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A review by charmon
Book of Orlando by Laura Lascarso
5.0
Wow. This book is definitely going to stay with me for quite some time...I really enjoyed this book even though it completely tested me and broke my heart on multiple occasions. First, you have Orlando...sweet, sweet Orlando. He completely stole my heart the very first time I met him. Then you have Henri, who was also completely smitten with Orlando. Henri is a spirit of sorts to Orlando, and yet he wants to be friends and be around him. Orlando is currently ...which is sooo sad. Henri cannot have that, so he persuades Roger to go on an errand ; however this causes Henri to lose track of Orlando and he does not see him again for many years.
Then they find each other again. Now Orlando is 16, and having issues with a drug gang, so Henri steps in to help with such. This allows Orlando to actually get his first friend for a bit. Then we get to see Orlando grow into a beautiful dancer. There relationship is platonic mostly until Orland turns 18. How Henri is able to see Orlando on his birthday in human form does not sit right with Orlando, so they must come up with a way to make it better. Orlando's plan is terrible, and Orlando is almost hurt in the process, so they devise a way to make it more permanent.
Enter, Henri's body (Xavier), and now Henri and Orlando have a semblance of a real relationship. While all of this is happening, Orland has been excepted to a dance academy and is working on his passions. He is targeted by the instructor, Sergei, and Henri uncovers he is quite unsavory. Then after a bit Henri is summoned and told basically that there is a prophesy that says he will end up killing Orlando, so he leaves him...and of course this crushes Orlando.
Really, Orlando cannot cope, and he is young and lashes out, and of course Sergei is more than happy to take advantage and so an affair ensues, which is quite hard to read about and ends terribly with Henri coming to Orlando's rescue. Then Orlando gets it in his head to summon Henri's mom, who Henri has warned him not to, but of course he does...then he sells his soul basically for Henri and Henri gets his bloodborne body, but at a terrible price...Then Henri turns to his boss/angel and asks for your soul to be saved...well the only way the gods will approve is if Henri kills Orlando and they reap his soul to be kept until they can be together...so ya, Henri kills Orlando, with Orlando knowing and it is heartbreaking!!! It ends with the letter Orland writes to Henri prior to Henri killing him...
All I can say is that I am thoroughly debauched after this read. I really enjoyed it, but it was so hard.. I do not foresee book two being any less dark, so I think I will take a break and try to regroup prior to reading on.
Spoiler
being molested by his mother's boyfriendSpoiler
which he does not come back fromThen they find each other again
Spoiler
Orlando summons/calls Henri to him :)Spoiler
Also where Orlando finds out a bit more about Henri and what he is as, Orlando sees him sucking blood from a severed finger.Spoiler
then Henri surprises Orlando with inhabiting a body, so that they are able to feel each other and be with each other.Enter, Henri's body (Xavier), and now Henri and Orlando have a semblance of a real relationship. While all of this is happening, Orland has been excepted to a dance academy and is working on his passions. He is targeted by the instructor, Sergei, and Henri uncovers he is quite unsavory. Then after a bit Henri is summoned and told basically that there is a prophesy that says he will end up killing Orlando, so he leaves him...and of course this crushes Orlando.
Really, Orlando cannot cope, and he is young and lashes out, and of course Sergei is more than happy to take advantage and so an affair ensues, which is quite hard to read about and ends terribly with Henri coming to Orlando's rescue. Then Orlando gets it in his head to summon Henri's mom, who Henri has warned him not to, but of course he does...then he sells his soul basically for Henri and Henri gets his bloodborne body, but at a terrible price...Then Henri turns to his boss/angel and asks for your soul to be saved...well the only way the gods will approve is if Henri kills Orlando and they reap his soul to be kept until they can be together...so ya, Henri kills Orlando, with Orlando knowing and it is heartbreaking!!! It ends with the letter Orland writes to Henri prior to Henri killing him...
All I can say is that I am thoroughly debauched after this read. I really enjoyed it, but it was so hard.. I do not foresee book two being any less dark, so I think I will take a break and try to regroup prior to reading on.