Kirsten's Book's

Besides the Harry Potter series, this was my first venture into the Young Adult fantasy genre. I was always apprehensive about reading this genre, because I felt that being an adult, I probably wouldn't be able to relate to younger characters'. However, J.K Rowling's Harry Potter series made me see that if the author could suspend my disbelief well enough, I could actually like the characters and care about what happens to them. But this book... 

Yea, this is what I kept saying to myself throughout this book. I really couldn't see what all the good reviews were all about. I was enticed with the description of this book, and I love a good anti-hero character, but this did not deliver for me.

I found the book to be jarring at times,yanking me right out of the story, and found Lu's writing to be filled with unnatural explanations. For example:

" A quarter lap to go. Gemma's horse suddenly pulls ahead in a burst of speed--right into first place. The others try to catch her, but it's too late. She crosses the finish line. The trumpeter flings the yellow silk in the air again, and shrieks fill the air. The Green Quarter is a sea of dancing silks."

"She won."

"She won" was the writer telling me what she had already described; I could see for myself that Gemma won the race without the writer having to clarify that for me. Give the reader the credit that they can figure things out on their own. I also found some of her descriptions hard to imagine at times:

"Gemma has her head thrown back in a wild laugh, her dark hair streaming out behind her like a curtain."

Yea, maybe it's just me, but when I picture a curtain I see a heavy piece of material hanging on a curtain rod over a window. I don't think that smilie was a good choice.

The characters were somewhat boring, and I found myself not caring about them at all. Raffaele was the most interesting out of all of them, but just barely. And the world building was nonexistent; I didn't get a good idea about this world at all.

So, I'm not giving up on the Young Adult fantasy genre just yet; I still have another one I have to read now that I bought it, but I'm hoping this will not be the norm for this genre.