Jennifer W. (GeniusJen) reviewed The Demon's Lexicon (Demon's Lexicon, Bk 1) on + 5322 more book reviews
Reviewed by Lynn Crow for TeensReadToo.com
Nick and his brother, Alan, have been on the run for Nick's entire life - and when they're not running, they're fighting the vicious magicians pursuing their mother and the powerful charm she stole. Magicians who trade lives for power. Who killed their father and left Alan with a permanent limp. And who show up yet again as soon as Nick has started to get comfortable in their new home.
This time, everything's different. A demon marks Alan, and Nick can't rest until he knows his brother is safe. Especially after one of the most powerful magician's circles delivers a warning that leaves Alan more shaken than Nick's ever seen. But the harder Nick tries to protect him, the more he realizes how many secrets Alan's been keeping from him.
No longer able to trust the one person he thought he could count on, Nick sets out to find the truth.
Unfortunately, this truth is more dangerous than most...
THE DEMON'S LEXICON is a dark, fast-paced story filled with equal parts of action and emotion - and incredibly difficult to put down once you've started. The narration, from Nick's point of view, is stark but comes with plenty of biting humor.
All of the characters have more to them than it appears at first glance, and it's easy to believe the vivid world of magicians and the Goblin's Market could truly exist amidst our own. The many twists will keep readers guessing and glued to the page, but ultimately the story rests on Nick and Alan and the intense yet tenuous bond between them. It's this relationship that gives the novel its heart, and raises it above the many other paranormal and urban fantasy offerings hitting the shelves.
Highly recommended to all!
Nick and his brother, Alan, have been on the run for Nick's entire life - and when they're not running, they're fighting the vicious magicians pursuing their mother and the powerful charm she stole. Magicians who trade lives for power. Who killed their father and left Alan with a permanent limp. And who show up yet again as soon as Nick has started to get comfortable in their new home.
This time, everything's different. A demon marks Alan, and Nick can't rest until he knows his brother is safe. Especially after one of the most powerful magician's circles delivers a warning that leaves Alan more shaken than Nick's ever seen. But the harder Nick tries to protect him, the more he realizes how many secrets Alan's been keeping from him.
No longer able to trust the one person he thought he could count on, Nick sets out to find the truth.
Unfortunately, this truth is more dangerous than most...
THE DEMON'S LEXICON is a dark, fast-paced story filled with equal parts of action and emotion - and incredibly difficult to put down once you've started. The narration, from Nick's point of view, is stark but comes with plenty of biting humor.
All of the characters have more to them than it appears at first glance, and it's easy to believe the vivid world of magicians and the Goblin's Market could truly exist amidst our own. The many twists will keep readers guessing and glued to the page, but ultimately the story rests on Nick and Alan and the intense yet tenuous bond between them. It's this relationship that gives the novel its heart, and raises it above the many other paranormal and urban fantasy offerings hitting the shelves.
Highly recommended to all!
Stephanie S. (skywriter319) -
16-year-old Nick Ryves' life has always consisted of running away from the magicians, who want an amulet that Nick's mother stole from them--an amulet that's keeping her alive. Nick spends all his time protecting his crippled older brother, Alan, and trying to avoid his mother, who hates him. For the longest time, those two were the only constants in his life...until a brother and sister walk into their house one day, the brother bearing a demon's mark on his body.
Demon's marks allow magicians to track them and eventually a demon to possess the body, and when one appears on Alan, Nick will do anything to save his brother's life. Their journey takes them through England, in and out of magic circles, but secrets abound, and there's the greatest family secret of all that threatens to be even more dangerous and deadly than the demon's mark.
THE DEMON'S LEXICON starts off with a bang, and the action and excitement--and my love for the characters--just keeps building from there. It is a unique and exceptionally well-written fantasy/action story that kept my eyes glued to the pages, never wanting it to end.
Nick is without a doubt the best part of the book. If you like bad boys, Nick is your guy: he's apathetic and prone to anger, sword-happy and never remorseful. And in spite of all that, we love him. He is dedicated to his brother, and his thoughts are wonderfully portrayed, so that we can understand completely how his brain works. Often in YA fantasy/paranormal novels the "bad boy" is the main character's forbidden love interest; here, he is the medium through which we absorb the story, and we grow to adore him and his peculiar, rough ways.
Sarah Rees Brennan is a master at writing and storytelling, two very different skills that do not always intersect. She weaves fascinating prose in and out of a compelling plotline, all carried along by the strength of Nick's character. Whenever the plot slowed into possible dull moments, or secondary characters felt unclear to me, Nick was always there, keeping me enjoying the story.
THE DEMON'S LEXICON is a wonderful novel that will appeal to both genders. I have now proudly joined the crowd of Nick adorers, and can't wait for what Sarah Rees Brennan has to show us next.
Demon's marks allow magicians to track them and eventually a demon to possess the body, and when one appears on Alan, Nick will do anything to save his brother's life. Their journey takes them through England, in and out of magic circles, but secrets abound, and there's the greatest family secret of all that threatens to be even more dangerous and deadly than the demon's mark.
THE DEMON'S LEXICON starts off with a bang, and the action and excitement--and my love for the characters--just keeps building from there. It is a unique and exceptionally well-written fantasy/action story that kept my eyes glued to the pages, never wanting it to end.
Nick is without a doubt the best part of the book. If you like bad boys, Nick is your guy: he's apathetic and prone to anger, sword-happy and never remorseful. And in spite of all that, we love him. He is dedicated to his brother, and his thoughts are wonderfully portrayed, so that we can understand completely how his brain works. Often in YA fantasy/paranormal novels the "bad boy" is the main character's forbidden love interest; here, he is the medium through which we absorb the story, and we grow to adore him and his peculiar, rough ways.
Sarah Rees Brennan is a master at writing and storytelling, two very different skills that do not always intersect. She weaves fascinating prose in and out of a compelling plotline, all carried along by the strength of Nick's character. Whenever the plot slowed into possible dull moments, or secondary characters felt unclear to me, Nick was always there, keeping me enjoying the story.
THE DEMON'S LEXICON is a wonderful novel that will appeal to both genders. I have now proudly joined the crowd of Nick adorers, and can't wait for what Sarah Rees Brennan has to show us next.
Natasha R. (yukinakid) -
This book was definitely good, but leaves you with a sort of bittersweet aftertaste after you're done. I think that this is really because I couldn't fully trust any one character in the book. Saying anymore would spoil it. The descriptions are amazing and the characters are really in depth. Every piece of the story comes together so perfectly at the end, it's a wonder that the author could keep track of them all!! This book is definitely worth the read, and worth buying at full hardback price as well. I hear there is a sequel in the works, but on the author's website there's no news. Also on the author's website are awesome illustrations of the characters. This book is worth every bit of each word, including the bittersweet aftertaste!!
Definitely a great book for young adults. It's a bit dark for kids, and the humor does nothing to dull the "darkness" in it, but it still can get really intense. I was left irritated when pulled away from it, so it's best to read it in one sitting if possible. Otherwise, it's a fantastic book and like nothing I've truly ever read before! 5/5 stars!
Definitely a great book for young adults. It's a bit dark for kids, and the humor does nothing to dull the "darkness" in it, but it still can get really intense. I was left irritated when pulled away from it, so it's best to read it in one sitting if possible. Otherwise, it's a fantastic book and like nothing I've truly ever read before! 5/5 stars!
Lauren K. (hoshikuzu03) -
This is by far one of the best books I've ever read. It is very difficult to surprise me with a YA fantasy novel but this book threw me for a loop. Every page is exciting and the characters are truly memorable. The whole series is exciting and fantastic. A must read for any YA fan.
Scarlett M. (the-red-dame) reviewed The Demon's Lexicon (Demon's Lexicon, Bk 1) on + 31 more book reviews
The more I think about this book, the worse it is. How can an author take such awesome elements and make something so bad? It had some action and humor, so I was at least able to finish it, but ugh. This book and at least one of its sequels is guilty of some of the things that I despise most about YA books: bad romance, a stupid female character, a bad/creepy guy, and plot/logic problems.
I expected something like the TV show Supernatural: two brothers bickering between saving the world and/or ridding it of baddies. The first couple of pages were like Supernatural, but after the introduction of Mae it quickly turned into a pile of dung. It was particularly bad after I read a review that spoiled her role in the next book, which made me hate her and the series even more.
Bottom line: I'm not bothering with the rest of these books.
I expected something like the TV show Supernatural: two brothers bickering between saving the world and/or ridding it of baddies. The first couple of pages were like Supernatural, but after the introduction of Mae it quickly turned into a pile of dung. It was particularly bad after I read a review that spoiled her role in the next book, which made me hate her and the series even more.
Bottom line: I'm not bothering with the rest of these books.
