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A review by krisrid
Blood Engines by T.A. Pratt
2.0
I am not entirely sure how to review this. Ultimately, it didn't work for me, but others might really enjoy it as a particular type of paranormal fiction.
On the good side, there are some unique and unusual paranormal creatures - including some gods - peopleing the book. The storyline was gripping, and the writing was good. I always like strong female characters, and Marla is undeniably strong and independant.
But there was an overwhelming and unrelenting dark tone to the entire book that troubled me. There is a substantial amount of violence in the story, but on its own that wouldn't be an issue for me - when paranormals are fighting there's going to be a bloody skirmish or six and I'm fine with that, it goes with the territory. But there was nothing to offset the darkness or provide a sense of relief when things resolve in an appropriate way for the story. Instead of feeling a sense of closure at the end, I still felt drained and battered. There are also some aspects of this book that were just way past the level of disturbing and creepy that I'm okay with, which I won't specify to avoid spoilers, but suffice it to say, even for someone who reads a lot of paranormal fiction and is fairly open to creativity in the genre, some of the stuff in this book just made me go: "Ewwwwww!" For some that might be okay. For me it is a downer response to a book, and not what I'm looking for.
I also couldn't connect at all to Marla. While I understand and respect that she has some difficult, "rock-and-a-hard-place" decisions to make in the book, I was very troubled by her complete an total lack of any semblance of humanity, or concern about anything other than what she wanted. Given the plot of the book, I could live with difficult decisions, and messy choices being made. But I need to see SOME connection to other beings one interacts with, particularly when some of them care about you, and are trying to help you complete your mission. Instead, Marla reacts to everyone around her as nothing more than a tool, to be used, broken or discarded, as her requirements dictate. There are one or two very tiny suggestions that there may be a shred of humanity buried somewhere very deep inside Marla, but they were not enough to offset the coldness and ruthlessness that permeates this character. I need to be able to connect to a character, or at least relate to why they do the things they do, in order to really get into a book they live in. That wasn't possible for me with Marla.
Not necessarily a bad book, just the wrong book for my tastes.
On the good side, there are some unique and unusual paranormal creatures - including some gods - peopleing the book. The storyline was gripping, and the writing was good. I always like strong female characters, and Marla is undeniably strong and independant.
But there was an overwhelming and unrelenting dark tone to the entire book that troubled me. There is a substantial amount of violence in the story, but on its own that wouldn't be an issue for me - when paranormals are fighting there's going to be a bloody skirmish or six and I'm fine with that, it goes with the territory. But there was nothing to offset the darkness or provide a sense of relief when things resolve in an appropriate way for the story. Instead of feeling a sense of closure at the end, I still felt drained and battered. There are also some aspects of this book that were just way past the level of disturbing and creepy that I'm okay with, which I won't specify to avoid spoilers, but suffice it to say, even for someone who reads a lot of paranormal fiction and is fairly open to creativity in the genre, some of the stuff in this book just made me go: "Ewwwwww!" For some that might be okay. For me it is a downer response to a book, and not what I'm looking for.
I also couldn't connect at all to Marla. While I understand and respect that she has some difficult, "rock-and-a-hard-place" decisions to make in the book, I was very troubled by her complete an total lack of any semblance of humanity, or concern about anything other than what she wanted. Given the plot of the book, I could live with difficult decisions, and messy choices being made. But I need to see SOME connection to other beings one interacts with, particularly when some of them care about you, and are trying to help you complete your mission. Instead, Marla reacts to everyone around her as nothing more than a tool, to be used, broken or discarded, as her requirements dictate. There are one or two very tiny suggestions that there may be a shred of humanity buried somewhere very deep inside Marla, but they were not enough to offset the coldness and ruthlessness that permeates this character. I need to be able to connect to a character, or at least relate to why they do the things they do, in order to really get into a book they live in. That wasn't possible for me with Marla.
Not necessarily a bad book, just the wrong book for my tastes.