I liked this book. The ideas used to construct the world and the story are not really original. I've seen the concepts before in other paranormal books and movies, but the natural delivery and fine execution of them made story feel believable. And the reveals in the climax of the story were a pleasant surprise. The book clue drops so subtly about the climax and other happenings I didn't know it was a clue until it was show-time!
The beginning of the story had me a hair's breadth away from giving up it up ranting to whoever was near. I was completely shell shocked and appalled by the main female character, Evie's naïveté. I seriously thought she had a secret ambition to be committed or breathe her last breath. But she understands over time the necessity of keeping her mouth shut. She is young and she slowly begins to learn (like most, the hard way) about the realties of the world and her epiphanies do come even if they are late.
Reed's, the main male character, struggle with what to do feels like a real dilemma, (page 92) should go down as an example of a catch22. I don't know what I would have done in his place. And although he comes off as bossy, forceful, and controlling when you understand the dept of the situation and consider Evie's track record for attracting trouble and being reckless it's understandable. Plus when I thought about his vocation it made it easier to comprehend why he always needed to be kept informed. And lastly when I take in that he's also lost in all this, I feel for him.
I also appreciated the gradual transition; some other paranormal and fiction works have a character just suddenly be informed of or awaken fully to their powers or true forms. Usually followed by someone informing them that they have to save the world or their people... In this book no one is given such a grand decree, perhaps in another installment it will be. But don't think that means nothing else is on the line in this book. Still, I like that no one is given such an importance or responsibility in the first book.
**Character Observations/Critiques Containing Vague-ish Spoilers:**
Evie's self-preservation skills are constantly thwarted by her inability to keep quiet. I wanted to throttle Evie every time she openly talked about supernatural forces and encounters with Russell in the beginning, when they knew each other for a few hours and later a couple of days. I kept thinking, "does she want to get committed," "is she looking forward to someone permanently silencing her," or "why the heck is she involving Russell, does she not understand that jeopardizes his safety?" However, when you find out why Evie always freely confides in Russell and can't seem to leave him be it makes sense.
Her bold naïveté appears when she faces Reed, when she had no idea who and what he was, but knew he disliked her. After she foolishly third-degrees the callous and menacing Reed about his paranormal ability and their supernatural statuses (both of which could have resulted in signing her death warrant), she goes on to spill her own secrets, then has the cheek to ask why she should trust him with her safety as if she didn't just confide in him (pages 46-49)! And she considers people her friends after their first meeting... way too trusting. It took me a while to stop gaping at her lack of caution, but I forgive it on the basis that she hasn't had to develop a mindset that revolves so centrically on survival. She's young, scared, and has never experienced extreme hardship before, she did her best.
Contradictions/Flaws That Still Irk Me:
The book makes Russell seem a bit slow witted; his perceptiveness is limited except when it comes to Evie. But like I wrote early once you know their connection, it's not surprising. For example, (page 61) Reed comments he wants to know about "the Trojan thing"...all I thought was "Trojan as Troy or the Trojan War, how can he not make at least that connection?!" Even if he does not know what the application does/enables, Troy has been the setting of movies and the Trojan horse is a very popular tale in middle and high school social studies and literature classes. Yet he acts like he's never heard of it. Also concerning Candace... his perception was seriously absent on that one.
And Russell's southern attributes are weak. He doesn't really have any of the intriguing sayings or unique slang southerners tend to have, he's just obsessed with substituting "ya" for the word you and "yer" for your. And his courteousness and fierce protectiveness towards Evie (a woman) are nice and all, but not a trait unique to southerners. Plus his protectiveness gets stalkerish sometimes (page 96 and 97).
Also Evie isn't consistent in her wit either. (page 68) she actually asked where she could get firewall software. Really? It's called online shopping, where shops deliver orders through the mail or directly download software to your computer (no shopping trips necessary). And yet she's supposed to be a savvy techie. She's also supposed to be perceptive. Yet, she can not seem to grasp that she is endangering herself, Russell, and Reed until it's shoved in her face (her epiphany moments) or explicitly spelled out by another, even though there are many things said and that happen to suggest it.
Also (page 121) since when has the word premonition meant the same as hallucination? An unreasonable mistake seeing as she's an academic scholarship student and has heard of the Oracle of Delphi.
**SPOILERS Ahead:**
And later (page 158) Evie claims to not understand what a soul mate is... Does she avoid chic flicks and romance novels? Did she not have many female friends during high school? I thought she was supposed to have been an average teenage girl before.
And where do Russell's good "southern" manners go on page 320! He lost major points in my book with that stunt and attitude; I lost all sympathy towards his plight over losing Evie to Reed. Let any hopes of a deeper relationship be lost forever, extinguished!
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