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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
There's a love story in here, and I know, I know it's not aimed at me, but I can't help feeling that it will disappoint, because it's mostly unnecessary to the plot. Well, I'm clearly not the target audience, and I knew that, but it read to me like the author was occasionally tacking on emotions to otherwise flat characters. The only character with any depth at all is the protagonist, Daphne, and that's possibly because about one in three chapters are from her point of view, first-person. That said, she's interesting enough, in a confused adolescent sort of way.
I also didn't like some of the repetitive phrasing. For instance, early on the phrase "pink, watery blood" (I think) comes up about three times in the space of a couple of pages. It lets down what is otherwise quite smartly written.
Given that, what we have is a reasonable fantasy story in a great setting. The background observations, the scenery and the construction of the demon city are all good. The world Yovanoff builds is better than the sum of its parts.
I also didn't like some of the repetitive phrasing. For instance, early on the phrase "pink, watery blood" (I think) comes up about three times in the space of a couple of pages. It lets down what is otherwise quite smartly written.
Given that, what we have is a reasonable fantasy story in a great setting. The background observations, the scenery and the construction of the demon city are all good. The world Yovanoff builds is better than the sum of its parts.
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
Spoiler
So, when Beelzebub dies at the end, where does he go? He's already in Hell. Does he just become one of the tormented souls tortured by lesser demons, or what? Clearly, I'm overthinking it, right?
This was a really great story, told through alternating views.
Daphne struggles with her nature, and with the concept of love in all its forms, on her quest to save her brother. Though the character's voice seems detached from emotion, it becomes clear to the reader that she does, in fact, feel. She simply has no way of recognizing it or naming it at first. She is incredibly strong and determined. She needs the help of a man because of his knowledge of a particular subject, not because of his strength. In most ways she is the stronger of the two.
Truman is broken. He first meets Daphne in Pandemonium after a suicide attempt. Haunted by a tragic loss and tormented nightly by nightmares, he can't pull it together. It's only through helping Daphne that he finds peace once more. When we read from Tru's viewpoint, we get to know the depth of his pain and loneliness, and eventually his hope.
There is a terrific cast of secondary characters as well. Be they kind, creepy, or equally lost, they each bring something to the story: friendship, love, sorrow, betrayal, compassion, understanding. Nor is everything black and white with demons and angels, a concept that Truman struggles with at first.
One of the best things about this book are the twists. I can usually spot things a mile off, but there were a couple things that caught me off-guard nonetheless. Something towards the end has also left me thinking. I read several books a week and they can start to blur together, so to still be thinking about elements of one days later is an accomplishment on the writer's part.
I recommend it to all who think it sounds like something they'd be interested in.
Daphne struggles with her nature, and with the concept of love in all its forms, on her quest to save her brother. Though the character's voice seems detached from emotion, it becomes clear to the reader that she does, in fact, feel. She simply has no way of recognizing it or naming it at first. She is incredibly strong and determined. She needs the help of a man because of his knowledge of a particular subject, not because of his strength. In most ways she is the stronger of the two.
Truman is broken. He first meets Daphne in Pandemonium after a suicide attempt. Haunted by a tragic loss and tormented nightly by nightmares, he can't pull it together. It's only through helping Daphne that he finds peace once more. When we read from Tru's viewpoint, we get to know the depth of his pain and loneliness, and eventually his hope.
There is a terrific cast of secondary characters as well. Be they kind, creepy, or equally lost, they each bring something to the story: friendship, love, sorrow, betrayal, compassion, understanding. Nor is everything black and white with demons and angels, a concept that Truman struggles with at first.
One of the best things about this book are the twists. I can usually spot things a mile off, but there were a couple things that caught me off-guard nonetheless. Something towards the end has also left me thinking. I read several books a week and they can start to blur together, so to still be thinking about elements of one days later is an accomplishment on the writer's part.
I recommend it to all who think it sounds like something they'd be interested in.
This book started off with real potential of being rated 4 stars. The premise is based on mythology and was very interesting and strange and new feeling. By the end though many of the plots faltered and I felt that some of the story lines were dropped without explanation or climax. I do have to say that it was well written and a very compelling story and I enjoyed myself the whole time!
I really enjoy books with the angel/demon theme and Yovanoff did not disappoint. I thought her book, The Replacement, was phenomenal, so I was very keen to read this one. When the daughter of Lucifer, Daphne, is forced to go to the earth realm to find her brother, she clearly needs help. She begs the assistance of Truman, a young suicidal and damaged man, who is at the centre of something very strange. Stalked by terrifying archangels, they literally race against time. Along the way, Daphne learns that there are parts of her that are not evil and Truman learns that maybe his life isn't a total screw up. A hint of romance, biblical lore and great dialogue made this book a winner for me.
Yovanoff's writing is captivating - even if the angels & demons subject matter is never going to be the most interesting thing in the world to me as a reader
dark
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is the same Brenna Yovanoff who wrote that creepy (but brilliant) story about the changeling, The Replacement. The heroine/narrator is the daughter of Lilith and Lucifer, and she lives in Hell. But she leaves it to go look for her half-brother who is in charge of helping half-angels on Earth. Then she falls in love with an earthly half-angel herself (of course). What I liked so much about it was that the characters and the relationships were so well thought out; the differences between a demon and a fallen angel or a half demon vs. a half angel were clear and moved the story along. Lucifer, Beelzebub, the angel of Death, Lilith, the Lilim, they were all so different from each other, so well characterized. Hell was so real, a place where the furnace went on at specific times and the flowers were made of metal. Lilith can spy on Earth through any mirror or reflective surface, even shards of glass. It was a great reuse of the Apocryphal material that I am also interested in. From my point of view (interest in Jewish fantasy) it got less interesting when they introduced the Catholic material about the 7 deadly sins and the 7 virtues and a lot of stuff takes place in a church where the Angel of Death is torturing the heroine's brother. But that was a small part of it anyway and thus was an amazing vision, beautifully written, tightly plotted.
