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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
While I'm normally left feeling underwhelmed by the KindleFirst books, "Inamorata" was the glorious exception to the rule. Megan Chance writes so vividly that, like Sophie, she makes a story come to life. If anyone else tried to write this book, it would be an interesting (perhaps too ambitious) concept, but Chance had made me believe the angels and demons exist in the edges of this world, in the same shadows seen by Sophie and Joseph Hannigan and Nicholas Dane.
This book is pure magic, drawing a reader in quickly and then holding them captive to the very end. Venice is drawn so clearly that you can see it, in all it's old renaissance beauty. As I think about the story as a stand-alone work, it's entertaining, but not perfect. However the writing more than redeems it. When you put the two together, the result is a sort of enchantment.
I rarely reread Kindle books... That's something I reserve for my physical books, because you have a connection with them. Yet I think I'll come back to "Inamorata," because it's just so powerfully compelling.
This book is pure magic, drawing a reader in quickly and then holding them captive to the very end. Venice is drawn so clearly that you can see it, in all it's old renaissance beauty. As I think about the story as a stand-alone work, it's entertaining, but not perfect. However the writing more than redeems it. When you put the two together, the result is a sort of enchantment.
I rarely reread Kindle books... That's something I reserve for my physical books, because you have a connection with them. Yet I think I'll come back to "Inamorata," because it's just so powerfully compelling.
I got this book free from Kindle prior to its release. Described as historical fiction, it had a supernatural theme (think Interview With a Vampire with demons instead of vampires) which would have turned me away from the get-go, BUT.......I thoroughly enjoyed it and had a hard time putting it down. Very well written.
It was okay. Nothing really stood out for me as new and original.
This book was my introduction to Megan Chance. I read it during a hectic time in my life and while I remembered enjoying it, I remembered nothing of the plot. I revisited it this week intending to read the first and last chapters, just to jog my memory, but I was hooked from the first few pages. I've read a few takes on the succubus legend and this is one of the better ones. The characters are vividly drawn and the prose is entrancing. My only criticism is a bit of a spoiler, but it may be a deal breaker for those deciding whether to read this: The subject matter was handled well-I never got the sense that it was part of the book merely to be controversial, and given the characters' background it made sense. However, I think that aspect could have been left out and the book would have been just as good.
Spoiler
There are heavy allusions to incest throughout the book. There is no on page consummation of this, but there are definite references to romantic love between siblings.
This is not really a 3 but also not clearly a 4, so I'm going 3.5! I really liked the plot. I really liked the pacing. I really liked the setting (since I'm going to be in Venice in June for the first time, it was great hearing the names of the locations that I plan to visit and getting a glimpse into the city). I liked the characters and their back stories and how the back stories were unveiled. I liked the twist that the twins brought to the bargain. I'm not sure I really liked the resolution - it felt a bit contrived - like it wasn't realistic that the monster would let Odile make the choice that she did and I wasn't really sure how the relationship between the twins and Dane might work going forward. I guess I felt like there was a depth to the story that was missing - like I was floating on the top of the story and not involved in it. I can't really identify the actual point of failure (although this novel is far from a failure). For me, it was like it was on the verge of greatness and just didn't quite make the final leap. It was good, pleasant, even somewhat compelling, but not great. In a great novel, I get emotionally attached to the characters and wonder what happens to them after the story ends. I don't have that feeling for this novel.
Plot twists and mystery
So, I read this book on a whim without really knowing what it was about. I am usually really good at guessing plot twists and outcomes but I was continually proven wrong as I read this book. Historical fiction meets mystery and suspense and a little romance. I really enjoyed this book. I plan on reading it again someday to find all of the clues I missed before!
So, I read this book on a whim without really knowing what it was about. I am usually really good at guessing plot twists and outcomes but I was continually proven wrong as I read this book. Historical fiction meets mystery and suspense and a little romance. I really enjoyed this book. I plan on reading it again someday to find all of the clues I missed before!
This is a book I probably would not have read based on the description. I selected it because it was 'free' because of my Amazon Prime membership. I'm glad I took the chance because I thoroughly enjoyed it. The subject matter is one I would never expect to enjoy: Odile is an immortal woman who has been the muse responsible for the finest works of some of history's most famous artists, but with a terrible price to pay. Nicholas is one of her victims and is obsessed with stopping Odile. Twins Sophie and Joseph come to Venice searching for the right patrons to boost Joseph's career as a painter. Nicholas sees Joseph's talent and knows he will be Odile's next victim unless he stops her.
Didn't know what I was expecting... but it wasn't this! A very well-written tale about a succubus! Have to say I wasn't very familiar with their myth, but this was a great story!
This review was originally posted at https://freadomlibrary.wordpress.com
Critically
Plot – 3 out of 5 stars
This was just strange. I honestly still don’t know what to make of it. It was confusing a lot of the time and dark and creepy. The pace was really slow the entire time until the last few chapters toward the end when things picked up and finally got interesting. I was really disinterested most of the time and it took a while for the plot to engage me. Not my favorite definitely.
Writing Style – 3.5 out of 5 stars
The writing style shocked me straight from the beginning. I was under the impression that this was young adult until a certain graphic paragraph where I realized, nope just kidding, this is adult. It was nice, poetic, kind of hypnotic in a way. The descriptions were great, of the characters, the setting, and the situations, however peculiar they were. But it lacked something. It didn’t make up for the lack luster and strange plot and didn’t pull me in when the plot didn’t which I hoped would happen.
Characters – 4 out of 5 stars
This was probably the best part of the story but also the most mind boggling. The characters are all very weird. To be honest, this was the part that was most disturbing. The characters’ personalities and their relationships really bothered me, to the point where I’d have to stop reading but at the same time, were so complex and well crafted that I couldn’t not give it for stars. We start with Odilé who is disgustingly selfish and into herself. She is desperate and arrogant. Can you tell I didn’t like her? She’s the root of the story and I just did not care for her. I didn’t like her actions or her motivations. Then we have Nicholas, who has a history with Odilé and hates her. I liked him haha. He’s determined and compassionate and strong. His only problem is that he’s easily manipulated and it gets him in lots of trouble. Then we have the twins, Sophie and Joseph and I’m going to describe them as a unit because that’s what they are. They’re strange, incredibly so, but charismatic. They easily have everyone wrapped around their fingers. They’re passionate about a lot of things and manipulative to get what they want. But they have a deep vulnerability that is disturbing and endearing at the same time.
Emotionally
The plot is okay. It exists but at the same time, it’s mostly character driven which still in the end I don’t know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing. We follow four different perspectives throughout their adventures in Venice during the nineteenth century. Odilé, a three hundred year old succubus looking for an amazing talent to feed from (don’t worry, not a spoiler, it’s the first few pages of the book), Nicholas whom she fed from a few years prior and who wants to destroy her from taking away his talent, and Joseph and Sophie, twins who are hoping to make a name for him in the art scene after escaping a scandal in New York. The whole thing is really intricate and complex. The different lives interconnect and weave in and out of each other’s views but it mostly revolves around their relationships (with each other and the supporting characters) and Odilé’s journey. I feel like this could’ve been incredible but it took some seriously disgusting and disturbing turns that I was not expecting at all. It really turned me off from the story and made me want to read it even less. There were a lot of things that weirded me out, starting from Odilé’s character to the twins’ past, and they made me uncomfortable to read. That was the majority of the first part of the book which took me two days to get through. Once we got towards the middle, about halfway, did things start to pick up for me and my interest grew. I finally got sucked into the story but it felt like too little too late. I still wanted to know what would happen in the end but it took so long to get there that it took the fun out of it. It was tension filled and suspenseful until the very end which just left me dissatisfied in a big way. I understand why it ended the way it did but definitely not the greatest outcome.
Usually here I talk a little bit more in depth about the characters but with this one, I’m going to refrain. I feel like the juice of the story so to speak is the characters and trying to figure them out bit by bit. That was the only thing that kept me reading, even if it was a chapter at a time. If you don’t have an interest in reading and don’t mind the spoilers, let me know and I have no problem going in depth privately.
What I do want to mention really quickly before wrapping up is the writing style, specifically the world building. That practically leaped off the page. It was vivid and detailed and carefully constructed. To the clothes to the sights to the way people say things and their language. Everything was built to give you this dangerous and sexy atmosphere and it definitely delivered. If the story had been up to par with the world it created this could’ve been phenomenal.
Critically
Plot – 3 out of 5 stars
This was just strange. I honestly still don’t know what to make of it. It was confusing a lot of the time and dark and creepy. The pace was really slow the entire time until the last few chapters toward the end when things picked up and finally got interesting. I was really disinterested most of the time and it took a while for the plot to engage me. Not my favorite definitely.
Writing Style – 3.5 out of 5 stars
The writing style shocked me straight from the beginning. I was under the impression that this was young adult until a certain graphic paragraph where I realized, nope just kidding, this is adult. It was nice, poetic, kind of hypnotic in a way. The descriptions were great, of the characters, the setting, and the situations, however peculiar they were. But it lacked something. It didn’t make up for the lack luster and strange plot and didn’t pull me in when the plot didn’t which I hoped would happen.
Characters – 4 out of 5 stars
This was probably the best part of the story but also the most mind boggling. The characters are all very weird. To be honest, this was the part that was most disturbing. The characters’ personalities and their relationships really bothered me, to the point where I’d have to stop reading but at the same time, were so complex and well crafted that I couldn’t not give it for stars. We start with Odilé who is disgustingly selfish and into herself. She is desperate and arrogant. Can you tell I didn’t like her? She’s the root of the story and I just did not care for her. I didn’t like her actions or her motivations. Then we have Nicholas, who has a history with Odilé and hates her. I liked him haha. He’s determined and compassionate and strong. His only problem is that he’s easily manipulated and it gets him in lots of trouble. Then we have the twins, Sophie and Joseph and I’m going to describe them as a unit because that’s what they are. They’re strange, incredibly so, but charismatic. They easily have everyone wrapped around their fingers. They’re passionate about a lot of things and manipulative to get what they want. But they have a deep vulnerability that is disturbing and endearing at the same time.
Emotionally
Spoiler
From the very beginning, I was just completely weirded out by this book. There was just too many strange things going on.The plot is okay. It exists but at the same time, it’s mostly character driven which still in the end I don’t know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing. We follow four different perspectives throughout their adventures in Venice during the nineteenth century. Odilé, a three hundred year old succubus looking for an amazing talent to feed from (don’t worry, not a spoiler, it’s the first few pages of the book), Nicholas whom she fed from a few years prior and who wants to destroy her from taking away his talent, and Joseph and Sophie, twins who are hoping to make a name for him in the art scene after escaping a scandal in New York. The whole thing is really intricate and complex. The different lives interconnect and weave in and out of each other’s views but it mostly revolves around their relationships (with each other and the supporting characters) and Odilé’s journey. I feel like this could’ve been incredible but it took some seriously disgusting and disturbing turns that I was not expecting at all. It really turned me off from the story and made me want to read it even less. There were a lot of things that weirded me out, starting from Odilé’s character to the twins’ past, and they made me uncomfortable to read. That was the majority of the first part of the book which took me two days to get through. Once we got towards the middle, about halfway, did things start to pick up for me and my interest grew. I finally got sucked into the story but it felt like too little too late. I still wanted to know what would happen in the end but it took so long to get there that it took the fun out of it. It was tension filled and suspenseful until the very end which just left me dissatisfied in a big way. I understand why it ended the way it did but definitely not the greatest outcome.
Usually here I talk a little bit more in depth about the characters but with this one, I’m going to refrain. I feel like the juice of the story so to speak is the characters and trying to figure them out bit by bit. That was the only thing that kept me reading, even if it was a chapter at a time. If you don’t have an interest in reading and don’t mind the spoilers, let me know and I have no problem going in depth privately.
What I do want to mention really quickly before wrapping up is the writing style, specifically the world building. That practically leaped off the page. It was vivid and detailed and carefully constructed. To the clothes to the sights to the way people say things and their language. Everything was built to give you this dangerous and sexy atmosphere and it definitely delivered. If the story had been up to par with the world it created this could’ve been phenomenal.