I received this novel as an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I like fantasy but I have grown wary and weary of YA fantasy novels. Part of it is that I feel like that the story begins to revolve more around the character’s love lives and internal feelings on their identity and whether they belong or not, rather than the actual magical elements themselves. That’s not to say that they aren’t good, however, sometimes I feel like the story missed the mark. When I received this novel, I approached it with a little bit of apprehension as it was labelled as YA fantasy. However, I was determined to give it an unbiased attempt, so here is my review:
Tyen is an archaeology student living in a world where magic powers the industrial revolution, and he has just discovered a sentient book called Vella. Vella was once a young sorcerer, who was transformed into a book by one of the most powerful sorcerers of history. Since then she has been a receptacle for information, both dispensing and collecting it by any means possible. And she may possess a vital clue to the disaster Tyen’s world is about to face.
In another land ruled by priests, Rielle is the daughter of a dyer and she has been told that to use magic is to steal from Angels. However, she is unable to keep herself away – especially once she finds a corrupter in the city who is willing to teach her…if she is willing to risk the wrath of the Angels.
Tyen and Rielle are about to find out that the world they have been raised in is nothing like it seems.
Unfortunately, I was not able to push through and finish this novel. I just could not get into the story or the writing style of the author. I found it choppy and I didn’t like any of the characters. I found myself skimming through it to look for something interesting, and eventually I just had to put it down. There are mixed reviews about this novel, with many saying that it is fantastic and worth the read. For me, however, this novel fell short of expectations and I don’t think I will be giving it another chance.
Happy reading ~