A review by sweetheartstitches
Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma

dark tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

 
I read this almost a full month ago, forgot to leave a review, because I really needed sit and think about how I felt about this book. When I picked it up, I had really wanted to like it. The premise sounded incredibly promising, but the execution fell incredibly flat for me. I struggled to finish this book; I ultimately did because I have a personal struggle DNF-ing a book, and I just wanted to finish it because it was due back at the library, and I’m trying to catch up on my reading goal. 

We follow Kidan, our FMC, who is trying to find her missing sister who she believes has been kidnapped by vampires. To get closer to finding her sister, Kidan attends a secret university where vampires and humans learn how to coexist. Once she gets to the school and starts investigating her sister’s disappearance, her prime suspect is the vampire Susenyos, her mortal enemy. 

Firstly, I found the worldbuilding to be muddled, unclear, and very difficult to follow. There is usually a learning curve when I’m reading a fantasy story as I’m picking up the pieces of how this original world works, but nothing about this world was explained well. The magic system was very confusing, the lore surrounding the vampires was lacking, and the just amount of families tied with the university was so confusing I couldn’t remember which family was which. 

The characters were also very bland and one-dimensional. I really wish the author had taken more time developing the characters, their relationships, and the magic system; the book really could have benefited from a few more edits before it was published. 

Also, we need to abolish the trope in fiction - namely, fantasy and romance - where the FMC is young (usually 18, 19), and the MMC is 100s of years old. The dynamic is predatory, creepy, and full of power imbalances. We’re constantly reminded of how fragile and weak Kidan is compared to Susenyos; he’s constantly pinning her down, physically restraining her, and overpowering her through brute strength. I think this model of relationship is especially dangerous in YA fiction; we don’t need to be teaching younger readers - especially young girls - that it’s fun and sexy when older men try to take advantage of them in the name of “love.” 

Enemies-to-lovers my foot. This trope is almost always never done well, and this is no exception. It honestly just boiled down to ‘I hate you’, ‘No I hate you’ ‘I’m going to bite you’ ‘Let’s make out.’ The MMC was so annoying and childish; playing pranks then escalating to full on lying, gaslighting, and manipulation. Boring, boo, I’m throwing tomatoes. 

Overall, there were a few interesting ideas (black vampires, Ethiopian mythology, magical houses that feel like their own character, dark academia) but it seriously fell flat in its execution. I found out this is supposed to be a series, so I will probably not be continuing with the second book. 
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