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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very impressed!!, June 27, 2009
I bought this novel because the reviews were really positive about the story and Mel, the main character. I was not disappointed! Loosely based on Amazon myths and legends, this is the story of Mel, an Amazon who left her people ten years ago. According to tradition if an Amazon is pregnant with a boy the child is either aborted, given away (and forgotten) or crippled physically to prevent the child from growing stronger then his female kin. Mel left because she had a suspicion that one of the stronger high priestesses had a hand in the death of her newborn son; a son she had planned on keeping and raising despite her traditions and culture. The only outcast of her people, she has been doing great on her own mingling with the humans. Her mother and grandmother, who followed her all those years back, still practice their traditions and are on Mel to start teaching her daughter, Harmony, about who she is, where she comes from, and what powers she will inherit. But Mel just wants her daughter to live a normal life first before she inducts her daughter into a world she still holds a lot of anger for. But the deaths of Amazon girls left on Mel's doorstep have taken that decision out of her hands. Before she knows it she has the queen of the Amazons moving in with a bunch of her warriors, a police detective hounding her because he suspects she knows more than she's telling, and a connection with the murdered girls because she was the one to release their spirits after their death. If that's not enough she's not only hired a male tattoo artists for her tattoo shop (against her better judgement), but she's starting to feel this attraction for him. There's an even bigger suprise waiting for her as she works to solve these murders. I thought Lori Devoti did an awesome job creating this urban fantasy world that had nothing to do with vampires or werewolves, but everything to do with a fresh approach and a really good mystery. I thought I knew who was responsible for the girls' murder and it turned out I was so wrong! There's nothing better to a mystery that has great twists and turns and you can't see what's coming. I also like the idea of this whole family of women, four generations, living all together and loving each other despite some really big differences. I'd recomend this for fans of urban fantasy who are getting a little tired of the vampire/werewolf scene.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not five stars in my opinion, but a good effort, June 25, 2009
Melanippe Saka left her Amazon tribe due to the death of her son whom she believes was killed by someone in the Amazon tribe. Amazon's see no need for sons and they usually maim them and give them away. Mel feeling different about her son, left with her daughter, Harmony, and was shortly followed by her Mother and Grandmother. Now she's finding dead Amazon girls on her doorstep. The first one she quietly disposes of but not before releasing the girl's spirit, but when a second dead Amazon shows up, she is compelled to let the tribe know about it. Soon the Amazon tribe descends upon her at her home which is an old school. Mel must deal with the queen, who was also her best friend, a new male tattoo artisan, Peter, a young pregnant Amazon woman and a detective who is looking into the deaths of the two girls. I found the initial idea of Amazon women to be new and refreshing from the normal urban fantasy of vampires, shape shifters or fae. However, I must disagree with all the five star reviews. I found the book to lack at times in the interest department. By that I mean there came a time when the book did not hold my interest and I was very tempted to put it down and not finish it. I hate to do that as I spent good money for the book so I made myself continue to read and I'm glad I did. It did turn out to be a fairly interesting read after the "hump" I had reached. I also found Mel's powers to be somewhat wishy washy. Most of the time she held off on using her powers and when she finally did I really didn't care. All in all, it was a decent book but I don't think I liked it well enough to read a second if there should be one.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very enjoyable.., May 28, 2009
Strong female protagonist who is a mother first and Amazon second. I was worried it would be another romance masquerading as a fantasy novel and it wasn't. There was some romance, but it was a very light touch. The main story was about being self-exiled from a culture with deep roots and how those roots can hold you even while you are trying to make a normal life. The Amazon culture in the story is based loosely off how gypsies are portrayed in pop culture, a strong mystical, nomadic group who live on the fringes of society. I'm looking forward to a sequel and seeing more development in the female relationships, Mel's relationships with her mother, daughter, grandmother and best friend are great and deserve more time.
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