Review: Integrity
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 27, 2012
It's difficult to say something about this novel that hasn't already been said, but I'll try. Emmaline has a way of making the characters come to life, and in this novel the integrity of both of the characters shines through the bitter circumstances of their realities. It is so wonderful in a novel to find characters who are willing to do what they think is right at great personal cost to themselves. Not hypothesized consequences, because both characters come face-to-face with their issues as Kris faces all kinds of problems daily and North has to deal with his own feelings and suspicions from others in the school. Although both Kris and North are dealing with emotional pain throughout the novel, it doesn't deter them from remaining true to their hearts and protecting those they love, regardless of what others might think.This kind of youthful idealism allows them to create a friendship that is sweet and based on concern and care for the other person. Their love comes from a greater place than a simple attraction to someone of the opposite sex, and you know that love will sustain them through tough times in the road ahead.It was impossible not to fall in love with North. I don't know how she does it, but Emmaline creates men who are, for lack of a better term - real men. They may be muscular and bold; but they can feel pain and be just as conflicted as the rest of us. They just do a better job of hiding it, mastering themselves and their emotions and trying to do the right thing, but she shows you their struggles by offering you glimpses of times when it is almost impossible for them to hold back.Final notes - I am an adult, a fan of her other books as Evangeline, and while she treads into deep territory often, I have often found that her less explicit books are the ones which have left me dreaming about the male leads long after they were finished. This book reminded me a bit of the TV series Firefly, although that show is for an older audience. The setting in the distant future, where evil is truly evil, yet the light in the main characters helps them find friendships that carry them through their personal heartaches.