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A review by lifeinthebooklane
Beyond the Veil by Pippa DaCosta
4.0
I first read this in June 2016 and whilst I didn't review it then I did buy and read the rest of the series.
I utterly adore Muse, she's been so beaten down by life but continually scrapes herself up off the floor and comes back out swinging. And then there is the question of just who she can trust: Akil/Mamood, who rescued a beaten and abused half-blood in the netherworld, Stefan who keeps her safe from the hellhounds, both of them or neither. Pippa DaCosta has such an ability to write morally grey characters who leave you unsure if they are doing bad things for good reasons or good things for bad reasons.
There is an almost love triangle, though Muse's feelings for Akil are more ones of hero-worship and adolescent crush mixed up with being indebted to the only demon who has shown her a scrap of mercy or care. He's also the Prince of Greed and a fellow fire demon adding more confusion to the whole mix. Stefan is a fellow half-blood, seeing and accepting Muse for who she really is. The trouble is neither man nor demon is prepared to put Muse first. *Sigh.*
Throughout the story, I continually felt so much emotion, so much pain, hope, despair and love. I fell in love with the characters, even the bad ones. Well, maybe not Adam but certainly the rest of this bunch of misfits! The world-building and pace were fantastic, easily holding my attention and submerging me into this alternate reality. With a gripping storyline, that was at times deliberately frustrating too, Beyond the Veil proved just as good a read second time around.
I utterly adore Muse, she's been so beaten down by life but continually scrapes herself up off the floor and comes back out swinging. And then there is the question of just who she can trust: Akil/Mamood, who rescued a beaten and abused half-blood in the netherworld, Stefan who keeps her safe from the hellhounds, both of them or neither. Pippa DaCosta has such an ability to write morally grey characters who leave you unsure if they are doing bad things for good reasons or good things for bad reasons.
There is an almost love triangle, though Muse's feelings for Akil are more ones of hero-worship and adolescent crush mixed up with being indebted to the only demon who has shown her a scrap of mercy or care. He's also the Prince of Greed and a fellow fire demon adding more confusion to the whole mix. Stefan is a fellow half-blood, seeing and accepting Muse for who she really is. The trouble is neither man nor demon is prepared to put Muse first. *Sigh.*
Throughout the story, I continually felt so much emotion, so much pain, hope, despair and love. I fell in love with the characters, even the bad ones. Well, maybe not Adam but certainly the rest of this bunch of misfits! The world-building and pace were fantastic, easily holding my attention and submerging me into this alternate reality. With a gripping storyline, that was at times deliberately frustrating too, Beyond the Veil proved just as good a read second time around.