Black City
Elizabeth Richards
G.P. Putnam's Sons BYR
November 13th 2012
Young Adult | Paranormal | Sci-fi
Vampire
Official Blurb -
A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war.
In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash’s long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught, they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong.
When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.
It wasn't until I had the cover in my hands that I realized the picture was of an exploding flower. What I really want to know is if it is Photoshopped or did they really blow up a flower? If it is the latter, this is a really cool cover.
The story itself didn't live up to the hype for me. Between the blurb, author biography, and all the promotion I was ready to be blown away, no pun intended. Yet page after page I just wasn't feeling it.
Ash is a typical kid always longing for the green grass on the other side. Angry at his situation, a rule breaker, and lonely he soon comes to find that the grass isn't always greener and life is what you choose to make of it. Finding a reason to embrace life through Natalie, Ash will go places he never thought possible. There is even a sizzling moment or two between Ash and Natalie. Followed by a good heap of soap opera drama. It turns out that Natalie isn't simply what she appears. In fact she is less than she appears and a thief. The bond between them which seemed so impenetrable and worth fighting for becomes a farce.
The vampires in this story are almost nothing like those found elsewhere.
Sure they:
- suck blood
- are unearthly
- are stunning to look upon
- are stronger than humans
- have a superiority complex
- aren't very friendly towards humans
- burst into flame in the sunlight
- come in different species
- deal drugs from the fang
- drink Synth-O-Blood
- sometimes have two hearts
- sometimes have one heart that doesn't beat
- have offspring
- don't convert humans
- are dying of a blood transmitted disease
- have their own predators
- live in concentration camps or restricted areas
- can reproduce with humans
- can get high from their own fang drugs
With all of these great factors swirling around on the pages it seems a no brainer for awesome. Yet try as I might I just never really got invested in the characters. The world is such a strange one and it always felt like I could so easily see exactly what was coming next. I knew about Natalie's heart long before the characters did. The only thing that came as a surprise was the origin. I think Ash's attitude of doom and gloom sort of rubbed off on me. It will likely be a coin toss on whether I pick up the sequel.
Content:
Violence: Heavy (Crucifixion)
Content:
Violence: Heavy (Crucifixion)
