Review: Exciting and full of magic
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 10, 2012
I received a review copy in exchange for an honest review.This is a refreshing contemporary fantasy read that brings to life a new take on old myths. There are elements of mystery and betrayal that leave readers second-guessing the other characters in the novel, and while the MC (Lily) is lively and funny, she's still a strong-willed heroine that most readers will root for. I tore through it and loved every minute.I wanted this book as soon as I read that blurb. Immortal Sin Collectors that have seen it all and are facing a deadly group that believes they're evil? Hells to the yes! It just sounds so damn good! And boy, I wasn't disappointed.STORYThis is unlike anything I have ever read. I don't pretend to have read everything in the world, or anything, but I think you'll agree that this is a fresh take on old myths. I love that!The Sin Collector takes readers into the lives of magical beings that walk among us and, what's more, envy our mortality. It's a wonderful theme in unto itself, but of course it doesn't stop there. You walk into a world of wealth and suspicion, magic and rituals, and gods and demons.STYLE/VOICEI love it when a book makes me laugh, and Sin Collector did. Not just once, either, but several times. So of course, I look like a fool stifling my snorting giggles while walk-jogging on an elliptical, but it was worth it.It's written in first person past, so it's easy to slip into the narration. There are always limitations to the first person narration, but here, it works; it's a mystery, with several who-done-it moments, and I believe that would be spoiled if we had any other view of what was going on. So gents, you'll have to dive into a woman's mind for a bit, but I think you'll find the narration witty and charming enough to content you.CHARACTERS & MOTIVATIONThere is only one main character: Lily. At times, Lily was too immature for her age. She would be rash or pouty, but would then redeem herself within just a few pages by showing how wise she could really be. The juxtaposition of wise and childish threw me at first, but over the course of the novel, I grew to appreciate her character for it. She grew, too, in the course of the novel, and became an even stronger force to be reckoned with. It was wonderful to see. Lily herself gets 5 Stars, hands down.Supporting characters: There are a host of secondary characters, all of whom are independent. It's nice to have individual characters that act independently of each other, without duplicating each other's actions, dialogue, or mannerisms. Each character in The Sin Collector is his or her own person.PACINGThere's a lot of action packed into this book. I found myself thinking about the story even when I wasn't reading, and wondering what was going to happen next. It just hooks you, and I think part of that is Fortunato's delivery. That said, I think she could have slowed down a bit to give us a better understanding of what's happening. There were a few moments I had to reread, just because it referenced an item I either didn't see before or had forgotten entirely. If those moments were slowed down by just a fraction, I think it would have been smoother.LOGICI didn't notice any logic holes, and while this isn't an overly complex story, it is a mystery to find out who is betraying whom. There were some loose ends that weren't completely flushed out, but that could just be me not piecing them together on my own. Aside from a few minor loose ends, though, I don't have any qualms with the logic. Overall, the mystery/betrayal component was an amazing and lovely touch to the narrative.THE ENDINGThe author wrapped up the first book with enough resolution to keep most readers happy while still prepping for book 2 with the unresolved, underlying tension from book 1. It was well done. Since it's a mystery and there's lots of Lily not trusting people, I can't really go into any more detail than that.