Author: Holly Black
Standalone
Genres: Vampires, Paranormal | Young Adult
Release Date: September 3rd 2013
Publishers: Little Brown
No. Pages: 419
Source: Purchased
Rating:
Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown's gates, you can never leave.
One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.
So this is the first Holly Black book I've had the pleasure of reading and it was probably the best book I could have started with of hers. I loved her writing style, it just flowed so freely and it just made for such an easy read. Now don't get me wrong, most books I class as an easy read (unless they are by the notable contemporary authors) aren't that great, they are an easy read because there is little to no substance to the book, thankfully that was not the case with this one. Not only did we have a plethora of back story as to why the vampires were there in the first place, but that was mixed with a healthy amount of flash backs.
My weakness for vampires goes back 17 years, which considering I'm on 25 is a lot. I owe my love of them to the very first episode of Buffy The Vampire that aired in 1997 and Angel made his first appearance in, since then I have been what you could call somewhat hooked. And because of this, one of the things I related to loved about this book was the Coldtowns. Why do you ask? because as silly as it is, or as crazy as people might think I am, if I lived in a world like the one Tana lives, I could totally see myself being one of the people who treks across town to get to one of this Coldtowns were the vampires live. (I promise you I'm not in need of psychiatric help haha)
The story to this book was pretty damn one of a kind, and that's something else that I fell deeply in love with. I'm pretty sure that regardless of liking it or hating it, I would have still rated this book highly for originality alone. Vampires were first exposed after a newly turned and poorly trained fledgling made his way across the country causing havoc and feeding on whoever he wanted. Soon after the discovery of their existence, Coldtowns were built where they were quarantined and left . Once you go in to a Coldtown you never come back out. Vampires have become an obsession for most in the story, what with 24/7 broadcast's from the Coldtowns to glorify them and make them seem more inviting than they are.
Tana has never been one of those people, not only does she wake up to find all her friends dead, but she finds her ex boyfriend tied to a bed with numerous bite marks and a vampire seemingly no older than her self at the side of the bed. Gavriel isn't like many other vampires though, seems to be on the run from his own kind and after they find them at the house Tana makes a rash decision, to take him to a Coldtown as well as Aiden, her ex who is now in the process of turning Cold. (a lot more happens obviously but I don't want to give anything away because its a good book)
Not only was the story line good but the characters also had a lot of promise. Tana had her moments of breakdown but through the book she managed to keep as much of a level head as she could, and even though she acted brave she was just a scared girl at the end of the day who didn't want to turn out like the rest. Aiden was probably my least favourite character. It's not that he was poorly written, I just feel he was written in such a way that you would dislike him and if so, mission accomplished, if not than I cant change how I feel haha. Gavriel however, I loved. He reminded me so much of Louis from Interview with the Vampire, and being a favourite of mine that's nothing but a good thing.
Like I said, this book was just a really unique story and I'm upset that it was a stand alone, but I guess that's a good thing in a way (that's not to say I wouldn't devour a second book). I'm pretty happy I read this, because I have been dying to. I'm just glad it lived up to my expectations.
Yay, glad you liked it! It's on my TBR list and I'm hoping to get to it yet this year sometime :)
ReplyDeletewell I look forward to hearing what you think of it :).
DeleteIt was a really good book and if you like vampires you'll like the book :)
So much excite! I need to reserve this book at the library ASAP now. You know I love Holly Black now, but this just makes me want to read more by her and I'm eager to see if she can keep up the fantastic work and make me actually like Vampires; the last few I've read with them in have been a little, well, bland, so here's hoping! :D Great review hunny! :)
ReplyDeletehaha bless you, I will say this Amanda, this book will make you like them because I think, she writes them really well. They aren't your usual one's that sparkle, they are ruthless and selfish just like the should be. (my first instinct when I read about you not liking vampires was to tell you to read a certain series, but I think you you've got sick of that now ;) haha)
DeleteThank you, and I really hope you like this book. I also hope that her other ones live up to this in my eyes haha.
So happy you loved this one. I've owned it since Christmas but still haven't got to it, something I really need to hurry up and do already. I am really excited to start this one now, it sounds so good. I hope I love it as much as you did :)
ReplyDeleteI hope you like it as much as I did too, I'm always anxious when some reads a book I think highly of in case they don't feel the same.
DeleteLike I said, I'm a massive vampire lover so that might have made me like it more than others do.
Can't wait to hear what you think of it :)