Andrea Cremer
Publisher: Philomel
Release Date: August 7, 2012
Source: Publisher
Chronicling the rise of the Keepers, this is the stunning prequel to Andrea Cremer's internationally bestselling Nightshade trilogy!
Sixteen-year-old Ember Morrow is promised to a group called Conatus after one of their healers saves her mother's life. Once she arrives, Ember finds joy in wielding swords, learning magic, and fighting the encroaching darkness loose in the world. She also finds herself falling in love with her mentor, the dashing, brooding, and powerful Barrow Hess. When the knights realize Eira, one of their leaders, is dabbling in dark magic, Ember and Barrow must choose whether to follow Eira into the nether realm or to pledge their lives to destroying her and her kind.
With action, adventure, magic, and tantalizing sensuality, this book is as fast-paced and breathtaking as the Nightshade novels.
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CATCHALLI liked Rift. Upon first reading it, I was convinced I loved it, but not I'm really not so sure. I liked it a lot—there's no doubt about that—but I don't think it had that extra special something that I look for. In many ways it felt a bit too similar to the Nightshade series. At the same time, it was different in a lot of ways and I loved that. But it just wasn't really enough for me. I couldn't deal with it sometimes. And hello, there was instalove, which kind of ruined it. For all that this book had some seriously good parts, it also had some seriously bad parts, which eventually just balanced it out and made it a just okay book.
THE HEROINE
EMBER
Ember. For whatever reason, I had a hard time liking her. It's not that there's anything fundamentally wrong with her, but she's just not very likable and there was nothing that drew me to her. I wanted to relate to her and like her, but I just couldn't. For one thing, I suppose, she's rather stubborn. Too stubborn. That's pretty much the worst of her faults. Even so, for whatever reason I just didn't like her. I don't hate her, but still. However, there are definitely times when I admire her. She's a strong heroine. She lacks my respect because of some of the choices she makes—but I don't hate her. Not completely, anyway.
THE LOVE INTEREST
BARROW
So, Barrow. Honestly, I just don't feel like there's much to say about him. He just kind of, you know, exists. He's supposed to be all hot and sexy and I'm sure that many ladies think he is but you can't count me among them. I just don't feel anything for him. No hatred, but no love either. He is protective on Ember, which is sweet, but he still just doesn't do it for me. Barrow is a stereotypical man without much to him, and he has no real substance. He's like…cardboard. You could knock him over. Literally.
THE TRAITOR
EIRA
Ah, Eira. Probably the most interesting character in this book. Feeling abandoned and disrespected, she finds someone who seems to understand her and gives her the attention she feels that she deserves. And when she gets that attention, she's willing to overlook what's right and will do whatever is asked of her. Watching her fall is interesting, but for all that she is the most interesting character, she still isn't all that interesting. Getting in her head is fun, though. I love seeing what she's thinking and how she feels.
THE FRIEND
ALISTAIR
Ick. Just…ick. He seems okay at first, even cool, but then he just becomes…like, a roach. He has no self-respect whatsoever and clearly doesn't even really care about Ember and he's such a freaking sexist. If I try to say more I might throw something, so um, yeah. Moving on.
THE PLOT
Honestly, the plot was pretty interesting. Now if only the book had focused more on it.
Its starts with Ember's traveling to fulfill her father's oath and the tests she must face while there. There's actually an awesome family dynamic thing going that I wish Andrea had explored more. Ember's relationship with her father, her mother, and her sister are unique but definitely could have been fleshed out more. So there's that lost.
So she faces these tests, blah blah blah blah blah, and of course not only passes but passes with flying colors. She is untrained (to be fair, not totally untrained with swordplay but she is using a completely unrecognizable weapon that she's never used before), but of course nonetheless she is totally ah-mazing. She does super epic and awesome and everyone is all "WHOA THIS CHICK IS SO SKILLED." And I was just all "I'm going to go bang my head on the wall now."
Eira and I suppose her sister Cian too are also focused on in this novel. I love the dynamic between them, and their unusual but also close relationship. It's an interesting exploration, especially as we get to see how it changes as the story goes on. Eira's story diverges from Cian's somewhere in the middle, and yet the two and somehow also still connected. That part was awesome.
Back to Ember. Ember's story is so…predictable. It's pretty easy to see what's going to happen next. Even without trying.
THE ROMANCE
So, instalove. Ember and Barrow don't even have chemistry! Clearly, many people would beg to differ, but…obviously not me. There is literally nothingthere that I can feel between them. And I just don't even get it! So confusing! What on earth do they see in each other??! What is the magical thing that brings them together??! I am ranting a bit here, but I honestly just. Do not. Get it. It is the most confusing thing ever. They're just suddenly together and BAM! Kisses and love! And…ugh. It is so frustrating. There's no development at all.
THE WRITING
One thing that probably will never change is that I love Andrea's writing. I don't always love the things she writes—or the things she doesn't for that matter—but still, her writing is beautiful. Less flowing together seamlessly in this novel than in the last, but it could be seriously worse. And her descriptions—are just so lovely. They are lush and beautiful. However, even though I normally prefer to read third person, Andrea's third person lacks something. Personalilty. Character. It falls kind of flat and doesn't feel like anything special. Even her dialogue lacks sparkle this time. It's disappointing and sad, but true.
THE ENDING
I'm not a fan of the ending. It was good in some ways, but not in others. It ends just as the action is finally finally starting, so the entire book is just one huge buildup and by the time I finally get my wish and something interesting and explosive actually occurs, the book just decides to end. On the bright side, it is a bonus that some action occurred before the book ended. And though I approve of Ember's actions in this case, some of her mistakes do come into play here. Overall, the ending could have come sooner than it did. Too much building up for not much result. A tad boring, if you will.
WRAPUP
Basically, this was a lackluster novel that tried to ride on the popularity of Nightshade and as far as I'm concerned failed. It just wasn't enough for me. It wasn't terrible, and I'll definitely be reading the sequel, but I won't necessarily be expecting much. I love Andrea's writing, but as far as her stories go, they're just like…lusty teenage fantasies. That's the best and nicest way I can think to describe it. I really like her novels, but they all really seem to have something lacking. I could recommend it, but that would depend on the person. I wouldn't recommend it to just anyone. For example, if you're obsessed with the Nightshade series, you will probably love it.
FINE.
***FINAL RATING: 3.10 RED ROSES***
