Cold Light

by Traci L Slatton

[Rinn]

I received a copy of this book for free from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. This review is also posted on my blog, Rinn Reads.

I debated for a while over the rating for this book. As I have not read the first book in the trilogy, there were some elements of the story that made no or little sense to me. But it seems unfair to rate the book down for that reason, when it is not the author's fault at all.

The very opening of the story cuts straight into a short battle, painting a picture of this post-apocalyptic, and frankly rather horrifying world. A world where people group together for safety, safety from the rest of their own race, who pillage and ruin. Near the beginning of the story, there is a small flashback which was very handy to me, not having read the first book, but which I also imagine would be a good reminder to all those who have, as it is not too detailed.

At the start of the book, I saw Emma as a brave woman, determined and selfless. But this soon turned out to be very wrong - she is actually incredibly selfish in my eyes. Despite the fact that her husband is completely devoted to her and she loves him, she cheated on him. These events happen in the first book, but she explains that she began sleeping with Arthur so he would protect her and the girls she was caring for. So why is Arthur portrayed as some sort of Lothario, some irresistible man, when Emma had to resort to sleeping with him in order to keep herself safe? Part of the reason I do not feel this book deserves a five star rating is because of Emma and Arthur. Their relationship makes me angry: it sounds like he originally forced her to sleep with him, yet she is deeply in love with him, despite being married. He also seems quite threatening towards her at times, for example when she tries to sleep in a separate room to him. The only time Emma feels any sort of guilt about this twisted relationship is when she thinks that others will perceive her badly for it. Hence her need to 'disguise' herself in order to sleep with him, so their friends would not realise it was her. I did not understand that scene at all. It felt a bit gratuitous to be honest.

The rest of the characters were a mixed bunch, and I didn't get to learn much about them. The only one I had any sort of feeling for was Haywood, Emma's husband, and that was mostly just because I felt very sorry for him. His daughter has just been kidnapped by raiders, and all his wife seems to be able to think about (on her journey to rescue her daughter, no less), is when she'll next be with this other man, Arthur. I have the feeling that most of the character development happened in the first book, when we first met this motley crew.

However, the rest of the book made up for the characters. The world building wasn't too complicated, and quite standard in a way - post-apocalyptic world, people divide up into groups, resources are scarce etc - but Slatton's writing ensured that the story was continually exciting and well-paced. It generally flowed very well, perhaps with a few clunky bits here and there, but it was generally easy to read.

I do want to raise a few questions - if Arthur controls the mists, why does he not just disperse them all? Why does Irish Robert speak with a Scottish accent? (haha) Why on earth is Emma attracted to Arthur? I award it a very solid three stars, the reason I changed my mind from four stars being Emma/Arthur's relationship. But I did enjoy the book, despite getting angry at Emma at times, and that's what matters.