A review by merlin_reads
Amber Smoke by Kristin Cast
2.0
I was really excited for this book going in - I was sold on the mythology when I met the author at a signing. But alas, it was not meant to be.
First we have Eva who is some descendant of the Oracle who needs to die to come into her powers. Then there's Alek, son of the furies (well, really only one but calls all of them mother), who's destiny is to...mate with Eva? I was really unclear on what his purpose was. I just knew it had something to do with saving Eva and then saving the souls of the damned prison. I don't know. Nothing was really clear. And therein lies the first problem. I didn't understand why Eva was so important to Alek. I get why to the "Underworld" of sorts, but if I was supposed to believe in a love story or even friendship between Alek and Eva, that was all lost.
Then there were the characters themselves. Eva was extremely naive. I mean, who leaves their car in a not good part of town, nowhere near a street light and unlocked? And her only reason for trusting Alek was he was protective... please. But Alek was no better. He read like a caveman. The only thing missing were the grunts. And don't even get me started on the crappy police work.
Another thing that was unbelievable was how easy everyone accepted the news that there was an underworld and demons and oracles and all that. Come on now.
I get that fantasy fiction stretches the realm of possibilities, but it needs to make sense and at least appear believable in this world. And I felt that this wasn't.
First we have Eva who is some descendant of the Oracle who needs to die to come into her powers. Then there's Alek, son of the furies (well, really only one but calls all of them mother), who's destiny is to...mate with Eva? I was really unclear on what his purpose was. I just knew it had something to do with saving Eva and then saving the souls of the damned prison. I don't know. Nothing was really clear. And therein lies the first problem. I didn't understand why Eva was so important to Alek. I get why to the "Underworld" of sorts, but if I was supposed to believe in a love story or even friendship between Alek and Eva, that was all lost.
Then there were the characters themselves. Eva was extremely naive. I mean, who leaves their car in a not good part of town, nowhere near a street light and unlocked? And her only reason for trusting Alek was he was protective... please. But Alek was no better. He read like a caveman. The only thing missing were the grunts. And don't even get me started on the crappy police work.
Another thing that was unbelievable was how easy everyone accepted the news that there was an underworld and demons and oracles and all that. Come on now.
I get that fantasy fiction stretches the realm of possibilities, but it needs to make sense and at least appear believable in this world. And I felt that this wasn't.