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Review Date: 2/27/2012
Helpful Score: 4
A well-paced and well-written story, with an enjoyable heroine and enough twists and turns to keep the plot moving. A small European country full of behind-the-scenes political turmoil, mistaken identities, lost princesses, a hidden treasure--this book juggles all these and more, and manages to do so in a cohesive way.
My chief complaint was the "paranormal" aspect. This comes up briefly throughout the book, but always felt shoehorned in. It's as if the author needed to cram in as many genres as possible into the story--political thriller, romance, mystery, paranormal, etc. There's enough plot and action without the need for ghosts, vampires, and "liminal space" (I don't even understand what that means).
My other complaint is that the heroine, while being fit and athletic (she studies ballet and fencing), is not a trained stuntwoman. Yet she frequently undertakes crazy stunts--jumping out of a moving train, jumping out of a moving car and then over a bridge into a rushing river below, scaling huge stone walls--that would make Lara Croft flinch. Yet she emerges only with minor injuries. Also, no one seems surprised or alarmed that she's done these things--they just laugh or give a rueful shake of the head, as if to say, "Kids these days..." It's very improbable, and takes away from the story.
However, despite these caveats, I would still recommend the book. The heroine is fun and feisty (although her "California-speak" can be grating at times), the hero is suitably dark and mysterious, and the story is entertaining.
My chief complaint was the "paranormal" aspect. This comes up briefly throughout the book, but always felt shoehorned in. It's as if the author needed to cram in as many genres as possible into the story--political thriller, romance, mystery, paranormal, etc. There's enough plot and action without the need for ghosts, vampires, and "liminal space" (I don't even understand what that means).
My other complaint is that the heroine, while being fit and athletic (she studies ballet and fencing), is not a trained stuntwoman. Yet she frequently undertakes crazy stunts--jumping out of a moving train, jumping out of a moving car and then over a bridge into a rushing river below, scaling huge stone walls--that would make Lara Croft flinch. Yet she emerges only with minor injuries. Also, no one seems surprised or alarmed that she's done these things--they just laugh or give a rueful shake of the head, as if to say, "Kids these days..." It's very improbable, and takes away from the story.
However, despite these caveats, I would still recommend the book. The heroine is fun and feisty (although her "California-speak" can be grating at times), the hero is suitably dark and mysterious, and the story is entertaining.
Review Date: 9/10/2011
I love Patricia Briggs, and look forward to each new installment of her Mercy Thompson series. However, I was initially disappointed with this book. The main issue was that we're dropped into Anna and Charles' story after some critical issues have already happened, and things aren't initially explained. If you haven't already read the short story in 'On The Prowl' (and I hadn't), then you're lost for the first few chapters. While I did eventually get into and enjoy Anna and Charles' story, it would have been better if there was more clarification at the start.
Review Date: 2/27/2012
Helpful Score: 2
Couldn't even finish this--reminded me too much of Laurell K. Hamilton's books (and why I stopped reading them). Ridiculously kick-ass heroine with unearthly beauty and boundless sexual appetite? Check. Gratuitous sex scenes with an S&M vibe? Check. Model-worthy men who glowed during said sex scenes? Check. There just didn't seem to be enough plot to hold the book together; it was mostly a series of sex scenes, broken up by the occasional bout of graphic violence. I'm not even sure what the story was supposed to be about, in the end.
Review Date: 9/15/2011
*Spoilers ahead!*
I've heard great things about this series, and looked forward to reading it. However, I was so dismayed with the beginning of the book that I couldn't even finish it. At the start of the book, Tayla is critically injured and winds up in Eidolon's demon-run hospital--a major issue, since she's a demon-slayer. Eidolon's brother decides to "mess with" Tayla's mind while she's unconscious, making her *very open* to sexual suggestion. Eidolon takes advantage of this and has sex with her, even though he knows she's not in her right mind.
Now, I'm not a prude by any means--heck, I used to read Laurell K. Hamilton (until she got too weird, that is). It wasn't that Ione threw a sex scene between the two main characters in the first 25 pages of the book (although that was also a bit off-putting), or that the sex was too graphic. It was the fact that Tayla was under an outside influence and not acting of her own volition--and Eidolon had sex with her anyway. I know people will argue--the characters are "meant to be together," they're "soulmates," so it's ultimately OK. To me, it wasn't much difference between this and a frat boy taking sexual advantage of a drunk college girl because she wasn't sober enough to say no. I found it troubling and offensive, and couldn't finish it.
I've heard great things about this series, and looked forward to reading it. However, I was so dismayed with the beginning of the book that I couldn't even finish it. At the start of the book, Tayla is critically injured and winds up in Eidolon's demon-run hospital--a major issue, since she's a demon-slayer. Eidolon's brother decides to "mess with" Tayla's mind while she's unconscious, making her *very open* to sexual suggestion. Eidolon takes advantage of this and has sex with her, even though he knows she's not in her right mind.
Now, I'm not a prude by any means--heck, I used to read Laurell K. Hamilton (until she got too weird, that is). It wasn't that Ione threw a sex scene between the two main characters in the first 25 pages of the book (although that was also a bit off-putting), or that the sex was too graphic. It was the fact that Tayla was under an outside influence and not acting of her own volition--and Eidolon had sex with her anyway. I know people will argue--the characters are "meant to be together," they're "soulmates," so it's ultimately OK. To me, it wasn't much difference between this and a frat boy taking sexual advantage of a drunk college girl because she wasn't sober enough to say no. I found it troubling and offensive, and couldn't finish it.
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