I dove into this series late this summer. My beautiful gothic library has now created a "teen reads" section. Ripe for plucking out books and taking them in first...
This is a new series, not a trilogy, as the next installment is due out next year. Tailored for the teen adventure/romance/sci-fi crowd, Kagawa delivers, albeit with an essentially annoying heroine. Clueless, self absorbed whiner was my initial assesment. Didn't change much in books one through three, although she does indeed mature in some ways. How many teen readers will just identify with her, instead of identify the flaws?
Also, it is a romance (as stated above)... but romance is? She falls in love with a guy who treats her terribly, is moody and violent. But, as it turns out, it is just a facade, for her deeply loves her and forsakes his heritage in order to be with her. GAG.
Really? This is what we need to feed our girls? Even if he's a total, complete jerk, deep down he's really Prince Charming.
Really.
And, they make some sort of devotion declaration that bonds them blahblahblah, so now they are "married" and it's okey dokey to have sex.
If you are truly waiting to have sex until you're married, that is a pastor, justice of the piece, family, "I do", "I do" and public, legal recognition that you are now hitched. Publish the banns, or don't give me some "we're as good as" trash.
So...although it is readable, and full of swashbuckling adventure, sword play, moments of triumph and failure, and on the surface "teen appropriate", I have to say the reality of the books was trite and disappointing and continues to send messages to girls that we've been trying to combat for generations. Not to mention the message to boys who might venture into the realm of girl-centric teen reads. If your teen does read this book, do her, or him a favor and have a sit down discussion about the themes of the book, open their eyes to see past the surface.
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