Tuesday 1 May 2012

Evermore by Alyson Noel


Evermore (The Immortals, #1)
Publisher: St Martin's Press
Published: 3rd February 2009
Pages: 306
Goodreads Synopsis:
Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever can see auras, hear people’s thoughts, and know a person’s life story by touch.   Going out of her way to shield herself from human contact to suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste 

Ever sees Damen and feels an instant recognition.  He is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy, and he holds many secrets.  Damen is able to make things appear and disappear, he always seems to know what she’s thinking—and he’s the only one who can silence the noise and the random energy in her head.  She doesn’t know who he really is—or what he is.  Damen equal parts light and darkness, and he belongs to an enchanted new world where no one ever dies.


Review:
I've heard equally good and bad things about this book - a lovely, easy read, the type of language that just flows and that I love to read. And yet, when  I started this book, something was missing. The general idea for the book - an immortal falling in love with a mortal - is sweet yet somewhat cliché but I didn't mind that so much when I finally found out. The twists Noel tried to add, such as Ever's psychic powers and the reincarnate bodies were good but not fully explained or developed for me to enjoy. I spent most of the book a little angry with Ever for complaining about her powers and not even explaining that she doesn't know how she got them! Come on! It's called research (or at least bullshiting)!

Ever wasn't my favourite type of female lead. While I immediately felt sympathetic towards Ever, she made it difficult to keep that up, she is just so emo! The teenage angst of feeling ever-so guilty for causing the car accident went on for so long, that when it was finally explained, I hardly cared anymore!

Damen should be the perfect boy, but I think that's why it took me ages to like him - he was too bloody perfect! And it took way too long to realise what the flowers meant - it just made him look like a playboy. And another thing - was it some sort of narrative device to keep the suspense for so long about Damen's mysterious past? Because it took so long to uncover and explain that I was annoyed with him for keeping it secret for so long!

Unfortunately, while I liked this book, I think I might have outgrown it - I was very aware that if I'd read this a few years ago, I'd have been all over it, but now? Not so much. The plot was good but not solid enough, the character's were definitely not explored thoroughly - I really liked Miles and Haven but they came across too one-dimensional, despite Ever could read their thoughts. Speaking off, reading their thoughts should have uncovered likeable motivations but in most cases, it just made them appear more petty and selfish. Also, I will admit that the love story across time and bodies was incredibly adorable, I just didn't believe it.

Now I'm off to see if the sequel fares any better.

1 comment:

  1. I really loved this when I read it a few years ago, but the sequel didn't quite live up to it for me.

    ReplyDelete