Author: Rachel Hawkins
Pages: 359
Published: Hyperion, 2011
Genre: Fantasy/Mystery
Cover Score: B+
Overall Grade: A
Sophie Mercer's last semester at Hecate Hall (aka reform school for shape-shifters, witches, and faeries) was stressful. Not only did she find out that she was a demon, but her great-grandmother killed her best frenemy and her crush turned out to be working for an organization whose goal is to wipe out all demons. As one of the two demons (the other is her father) in the world, Sophie possesses dangerous and volatile powers that threaten everyone she loves, which is why she decides to go to London to get the Removal--a perilous procedure that would remove all of her powers. But when Sophie arrives, her new housemates are demons--which means that someone's secretly raising demons, with creepy plans to use their powers (and probably not for good). Meanwhile, the Eye is still hunting down Sophie in hopes of wiping her off the face of the earth, and they're using her ex-crush Archer to do it. Good thing she doesn't have feelings for him anymore. Right?
My thoughts: Demonglass as definitely one of the best books I've read this year. While I loved the first book in this series, Hex Hall, Demonglass simply blew me away! This novel was just the right length--there was plenty of action, juicy secrets, and romance packed in, and it wasn't too lengthy or complex.
I loved Sophie as the narrator--she was fresh, funny, and relatable. I enjoyed seeing her relationship with her father flourish, and I loved her witty interactions with Archer. The plotline moved quickly and fluidly, and was easy to follow. Ms. Hawkins clearly spent a lot of time on details when it came to the magical properties of the characters, and it showed. The demon history and background information that she provided helped the plot become 3-dimensional and realistic (well, as real as demons and witches can get!).
Thorne Abbey, where Sophie stays in England, made a great setting. It was mystical and mysterious, and Ms. Hawkins's beautiful descriptions made it come to life.
I do have to put forth a warning--once you start reading Demonglass, you most likely will not be able to put it down until the heart-stopping, cliff-hanging ending. I can't wait to see what's next for Sophie in this thrilling, exhilarating series!
Must-Read! Check it Out! Don't Bother
4 comments:
So glad you liked this one. I just started it yesterday and am enjoying it too. I love this series and the snarky sense of humor! Great review!
I especially love the voice and the funny turns of phrase. Snarky is a great word to use to describe it!
Haven't read this one yet, but I want to! Thanks for the review. In general, I really like the way you do them, with the basics up front, then the description, then your in-depth commentary (which is so thoughtful and well-written!) and then the last category (Must read, Check it out, or Don't bother). It's a wonderful system!
Btw, we are four YA writers and avid readers, and we just started a new blog to talk about YA literature. It's not so much book reviews as talking about different issues, trends, etc. We are hoping to connect with real teen readers, and we would love to see you there!
I loved Hex Hall, and I cannot wait to read Demonglass. I loved yoru review, and I totally agree with your A reading, even if I haven't read this book. I also agree with your cover rating. I love the cat on the covers of these books, even though it has nothing to do with the books!
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