Reviewed by Beth C. on
Speaking of the beginning - it's a bit on the slow side. Have patience and bear with it. There is a lot of history here, and five different people who need their own backgrounds, motivations, and lives. It took me roughly half the book before I really started to get into the story itself. This is to be expected, as this is just the first novel in what promises to be AT LEAST a trilogy.
The characters are written as teenagers, but remember - teenagers in Alexander's time would have been far more...mature...at earlier ages than those we are familiar with now. They married young, had children early, and often died young. Frankly, even though this is a Harlequin Teen book, it felt like it could have been young adults as characters. Each character is written well, and all of them pulled the element of surprise at least once during the novel. In other words - they are not written as predictable wooden things, but as young people whose motivations still are developing and whose lives are in constant upheaval. Herman did a great job with this (speaking as someone who has a teen at home).
While this is historical, it is also a work of fiction. The history is definitely interwoven throughout, but so is the fantastical - amazing creatures known as myths, Gods who may or may not still exist, and magic that is both feared and revered. Again, Herman did an excellent job weaving together the factual and the fictional.
Overall, it's a very well done look (so far) at what might have been when Alexander was young and magic may still have existed. I look forward to recommending it to my friends and to reading the next book when it comes out next fall.
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 3 September, 2015: Finished reading
- 3 September, 2015: Reviewed