Review: Disappointment
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 07 12, 2013
Big disappointment.  In this book, Larsen has betrayed her character.  All the character development with Syd up to now has painted her in a very specific way.  She is impulsive, prone to knee jerk reactions that reflect her "on a wing and a prayer" attitude towards life, depending on the other powers in her life to swoop in and back her up.  She also makes decisions based on gut reactions and her sense of intuitively knowing what is right, expecting that, when she is shown to be right, she will be forgiven and delivered from punishment.  She has also, to this point, followed her heart in most things.So now, in this book, Larsen  has turned her into a person who makes one of the most important decisions of her life -- who to marry -- into a decision reached because of what most everyone else wants.  She is marrying Liam.  Liam.  That's right -- Liam.  Despite Larsen's last minute attempts to convince us that there is chemistry between the two of them, I've seen nothing in the previous books that really indicates any spark at all.  On the contrary, Syd lusts after Quaid, Sebastian, Ram, Piers, Sage, and others, but, despite a weekend in bed with Liam, seems to have no appreciable desire for him.  Yet -- she is doing the right thing, according to the power structure in her life, and marrying the safe guy.Let's look at that power structure.  Witches.  The ones who have abandoned her and left her hanging throughout most of the important events of her life so far.  The ones who want her to be the kind of coven leader that they think she should be.  And, that might be fine, if that was all Syd is.However, Syd is much more than a witch.  She is that, plus Sidhe, Vampire, Demon, and now, Maji, with some wild magick thrown in, as well as deep connections to the werewolves. If there was ever anyone who should have been held apart from a particular set of laws, it should have been her.In this book, the characters who stay true to their natures are Gram and Ameline, primarily.  Ameline rises to the level of "most authentic character", in my opinion, and Gram stays as she is -- always authentic.  Ameline becomes more honorable than Syd, in this book.  Syd flounders around trying to figure how to be what everyone else wants her to be, or, failing that, tries to figure out how to get away with what she wants to do.  She never actually takes her power into her own hands, honestly, and declares herself as true to her spirit.  She whimpers and whines and caves into the witch plan for her life.What should she have done?  She should have risen above the "witch" plan and just said "no".  If necessary, she should have given up the coven leadership position and gone rogue.  Out to fight for "truth, justice and the magick way", so to speak.  She should have explored her nature and found the right mate.  Not the safe mate, but the right one.  The one who loves her, who thrills her, who supports her, and who also challenges her to become what her power will allow her to be.  She hasn't done that.  She has shackled herself to the witches, and effectively put herself and her enormous power in their hands.  The hands of those who have abandoned and disappointed her over and over and over again. Spineless.I expected Larsen to keep Syd true to her nature, and to find a way to allow Syd to grow into herself.  From I've read about Larsen, herself, that appears to be the way she's led her own life.  Taking risks, exploring different ways of life, charging ahead unafraid.  Why did she subvert her main character like this?  I suppose she has a plan.  Although, I have to say that it sure looks to me like she's eliminated all the other men in Syd's life from serious consideration.  Even Quaid is shown to have made his final decision about "pledging" the Enforcers. Although there is a slight (and I mean it is slight) implication that all is not as it appears with Quaid, in terms of his lying and betrayal, and even if the plan is to bring them together at the end, and wrap it all up neatly, I still think it's a mistake to put Syd and her power into a cage and turn her into a pawn of the witches.  She hasn't made the decision to marry Liam based on anything other than that it is time, and that the witches require her to make a choice.  Who cares what the witches want? She should be so much more than a tool for others to use as they choose.  And they usually choose for her to do things that benefit witches and witches alone.  Each time she "saves the world", it is typically against their wishes, and with the threat of punishment (on one occasion, even the death penalty, by being burned at the stake) hanging over her head.I know the next book is just out, and I bought them both at the same time, so I guess I'll find out what direction it's all going in now, but I really don't expect a big change.  Liam is such a sympathetic character that, short of killing him off, (and then who would be the "gatekeeper"?) I don't see Larsen truncating this marriage.  I guess the message to her YA audience is that they should do what their parents and the social structure want and expect of them, despite what they personally want out of life.  Oh, and to ignore their special gifts, if that's what is expected, and live the life that has been decided on for them. Doesn't matter what you want out of life.  Make decisions based on the "greater good".  What they don't tell you is that the "greater good" usually benefits only those who have the power and control, and it results in those people having even more power and control.  More for a few ALWAYS means less for the many.  Hence, NOT the greater good.  But, it sure sounds nice.