, do you want to be noticed, yes or no? Because you can’t have both.”). The prince, well… Nice, but nothing to write home about.

The pacing itself was a problem. The first part of the book dragged for a little too long, before things started to pick up, and I also think that the end dragged as well, considering what it dealt with. In my opinion, it should’ve ended sooner, instead of on the love-relationship part. And here’s another problem for me: the romance. Seriously, why, why does it always have to be about romance and love triangles nowadays? The story would’ve worked exactly the same way, with the same things at stake (being accepted for who one really is, fear of rejection, etc.) had Seraphina found a *friend* in Lucian, and not a *love interest* (which, by the way, came out of the blue). It doesn’t help that said love triangle is a bit on the twisted side, going as it is behind Glisselda’s back.

Overall, a pleasant enough read, but that would’ve been better for me without the romance (which felt forced) and with more punch and logics added to the main characters.

Yzabel / May 20, 2013

Review: Shades of Grey

Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde

My rating: [rating=5]

Summary:

Hundreds of years in the future, after the Something that Happened, the world is an alarmingly different place. Life is lived according to The Rulebook and social hierarchy is determined by your perception of colour.

Eddie Russett is an above average Red who dreams of moving up the ladder by marriage to Constance Oxblood. Until he is sent to the Outer Fringes where he meets Jane – a lowly Grey with an uncontrollable temper and a desire to see him killed.

For Eddie, it’s love at first sight. But his infatuation will lead him to discover that all is not as it seems in a world where everything that looks black and white is really shades of grey…

If George Orwell had tripped over a paint pot or Douglas Adams favoured colour swatches instead of towels . . . neither of them would have come up with anything as eccentrically brilliant as Shades of Grey.

Review:

This is the first book I read by this author, so I didn’t know what to expect, but now I can say I was delighted. However, I would recommend to handle this story, especially its first half, with a fair amount of focus: the author hands out information about his world bits by bits, and one needs to be quite careful in order to understand how it functions. On the other hand, this means no, or very little info-dumps, which is something I always appreciate.

I really liked the illogical and somewhat humorous aspects of this book. In a way, it reminded me of the movie “Brazil” (which I loved). The society Eddie Russet evolves in is of the “dead-tech” quality, with regular “leapbacks” outlawing some machines, means of transportation and other implements, making things go backwards little by little; a lot of its regulations make no sense, but people comply just because those are the Rules, and after so many centuries of abiding by the latter, they just don’t know what else to live by.

The idea of a world based on colour perception is also something I found pretty interesting, not to mention that it raises questions: why are people able to see some colours and not others? Or not to see at night at all? Evolutionary speaking, it makes no sense—and here’s where the genius lies, and what makes me hope that an answer will be given in the upcoming sequel(s): who or what designed people to evolve that way? The whole lack of logics behind that actually has got a place in the bigger picture, and fits the nonsense aspect of Fforde’s world here.

Mixing dystopia with humour isn’t such an easy job, but I think the author did well here. Moreover, to me it may even be more efficient than “100% serious” dystopias, in that it better highlights the really dark aspects of such a society.

Yzabel / May 7, 2013

Review: Resenting the Hero

Resenting the Hero by Moira J. Moore

My rating: [rating=3]

Summary:

In a realm beset by natural disasters, only the magical abilities of the bonded Pairs—Source and Shield—make the land habitable and keep the citizenry safe. The ties that bind them are far beyond the relationships between lovers or kin—and last their entire lives… Whether they like it or not.

Since she was a child, Dunleavy Mallorough has been nurturing her talents as a Shield, preparing for her day of bonding. Unfortunately, fate decrees Lee’s partner to be the legendary, handsome, and unbearably self-assured Lord Shintaro Karish. Sure, he cuts a fine figure with his aristocratic airs and undeniable courage. But Karish’s popularity and notoriety—in bed and out—make him the last Source Lee ever wanted to be stuck with.

The duo is assigned to High Scape, a city so besieged by disaster that seven bonded pairs are needed to combat it. But when an inexplicable force strikes down every other Source and Shield, Lee and Karish must put aside their differences in order to defeat something even more unnatural than their reluctant affections for each other…

Review:

3.5 stars. Overall a pleasant and fun story to read. Don’t let the cover scare you away, even though it’s probably one of the worst I’ve ever seen in the fantasy genre, as far as published novels go.

I liked the concept of Source & Shield, the role they must fulfil in order to protect people from catastrophes. There are good sides as well as bad ones to such pairings: they’re respected, they get lodgings and food for free, they’re needed and know they help the world function in a better way… But some pairs have a dysfunctional relationship at best; if one makes a mistake, both get punished; and if one dies, the other dies too. An interesting aspect of the book was how it questioned the fundamentals behind the Source & Shield Service, gradually bringing the main character (and us readers) to realise how flawed it might me, at least on some points. Indeed, both Sources and Shields are recruited when very young, cut from their families, taught from that moment onwards to perform their respective roles—and are therefore injected with certain beliefs from the start. No need to develop more to see where this might be going.

Besides, while a little too theatrical to my taste, the villain actually made good sense when raising such points. Means and final goal? Bad. Rhetoric used to convince people? Not so bad itself, and hinting at many truths.

I was less thrilled about Lee, the narrator. I guess I expected something a little different. The blurb at the back of the book makes Karish appear as an unreliable character, full of heroics and prone to stunts and wild antics—and this is what Lee believes about him, and why she’s so annoyed as being Paired with him. The problem for me is that we don’t really get to see that, except for a couple of dialogues and parties that aren’t even so wild; most of the time, Karish actually behaves in quite reasonable ways (the less reasonable ones being the people fawning all over him). This in turn makes Lee seem very narrow-minded, voluntarily blinding herself, entrenched in her own ways, and refusing to give him a chance, ever. The whole relationship would have looked better if in the beginning, we had indeed been shown Karish behaving like an irresponsible young hero always seeking adventure and danger; or like a womanizer, with a different girl coming out of his room every odd morning. This would have make Lee’s predicament more believable to me.

Also, the world around the characters needed a little more building; but there are five other books in the series, if I’m not mistaken, so I hope such things will get developed in the next ones (which I’ll probably read, since I did enjoy the first).