Review: Darkness Falls by Cate Tiernan

Immortal Beloved, Book 2 (Book 1: Immortal Beloved review)

Tags: YA, paranormal

Summary

At River’s Edge, a sort of rehabilitative haven for wayward immortals, Nastasya is struggling. She’s only just beginning to realize the full extent of the horror that she and her friends inflicted on innocent mortals over the years. There’s also the pesky problem of her continued attraction to the dangerous immortal and her fellow River’s Edge inhabitant Reyn, a former Viking “god” known as the Butcher of Winter, whose family killed hers many centuries ago.

But Nastasya’s biggest challenge yet will come from her self-doubt: her fear that there is an incurable, inescapable darkness within her. When she crosses paths again with her old friends, Nastasya must figure out where she belongs, and what she is capable of.

Review

These days I usually stay away from YA paranormal romance as if they have contagious diseases. But this series snagged my cynical YA PNR affections from the first book, Immortal Beloved, and dug its hook in deeper with this worthy sequel, DARKNESS FALLS.

There’s something about Nastasya’s voice. There really is. There’s probably no other explanation for why I enjoy this series so very much. Nastasya is sardonic and witty without being dramatic. Her commentary is very much 21st-century, which sometimes takes away from the authenticity of her past identities, but is nevertheless appealing to readers. Nastasya’s narration carries her past some subjectively large bumps in the story, such as the slooow plot, the sputtering romance, and the melodramatic climax.

For there is not much plot: the majority of DARKNESS FALLS involves Nastasya reflecting on her previous actions and wondering whether or not she is incurably dark. The romantic development with Reyn is put to the wayside as Nastasya grows as a person, which can be frustrating for Nastasya-Reyn shippers. And the melodramatic climax is exactly that.

However, there really is something special about the character of Nastasya, because I never got bored, or rolled my eyes (too much), or felt apathetic. I enjoyed snorting at Nastasya’s commentary and silently cheered her on as she learned and suffered and remembered and grew.

In the end, then, I guess I can say that the Immortal Beloved series is one I would recommend to those who think they are seriously tired of YA paranormal romance, and those who love snarky protagonists. I can’t wait to read the third and final book!

Cover discussion: Forget the cover. (Forgotten.) Has anyone noticed that this book and Immortal Beloved are both copyrighted Gabrielle Charbonnet? Does that mean Cate Tiernan doesn't exist, or that Gabrielle Charbonnet is once again ghostwriting for previously successful authors?

Poppy / Jan. 2, 2012 / Hardcover / 400pp. / $17.99

e-galley received from publisher and NetGalley. Thank you!

Review: Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan

Tags: YA, paranormal, immortality, evil

Summary

For the past 100 years, Nastasya has gallivanted around the world with her other party-happy immortal friends, enjoying life and not thinking of anything besides entertainment and distraction. But when her best friend does something that horrifies her and shakes the foundations of her belief about her existence, Nastasya runs away from her old life and joins up with a group of immortals who try to live to be good.

However, it isn’t easy for Nastasya to adjust to her new life. She doesn’t know what to make of her new acquaintances, particularly Reyn, a cold but inexplicably alluring golden-haired guy, and Nell, a preppy British girl who seems to have it in for her. And the more Nastasya learns about the history of immortals and her own, long dormant magickal abilities, the more she begins to understand the truth about her past…and how it may endanger her.

Review

Is it weird that I’m wavering whether to give this book 3 or 5 stars, and not something in between? (4-star books are my babies and not given out lightly. *hugs*) IMMORTAL BELOVED really did something for me. I lament the repetition in paranormal literature nowadays, but while immortality is not news, the careful way in which Cate Tiernan layered this story is something to take note of.

Tiernan incorporates flashbacks into the narrative in a way that doesn’t feel forced. At first we think we know what the smart-mouthed Nastasya is about: oh, just another poor little tortured soul of an immortal being who’s lost sight of her humanity until she meets the right person, or people. But the more time I spent with Nastasya, the more compelling I found her. Yes, she’s fallen into some despicable times and habits, but her flashbacks reveal her behavior to be a perfectly justifiable defense mechanism against some horrible memories. The flashbacks serve not only to illuminate her character, but also to add a sliver of suspense and investment with every page we read, so that while in the foreground nothing truly remarkable happens—Nastasya runs around a farm for reformed immortals and struggles to adjust to their ways—we can’t help but be sucked in.

Nastasya reminds me of some of my favorite paranormal/urban fantasy female characters: strong, a wiseass, independent enough not to obsess over Reyn, despite his sullen bad-boy hotness. She’s attractive because she refuses to play the “docile, hurt female” role expected of her, and so I can see why Reyn is attracted to her (thank God for the absence of inexplicable paranormal romantic attraction!).

IMMORTAL BELOVED is admittedly slow, especially if you feel like flashbacks are a cop-out from true plot. However, the characters have convinced me of their interestingness, and Nastasya has secured my empathy and respect, so I will be really interested to see where Cate Tiernan takes us next. IMMORTAL BELOVED just might remind us paranormal lit cynics (yes, that’s me) that good writing and strong, well-developed characters can still take us all the way.

Similar Authors
Stephenie Meyer
Jeri Smith-Ready
Alison Goodman

Writing: 3/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 3/5

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5


Cover discussion: 3 out of 5 - I suppose some people consider the vagueness of this type of cover pretty, but... eh.

Little, Brown / Sept. 7, 2010 / Hardcover / 407pp. / $16.99

ARC received from Around the World Tours.