Review: A unique paranormal read about pixis, but with some issues
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 15, 2013
Actual rating: 3.5I've never read a book about pixis before, and Oath of Servitude delivered an imaginative world full of these tiny little beings living among humans (who are giants to them).Cailin is a defiant little pixi who is somewhat of an outcast among her peers. She has a lot of sass, wears heavy makeup, has fiery bright red hair, she's also twice as tall as everyone else. As punishment for an unknown reason, her father has arranged for Cailin to live with the humans to serve out an oath of servitude, instead of going to the Darkness. She's mortified of living with the giants but slowly becomes accustomed and even attached to them. She moves in with Teague, a foul-mouthed, alcoholic teenager who has lost his way since losing his sight in a horrible accident. His father Owen agreed to help his pixi friend as a way to hopefully help his son better his ways.The world building and the setup of the book was really fresh and unique, mainly because of the pixi world. Because it's a lesser known paranormal, the author really flourished with setting up the world, where pixis who disobey are sent off into the darkness. Cailin's situation was also interesting too, as she's a fairytale being living in a house with a blind person who doesn't know what she is.There was a degree of mystery set up from the start, such as why Cailin was being punished, why the pixi clan dislikes her family, and who Owen really is and why he knows about her mother. Interchanging Cailin's learning experience with the drama of the pixi clan was an interesting way to keep us reading, but I was disappointed to get to the end and not get any of the answers that I was looking for. Although the sequel would definitely address this, it just didn't feel like a satisfying enough read.I really liked Cailin as a character, although she seemed to have a completely different personality when she was living with the humans. She's stubborn, sassy and headstrong, but she was scared, fragile and docile when she first moved in with the humans. I didn't really enjoy the relationship between her and Teague, as Teague is just such an unlikeable character with his arrogance, clinginess, sexism and rude behaviour. Even though he did end up changing his ways, I didn't really enjoy him as a love interest.Cailin learning to adjust to a new life kept me captivated, along with the mystery surrounding her family and why they are being punished for their unknown crimes. This kept me reading to find out more, and interchanging the pixi life back home with Cailin's learning experience kept things moving at a fast pace.Overall, I really enjoyed the world that the author has built, but it needed more consistency and answers to questions that were set up in the book. The book is also in need of a good editor, as often I would find phrases being repeated in several different ways. If you're looking for a unique paranormal read, give Oath of Servitude a go, with the warning that you might need to read the sequel to find out more.I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This review appears on my blog at: [...] Check it out for more reviews!