jkneebone's review
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
In Ever, we meet Olus, the Akkan god of wind, and Kezi, a mortal girl from Hyte who loves knotting rugs and dancing. Olus, at seventeen, is the youngest god by several centuries. He's fascinated by mortals, and decides to leave Akka in order to live among them without being detected. He ends up herding goats on Kezi's father's land. Kezi, like all others in Hyte, worships Admat, the one all-knowing, all-present god. She lives happily with her mother and father, until her mother falls ill and her father makes a foolish oath: if her mother is spared, he will sacrifice the first person who congratulates him on her recovery to Admat. Although Kezi knows about the oath, she is the first to offer her congratulations, in order to save her ignorant aunt from making the same mistake.
With only a month to live, Kezi meets Olus, who has been watching her family and knows about the oath and Kezi's impending sacrifice. Olus has a plan to try and save Kezi, and Kezi doesn't want to spend her last month around her sad family, so they run away to Akka, where they have to undergo various challenges to overcome the destiny fate has assigned to them.
I remember enjoying Ever back when I first read it, although not as much as I liked Ella Enchanted or Fairest. I decided to re-read it on a whim, hoping for similar warm fuzzy vibes as I got from my Fairest re-read a few years ago, but Ever sadly did not live up to my memory. It's very fable-esque, and sometimes I can get behind simplicity for that reason, but in this case it did not fully work for me. Kezi and Olus fall in love super fast while barely knowing each other, and Kezi leaves her family alone for the entire month before she has to be sacrificed because she doesn't like that they are sad.
I think that Gail Carson Levine is doing some interesting things here, especially with regard to the differences in belief between Hyte and Akka - even Olus becomes unsure whether or not Admat exists, and he and Kezi must both question their faith as the time for her sacrifice grows nearer. I also liked how Kezi and Olus both have to face their fears over the course of the story, and felt that Levine had some interesting things to say about fate and decision-making. Ultimately, though, those themes weren't developed enough for me to feel like they were the focus of the story, and even for a simplistic, sweet romance I felt it was slightly lacking. I'd recommend Ella Enchanted or Fairest instead.
With only a month to live, Kezi meets Olus, who has been watching her family and knows about the oath and Kezi's impending sacrifice. Olus has a plan to try and save Kezi, and Kezi doesn't want to spend her last month around her sad family, so they run away to Akka, where they have to undergo various challenges to overcome the destiny fate has assigned to them.
I remember enjoying Ever back when I first read it, although not as much as I liked Ella Enchanted or Fairest. I decided to re-read it on a whim, hoping for similar warm fuzzy vibes as I got from my Fairest re-read a few years ago, but Ever sadly did not live up to my memory. It's very fable-esque, and sometimes I can get behind simplicity for that reason, but in this case it did not fully work for me. Kezi and Olus fall in love super fast while barely knowing each other, and Kezi leaves her family alone for the entire month before she has to be sacrificed because she doesn't like that they are sad.
Spoiler
And then they don't even know that she becomes immortal - they spend the rest of their lives thinking she was sacrificed, and they didn't even get to spend an extra twenty-seven days with her!I think that Gail Carson Levine is doing some interesting things here, especially with regard to the differences in belief between Hyte and Akka - even Olus becomes unsure whether or not Admat exists, and he and Kezi must both question their faith as the time for her sacrifice grows nearer. I also liked how Kezi and Olus both have to face their fears over the course of the story, and felt that Levine had some interesting things to say about fate and decision-making. Ultimately, though, those themes weren't developed enough for me to feel like they were the focus of the story, and even for a simplistic, sweet romance I felt it was slightly lacking. I'd recommend Ella Enchanted or Fairest instead.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
siglerbooknook's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Murder, Violence, Grief, and Panic attacks/disorders
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