Review: Beautiful.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 08 21, 2013
**4.5 stars**Wow, was this story gorgeous or what!? The writing here just blew me out of the water. My first book by this author and it certainly won't be my last.I sometimes have a difficult time getting into fantasy books. I often feel like these worlds are thrust upon me and I feel lost for the majority of the story. That was not the case here. I had no trouble following along, and I quickly became mesmerized by the story. I think that is a good word for it, "mesmerizing." Honestly, this story was completely fascinating and enchanting.I think the strengths of this book lie in the storytelling. The words were rich and full of character, and the journey of Etan really came to life. The concept of the "Adorned" was one that grabbed me immediately. Basically, these Adorned are tattooed, living canvases used in this fantasy world to amuse and delight the elite. Etan's journey to becoming an Adorned and his experiences being one were the highlight of this book. Etan's life-story took over my life yesterday- I was fascinated by every nuance, all thanks to John Tristan's incredible writing.My one issue with this book was the romance. It developed at a glacial pace and was so subtle that I almost missed it. When the romantic aspect of the book finally came to fruition, it wasn't as... fulfilling as I would have liked. The love didn't radiate from the pages, I'll say. I didn't quite get why these characters loved each other, other than circumstance. Tallisk is a tough nut to crack and I didn't feel as connected to him as I would have liked.Despite my issue with the romantic parts of this book, the phenomenal storytelling abilities of John Tristan made this book incredibly enjoyable and memorable.**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**(