annoellyn's review against another edition
4.0
Seems like the start to a good series. At first it seemed a bit generic and I always finding vampires learning how to be vampires a bit boring to read about. After that the book picked up and by the end I was hooked.
hgranger's review against another edition
3.0
Fast paced, well written YA novel. The dystopian setting was sketched out pretty well (- although reading about a lung virus that wiped out most of humanity during a global pandemic may not have been my most zen read ever....) and the characters were interesting enough. It would have been nice to get a bit more depth in some of them though - who was Jeb before he came to Zeke’s village? Why wasn’t he staying long? Darren? Why does Ruth stay with Jeb instead of say staying at the Archer compound?
I liked how the girl was the vampire in this book; it was a nice change from the “girl moons over angsty supernatural boy”-trope. And I liked how Allison was scrappy and willing to fight for herself and others.
I didn’t love Zeke; he was just a tad too Mary Sue for me, but i didn’t hate his character enough to turn me off from the story.
Kanin was interesting, even though I had to overcome the fact that his name means rabbit in Danish which created some dissonance between the vampire and the image of a sweet furry creature. A little more info on him would have been good too though. Why was he in the tunnels the night Allie met him? Especially if the hospital was inside the walls? Why did he decide to change her even though he apparently swore not to? (According to Jackal).
All in all, pretty decent read and I’ll definitely read the next one.
I liked how the girl was the vampire in this book; it was a nice change from the “girl moons over angsty supernatural boy”-trope. And I liked how Allison was scrappy and willing to fight for herself and others.
I didn’t love Zeke; he was just a tad too Mary Sue for me, but i didn’t hate his character enough to turn me off from the story.
Kanin was interesting, even though I had to overcome the fact that his name means rabbit in Danish which created some dissonance between the vampire and the image of a sweet furry creature. A little more info on him would have been good too though. Why was he in the tunnels the night Allie met him? Especially if the hospital was inside the walls? Why did he decide to change her even though he apparently swore not to? (According to Jackal).
All in all, pretty decent read and I’ll definitely read the next one.
lindaunconventionalbookworms's review against another edition
5.0
*I received a free ARC of The Immortal Rules from Harlequin Teen via Netgalley in exchange of an honest review*
ARC received on February 28 2013
This and other reviews can also be found on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews.
I don’t even know where to start in my praise for The Immortal Rules. I loved every single thing about it. The world-building was extremely well done, I could see the gritty, half-rotten buildings in my mind. I could smell the mold, and my stomach was churning with hunger.
ARC received on February 28 2013
This and other reviews can also be found on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews.
I don’t even know where to start in my praise for The Immortal Rules. I loved every single thing about it. The world-building was extremely well done, I could see the gritty, half-rotten buildings in my mind. I could smell the mold, and my stomach was churning with hunger.
lucrezi's review against another edition
4.0
A few things I liked about The Immortal Rules:
- Like any other teenager, Allie flip flops from one view to another, namely between individualism and pragmatism. She usually defaults to the latter in the end due to her upbringing but is still conflicted all throughout. Some may not like this, but I do.
- Again, due to her upbringing, our main character isn't clueless and is actually resourceful.
- I thought she was going to insinuate herself into the Inner City of New Covington once she became a vampire. I'm glad I was wrong. It was great to see her struggle with her vampirism not among fellow vampires but among humans.
What I didn't like:
- Kagawa explaining everything over and over. We get it, living in the Fringe means having to look out for yourself at all times, stealing from each other is heresy, etc.
- The jealous harpy cliche.
- Predictable.
Overall, it's not super original, but it takes the material and weaves it into an entertaining read. While Allie isn't the most original main character either (spunky teenage badass, what's new), but I enjoyed following her story, enough that I'll be picking up the sequels.
- Like any other teenager, Allie flip flops from one view to another, namely between individualism and pragmatism. She usually defaults to the latter in the end due to her upbringing but is still conflicted all throughout. Some may not like this, but I do.
- Again, due to her upbringing, our main character isn't clueless and is actually resourceful.
- I thought she was going to insinuate herself into the Inner City of New Covington once she became a vampire. I'm glad I was wrong. It was great to see her struggle with her vampirism not among fellow vampires but among humans.
What I didn't like:
- Kagawa explaining everything over and over. We get it, living in the Fringe means having to look out for yourself at all times, stealing from each other is heresy, etc.
- The jealous harpy cliche.
- Predictable.
Overall, it's not super original, but it takes the material and weaves it into an entertaining read. While Allie isn't the most original main character either (spunky teenage badass, what's new), but I enjoyed following her story, enough that I'll be picking up the sequels.
lynseyisreading's review against another edition
4.0
A fabulously creative vampire-filled world from Julie Kagawa!
This book was an exciting mix of genres, with vampires and humans co-existing in a post apocalyptic/dystopian society. Throw in some rabid vampires which are very zombie-like in their mindless state, and their refusal to JUST DIE ALREADY! and you've got a bit of something for everyone here.
I'm a big fan of Kagawa's writing; it's very visual and vivid and there were many scenes, particularly towards the end of the novel, that I can still picture very clearly. Just when I thought I'd overdosed on vamps and needed a break, Kagawa has managed to make them interesting to me again.
The main reason for this excitement is that this time it's the main character, Allison, (who we live through vicariously in the 1st person narrative) that is the vampire. Instead of it being a secondary character- usually some moody broody yet gorgeous boy whose all mysterious blah blah blah. No, this time it's the main character that has to try and fit in, to disguise the fact that they're so much faster and stronger, that they keep such strange nocturnal hours. Allison also has to deal with people instantly judging and fearing her, insisting she be killed even without any cause, just for existing. It's a very different view point to experience it from and I found it really interesting.
Allison's character is slightly antipathetic towards her fellow man at the start of the novel. As a human Fringer (members of society who refuse to be blood cattle no matter the perks) it's always been every man for himself in her world, and the mottoes "trust no one" and "don't let anyone get too close" might as well be stamped across her forehead. And, of course, her hatred of the vamps and their "pets" is long established since their existence is the very reason she has to suffer and struggle to survive every day. So when she becomes the very thing that she once hated, she actually has quite a lot of tolerance with regards to the instant hatred, suspicion and sometimes outright loathing she receives, because she's been in that same position and lived it from the other side. I actually sometimes felt she was too understanding. When certain characters were calling for her head I wanted her to say "Oh yeah, and you're welcome for saving your life earlier by the way! Don't mention it. And I could have ripped your throat out any time I wanted if I was so very evil, but yet here you are, clearly still using it!"
Like I said, a very different view point than what we are used to, and I really, really enjoyed it. I found Allie's character to be a little cold and indifferent at the start, quite naturally so given her history, and it was nice to watch her transform from that closed off person, into a kind of badass-with-a-smooshy-centre by the end. I was totally rooting for her.
"You are a monster. You will always be a monster—there is no turning back from it. But what type of monster you become is entirely up to you."
There was a love interest introduced that was also not your usual type of hot boy character. He was hot, but he was also quite gentle and perhaps a little bit idealistic. He wasn't weak exactly- indeed, in his little group of humans he was the one loaded for bear (or rabid vampires, anyway) and acted as their protector. However, when you put him next to Allie, who has struggled more in her former life and has been hardened by it, he came across as the softer of the two, and he even needed saving and rescuing a couple of times. Now I know this isn't the norm, the girl is supposed to be the one rescued and carried off in the heroes strong arms etc, etc, etc. But again, I liked this flip side of the coin. It was interesting and I (because clearly I have convinced myself I am actually Allie) liked being the one doing the rescuing for a change. Swooping in in all my- I mean Allie's- avenging angel glory and saving the day. It was awesome!
And finally, I have to comment on the world building which was possibly one of my favourite aspects. The world as it exists in this book is set roughly 60 years after a plague has wiped out maybe two thirds of the population. The vampires, who had always been around but lived in secret, had to come out of hiding to do something about the fact that their only food supply was dying out before their very eyes. The compromise was allowing certain humans their protection, walled inside new "vampire cities" against the threat of infection by the rabids on the outside, in exchange for being their own personal blood banks. You have the choice of living outside the wall and being a "Fringer", as Allie was, but that life is so hard you'd have to have a really strong character to be able to cope in it. Fringers are starving for most of the time. They get by through scavenging, but if actually caught stealing food from within the city or from a "pet", the penalty is death. Nice, huh?
So, all in all lots of thought provoking stuff to sink your teeth into in this well-paced, exciting, action-filled book with the promise of lots more exiting things to come. A really good read!
4 Stars! ★★★★
Review Copy: Received from the publisher for an honest review
This book was an exciting mix of genres, with vampires and humans co-existing in a post apocalyptic/dystopian society. Throw in some rabid vampires which are very zombie-like in their mindless state, and their refusal to JUST DIE ALREADY! and you've got a bit of something for everyone here.
I'm a big fan of Kagawa's writing; it's very visual and vivid and there were many scenes, particularly towards the end of the novel, that I can still picture very clearly. Just when I thought I'd overdosed on vamps and needed a break, Kagawa has managed to make them interesting to me again.
The main reason for this excitement is that this time it's the main character, Allison, (who we live through vicariously in the 1st person narrative) that is the vampire. Instead of it being a secondary character- usually some moody broody yet gorgeous boy whose all mysterious blah blah blah. No, this time it's the main character that has to try and fit in, to disguise the fact that they're so much faster and stronger, that they keep such strange nocturnal hours. Allison also has to deal with people instantly judging and fearing her, insisting she be killed even without any cause, just for existing. It's a very different view point to experience it from and I found it really interesting.
Allison's character is slightly antipathetic towards her fellow man at the start of the novel. As a human Fringer (members of society who refuse to be blood cattle no matter the perks) it's always been every man for himself in her world, and the mottoes "trust no one" and "don't let anyone get too close" might as well be stamped across her forehead. And, of course, her hatred of the vamps and their "pets" is long established since their existence is the very reason she has to suffer and struggle to survive every day. So when she becomes the very thing that she once hated, she actually has quite a lot of tolerance with regards to the instant hatred, suspicion and sometimes outright loathing she receives, because she's been in that same position and lived it from the other side. I actually sometimes felt she was too understanding. When certain characters were calling for her head I wanted her to say "Oh yeah, and you're welcome for saving your life earlier by the way! Don't mention it. And I could have ripped your throat out any time I wanted if I was so very evil, but yet here you are, clearly still using it!"
Like I said, a very different view point than what we are used to, and I really, really enjoyed it. I found Allie's character to be a little cold and indifferent at the start, quite naturally so given her history, and it was nice to watch her transform from that closed off person, into a kind of badass-with-a-smooshy-centre by the end. I was totally rooting for her.
"You are a monster. You will always be a monster—there is no turning back from it. But what type of monster you become is entirely up to you."
There was a love interest introduced that was also not your usual type of hot boy character. He was hot, but he was also quite gentle and perhaps a little bit idealistic. He wasn't weak exactly- indeed, in his little group of humans he was the one loaded for bear (or rabid vampires, anyway) and acted as their protector. However, when you put him next to Allie, who has struggled more in her former life and has been hardened by it, he came across as the softer of the two, and he even needed saving and rescuing a couple of times. Now I know this isn't the norm, the girl is supposed to be the one rescued and carried off in the heroes strong arms etc, etc, etc. But again, I liked this flip side of the coin. It was interesting and I (because clearly I have convinced myself I am actually Allie) liked being the one doing the rescuing for a change. Swooping in in all my- I mean Allie's- avenging angel glory and saving the day. It was awesome!
And finally, I have to comment on the world building which was possibly one of my favourite aspects. The world as it exists in this book is set roughly 60 years after a plague has wiped out maybe two thirds of the population. The vampires, who had always been around but lived in secret, had to come out of hiding to do something about the fact that their only food supply was dying out before their very eyes. The compromise was allowing certain humans their protection, walled inside new "vampire cities" against the threat of infection by the rabids on the outside, in exchange for being their own personal blood banks. You have the choice of living outside the wall and being a "Fringer", as Allie was, but that life is so hard you'd have to have a really strong character to be able to cope in it. Fringers are starving for most of the time. They get by through scavenging, but if actually caught stealing food from within the city or from a "pet", the penalty is death. Nice, huh?
So, all in all lots of thought provoking stuff to sink your teeth into in this well-paced, exciting, action-filled book with the promise of lots more exiting things to come. A really good read!
4 Stars! ★★★★
Review Copy: Received from the publisher for an honest review
rockbison's review against another edition
5.0
I'll give it five stars, because i'm not fond of vampire stories.
So this means that this author surprised me. And I was very surprised when I just couldn't stand to put it down for 5 minutes. I was very much surprised.
Anyway, the main character is a BAMF. And if someday the world comes to this end, I would be inspired by Allison Sekemoto.
So this means that this author surprised me. And I was very surprised when I just couldn't stand to put it down for 5 minutes. I was very much surprised.
Anyway, the main character is a BAMF. And if someday the world comes to this end, I would be inspired by Allison Sekemoto.
nannasa16's review against another edition
4.0
http://katnissbraid.blogspot.it/2013/03/the-immortal-rulesreview.html
4.5
uhuh, *applauso alla Kagawa*.
e chi se lo aspettava che un libro sui vampiri potesse essere così bello?.
quella mezza stellina in meno è solo perchè un po' di punti mi ricordano altri libri e certe scene sono un po' troppo descrittive, ma comunque è una lettura assolutamente lodevole :)
4.5
uhuh, *applauso alla Kagawa*.
e chi se lo aspettava che un libro sui vampiri potesse essere così bello?.
quella mezza stellina in meno è solo perchè un po' di punti mi ricordano altri libri e certe scene sono un po' troppo descrittive, ma comunque è una lettura assolutamente lodevole :)
manu71005's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked this book. It wasn't a great revelation or a masterpiece, but I still really enjoy it. Away from typical vampire books, this one presents a sei apocalyptic world full of monsters and people searching for food in order to survive.
I liked Ally's character, although I sometimes doubt her decisions, there was a reason why she does what she does. And although I funded Zeke really cute I didn't find many chemistry, like like him but didn't loved him.
I liked Ally's character, although I sometimes doubt her decisions, there was a reason why she does what she does. And although I funded Zeke really cute I didn't find many chemistry, like like him but didn't loved him.
erinarkin20's review against another edition
4.0
Ahhhh...I remembered why I love this story so much and of course, Zeke. Great narrator on this one.