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Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Innocent Darkness, by Suzanne Lazear


- The Aether Chronicles #1
Release date: August 8th 2012
Published by: Flux
Genre: Young Adult/ Steampunk
Find it on: Goodreads, Amazon


Wish. Love. Desire. Live.

Sixteen-year-old Noli Braddock's hoyden ways land her in an abusive reform school far from home. On mid-summer's eve she wishes to be anyplace but that dreadful school. A mysterious man from the Realm of Faerie rescues her and brings her to the Otherworld, only to reveal that she must be sacrificed, otherwise, the entire Otherworld civilization will perish.






This book was everything I thought it would be, but at the same time it surprised me. I was expecting a great - but not awesome - book about faeries and a great world-building, and Innocent Darkness was exactly that. However, some other aspects of it caught me by surprise, like the love triangle and Noli herself. 

Maybe it's because I'm used to reading books about faeries that have a strong heroine (I only have Eugenie Markham and Meghan Chase as a reference, come on!), but Noli's delicate, insightful nature was completely unexpected, and pleasant all the same. She was different, wild and still feminine, and this balance of personality fit the world-building perfectly. The mythology surrounding faeries is dark and alluring, and Noli was a perfect main character. A bit naive sometimes, but not enough to make me angry. Put it in a simple way, she was a remarkable heroine, and I really liked her. 

What I'm feeling torn about is the love triangle. I loved V, Noli's best friend - he was cute, caring, and fierce at the same time when it came to her - but throughout the book, he fell into the same category as every other guy of a love triangle that I have ever read about. Dark, flat, and silent most of the time, without a deep personality or reasonable motives, who thinks that making a decision that affects the main character without consulting her is okay. All right, this is a historical fiction, and back in the 1800s, men did make decisions without asking the women first, but I'm tired of reading a love story that doesn't have equality. I get it that V has more experience than Noli, but for once, I'd like the guy not to fall in the same Edward-esque cycle of brooding and being mysterious without a reason to. 

I didn't like Kevighn at all, and I really hope Noli won't run after him. Please, give me a break, the guy tried to confuse Noli and use her as a sacrificial lamb, and I'm supposed to feel for him? Okay, he changed and suddenly fell in love with Noli, but he still tried to kill her - and even after admitting that he was in love with her, he was still thinking about her as the sacrifice... as if Noli being the girl he loves was nothing more than an unfortunate issue! Yes, faeries are supposed to be heartless, but this won't work for me. If Noli has to end up with someone, please, let it be V. He's way better than Kevighn. At least he genuinely cares for her. 

The world-building was interesting, if not amusing. I have a certain familiarity with faerie books, and it was fantastic to see these creatures through a different point of view, a different story with another essence altogether. Innocent Darkness was a very good debut, and I look forward to its sequel. I hope the story will impress me more; it certainly has the potential to do so!

 

8 comments:

  1. If someone tried to kill me, I would be running the other way that's for sure. Noli reminds me of another female protagonist who was a little naive like this (from which book, I can't remember). And ugh, love triangle. I had high hopes for this book at one point, but the mixed reviews since have changed me mind for me. I doubt I'll be reading it in a hurry. I hope the sequel is better for you, Beatriz! Great review hun. :)

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    1. Thanks! :D LOL, I'd be running, too, Sam. I don't understand the appeal, you know? If a guy tries to kill you, how can you fall in love with him so suddenly? o.O

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  2. oh man, I don't like how love triangles ALWAYS include a best friend... plus I'm not the biggest fan of faeri novels since I didn't like iron king and Meghan all that much. Anyways great review!!

    - Juhina @ Maji Bookshelf

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    1. I know, right? I guess it's because with a friendship, it's easier for something else to develop, but for this to happen all the time in books has become very annoying! And thanks! :D

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  3. Love triangles :( And I always hate it when a best friend is part of it + the heroin almost always ends with the one you don't want.. It's so bizarre if she is going for the one who tried to kill her. I would run and hide! I don't really like naive characters, but I can see how it works in this book. Great review and I think I will read this book, but not very soon :)

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    1. Thank you! :D I hope you enjoy it when you read it - love triangle aside, it has a very interesting premise!

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  4. I didn't enjoy this one, I had such high hopes and then just didn't like it, but I'm glad you did and love how you've laid out the pros and cons. Great review.

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