chllybrd's review
4.0
I don't know why I didn't put it together before, but I was pleasantly surprised when I realized THE DEEPEST WELL tells the story of how Kat and George from The Vessel Trilogy met and fell in love and the hardships that they faced.
Kat and George's relationship has always been a mystery to me and THE DEEPEST WELL really cleared up all the questions I had about them as individuals and as a couple. I'm not usually a fan of historical fiction, but I had no problem enjoying this book one bit. I knew Kat was a strong woman, but meeting her as Katherine really cemented how strong of a woman she really was. It would be impossible to not like George, his character just jumps off the pages. He's loyal, strong and ready to right Katherine's world. Unfortunately nothing is easy for this couple and there is a lot of heartache between the pages. I absolutely loved that Cross fast forwards us to what happened after the events of BOUND IN BLACK at the end of this book so that we see how Katherine and George end up.
I really enjoyed THE DEEPEST WELL and consider it a must read if you are a Juliette Cross fan and have already read her Vessel Trilogy. New to Juliette Cross? You will love it too and I don't feel you need to read her other books to fall in love with Katherine and George's story.
* This book was provided free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Kat and George's relationship has always been a mystery to me and THE DEEPEST WELL really cleared up all the questions I had about them as individuals and as a couple. I'm not usually a fan of historical fiction, but I had no problem enjoying this book one bit. I knew Kat was a strong woman, but meeting her as Katherine really cemented how strong of a woman she really was. It would be impossible to not like George, his character just jumps off the pages. He's loyal, strong and ready to right Katherine's world. Unfortunately nothing is easy for this couple and there is a lot of heartache between the pages. I absolutely loved that Cross fast forwards us to what happened after the events of BOUND IN BLACK at the end of this book so that we see how Katherine and George end up.
I really enjoyed THE DEEPEST WELL and consider it a must read if you are a Juliette Cross fan and have already read her Vessel Trilogy. New to Juliette Cross? You will love it too and I don't feel you need to read her other books to fall in love with Katherine and George's story.
* This book was provided free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review.
bewoelkt_aber_heiter's review
4.0
Eine Mischung aus historischem Roman und Urban Fantasy habe ich bisher noch nie gelesen - und genau das liefert Juliette Cross mit dem ersten Band ihrer Age of Gray-Reihe. Die beiden Hauptcharaktere George und Katherine kennt man bereits aus der Vessel Trilogy. Daher würde ich empfehlen, diese auch vor The Deepest Well zu lesen, obwohl es nicht zwingend notwendig ist. Man erhält alle wichtigen Informationen auch so, aber einige kleine Spoiler muss man in Kauf nehmen.
Worldbuilding & Handlung
Man kehrt zwar in die Welt der Flamma zurück, die man bereits aus der Vessel Trilogy kennt, betrachtet sie aber jetzt aus einer ganz anderen Perspektive, da wir in die Zeit des viktorianischen Londons zurückreisen, statt im ursprünglichen Setting New Orleans zu bleiben. Dadurch werden einige Zusammenhänge noch klarer. Zum Beispiel wird der Hass sehr viel nachvollziehbarer, den George und Jude für den Dämonenprinzen Damas hegen.
Die Entwicklung zwischen George und Katherine schreitet relativ schnell voran, da die Autorin in diesem Band einiges mit ihren Figuren vorhat. Wer Gens und Judes Geschichte gelesen hat, der kennt von Anfang an einige entscheidende Details und weiß, welches Schicksal Kat im Laufe dieses Buches ereilen wird. Zugleich hatte die Handlung wegen genau dieser Geschehnisse, die in Bound in Black bereits vorweggenommen bzw. angedeutet wurden, eine sehr bittersüße Stimmung an sich, die mich gefesselt hat. Deshalb ist es an keiner Stelle langweilig und die Art und Weise, wie Kat und George zusammen kommen, hat mich im Rahmen dieses zeitlichen Settings doch überrascht.
Zum Ende nimmt die Geschichte ein sehr rasantes Tempo an: hier hätte ich mir gewünscht, dass die Autorin den Fokus ein wenig mehr auf die Liebe des Paares legt, statt ihr Happy End fast schon zu überstürzen. Trotzdem habe ich einige Tränen geweint, als Kat nach der langen Tortur, die sie durchlitten hat, endlich glücklich wurde.
Charaktere
Ein großer Vorteil dieser Geschichte war es, dass mir beide Charaktere bereits sehr ans Herz gewachsen waren, noch bevor ich The Deepest Well begonnen habe. Dadurch kam es mir vor, als würde ich zu alten Freunden zurückkehren.
Beide Charaktere sind solch gute Seelen und trotzdem lastet so viel Leid auf ihren Schultern. Es hat mich sehr ergriffen, wie viel Mut Katherine von Anfang an beweist und wie viel sie verliert, gerade als sie der Illusion erliegt, sich von all ihren Fesseln befreien zu können. Und trotzdem zerbricht sie nie gänzlich daran. Georges duldsame und geduldige Art hat ihn zu einem besonderen Helden gemacht: er ist weniger der dunkle Bad Boy als ein echter Gentleman der alten Schule.
Gefreut hat es mich natürlich auch, Jude wiederzusehen und von einer ganz neuen Seite zu sehen, noch bevor er Gen kennen- und lieben gelernt hat. Auch mit Uriel gibt es ein Wiedersehen und der Plot für den zweiten Band der Age of Gray-Reihe wird angestoßen, denn Kats und Georges Geschichte ist in diesem einen Band zu Ende erzählt.
Fazit
The Deepest Well vermittelte mir ein Gefühl, zu alten Freunden nach Hause zu kommen. Die Charaktere liegen mir beide spätestens seit Bound in Black so sehr am Herzen, dass ich die Emotionen der Geschichte mit jeder Faser gespürt habe; immer in Erwartung dessen, was das Schicksal für die beiden bereithält. Die Autorin zeigt meisterhaft, dass Einsamkeit manchmal eine größere Folter sein kann als reiner körperlicher Schmerz und wie angreifbar sie den Menschen macht. Und trotzdem lässt sie die Liebe ihrer Figuren wie den Phönix aus der Asche auferstehen - wenn auch im Schnelldurchlauf.
The Deepest Well gave me a feeling of coming home and meeting old friends. Since Bound in Black I love George and Katherine so much. I felt all these emotions with my whole heart, always waiting for the fateful things to come. Cross tells a story, that conveys a simple truth: that loneliness can be a torture so much more cruel than physical pain and how assailable it makes a person.
And in spite of everything George's and Kat's love is rising from the ashes like a Phoenix in the end - even if it was a little bit too fast for my liking.
Worldbuilding & Handlung
Man kehrt zwar in die Welt der Flamma zurück, die man bereits aus der Vessel Trilogy kennt, betrachtet sie aber jetzt aus einer ganz anderen Perspektive, da wir in die Zeit des viktorianischen Londons zurückreisen, statt im ursprünglichen Setting New Orleans zu bleiben. Dadurch werden einige Zusammenhänge noch klarer. Zum Beispiel wird der Hass sehr viel nachvollziehbarer, den George und Jude für den Dämonenprinzen Damas hegen.
Die Entwicklung zwischen George und Katherine schreitet relativ schnell voran, da die Autorin in diesem Band einiges mit ihren Figuren vorhat. Wer Gens und Judes Geschichte gelesen hat, der kennt von Anfang an einige entscheidende Details und weiß, welches Schicksal Kat im Laufe dieses Buches ereilen wird. Zugleich hatte die Handlung wegen genau dieser Geschehnisse, die in Bound in Black bereits vorweggenommen bzw. angedeutet wurden, eine sehr bittersüße Stimmung an sich, die mich gefesselt hat. Deshalb ist es an keiner Stelle langweilig und die Art und Weise, wie Kat und George zusammen kommen, hat mich im Rahmen dieses zeitlichen Settings doch überrascht.
Zum Ende nimmt die Geschichte ein sehr rasantes Tempo an: hier hätte ich mir gewünscht, dass die Autorin den Fokus ein wenig mehr auf die Liebe des Paares legt, statt ihr Happy End fast schon zu überstürzen. Trotzdem habe ich einige Tränen geweint, als Kat nach der langen Tortur, die sie durchlitten hat, endlich glücklich wurde.
Charaktere
Ein großer Vorteil dieser Geschichte war es, dass mir beide Charaktere bereits sehr ans Herz gewachsen waren, noch bevor ich The Deepest Well begonnen habe. Dadurch kam es mir vor, als würde ich zu alten Freunden zurückkehren.
Beide Charaktere sind solch gute Seelen und trotzdem lastet so viel Leid auf ihren Schultern. Es hat mich sehr ergriffen, wie viel Mut Katherine von Anfang an beweist und wie viel sie verliert, gerade als sie der Illusion erliegt, sich von all ihren Fesseln befreien zu können. Und trotzdem zerbricht sie nie gänzlich daran. Georges duldsame und geduldige Art hat ihn zu einem besonderen Helden gemacht: er ist weniger der dunkle Bad Boy als ein echter Gentleman der alten Schule.
Gefreut hat es mich natürlich auch, Jude wiederzusehen und von einer ganz neuen Seite zu sehen, noch bevor er Gen kennen- und lieben gelernt hat. Auch mit Uriel gibt es ein Wiedersehen und der Plot für den zweiten Band der Age of Gray-Reihe wird angestoßen, denn Kats und Georges Geschichte ist in diesem einen Band zu Ende erzählt.
Fazit
The Deepest Well vermittelte mir ein Gefühl, zu alten Freunden nach Hause zu kommen. Die Charaktere liegen mir beide spätestens seit Bound in Black so sehr am Herzen, dass ich die Emotionen der Geschichte mit jeder Faser gespürt habe; immer in Erwartung dessen, was das Schicksal für die beiden bereithält. Die Autorin zeigt meisterhaft, dass Einsamkeit manchmal eine größere Folter sein kann als reiner körperlicher Schmerz und wie angreifbar sie den Menschen macht. Und trotzdem lässt sie die Liebe ihrer Figuren wie den Phönix aus der Asche auferstehen - wenn auch im Schnelldurchlauf.
The Deepest Well gave me a feeling of coming home and meeting old friends. Since Bound in Black I love George and Katherine so much. I felt all these emotions with my whole heart, always waiting for the fateful things to come. Cross tells a story, that conveys a simple truth: that loneliness can be a torture so much more cruel than physical pain and how assailable it makes a person.
And in spite of everything George's and Kat's love is rising from the ashes like a Phoenix in the end - even if it was a little bit too fast for my liking.
bookfessional's review
4.0
2/2/16 - Now available!
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
When I started reading THE DEEPEST WELL by Juliette Cross, I didn't know what to expect. I'd been interested in reading her books for awhile, b/c tons o' Goodreads friends love her (including book bff), so I jumped when I was offered an opportunity to read it for review, and then . . .
The first few paragraphs read like something from a Jane Austen novel.
o.O
Katherine Blakely was coaching herself into her public face while silently despairing her situation--married to and at the complete mercy of a man who was a "monster."
And this is PNR, so I took that literally. I figured he was a werewolf with an insatiable sexual appetite, probably a Scotsman, and this blushing miss was about to have an Awakening.
Then Katherine walked downstairs, ready to attend a party with Monster (who was only a monster behind closed doors *waggles eyebrows*), when she notices the quiet and absence of servants.
Quiet except for vague sounds she hears coming from Monster's office . . .
Through the open door she sees her husband with one of the servants bent over his desk . . . and I realized we were dealing with a different kind of monster.
I shouldn't have liked this book. I'm kind of baffled that I did.
After the Monster Incident, I went back and reread the synopsis--I'd skimmed it months ago, but I didn't remember anything--and what I found left me with MAJOR misgivings.
I hate cheating. The only reason it's not #1 on my list of RULES, is b/c it's so seldom an issue in the books I read.
But if I primarily read contemporary romance, it'd be Rule #1. And not only did the main couple come together through cheating, but Dollface is kidnapped by Cool Guy's enemy who "wages a sensual assault against her defenses."
o.O
What does that mean?
Convincing myself it was some kind of metaphor (or something), I determinedly kept going. Monster was in fact a monster, as far as I was concerned, so I was already open to the possibility that the cheating wasn't really cheating . . .
It totally was.
But I didn't care.
B/c MONSTER. Also b/c of a spiel about the polite world vs. the world Katherine was actually existing in. *tips hat*
BUT. Then the kidnapping.
Black hole of my emotions:
The reason this book works is b/c it takes place over hundreds of years. TIME is the answer. It made everything not only believable, but I understood it.
It broke my heart.
But it broke my heart b/c it was real.
Then TIME put me back together again.
Just like TIME also put Katherine and George back together.
THE DEEPEST WELL was my first book by Juliette Cross, but it will not be the last. While I'm fairly certain it's a spinoff from her other series, I didn't feel lost or left behind, so if you're also a Cross newbie, have no fear of jumping in with both feet, and if you're a longtime reader, I have a feeling you'll be VERY pleased with this story . . . George seems like a pretty important guy to the cause.
As for me, I already have three of her other books downloaded onto my kindle, so I'll see you guys later. MUCH later. Highly recommended.
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
When I started reading THE DEEPEST WELL by Juliette Cross, I didn't know what to expect. I'd been interested in reading her books for awhile, b/c tons o' Goodreads friends love her (including book bff), so I jumped when I was offered an opportunity to read it for review, and then . . .
The first few paragraphs read like something from a Jane Austen novel.
o.O
Katherine Blakely was coaching herself into her public face while silently despairing her situation--married to and at the complete mercy of a man who was a "monster."
And this is PNR, so I took that literally. I figured he was a werewolf with an insatiable sexual appetite, probably a Scotsman, and this blushing miss was about to have an Awakening.
Then Katherine walked downstairs, ready to attend a party with Monster (who was only a monster behind closed doors *waggles eyebrows*), when she notices the quiet and absence of servants.
Quiet except for vague sounds she hears coming from Monster's office . . .
Through the open door she sees her husband with one of the servants bent over his desk . . . and I realized we were dealing with a different kind of monster.
I shouldn't have liked this book. I'm kind of baffled that I did.
After the Monster Incident, I went back and reread the synopsis--I'd skimmed it months ago, but I didn't remember anything--and what I found left me with MAJOR misgivings.
I hate cheating. The only reason it's not #1 on my list of RULES, is b/c it's so seldom an issue in the books I read.
But if I primarily read contemporary romance, it'd be Rule #1. And not only did the main couple come together through cheating, but Dollface is kidnapped by Cool Guy's enemy who "wages a sensual assault against her defenses."
o.O
What does that mean?
Convincing myself it was some kind of metaphor (or something), I determinedly kept going. Monster was in fact a monster, as far as I was concerned, so I was already open to the possibility that the cheating wasn't really cheating . . .
It totally was.
But I didn't care.
B/c MONSTER. Also b/c of a spiel about the polite world vs. the world Katherine was actually existing in. *tips hat*
BUT. Then the kidnapping.
Black hole of my emotions:
The reason this book works is b/c it takes place over hundreds of years. TIME is the answer. It made everything not only believable, but I understood it.
It broke my heart.
But it broke my heart b/c it was real.
Then TIME put me back together again.
“I’m just like that flower. The cinquefoil.” She reared up on her elbow, cupping his jaw. “I was torn apart. But you, my knight, you found all the pieces and put me back together.”
Just like TIME also put Katherine and George back together.
THE DEEPEST WELL was my first book by Juliette Cross, but it will not be the last. While I'm fairly certain it's a spinoff from her other series, I didn't feel lost or left behind, so if you're also a Cross newbie, have no fear of jumping in with both feet, and if you're a longtime reader, I have a feeling you'll be VERY pleased with this story . . . George seems like a pretty important guy to the cause.
As for me, I already have three of her other books downloaded onto my kindle, so I'll see you guys later. MUCH later. Highly recommended.
deannasworld's review
5.0
Juliette Cross writes a tense emotional story of the age old battle between good and evil woven into a wrenching love story which is certain to make your heart ache.
The short version of my thoughts: this story made me cry, many times, so it gets 5 stars. The long version? Read on ...
This story asks a very interesting question. Is it okay to fall in love with another man, an honorable, upstanding man, because your husband is a lying, cheating brute who abuses you? That's never an easy question to answer and it's filled with moral and ethical pitfalls, let alone the desires of the heart. This touches briefly on domestic violence and whether it's socially acceptable in that particular time period to leave in search of her own happiness or if she should endure as it is a wife's due and since she is considered property of her husband. What would a modern day woman think when she reads this? Will she cheer the heroine on and reserve moral judgment? or will she condemn her for her faithlessness? For me personally, I'm cheering Katherine on because I think she deserves happiness and of course, because George is delicious and the perfect knight in shining armor to rescue this damsel in distress.
The other thing which make me think in this story was the inherent weakness and evil in men. The demons corrupt and often seek out to corrupt either intentionally through their powers or through seduction. If a man can be corrupted by seduction without being forced into it via the demon's power, what does that say about him? Is he a weak man, or is he an evil man at heart, conforming to society's norms with a veneer of respectability and charm, only to have it stripped about to let their true face show when faced with their ultimate temptation? As I read about Alexander and Blakely, these were the thoughts that came to mind.
And how seductive is evil? How no matter how strong one it, it creeps up at you and disguises itself so you no longer recognize it. Then when you are at your lowest, where you are too lonely, too desperate, too depressed and filled with despair, it pounces on you, betrays you and there is no turning back. Deep within you, the conscious part of you will loathe yourself, while the weakness in you will succumb. How do you forgive that? How do you forgive yourself? How do you forgive the one who did not protect you well enough or save you fast enough from the evil that had seeped into your soul when you are filled with shame, loathing and humiliation?
After all that, let's face it, I am utterly and completely shattered. What an incredible tale of love and loss, betrayal and forgiveness, restoration and hope, and ultimately, unending devotion and love.
I want to tell you what an incredible man George is, how heroic and noble. He is a man of myth and legend, and his love for Katherine is as enduring as time, steadfast and true over centuries.
I want to tell you how wonderful Katherine is, how dignified she is in her suffering and how completely broken she becomes when she is led through the depths of hell to suffer even more through the evil of a demon prince.
Instead all I can really tell you is my heart is utterly and completely broken through all the suffering both George and Katherine endured. How bleak everything became and how low they fell before the pieces of their lives were put back together. How long it took. How very, very long it took ... because Juliette ripped my heart out of my chest and stomped on it, and even when she put it back together, I didn't quite feel whole again.
I think Juliette did an incredible job writing this story and at the same time, she took some incredible chances with some of the things she put Katherine through and what Katherine did. I am wrung out with emotion and feeling too deeply. I also think she made me hate her just a little bit for putting George and Katherine through so much and taking so long to give them their happy ending. Most of all, I think I am a little at loss for words because if I say one thing, I say too much and I can give it all away.
So many things in this story broke me. Too short a time to love. Too brief a moment of happiness. A decision which costs many lifetimes of sorrow and despair. A decision which changes a life and brings hope for the future.
Juliette's stories are not for the faint of heart. They will make you think and look beyond yourself, if you dare and they will make you feel. They will also break you and make your heart bleed. At the end of it, you won't know if you are satisfied or if you want to bludgeon Juliette for what she has done to you, or go on and read the next book. I recommend reading the next book. :-)
The short version of my thoughts: this story made me cry, many times, so it gets 5 stars. The long version? Read on ...
This story asks a very interesting question. Is it okay to fall in love with another man, an honorable, upstanding man, because your husband is a lying, cheating brute who abuses you? That's never an easy question to answer and it's filled with moral and ethical pitfalls, let alone the desires of the heart. This touches briefly on domestic violence and whether it's socially acceptable in that particular time period to leave in search of her own happiness or if she should endure as it is a wife's due and since she is considered property of her husband. What would a modern day woman think when she reads this? Will she cheer the heroine on and reserve moral judgment? or will she condemn her for her faithlessness? For me personally, I'm cheering Katherine on because I think she deserves happiness and of course, because George is delicious and the perfect knight in shining armor to rescue this damsel in distress.
The other thing which make me think in this story was the inherent weakness and evil in men. The demons corrupt and often seek out to corrupt either intentionally through their powers or through seduction. If a man can be corrupted by seduction without being forced into it via the demon's power, what does that say about him? Is he a weak man, or is he an evil man at heart, conforming to society's norms with a veneer of respectability and charm, only to have it stripped about to let their true face show when faced with their ultimate temptation? As I read about Alexander and Blakely, these were the thoughts that came to mind.
And how seductive is evil? How no matter how strong one it, it creeps up at you and disguises itself so you no longer recognize it. Then when you are at your lowest, where you are too lonely, too desperate, too depressed and filled with despair, it pounces on you, betrays you and there is no turning back. Deep within you, the conscious part of you will loathe yourself, while the weakness in you will succumb. How do you forgive that? How do you forgive yourself? How do you forgive the one who did not protect you well enough or save you fast enough from the evil that had seeped into your soul when you are filled with shame, loathing and humiliation?
After all that, let's face it, I am utterly and completely shattered. What an incredible tale of love and loss, betrayal and forgiveness, restoration and hope, and ultimately, unending devotion and love.
I want to tell you what an incredible man George is, how heroic and noble. He is a man of myth and legend, and his love for Katherine is as enduring as time, steadfast and true over centuries.
I want to tell you how wonderful Katherine is, how dignified she is in her suffering and how completely broken she becomes when she is led through the depths of hell to suffer even more through the evil of a demon prince.
Instead all I can really tell you is my heart is utterly and completely broken through all the suffering both George and Katherine endured. How bleak everything became and how low they fell before the pieces of their lives were put back together. How long it took. How very, very long it took ... because Juliette ripped my heart out of my chest and stomped on it, and even when she put it back together, I didn't quite feel whole again.
I think Juliette did an incredible job writing this story and at the same time, she took some incredible chances with some of the things she put Katherine through and what Katherine did. I am wrung out with emotion and feeling too deeply. I also think she made me hate her just a little bit for putting George and Katherine through so much and taking so long to give them their happy ending. Most of all, I think I am a little at loss for words because if I say one thing, I say too much and I can give it all away.
So many things in this story broke me. Too short a time to love. Too brief a moment of happiness. A decision which costs many lifetimes of sorrow and despair. A decision which changes a life and brings hope for the future.
Juliette's stories are not for the faint of heart. They will make you think and look beyond yourself, if you dare and they will make you feel. They will also break you and make your heart bleed. At the end of it, you won't know if you are satisfied or if you want to bludgeon Juliette for what she has done to you, or go on and read the next book. I recommend reading the next book. :-)
fredbooklover's review
3.0
I received this book free from the JeepDiva in exchange of a honest review.
My rating is 2.5 stars rounded up to 3 stars.
I was very excited to review The Deepest Well, the first book of Juliette Cross new series Gray. I always love a supernatural story with angels and demons battling each other. As soon as I received it, I started my reading and I must say that I am disappointed.
As soon as I started, I became very frustrated. There were a lot of characters that were introduced very quickly and all of them had at least 2 names (Lord Thornton and George). I was completely confused and I had to go back in the book to connect all the dots.
Now let’s take a look at the characters. Katerine was stereotypical and lack in depth. I tried to connect with her, to feel empathy, but I was not able to do so. If I could only use one adjective to describe her, it would be boring. I don’t want to reveal any spoilers, but she was not asking any questions regarding all the weird things that happened all around her. She loves to read, but is not showing any signs of curiosity. When George told her what he really was doing on earth, she accepted it without resistance. I understand that the author tried to show Katerine as being is an abusive marriage and stick to the 1800’s tradition, but that did not work for me. I had a stronger connexion with Jane that only appeared briefly in the story. George, Jude and Damas were more interesting. However, none of them had a wow factor.
What about the story? It is a good storyline, but it lacked finesse and had some bumps in its execution. Let’s use Katerine bedroom scene to illustrate my comment. Her husband was abusing her and out of nowhere George appeared into Katerine’s room and knocked out her husband to save her. Few moments before, George was standing outside wondering where was Katerine bedroom window, there was something missing. We were completely left out of George thinking and motive to act. Earlier in the book, it was mentioned that George was able to sift, but the author assumed that we had figured that what had happened in this scene(and Katerine did not ask). It might be a strange thing to read (since it is for me to write it), but what was truly missing is the character involvement in the scenes throughout the book.
I had an uneasy feeling that something was off a lot of time and I kept popping out of the story. I had to discipline myself to read the first half of the book (with the exception of Lord Thornton party that was delicious). The second half was better, pace was good and I felt that the author was in the zone. The battle scene felt rushed and should have been expanded by a couple of pages and more detailed.
Bottom line, would I recommend this book? In all honesty, I don’t think I could. Will I buy the second book? Maybe.
My rating is 2.5 stars rounded up to 3 stars.
I was very excited to review The Deepest Well, the first book of Juliette Cross new series Gray. I always love a supernatural story with angels and demons battling each other. As soon as I received it, I started my reading and I must say that I am disappointed.
As soon as I started, I became very frustrated. There were a lot of characters that were introduced very quickly and all of them had at least 2 names (Lord Thornton and George). I was completely confused and I had to go back in the book to connect all the dots.
Now let’s take a look at the characters. Katerine was stereotypical and lack in depth. I tried to connect with her, to feel empathy, but I was not able to do so. If I could only use one adjective to describe her, it would be boring. I don’t want to reveal any spoilers, but she was not asking any questions regarding all the weird things that happened all around her. She loves to read, but is not showing any signs of curiosity. When George told her what he really was doing on earth, she accepted it without resistance. I understand that the author tried to show Katerine as being is an abusive marriage and stick to the 1800’s tradition, but that did not work for me. I had a stronger connexion with Jane that only appeared briefly in the story. George, Jude and Damas were more interesting. However, none of them had a wow factor.
What about the story? It is a good storyline, but it lacked finesse and had some bumps in its execution. Let’s use Katerine bedroom scene to illustrate my comment. Her husband was abusing her and out of nowhere George appeared into Katerine’s room and knocked out her husband to save her. Few moments before, George was standing outside wondering where was Katerine bedroom window, there was something missing. We were completely left out of George thinking and motive to act. Earlier in the book, it was mentioned that George was able to sift, but the author assumed that we had figured that what had happened in this scene(and Katerine did not ask). It might be a strange thing to read (since it is for me to write it), but what was truly missing is the character involvement in the scenes throughout the book.
I had an uneasy feeling that something was off a lot of time and I kept popping out of the story. I had to discipline myself to read the first half of the book (with the exception of Lord Thornton party that was delicious). The second half was better, pace was good and I felt that the author was in the zone. The battle scene felt rushed and should have been expanded by a couple of pages and more detailed.
Bottom line, would I recommend this book? In all honesty, I don’t think I could. Will I buy the second book? Maybe.
taywaldhull's review
5.0
This book broke my heart, but was so beautiful at the same time. Ever since I read The Vessel Trilogy, I have been curious about Kat and George’s story. You see the monster Kat was married to, how she and George met, her abduction to Hell by Damas, her rescue, and some present day excerpts from The Vessel Trilogy. Juliette Cross did not disappoint, I didn’t want to put this book down!
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