Author: Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Publication Date: 2009
I just finished this book two days ago and proceeded to watch the movie this afternoon. I liked the book while reading it, and I wasn't completely in love with it after finishing it. But after seeing the movie I appreciate the book so much more because the movie, quite frankly, wasn't that good at all. It didn't make much sense and eliminated/twisted too many aspects of the plot and characters that really ruined it for me. But let's talk less about the film version and more about the novel itself.
So, the cover was interesting for me. Since I read the book after the movie had already come out, the copy I purchased had the actors from the motion picture on the cover (as shown to the left). So, this gave me a visual for the characters already which I didn't mind because the ones that worked in my head were kept and those that conflicted were changed around. I bought the paperback copy, so there was no beautiful hard cover underneath. But, I will say I enjoy the cover art, the font of the text, and the color scheme (as nerdy as that sounds).
Now, let's get down to the nitty-gritty: the text itself. It's an enjoyable book; I don't regret reading it at all. I moved through it at a fairly moderate pace and towards the last half to quarter of the book I was really into it. I really loved the relationship between the two main characters (Ethan and Lena). It was relatable, and not overwhelmingly "teen-ish." I also really loved the development of the relationships between these main characters and the adult characters in the book like Macon, Amma, and Marian. But there is something that I must admit I did not like about the book: the ending. I feel like it was an easy way out, just a way to develop a transition into a sequel. I felt like it wasn't real enough for me to believe, even in the world the story creates. I have to be honest and say that, unfortunately, I probably won't go on to read the other books in the series (or at least not any time soon since I have a bunch of other books on my list that I'm actually dying to read). Usually I finish a book and cannot stop thinking about it; I daydream about what happens next, I picture myself in the book and wondering who I'd be most likely to fulfill the role of, I count down the days until I can pre-order the next book in the series if there is one. But, with this book I didn't really have much of a reaction at the end. So, while it was a pleasure to read, my heart doesn't continue to live in Gatlin with Lena and Ethan even after I've put the book down.
So, to help you all out in deciding if you'd want to read this book, here's a short summary. The story is about two teenagers, Lena and Ethan, who meet and instantly connect when Lena moves to Ethan's hometown of Gatlin, South Carolina. The two are entwined by destiny, but a circumstance in Lena's life threatens this relationship. Ethan learns that Lena is quite different from your average 15 year old and her 16th birthday, looming in the near future, could tear them apart. I don't want to reveal much more because the big parts of the story I am leaving out are part of what makes it more interesting and I don't want to be "that guy" that spoils the exciting and unique parts.
As you can see, this isn't my most enthusiastic review but, still, here's the bottom line: I do recommend this book. It's a good one and was well though out. But I feel like the end wasn't what it should've been or could've been to keep me engaged as a reader. Maybe one day I'll pick up the sequel, "Beautiful Darkness," and continue on with this series but for now it's on to some Cassandra Clare books for me!
if you have any specific questions or a question about something I didn't address in this post, feel free to ask and I'll be sure to get back to you! If you've been wondering about this book or if you've been searching for a new book to read, I hope this helped!
Sincerely,
Spenser Lee & Simply Lovely Lit
