I picked this book up with mixed feelings. I’ve not been a fan of Claudia Gray’s writing in the past. I thought Evernight was rather silly and didn’t bother with the rest of the series. But this one is about witches! So. I had to. Obviously.
When Nadia’s family moves to Captive’s Sound, she instantly realizes there’s more to it than meets the eye. Descended from witches, Nadia senses a dark and powerful magic at work in her new town. Mateo has lived in Captive’s Sound his entire life, trying to dodge the local legend that his family is cursed – and that curse will cause him to believe he’s seeing the future … until it drives him mad. When the strange dreams Mateo has been having of rescuing a beautiful girl—Nadia—from a car accident come true, he knows he’s doomed.
Despite the forces pulling them apart, Nadia and Mateo must work together to break the chains of his family’s terrible curse, and to prevent a disaster that threatens the lives of everyone around them.
I read about half this book while in line for the Stephenie Meyer signing and I remember turning to my line buddy about fifteen pages in and saying, “you’d think after six books she’d learn how to show and not tell.” And that pretty much sums up the entire book.
It had good world building, and interesting characters with different mysteries surrounding them but all the things I liked about it were overshadowed but the intense amount of telling.
Like, I can see where the author was definitely not doing an insta-love with the romance here. But because so many things were told to us instead of shown to us, it felt like an insta-love when it didn’t need to.
I did love the magic-system. Sure, there were some physical ingrediants for some of the spells but mostly the ‘ingrediants” were feelings, or emotions called forth through memories. I really liked that. And I’m intrgued by the system of rules and history surrounding the magic. And how men fit into the whole thing.
And all the different mysteries peppered throughout the town. Not all of which were solved. I’m definitely intrigued enough to stick with the series. And I liked all of the characters, Nadia and Mateo especially. But I didn’t fall in love with the story the way I really wanted to.
The cover is gorgeous though, so I’m still thinking of picking this up once it’s in hardback. Especially if I go to the signing that’s happening near me.
I will have to make my decision soon.