Helpful Score: 3
Im not sure what to think about this ambitious debut novel. On the one hand, NEVERMORE is a chillingly intriguing exploration of the psychological changes undergone when two opposites cross paths. On the other, it is all too often plodding, frustrating, and melodramatic.
Good things first: the characters in NEVERMORE are quite unlike most YA characters Ive read, particularly Varen. He is aloof without being arrogant, reserved without seeming hopelessly depressed. His appeal lies in these things: in a sense, he has all the appeal of a stereotypical bad boy, but his badness is in being so-called freakish and socially distant. I always looked forward to Isobel and Varens interactions, because they were full of the bittersweet subtleties that real relationships are about, and not the usual insta-attraction wish fulfillment that usually abounds in YA lit.
Unfortunately, NEVERMORE felt a bit shaky for me for several reasons. I found it difficult to place Isobel: shes not technically a nice person (as evidenced by her initial interactions with Varen), and yet shes not convincingly mean, either. While most of the other characters are convincingly rich enough in their roles, whether major or minor, I would have liked to see more definition from Isobel. As of now she just feels like a fairly generic protagonist to me.
Likewise, I felt that the paranormal elements of NEVERMORE were not as strong as the contemporary, psychological aspects. Nevertheless, NEVERMORE is definitely the first book in a series, and Id be interested to see what the promising author Kelly Creagh does in the sequel. I would definitely love to see more development of the other world and integration with our world.
Good things first: the characters in NEVERMORE are quite unlike most YA characters Ive read, particularly Varen. He is aloof without being arrogant, reserved without seeming hopelessly depressed. His appeal lies in these things: in a sense, he has all the appeal of a stereotypical bad boy, but his badness is in being so-called freakish and socially distant. I always looked forward to Isobel and Varens interactions, because they were full of the bittersweet subtleties that real relationships are about, and not the usual insta-attraction wish fulfillment that usually abounds in YA lit.
Unfortunately, NEVERMORE felt a bit shaky for me for several reasons. I found it difficult to place Isobel: shes not technically a nice person (as evidenced by her initial interactions with Varen), and yet shes not convincingly mean, either. While most of the other characters are convincingly rich enough in their roles, whether major or minor, I would have liked to see more definition from Isobel. As of now she just feels like a fairly generic protagonist to me.
Likewise, I felt that the paranormal elements of NEVERMORE were not as strong as the contemporary, psychological aspects. Nevertheless, NEVERMORE is definitely the first book in a series, and Id be interested to see what the promising author Kelly Creagh does in the sequel. I would definitely love to see more development of the other world and integration with our world.
