Dark, dangerous and deathly, this young adult novel has to go down as one of the best published in recent years.
Be prepared to step foot into the fictional, and truth be told, slightly chilling, town of Brume where legend has it that this very place was once the birthplace of magic itself. Drawn to the town by promises about his unknown past, one of our two pivotal characters, Slate Ardoin, finds himself unwittingly cursed and one of the four descendants of the founding families. Each has a key role to play in restoring the world of its power but in order to do so, they have to work together. Not so easy when our hero is riddled with anger and revenge.
The plot line was perfectly mapped out and I think one of the strengths of the novel was the fact that two writers worked on it together; it was intricate and enthralling, and the craftsmanship was evident. Throughout the novel there was great attention to detail and plenty of action and horrifying images that keep enticing you to will the characters on. Interwoven with the dynamic and ever-changing relationship between Slate and our other key character, Cadence, there really was something for everyone. I found myself wanting to read ‘just one more chapter’ just to find out if their mission was successful or perhaps to see if there really was something more between Slate and Cadence.
As I’ve alluded to, Slate has an ugly past and this is perfectly reflected by the writers in his mannerisms and his cut throat attitude towards everything life throws at him. Using the first person narrative was a perfect way for the readers of this novel to see the world through Slate’s eyes, and despite him being a completely unlikeable person on paper, you can’t help but be drawn in by him within the first few chapters. What’s more, the complete contrast of Cadence with her intellect and desire to please makes them the perfect pair of opposites and their whole romance is completely left up to question throughout the entire novel. This book works brilliantly as a dual narrative with each chapter seeing through the eyes of either Cadence or Slate meaning you can’t ever quite choose a side. Add to the pair a peppering of other characters, each just as complex and intriguing as our main duo and the recipe of a fantastic book is complete.
The Book Dragon has had the extreme pleasure of reviewing this book on behalf of the authors and has to declare themselves as officially hooked. As soon as possible, we’ll be sinking our claws into the sequel. A well-earned 5 stars is awarded to this tantalising tale…
Coming Soon to the Book Dragon Shop