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A review by theladydoor
The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan
4.0
When I was in high school, I read a great deal of fan fiction, mostly in the Harry Potter fandom (quite simply because I couldn't get enough of that world). One of my favorite authors was Maya, who was the penname of Sarah Rees Brennan. Unlike another fanfic writer to published author (*cough*Cassandra Clare*cough), her published works do not resemble her fanfics in the way of plot or characterizations. Brennan keeps her lovely writing style and ability to build a world, but invents wholly new characters to inhabit that world.
This novel, the first in a trilogy, tells the story of the Ryves brothers, Nick and Alan, who are on the run from magicians along with their mentally disturbed mother. Their father was killed by said magicians when the boys were young, and they have been running to try and protect their mother, who is in possession of a talisman that a magician named Black Arthur (who was her ex-lover) desperately wants. At least that is what Nick thinks, until two strangers enter their lives asking for help, and his entire world is turned around based on the revelations that occur.
I strongly respected Brennan's decision to tell the story through Nick's eyes. He is not the typical narrator one sees in these kinds of books. Yes, he is magically gifted (for a reason) and handsome and confident. But he can also be cruel, selfish, and unable to understand other people's emotions, even those closest to him. Readers of fantasy are used to protagonists that are obviously good, but Nick struggles throughout the whole book with his dark side. In the end, we understand why he is the way he is, and Brennan's reveal is well foreshadowed yet still shocking.
I listened to this book as read by James Langdon, and I thought he did a good job. I'm looking forward to reading the second in this series.
This novel, the first in a trilogy, tells the story of the Ryves brothers, Nick and Alan, who are on the run from magicians along with their mentally disturbed mother. Their father was killed by said magicians when the boys were young, and they have been running to try and protect their mother, who is in possession of a talisman that a magician named Black Arthur (who was her ex-lover) desperately wants. At least that is what Nick thinks, until two strangers enter their lives asking for help, and his entire world is turned around based on the revelations that occur.
I strongly respected Brennan's decision to tell the story through Nick's eyes. He is not the typical narrator one sees in these kinds of books. Yes, he is magically gifted (for a reason) and handsome and confident. But he can also be cruel, selfish, and unable to understand other people's emotions, even those closest to him. Readers of fantasy are used to protagonists that are obviously good, but Nick struggles throughout the whole book with his dark side. In the end, we understand why he is the way he is, and Brennan's reveal is well foreshadowed yet still shocking.
I listened to this book as read by James Langdon, and I thought he did a good job. I'm looking forward to reading the second in this series.