moirwyn's review against another edition
4.0
This review originally appeared on my blog, Books Without Any Pictures:
http://bookswithoutanypictures.com/2015/05/13/exquisite-captive-by-heather-demetrios/
Exquisite Captive by Heather Demetrios is the story of a jinni who has been exiled from her homeland and is now a slave on Earth. Nalia spends her days coming up with new ways to defy her master Malek, dreaming of the day that she will gain her freedom and be able to rescue her little brother, who is in a work camp in war-torn Arijinna, the jinni homeland. One day, a young (and handsome) revolutionary named Raif finds Nalia and offers her a way out. However, in order to gain her freedom, Nalia must steal back her bottle, which Malek wears around his neck and never removes. And even if she succeeds in stealing the bottle, her freedom comes with a price, and Nalia must decide whether she trusts Raif enough to pay it.
Amazon’s mystical algorithm has been telling me that I’d like the book for months now, and from the moment I picked it up, I understood why–Nalia’s character is a parallel of the story of Anastasia Romanov, and I have a thing for Russian history. Nalia is a Ghan Assouri, the most powerful caste of jinni that rules the land of Arijinna. The Ghan Assouri were murdered after an uprising from the lower castes, and Nalia alone was able to escape the mass slaughter. It’s only now that she’s enslaved on Earth that she really has time to step back and think about the social structure on Arijinna, and to start to realize that the Ghan Assouri spent years oppressing the peasantry in almost exactly the same way that she’s being oppressed now. She realizes that the way that ordinary jinni were treated was by no means acceptable, and that should she choose, she has both the power and the responsibility to help create a better world.
Then there’s the love triangle aspect of the story, which started out strong and then seemed to take a dive (Disclaimer: I am not into love triangles, and generally think they should be avoided at all cost). Raif is the obvious winner, of course, because he is on the side of freedom and justice and all that. He’s got his weaknesses, but his heart is always in the right place. Then there’s Malek, Nalia’s master. Early in the book, it becomes obvious that despite his better judgement, Malek has developed feelings for Nalia. Despite their power difference, he tries not to pressure her, and instead of using his authority over her, he tries to woo her with gifts, dates, etc. As we learn more about him, we see the side that can be sweet and gentle, as well as malicious, angry, and consumed by his own power. The fact that he is madly and jealously in love with Nalia does not mean that he is good for Nalia in any way. She feels an attraction to him on some level, and appreciates his kindness, but she has to realize for herself that it’s a toxic relationship, and that as much as he professes to love her, his insecurities prevent him from allowing her to make her own choices. She has to leave him, because the entire dynamic of their relationship is abusive. And seeing the difference between a healthy relationship and an abusive relationship is something that is important for the book’s intended audience, because sometimes the distinction between the two appears to be fuzzy and indistinct.
And yet, at the same time, I wanted Malek to be more than a cookie-cutter bad guy. I found his personal history fascinating, and without going too far into spoiler territory, I’d like to see more about the events that shaped him and what his true motivations are. Yes, he’s power hungry, but his character had the chance to be complex and multifaceted, and crafting him into the abusive asshole role seemed to push him too far into pure villain-mode. Then again, I’m definitely into moral ambiguity in literature, because in real life, most people aren’t heroes or villains but ordinary people trying to do the best they can with the limited information available to them within the constraints of their own environments. By throwing him into the love triangle and forcing Nalia to take a stand against him, I felt that his potential was wasted.
And yet, despite that, my biggest frustration with Exquisite Captive is that the next book in the Dark Caravan Cycle isn’t coming out until 2016, and I really don’t want to have to wait that long to find out what happens with the revolution and whether Nalia succeeds in her quest. That’s the best kind of frustration to have when finishing a book.
http://bookswithoutanypictures.com/2015/05/13/exquisite-captive-by-heather-demetrios/
Exquisite Captive by Heather Demetrios is the story of a jinni who has been exiled from her homeland and is now a slave on Earth. Nalia spends her days coming up with new ways to defy her master Malek, dreaming of the day that she will gain her freedom and be able to rescue her little brother, who is in a work camp in war-torn Arijinna, the jinni homeland. One day, a young (and handsome) revolutionary named Raif finds Nalia and offers her a way out. However, in order to gain her freedom, Nalia must steal back her bottle, which Malek wears around his neck and never removes. And even if she succeeds in stealing the bottle, her freedom comes with a price, and Nalia must decide whether she trusts Raif enough to pay it.
Amazon’s mystical algorithm has been telling me that I’d like the book for months now, and from the moment I picked it up, I understood why–Nalia’s character is a parallel of the story of Anastasia Romanov, and I have a thing for Russian history. Nalia is a Ghan Assouri, the most powerful caste of jinni that rules the land of Arijinna. The Ghan Assouri were murdered after an uprising from the lower castes, and Nalia alone was able to escape the mass slaughter. It’s only now that she’s enslaved on Earth that she really has time to step back and think about the social structure on Arijinna, and to start to realize that the Ghan Assouri spent years oppressing the peasantry in almost exactly the same way that she’s being oppressed now. She realizes that the way that ordinary jinni were treated was by no means acceptable, and that should she choose, she has both the power and the responsibility to help create a better world.
Then there’s the love triangle aspect of the story, which started out strong and then seemed to take a dive (Disclaimer: I am not into love triangles, and generally think they should be avoided at all cost). Raif is the obvious winner, of course, because he is on the side of freedom and justice and all that. He’s got his weaknesses, but his heart is always in the right place. Then there’s Malek, Nalia’s master. Early in the book, it becomes obvious that despite his better judgement, Malek has developed feelings for Nalia. Despite their power difference, he tries not to pressure her, and instead of using his authority over her, he tries to woo her with gifts, dates, etc. As we learn more about him, we see the side that can be sweet and gentle, as well as malicious, angry, and consumed by his own power. The fact that he is madly and jealously in love with Nalia does not mean that he is good for Nalia in any way. She feels an attraction to him on some level, and appreciates his kindness, but she has to realize for herself that it’s a toxic relationship, and that as much as he professes to love her, his insecurities prevent him from allowing her to make her own choices. She has to leave him, because the entire dynamic of their relationship is abusive. And seeing the difference between a healthy relationship and an abusive relationship is something that is important for the book’s intended audience, because sometimes the distinction between the two appears to be fuzzy and indistinct.
And yet, at the same time, I wanted Malek to be more than a cookie-cutter bad guy. I found his personal history fascinating, and without going too far into spoiler territory, I’d like to see more about the events that shaped him and what his true motivations are. Yes, he’s power hungry, but his character had the chance to be complex and multifaceted, and crafting him into the abusive asshole role seemed to push him too far into pure villain-mode. Then again, I’m definitely into moral ambiguity in literature, because in real life, most people aren’t heroes or villains but ordinary people trying to do the best they can with the limited information available to them within the constraints of their own environments. By throwing him into the love triangle and forcing Nalia to take a stand against him, I felt that his potential was wasted.
And yet, despite that, my biggest frustration with Exquisite Captive is that the next book in the Dark Caravan Cycle isn’t coming out until 2016, and I really don’t want to have to wait that long to find out what happens with the revolution and whether Nalia succeeds in her quest. That’s the best kind of frustration to have when finishing a book.
erinarkin20's review against another edition
4.0
Exquisite Captive by Heather Demetrios may not be for everyone. With that said I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait for the next one in the series.
Nalia is a jinni from Arjinna and the only survivor of her tribe. We are actually introduced to her as she lives today, a slave to Malek, the man who controls her every move. He is obviously not human and we don’t really find out what he is until later in the story but we do find out that Nalia and Malek have not had an easy relationship. He bought her a few years ago and she has done everything within her power to fight the constraints Malek has put on her but because he is her master and she is bound to him, she must grant his wishes.
Because Nalia has always challenged Malek, she also knows that his way of punishing her is in the form of a bottle coated in iron which is uncomfortable and painful for Nalia. This is essentially what keeps her just toeing the line. She is willing to challenge him just enough to feel like she has a semblance of control but not enough that he will stick her back in the bottle. As the story opens we find that Nalia is noticing a change in the way Malek interacts with her and it is throwing her off. She doesn’t really know what to expect and she isn’t really sure what it means.
In Arjinna, Nalia was a member of the Ghan Aisouri which was a group that was essentially royalty. They controlled everything and the lower class definitely didn’t like this which led to an uprising led by the father of a character named Raif. When his father died, Raif took over leading the rebel group and in working to find a way to help his people; he ends up on earth with Nalia, the last Ghan Aisouri and the person who has something he needs. As Raif bargains with Nalia, she has to decide what she is truly willing to risk for her freedom in order to save her brother. As the story progresses, Nalia has to trust Raif in order to save her brother and is putting everything she has believes in on the line.
Nalia is an interesting character and it is clear that she struggles with who she was before she became a slave to Malek. She appeared to never really enjoy it but she also didn’t do anything to change who she was. It led to her being put in situations that she completely regrets now and will definitely have an impact on her and her relationship with Raif going forward.
I enjoyed the other characters as well. Raif is definitely a solid hero and I loved how he was so loving and protective of his sister. As the relationship changes between Raif and Nalia, it is clear they have a lot to figure out but once Nalia became a part of his bubble, he was fully invested and willing to do what he needed to in order to get her away from Malek and protect her from the Ifrit that is hunting her down.
Malek absolutely fills the role of the villain. Don’t get me wrong, he had me fooled for a bit but there was always that underlying issue around the fact that he “owned” Nalia and I can’t even fathom why he thought they could ever be more than just master and slave know her the way that he did.
I loved the world building in this story. Between the flashbacks/memories that Nalia provides and the rest of the story, Demetrios has created this other world that seems fantastically real. I think anyone who enjoys fantasy with a bit of romance mixed in as well as plenty of action will want to check this story out when they can. I am looking forward to the next book to see where Nalia’s story leads us next.
Thank you to Balzer + Bray for the review copy.
Nalia is a jinni from Arjinna and the only survivor of her tribe. We are actually introduced to her as she lives today, a slave to Malek, the man who controls her every move. He is obviously not human and we don’t really find out what he is until later in the story but we do find out that Nalia and Malek have not had an easy relationship. He bought her a few years ago and she has done everything within her power to fight the constraints Malek has put on her but because he is her master and she is bound to him, she must grant his wishes.
Because Nalia has always challenged Malek, she also knows that his way of punishing her is in the form of a bottle coated in iron which is uncomfortable and painful for Nalia. This is essentially what keeps her just toeing the line. She is willing to challenge him just enough to feel like she has a semblance of control but not enough that he will stick her back in the bottle. As the story opens we find that Nalia is noticing a change in the way Malek interacts with her and it is throwing her off. She doesn’t really know what to expect and she isn’t really sure what it means.
In Arjinna, Nalia was a member of the Ghan Aisouri which was a group that was essentially royalty. They controlled everything and the lower class definitely didn’t like this which led to an uprising led by the father of a character named Raif. When his father died, Raif took over leading the rebel group and in working to find a way to help his people; he ends up on earth with Nalia, the last Ghan Aisouri and the person who has something he needs. As Raif bargains with Nalia, she has to decide what she is truly willing to risk for her freedom in order to save her brother. As the story progresses, Nalia has to trust Raif in order to save her brother and is putting everything she has believes in on the line.
Nalia is an interesting character and it is clear that she struggles with who she was before she became a slave to Malek. She appeared to never really enjoy it but she also didn’t do anything to change who she was. It led to her being put in situations that she completely regrets now and will definitely have an impact on her and her relationship with Raif going forward.
I enjoyed the other characters as well. Raif is definitely a solid hero and I loved how he was so loving and protective of his sister. As the relationship changes between Raif and Nalia, it is clear they have a lot to figure out but once Nalia became a part of his bubble, he was fully invested and willing to do what he needed to in order to get her away from Malek and protect her from the Ifrit that is hunting her down.
Malek absolutely fills the role of the villain. Don’t get me wrong, he had me fooled for a bit but there was always that underlying issue around the fact that he “owned” Nalia and I can’t even fathom why he thought they could ever be more than just master and slave know her the way that he did.
I loved the world building in this story. Between the flashbacks/memories that Nalia provides and the rest of the story, Demetrios has created this other world that seems fantastically real. I think anyone who enjoys fantasy with a bit of romance mixed in as well as plenty of action will want to check this story out when they can. I am looking forward to the next book to see where Nalia’s story leads us next.
Thank you to Balzer + Bray for the review copy.
forsakenfates's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 Stars
So the short part of this review is that I loved this book. Now you might be asking yourself, if you loved it why did it only get 3.5 Stars, so let me explain. This world and these characters are are so complex and flushed out and Demetrios's writing made the real to me. I was able to fully immerse myself in the world of the Jinni and the Dark Caravan. This book kept my full attention and I hated the times I had to put it down to study, sleep, or go to class. But I'm also glad I was able to take my time when reading this and have time to think about the world and characters outside of actively reading.
That being said I had a few issues with this book. The world is incredibly complex and while there was a glossary of sorts at the beginning that still was not enough to truly accustom myself to the world and the culture. The first 40-50 pages of this book were pure info dump, I love complex worlds with great world building and this world definitely needed that. Instead, I felt like all this information was being shoved down my throat and I did not retain half of it. I instead relied on the characters and the plot to help piece together what I missed in the info dump.
If I did not have such a problem with this first 50ish pages of this book, it would have been a 4.5-5 star read, but I really cannot overlook how much the beginning irritated me.
I cannot wait until my copy of Blood Passages arrives so I can continue to follow these characters on their quest and see where it leads them. I'm expecting more surprising reveals and more connections being made and cannot wait to see where the story goes.
So the short part of this review is that I loved this book. Now you might be asking yourself, if you loved it why did it only get 3.5 Stars, so let me explain. This world and these characters are are so complex and flushed out and Demetrios's writing made the real to me. I was able to fully immerse myself in the world of the Jinni and the Dark Caravan. This book kept my full attention and I hated the times I had to put it down to study, sleep, or go to class. But I'm also glad I was able to take my time when reading this and have time to think about the world and characters outside of actively reading.
That being said I had a few issues with this book. The world is incredibly complex and while there was a glossary of sorts at the beginning that still was not enough to truly accustom myself to the world and the culture. The first 40-50 pages of this book were pure info dump, I love complex worlds with great world building and this world definitely needed that. Instead, I felt like all this information was being shoved down my throat and I did not retain half of it. I instead relied on the characters and the plot to help piece together what I missed in the info dump.
If I did not have such a problem with this first 50ish pages of this book, it would have been a 4.5-5 star read, but I really cannot overlook how much the beginning irritated me.
Spoiler
Another thing I want to mention is the whole slave/master thing that is going on with this. There are times were it is disturbing and I questioned where Demetrios was headed, but I was confident that everything would be handled correctly. It still was a little bothersome in some places, but overall I think we always knew that Nalia was in control and making her own decisions given her circumstances. I also am very intrigued to see how this whole working with Malek thing is going to go moving forward. Especially with Raif's presence clearly there.I cannot wait until my copy of Blood Passages arrives so I can continue to follow these characters on their quest and see where it leads them. I'm expecting more surprising reveals and more connections being made and cannot wait to see where the story goes.
ambersquishes's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this book. There were a ton of complicated feelings, and I dig books like that. I also really enjoy when the book doesn't just throw and entire world at you, in the first few chapters, but unfolds it, as stuff happens. This book is very well laid out, as far as the unfolding of action, and plot. Overall I really enjoyed it, and I dont want to wait for the sequal! I want it now!
reviewsfromabookworm's review against another edition
2.0
 |
| Basically what happened with this book. |
I'd been debating whether to do a mini-review for Exquisite Captive or not. It's a book that I ended up having to DNF because I just didn't care enough to continue. But I did get to 83%, which I felt was far enough to do a full review and rate it. If it had failed to impress me by that point, I'm pretty certain the last 17% wasn't going to do anything to change that.
I'd been so excited to read Exquisite Captive, I'd downloaded it the moment I saw it on Edelweiss. It not only had a beyond stunning cover, it had a premise that sounded incredible. I couldn't wait to read an Arabian Nights inspired story about jinni, because how could that not be amazing. It seemed like a recipe for awesome, but I should have prepared myself for the fact that it might not live up to my expectations.
 |
| The longer the novel went on the more bored I got. |
Exquisite Captive seemed to fall victim to the problem that I think a lot of the first books in a series struggle to avoid. And that's the problem of spending far too much time introducing the world, the characters and the back story to both. It ends up feeling like a massive information dump and I think the story suffers for it. I was learning so much about the different types of jinni, their world and what happened to them in the past. It's important to the story, you need to know it and at the beginning I was enjoying doing it. But it meant that not enough time was spent getting to know Nalia or feeling like she was much of a character. I was mostly just being introduced to the world, but that wasn't enough to keep me invested in the story.
My biggest issue with the story is that I felt like not much of importance had really happened, and I was almost at the end of the book. Nalia's story felt like it was really only going to be about a love triangle that you see coming from a mile away. I've just become tired of reading stories that focus too much on a person spending far too much time worrying about which person they like, rather than thinking of the things that actually matter. I could see that happening in this series as it progresses and I couldn't deal with it, especially when one of the love interests is just awful.
 |
| Nalia and Malek's ship needs to sink already. |
Nalia's master is Malek, who's basically just a giant dick. Sorry not sorry, there's literally no better way to describe him. He's violent, controlling and abusive towards her. So it's understandable why Nalia hates him so much. But cue him kissing her one time and her kind of enjoying it and suddenly the story turns into the Malek/Nalia romance drama. That was when my interest started to fall dramatically. I lost all respect in Nalia as a character, this is a guy that has caused her unimaginable pain. But one kiss and suddenly she forgets it all. I know they try to come up with a defense as to why he treats her so terribly, but it doesn't justify it for me. For me it was turning into some weird YA version of a sub/dom erotica and I was not a fan. It just became really strange and uncomfortable to read, I wasn't okay with their relationship at all. Especially not when Malek comes out with things like this:
'When you came here, you were wild, a feral little thing. But I saw your potential - like a stallion that needed to be broken.'
No, thank you. Now please go away and never come back.
2/5 Butterflies
I really wanted to enjoy this book but I just couldn't. Learning about the jinni was interesting, but it felt like it took up far too much of the book. I never felt like I came to really know Nalia, and what did know I didn't particularly like. I can see a love triangle aspect playing a bigger role in the second book and I wouldn't be able to handle that. Malek's character and his developing relationship with Nalia is just truly disturbing and wrong for so many reasons. I didn't finish the book, which is surprising seeing as I was so close to the end, but I just could not continue reading. It had an amazing sounding premise but just didn't deliver for me.
*I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review and received no monetary compensation for this review.
corkykat's review against another edition
4.0
This book had characters with a lot of depth and some good back story. Can't wait to get my hands on the next one.
robynrussell's review against another edition
4.0
I love anything Jinn. Using that as a lens to explore the Stockholm syndrome effect of abusive relationships and sex trafficking - very dark. I like that the fate of magical kingdoms and armies really comes second to Nali rediscovering her worth as a person.
missprint_'s review against another edition
2.0
Nalia is a powerful jinni from the world of Arjinna. After a deadly coup killed almost everyone she cared about, Nalia was captured by a slave trader who sells jinn to humans. Since then she has been on the dark caravan of the jinni slave trade for three years.
Trapped in Hollywood and bound to a handsome master who is as ruthless as he is powerful, Nalia is desperate for the chance to return to Arjinna and rescue her captive brother. Unfortunately, that seems nearly impossible while bound to her master and the bottle that can hold her prisoner.
When Nalia agrees to a dangerous bargain with the leader of Arjinna’s revolution she will have to decide if any price can be too high for her freedom and the chance to save her brother in Exquisite Captive (2014) by Heather Demetrios.
Exquisite Captive is the first book in Demetrios’ Dark Caravan trilogy.
This gritty urban fantasy has a lot going for it. The Hollywood setting, as well as the descriptions of Arjinna, are lush and immediately evocative. Although some of the situations are stilted, most of the story here is exciting and fast-paced.
Nalia herself is a strong and capable heroine. Unfortunately she is also in the middle of an extremely lopsided (read: forced) love triangle. On one side we have Nalia’s master Malek and on the other Raf–leader of the Arjinnan revolution. Raf often feels like a one-note character with his efforts to save his people and his strong convictions. Malek is more nuanced but decidedly less sympathetic as every bit of character development is countered with a new act of villainy. The romance, such as it is, with both men seems to come out of nowhere as feelings bloom suddenly (with varying levels of returned feelings) for all of the characters.
The well-realized world of Arjinna is sadly overshadowed by stiff descriptions and numerous explanations of djinni hierarchies and Arjinnan culture. While it is all valuable information, the sheer volume can be daunting and makes an already long story feel even lengthier.
However, Demetrios does still craft a refreshingly diverse story here (albeit with some unfortunate stereotypes creeping in–most notably with Sergei). With nods to Arabian culture and tons of action, Exquisite Captive is an interesting blend of traditional jinni lore and urban fantasy elements. It is sure to appeal to readers looking for the next big thing in paranormal romances.
Possible Pairings: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge, Finnkin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta, The Art of Wishing by Lindsay Ribar, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski, The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud, Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, The Fire Artist by Daisy Whitney
*A more condensed version of this review appeared in the August 2014 issue of School Library Journal from which it can be seen in various sites online*
Trapped in Hollywood and bound to a handsome master who is as ruthless as he is powerful, Nalia is desperate for the chance to return to Arjinna and rescue her captive brother. Unfortunately, that seems nearly impossible while bound to her master and the bottle that can hold her prisoner.
When Nalia agrees to a dangerous bargain with the leader of Arjinna’s revolution she will have to decide if any price can be too high for her freedom and the chance to save her brother in Exquisite Captive (2014) by Heather Demetrios.
Exquisite Captive is the first book in Demetrios’ Dark Caravan trilogy.
This gritty urban fantasy has a lot going for it. The Hollywood setting, as well as the descriptions of Arjinna, are lush and immediately evocative. Although some of the situations are stilted, most of the story here is exciting and fast-paced.
Nalia herself is a strong and capable heroine. Unfortunately she is also in the middle of an extremely lopsided (read: forced) love triangle. On one side we have Nalia’s master Malek and on the other Raf–leader of the Arjinnan revolution. Raf often feels like a one-note character with his efforts to save his people and his strong convictions. Malek is more nuanced but decidedly less sympathetic as every bit of character development is countered with a new act of villainy. The romance, such as it is, with both men seems to come out of nowhere as feelings bloom suddenly (with varying levels of returned feelings) for all of the characters.
The well-realized world of Arjinna is sadly overshadowed by stiff descriptions and numerous explanations of djinni hierarchies and Arjinnan culture. While it is all valuable information, the sheer volume can be daunting and makes an already long story feel even lengthier.
However, Demetrios does still craft a refreshingly diverse story here (albeit with some unfortunate stereotypes creeping in–most notably with Sergei). With nods to Arabian culture and tons of action, Exquisite Captive is an interesting blend of traditional jinni lore and urban fantasy elements. It is sure to appeal to readers looking for the next big thing in paranormal romances.
Possible Pairings: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge, Finnkin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta, The Art of Wishing by Lindsay Ribar, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski, The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud, Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, The Fire Artist by Daisy Whitney
*A more condensed version of this review appeared in the August 2014 issue of School Library Journal from which it can be seen in various sites online*
ads_bookshelf's review against another edition
2.0
This was a boring book, the characters were flat, the plot was slow and the "love interest (s)" were awful, no wonder this took me about 2 months to read.