The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden, #1)

by Julie Kagawa

‘Julie Kagawa is a strong new voice’ The Sunday Express What if having a chance to save humanity meant becoming what you hate and fear most?

To survive in a ruined world, she must embrace the darkness…

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a walled-in city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten. All that drives Allie is her hatred of them – the vampires who keep humans for food. Until the night Allie herself dies… and becomes a vampire.

Forced to flee, Allie must pass for human as she joins a ragged group of pilgrims seeking a legend – the cure for the disease that killed off most of civilization and created the rabids, the bloodthirsty creatures who threaten human and vampire alike. And soon Allie will have to decide what – and who – is worth dying for… again.

Enter Julie Kagawa’s dark and twisted world as an unforgettable dystopian journey begins. Perfect for fans of Holly Black, Sarah J Maas and Tomi Adeyemi.

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Readers can’t get enough of The Immortal Rules:

‘I could not put this book down.’

‘a heart wrenching tale of survival’

‘totally hooked’

‘I loved this book, and would recommend it to nearly everyone!’

‘kept me up all night!’

‘keeps you enthralled from start to finish’

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The Blood of Eden series

Book One: The Immortal Rules

Book Two: The Eternity Cure

Book Three: The Forever Song

• ISBN13: 9781848450943
• Publish Date: 1 May 2012 (first published 24 April 2012)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Imprint: Mira Ink
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 512
• Language: English
• URL: http://harpercollins.co.uk

Reviews

[Chelsea]

Initial Thoughts

I wasn’t expecting to like this book. I couldn’t tell you why but I just felt like it was going to be like any other vampire book. I’m glad it took a different turn.

My New BFF

I think Kanin was my favourite and I was sad that there wasn’t more of him in this book. He’d better be in the next one! He’s the big, bad, and scary vampire that turned our main character. He was just trying to be a good guy though. I liked trying to piece together his back story. You can tell he’s a complex character with a lot of history.

My Crush

I didn’t like the male lead in this book so there’s no crush for me. I just found him naive and kind of annoying. Probably the only reason why this book got 4 stars instead of 5.

Writing Style

I liked that the vampires are scary. I’d be scared too if they ruled our cities. It just makes more sense. I thought the plot was a little weird though. I felt like there wasn’t really a goal because the main character was just walking around and didn’t know what to do. I’m hoping the second book will have more of a plot.

Closing Thoughts

I enjoyed reading this book so it got a higher rating for me. There were a few things that bothered me so it didn’t get 5 stars. I feel like there’s potential with the story but I’m worried that the author is going in a different direction and it’ll end up being typical or boring. It’s one of those things I’ll just have to wait and see though!

[elysium]

3.5 stars

[boghunden]

There are lots of vampire books out there. This one is worth reading.

The setting is in a interesting futuristic world, the writing is desciptive, yet interesting, and the characters are fun, complex and great to follow.

Great vampire novel.

[jnikkir]

So, it took me winning a giveaway for The Eternity Cure (Blood of Eden #2) to actually get me to read this first book, and I’m so glad I did. (Why didn’t I read it sooner?! I don’t even know.) I was pretty certain I’d like it, based on reviews I’d read, and I was right – I ended up loving it. But for reasons that surprised me.

I loved the dark, gritty world Kagawa created for this series. It’s terrifying and cruel and bleak, but it created an atmosphere where the characters, flawed as they were, could really shine.

Allie was never going to be your typical YA heroine. Her life on the fringes of the city has made her harsh and distrustful. She struggled with being a good person even before she was turned into a vampire – while she usually ended up making choices that would help other people, she grew up on the streets and ultimately her goal was to look after herself. Once she’s Turned, though, she fights even harder to keep her morals intact, to stay human and to not think only of herself – which says a lot about her strength, and I liked that.

The action was fantastic, but even the slower chapters held my attention, and actually ended up being my favorite parts of the book. Zeke and Allie’s slowly-building relationship was so well-done, and paced perfectly. I loved that Zeke was a lone spot of brightness in an otherwise very dark setting. Allie saw this as a weakness at first, Zeke and his idealism and kindness – but I think she came to realize that it was worth it, and his attitude went a long way in bringing about Allie’s own growth throughout the book.

I would definitely recommend The Immortal Rules to anyone who likes dystopian and/or post-apocalyptic and/or vampire novels – unless you prefer your vampires sparkly, in which case… probably steer clear of this one. ;)

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{ This review can also be found at my blog, There were books involved... }

[Kelly]

http://divainpyjamas.blogspot.com.au/

I devoured The Immortal Rules. It was a unique and well written vampire novel, but with a post apocalyptic twist. You'll find yourself swept into Allison's world of destruction and devastation. Allie isn't your average heroine, she's tough, can wield a sword and you'll connect with her personal journey from human to vampire.

A supernatural, paranormal romance, set in a dystopian, post apocalyptic world. If it were legal to marry an inanimate object, The Immortal Rules and I would be living happily ever after in wedded bliss by now.

Simply the nest vampire book I've read to date. Period.

[Linda]

*I received a free ARC of The Immortal Rules from Harlequin Teen via Netgalley in exchange of an honest review*

ARC received on February 28 2013

This and other reviews can also be found on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews.

I don’t even know where to start in my praise for The Immortal Rules. I loved every single thing about it. The world-building was extremely well done, I could see the gritty, half-rotten buildings in my mind. I could smell the mold, and my stomach was churning with hunger.

[angelarenea9]

I loved this book.
I recently read the Iron Fey series and decided to give this book a try when it came out but I am always a little wary of new vampire books because there seems to be a craze of ... not so great ones since Twilight came out. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this book was quite serious and actually a bit darker than I expected. I have been on a bit of a dystopia kick lately and was pleasantly surprised by this.
One thing that I really liked about this book was the romance. It was there, of course (how can you have a realistic story without some romantic aspect), but it didn't overwhelm the plot, as some books do. The characters were not overly dramatic, or obsessive, it was realistic and believable, and I could really related (as much as one can to a vampiric futuristic dystopian society) to the characters feelings.
This book honestly reminded me of a darker 'The Host' by Stephanie Meyer.

[Ashley]

As posted on booknook - book reviews and hot chocolate!

What I love most about The Immortal Rules is that it’s the kind of book that makes you think. The story is about Allison (Allie), who lives in a future dystopian world where vampires rule. Allie grows up hating vampires and everything they represent. But then, circumstances lead her to a difficult decision: she can either die or become a vampire and live. This kind of difficult decision is what I love. I was constantly putting myself in Allie’s shoes and asking myself what I would do. Even though it’s a situation we’ll probably never be in, it’s designed in such a way that I can relate to Allie.

Allie is the kind of strong character that I absolutely love. From page one, it’s so clear that she’s a fighter and a surviver. She lives in horrible poverty but she puts up with it. Rather than sit around and feel sorry for herself, she has learned how to work the system — how to dodge the guards, when it’s safe to scavenge for food, and so on. She’s not the kind of person to just give up. She’ll step up to the challenge and won’t go down without a fight — I love that!!

As much as The Immortal Rules is about vampires, it’s also about viruses. I love everything to do with viruses! I’m obsessed with movies like Outbreak, I Am Legend, etc. In The Immortal Rules, we learn about different kinds of viruses. First, humans were infected with The Red Lung virus. Then, in an attempt to create a cure, the virus mutated and infected billions of people, basically turning them into monsters. This was so fascinating to read about! Julie Kagawa only fed us bits and pieces so I was constantly desperate for more, turning page after page to get more information!

I loved every single character in this book. Of course there’s Allie, who I already talked about. There’s also Kanin, Allie’s vampire creator. At first he’s quite a mysterious character. We don’t know much about him and Kagawa only feeds us bits and pieces. Then we meet Zeke, a human that Allie travels with. He’s incredibly kind-hearted, strong, and determined — a real leader. I love the dialogue between him and Allie. It often reminded me of how I talk to my own friends. It just felt so real!

In summary, The Immortal Rules is an amazing story that sheds new light on vampires and combines their story with a civilization-destroying plague. Allie has to struggle with becoming something that she hates. This choice haunts her for the entire book, and it’s something she has to learn to live with. She’s also faced with betrayal and cruelty. It’s so saddening to see her friends turn on her the moment she becomes a vampire, despite the fact that nothing has changed about her except her label. She’s still just as friendly, determined, and loyal, but people now shy away from her in fear. This book deals with a lot of general themes like stereotyping, faith, betrayal, loyalty, and hardships. It’s an amazing story that gripped me from start to finish! I can’t wait to find out what happens next. :D

[Kelsenator]

For the full review, go to my blog Kelsey's Cluttered Bookshelf

First off, I must say I’m not usually the hugest fan of vampire books. But the mix of things in this book made it such an amazing read! Not only was it set in kind of a Dystopian world, with the Zombie-Vampire-Rabids, but it also had lots of action, sword fights, and a little bit of romance. The cliffhanger at the end wasn’t too bad, but I was sad when it ended, I wanted to find out what happens next but it will have to wait for the next book.

I loved Allie, with her being a new Vampire and trying to save her humanity, trying to deal with what she is even though she has always hated the Vampires. She also has to fight off the hunger for blood that is always with her when she is close to humans, especially if she doesn’t want to hurt them. And there are quite a few times when she is tempted. Her struggles and attitude just made me love her.

Zeke was another awesome character, always trying to see the good side of everyone, openly welcoming Allie to their group, even though he doesn’t know what she is. He believes that they will find someplace safe for their group, a place called Eden, that is free of Vampires and Rabids, and will do anything to protect everyone so they all get there. But he also has another side, the one his father Jeb raised out of him, to hate the Vampires and Rabids.

This book definitely keeps you engaged, I kept wanting to read more and find out what happens to Allie on her adventures and the people she meets. I would definitely recommend this to anyone liking Vampires, anyone who is fan of the author, or who just wants to read something that they won’t be able to put down. There is a bit of death and violence, so be careful if you don’t like that.

[celinenyx]

This is the first book I read by Ms Kagawa, and I have to say that I'm impressed by her writing. After finishing The Immortal Rules I picked up another book and I just had to stop reading it because the writing felt way too choppy in comparison. Not only does this book boast wonderful writing, it also has an interesting plot.

Allison, or Allie, is a Fringer. She has to fight to survive as starvation is a real threat on the borders of a Vampire city. But then Allie is turned in the one thing she hates most - a vampire. She will have to choose what kind of monster she wants to become.

To sum it up, The Immortal Rules is a dystopian vampire story with zombies called rabids. I was really glad to see that it didn't feature the lame sparkly kind of vampires, but super strong killing machine vampires that can suck you dry in a few seconds. Ms Kagawa found the right balance between monstrous and human in her vampires, especially Allie.

When Allie is turned, she leaves the city and comes across a band of humans searching for the vampire-free city of Eden. The major part of the story revolves around this band of humans and their interactions with Allie. They don't know she's a vampire and she has to do everything to hide her nature. For me the journey to Eden had a bit of an epic fantasy feel - a string of small interactions that will later unfold into a much bigger picture. I personally wasn't bored by this, but I can see why some people might call this part slow.

I really liked the story, but I felt it was a bit lacking in some parts. The rabids felt inconsistent. At one point Allie is afraid she has turned a human into a rabid person because she has bitten him, and at another point she bites someone and it doesn't even cross her mind. Maybe there was a reason for this and it wasn't an inconsistency problem, but it was most definitely under explained. Sometimes there are rabid animals, sometimes there aren't. Rabids can't cross water, but Allie still considers rabid fish.

This is a long book, and there is more than enough room for world-building, but for me there wasn't enough. The whole Red Lung virus thing gets rushed over and there is no explanation at all how, if pretty much every building is crumbling, the vampires were able to make massive towers. Did they put the stones on top of the other themselves? I highly doubt that. I hope there will be more insights into how this world works in the next book of the series.

I did like all the interactions between the characters, and Zeke was one of my favourites. I'm looking forward to see how his and Allie's relationship will develop in the next book. I'm getting a double point of view vibe from the end of this one. Or maybe Ms Kagawa has something completely different for them in mind.

The Immortal Rules is a great book that I would certainly recommend for vampire/dystopian lovers, but I do hope that the second book in the Blood of Eden series will contain more explanations on how this world came to be. Still, a big thumbs up for Ms Kagawa's amazing way with words.