Eternal [Hardcover]

Cynthia Leitich Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 10, 2009

With diabolical wit, the author of TANATALIZE revisits a deliciously dark world where vampires vie with angels — and girls just want to have fangs.

At last, Miranda is the life of the party: all she had to do was die. Elevated and adopted by none other than the reigning King of the Mantle of Dracul, Miranda goes from high-school theater wannabe to glamorous royal fiend overnight. Meanwhile, her reckless and adoring guardian angel, Zachary, demoted to human guise as the princess’s personal assistant, has his work cut out for him trying to save his girl’s soul and plan the Master’s fast-approaching Death Day gala. In alternating points of view, Miranda and Zachary navigate a cut-throat eternal aristocracy as they play out a dangerous and darkly hilarious love story for the ages.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 9 Up–This dark romance is told in alternating chapters from the perspectives of 17-year-old Miranda and her guardian angel, Zachary, in an alternate America in which vampires and werewolves exist. Early in the novel, Zachary falls from grace as punishment for materializing in his full radiance in a failed attempt to save Miranda from being bitten by a vampire. The tale resumes a year later with the now-vampire Miranda a revered princess living among vampire royalty and feasting regularly on humans. Zachary, meanwhile, has sunk into a life of aimless debauchery and is resigned to never regaining his wings when an archangel suddenly gives him the opportunity to become Miranda's personal assistant. Determined to save his former ward, with whom he has fallen in love, Zachary takes the job. Miranda finds herself drawn to him, and the murders she has carelessly committed begin to weigh on her conscience. With his help, she is determined to find a way to redeem herself and help him return to grace. The plot is occasionally choppy and frequently grisly, and the dialogue seems forced in places. Neither Miranda nor Zachary is particularly likable, and the ending, while logical, is not one that romance fans will favor. The story lacks the elegance of Stephenie Meyer's hugely popular novels, but serious vampire buffs will undoubtedly add the novel to their must-read list.–Leah J. Sparks, formerly at Bowie Public Library, MD
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Review

"Revisits the dark alternate world of Tantalize with a new set of characters. . . . Readers should be hooked . . . up through the action-packed finale." — Publishers Weekly


From the Trade Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 14 and up
  
• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (February 10, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763635731
• ISBN-13: 978-0763635732
• Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 1.1 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #581,379 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not What I thought it would be........ (contains Spoilers), February 15, 2009

By 

Twilight Junkie (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eternal (Hardcover)

Being an avid Twilight/L.J.Smith fan, I thought Eternal was going to be a love story between an angel and a human. I was surely wrong. The book was completely diffrent to what I had in mind.

The book basically follows a young girl named Miranda and her transformation into a vampire, due to her guardian angel's interference. Miranda is transformed into a vampire and lives in a castle with the man who changed her, known as "Father." Her guardian angel Zachary has had his wings clipped due to his personal interest in Miranda's life. As Miranda adapts to her new life of royalty, she engages in acts that are not like her old self. Later on an angel gives Zachary the task of redemming his wings again by saving Miranda's soul. The story goes on to Zachary getting a job in her castle, and leading a revolt.

Do not read this book expecting to be swept up in a love story. This book is far from a love story. As 307 pages it lacked charachter relationships, and plot. I would not recommend this book for those who are seeking a love story. I really do not know who to recommend this book to....

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars How is this related to Tantalize again?, July 26, 2009

By 

Stephanie A. Davis "critical reader" (East Coast) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Eternal (Hardcover)

I nearly died (pun intended) when I saw this in the store. I enjoyed her first book "Tantalize" and couldn't WAIT to read "Eternal" to help ease my "surely-this-can't-be-the-ending" reaction to "Tantalize." This book is a departure from Smith's first book - not a bad road to take, but not exactly the direction I was intending to travel.

In this book, a teenaged girl (Miranda) is unwittingly turned into a member of the undead despite the well-intentioned actions of her guardian angel, Zachary. Her unsavory exploits as a new member of the undead were wicked, though I would have enjoyed a bit more character insight. Events and details that should have brought me to tears hardly registered a lump in my throat. I felt as if I was being told a story rather than experiencing it.

"Eternal" was a good, quick read. I was disappointed that I didn't feel invested in Miranda's outcome, though I was interested in Zachary's fate. Smith makes an excellent choice of narration, alternating between Miranda's and Zachary's points of view, though Zachary's voice was more poignant and effective.

This is one of those "Great plot concept, but I bet I could tell it better" kind of books. Kind of like I imagine JK Rowling (of the famed Harry Potter series) would have said about Jane Yolen's "Wizard's Hall."

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars I was hoping, but no, July 10, 2009

By 

A. Person - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eternal (Hardcover)

After reading some reviews of this, I thought I'd give it a shot thinking maybe I'd enjoy it. I didn't. It was a nice effort but it just wasn't one of those great reads. I didn't like the main characters. I wanted to like Zachary but he fell somewhat flat. I wouldn't recommend this.