Tuesday 24 April 2012

Review: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1)
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release date: 24th April 2012
Rating: 4/5

Goodreads description:

In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.


My thoughts:

I tried not to compare this to the Iron Fey Trilogy, but it was sorta hard as I'd not read it that long ago. I felt Julie Kagawa's writing style has definitely improved in this latest offering and as that was one of my main criticisms of her Fey series I was pleased about that.

Allison was definitely an improvement on Meghan. She was a survivor; strong, ruthless and determined. She wasn't afraid to go off on her own into unknown territory and I liked that. I thought her transition into a vampire was a bit unrealistic; she didn't seem to struggle much with the blood lust, even with the constant temptations of the humans she was travelling with. Despite this though, she was a likeable heroine. 

The plot was definitely interesting; I loved the idea of vampires being in control and the humans being repressed and living in poverty. I also loved the hints that all was not as well in the vampire world as they were led to believe. The book says a lot about oppression and human spirit and determinsim which I liked. A realistic picture was painted both of the vampire cities and the areas in between, and of the circumstances that led to this point. I did feel the book was a little long, and at times slow moving, but nevertheless I really enjoying reading it and most of the plot felt like it unfolded naturally which I liked.

Zeke didn't particularly appeal to me as a love interest--he was a great character, with lots of development and good qualities but he wasn't the sort of character that I take to. That's completely a personal thing though, objectively speaking he was a great love interest for Allie and I liked how their relationship panned out. Most of the other characters were equally developed but I couldn't help feeling that Kanin was a little bland, which is a shame as I really thought I'd like his character. 

I wasn't a huge fan of the ending if I'm honest, the decision Allie makes towards the end was pretty awful, I can't believe she'd ever choose that really, I think it was all author set-up for her mental state and realisations right at the end. It ruined the book for me slightly. But other than that I really enjoyed this book, it was an interesting spin on vampire mythology, a great post-apolcalyptic read and Allison is a likeable and tough heroine. 




15 comments:

  1. I agree about the ending! It left me in anger and shock, and also desperate for the next book :P. I'm sort of hoping Allison changes her mind in page one of book two :P. But I did love her character! Zeke wasn't my favourite, but I'm hoping he'll grow on me. Great review! :)

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  2. I'm worried about people saying this one was slow. It sounds good and I want to read it but I just can't handle a slow book right now. I haven't even read The Iron Fey books yet so....:(

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  3. Likable and tough! A neat combination. And uh-oh, what you said about the ending sounds ominous. I really hate that about books...I can be SO into one, then with the ending, it just makes me go, "meh." But I like what you had to say about this one - I think it'll be an interesting read!

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  4. LOL I know what you mean! When an author writes a new series, it's always hard not to compare it to the other -- although I think we were pretty lucky with this since Julie created a WHOLE new character and world altogether (it was nothing like TIF), so we didn't really have to worry about her recycling ideas! ;) And sometimes it was a little slower with explanations, but once it took off? Vrrooooom! x)

    Awesome review, Cait! :)

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  5. I hadn't had a chance to read this yet because i'm still one the iron knight of the fey series right now. I really enjoyed your review! It tough to judge a entirely new series from an author you love. Allison seems like another amazing heroine! Fantastic review! I'll see when i read it if i think the ending is offputting or not.

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  6. I preferred Kanin as a potential love interest; in fact, I was rallying for him the entire time! Zeke is just so... bland and there's NO chemistry between them. however, I do like the forbidden romance (human and a vampire) but that's been done before, so I'd much rather like to see Kaning and Allie together. It'd be AWESOME! :D

    great review. :)

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  7. I am SO curious about the decision Allie makes in the end now. I think I'm at the end point of Allie and Kanin's time together so I don't really have many ideas as of right now as to what she's going to go. Something to look forward to, I guess! :)

    I don't think I'm going to even bother trying not to compare this to TIF. Unfair maybe, but it's so inevitable for me. When I think Julie Kagawa, I can't help but think of faeries and Meghan and Ash!

    SO WITH YOU ON MEGHAN VS. ALLIE. I didn't always click with Meg even though I loooooove the series in general but Allie is just 10x stronger. Of course, the situation and her background call for it, but it's still nice to read about such a tough heroine after delicate Meghan.

    Great review, Cait! :)

    Sonia

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  8. I haven't read the Iron Fey series, so I can't comment on writing style. I am fifty pages in and I am already caught up in the atmosphere of the book. I am really enjoying it.

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  9. Great review!! I also didn't see Zeke as a love interest. I can understand that he is sweet and nice and whatever, but I thought it seemed too cliche I guess. I love that Allie is a tough character. I am interested to see what comes next, though the ending could have been better. I still really loved this book.

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  10. Glad you enjoyed this one too :-) Have to agree with you on Zeke he was nice enough but not a swoonworthy book boy in my opinion! Great review Cait :-)

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  11. I loved Immortal Rules. Allie is so much better than Meghan. I rather liked the ending. What was your problem with it?

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  12. I totally agree with everything you said on your review, Cait! I liked Allie more than Meghan because she's a strong and brave heroine compared to Meghan. Like you, I am not a huge fan of Zeke either. I think he's awesome but I am more intrigued with Kanin!

    Anyway, awesome review Cait! ♥ Glad you enjoyed it!

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  13. I am really curious about this- I admittedly wasn't a SUPER fan of The Iron Fey series... So REALLY excited to hear that Allie is an improvement over Meghan.

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  14. I'm totally with you on Zeke. I did like him as a person and he was great for Allie, but he doesn't get me all hot and heavy and lusty. Which I kinda expect with love interests these days, because I'm a greedy little fangirl. Still though, he's a pretty good guy. Kanin on the other hand, really did intrigue me and I want to see/learn MORE.

    I really enjoyed this and I'm glad you did too! As yet, it doesn't live up to my love of The Iron Fey, but we shall see in future installments :D Brilliant review!

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  15. The Immortal Rules is an amazing story that everyone who loves vampires or dystopians must read. Julie Kagawa is a wonderful author who seems to know exactly how to make a world we can imagine and crave more of. She's created monsters that freaked me out to even read about, the mindless rabids. The Immortal Rules had me glued to the pages, too enthralled to put it down. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what happens next for Allie. Would I recommend it? Definitely. I'll be buying myself a copy to enjoy.

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