Review: Mixed Bag on this one
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 03 29, 2014
Well this book is kinda confusing for me and I will get into that in the meat of the review. So this book follows the pattern of boy with powers does not know it and has to grow into them. In this one we have a teenage boy as seems to be mostly the case and a plethora of secret societies.Bad1: All the societies seem to have the same reaction in fact for the frirst good 30 percent everyone has the same reactions to the boy. Basically let him go and have him fend for himself it gets so bad that you are starting to think that you don't want to read anymore after all who enjoys reading about a boy being turned away at every turn? Basically they all have a we don't care what your problems are we got our own so just go away. The other problem I have with this is they all have the same basic motives no one really has a new take even given that some of them are fighting against the bad guys they are still don't see any of the possibilities of his powers. I get that this has to happen to move the story and that is part of the problem it is so blatantly a plot device that it makes the book seem just a shadow.2: The personality of some of the main characters is just well weird. Dorian being a prime example she swings between compassion to just callousness for no real reason. I kinda felt like scratching my head and wondering if she was a teenager or a toddler. The romance between them and their interactions are baffling to me. You see no idea of any interest until it hits like a freight train then it just gets turned off as quick. I get the feeling we where supposed to understand more about her character but her mood swings are never adequately explained so you just have to get past her scenes. The adults are no better they leave a kid to be abused for no real good reason but feel no guilt for it? Abandon a child to a murderous mother but hey that is okay because we are busy with other stuff? Just follow orders even when you know they are wrong? The motivations behind these actions I get where supposed to be secret but all it makes me feel is that these people missed something along the way called a humanity.3: This book leaves a LOT unexplained. You just have to guess your way through it. Really by the end you have VERY few answers. Some may like this and keep going along hoping for the answers but really you should at least have some understanding of the world and the people in it. At the end you are pretty much still scratching your head.Good.1: Very unique fun with the plants. Really this is the shining grace of this book they are incorporated in it and their voice is very distinctive. I thought this was wonderfully done and a joy to read what a great original concept.2: The writing is engaging with few typos I would say this is well written so if you hate a poorly written book this is not it.3: Besides the plants you do get a lot of original content but so much of it is left unexplained that I can't really say if it is good or not. I would say that you would need to read the other books to find that out. You are given glimpses of that content but it is never explained so tho I will count this as a good thing see under bad as well.OverallI did enjoy reading the books again some of the character well most of the characters lacked any kind of humanity or kindness unless you served their goals. I find this to be weird as you would think he would encounter someone who actually cared for him to care for him. I mean it seems they are capable of caring for people just not him. I liked the original spin on the magic and the overall journey. I am unsure if I would recommend this book and am also unsure if I would continue to read the series. I think I may but not without some input in the form of reviews to see if some of the things I did not like where cleared up.