Author: Jodi Meadows
Format Acquired: Hardcover
Publication Date: January 29, 2013
Publishing House: Katherine Tegen Books
ISBN: 9780062060785
Source of Copy: Purchased from Fully Booked
Summary:
DARKSOULS
Ana has always been the only one. Asunder. Apart. But after Templedark, when many residents of Heart were lost forever, some hold Ana responsible for the darksouls - and the newsouls who may be born in their place.
SHADOWS
Many are afraid of Ana's presence, a constant reminder of unstoppable changes and the unknown. When sylph begin behaving differently toward her and people turn violent, Ana must learn to stand up not only for herself but for those who cannot stand up for themselves.
LOVE
Ana was told that nosouls can't love. But newsouls? More than anything, she wants to live and love as an equal among the citizens of Heart, but even when Sam professes his deepest feelings, it seems impossible to overcome a lifetime of rejection.
Review:
All her life, Ana has always felt like she wasn't worth anything, if at all. When a chance encounter with Sam leads to a new life filled with music and friends in Heart, Ana's starting to recover from the insecurities Li instilled in her. But she will always be different; she's a newsoul, an entirely new soul who has replaced one of the older souls in the community - and the more heartless citizens of Heart will never let her forget it. Especially after Templedark. When Menehem's journals and recordings come into Ana's possession, she begins to question things that the people have always accepted, and she makes them confront the hardest truth of them all: reality.
The impression I got from the first book, Incarnate, was that it was more of a love story, just that it had an interesting and new premise. Asunder somehow gave me an inkling of what the author was aiming for, but despite the push, I was still way too distracted with Ana and Sam's overly touchy-feely displays. I get that they're so in love with each other, and have more feelings and emotions than they could probably handle, what with Sam being Ana's first love, and Ana being the only one Sam feels very, very strongly about in all his five thousand plus years, but more often than not, the romantic interludes just add way too much to the scenes. Seriously, do these guys have to keep touching each other in almost every chapter?
The story starts off pretty slow and tedious, to be frank, so Asunder was a bit of a chore to read at first. When Ana and Sam weren't too busy canoodling, I got to pick up some bits and pieces of what is actually going on at Heart. I did end up getting lost a lot of the time, but I do chalk this up to leaving this book for days at a time, and picking it up only when my deadline for the review drew near.
Don't be fooled; I liked Meadows' world-building, and it has me convinced that it could actually be possible, and I did like the new characters she's introduced. I do like why the book is titled Asunder. Ever since then, Ana thought she would be the only one to fend for herself. Even if she's had so much more from her new life in Heart, she somehow still considers herself apart from them. But when she finally realizes that music, Sam, and all her friends are a part of her as much as she is a part of their existence, Ana doesn't seem to be afloat anymore. She seems to find her place in the world, no matter how unwanted she and other newsouls may be.
If it weren't for the last chapters of the book, which I believe somehow redeemed itself, I probably would have given this book either a 2 or a 2.5. The lovefest is off-putting, but the story has just begun to get interesting, and readers will finally get a gist of what direction the books will be heading toward.
Source of Copy: Purchased from Fully Booked
Summary:
DARKSOULS
Ana has always been the only one. Asunder. Apart. But after Templedark, when many residents of Heart were lost forever, some hold Ana responsible for the darksouls - and the newsouls who may be born in their place.
SHADOWS
Many are afraid of Ana's presence, a constant reminder of unstoppable changes and the unknown. When sylph begin behaving differently toward her and people turn violent, Ana must learn to stand up not only for herself but for those who cannot stand up for themselves.
LOVE
Ana was told that nosouls can't love. But newsouls? More than anything, she wants to live and love as an equal among the citizens of Heart, but even when Sam professes his deepest feelings, it seems impossible to overcome a lifetime of rejection.
Review:
All her life, Ana has always felt like she wasn't worth anything, if at all. When a chance encounter with Sam leads to a new life filled with music and friends in Heart, Ana's starting to recover from the insecurities Li instilled in her. But she will always be different; she's a newsoul, an entirely new soul who has replaced one of the older souls in the community - and the more heartless citizens of Heart will never let her forget it. Especially after Templedark. When Menehem's journals and recordings come into Ana's possession, she begins to question things that the people have always accepted, and she makes them confront the hardest truth of them all: reality.
The impression I got from the first book, Incarnate, was that it was more of a love story, just that it had an interesting and new premise. Asunder somehow gave me an inkling of what the author was aiming for, but despite the push, I was still way too distracted with Ana and Sam's overly touchy-feely displays. I get that they're so in love with each other, and have more feelings and emotions than they could probably handle, what with Sam being Ana's first love, and Ana being the only one Sam feels very, very strongly about in all his five thousand plus years, but more often than not, the romantic interludes just add way too much to the scenes. Seriously, do these guys have to keep touching each other in almost every chapter?
The story starts off pretty slow and tedious, to be frank, so Asunder was a bit of a chore to read at first. When Ana and Sam weren't too busy canoodling, I got to pick up some bits and pieces of what is actually going on at Heart. I did end up getting lost a lot of the time, but I do chalk this up to leaving this book for days at a time, and picking it up only when my deadline for the review drew near.
Don't be fooled; I liked Meadows' world-building, and it has me convinced that it could actually be possible, and I did like the new characters she's introduced. I do like why the book is titled Asunder. Ever since then, Ana thought she would be the only one to fend for herself. Even if she's had so much more from her new life in Heart, she somehow still considers herself apart from them. But when she finally realizes that music, Sam, and all her friends are a part of her as much as she is a part of their existence, Ana doesn't seem to be afloat anymore. She seems to find her place in the world, no matter how unwanted she and other newsouls may be.
If it weren't for the last chapters of the book, which I believe somehow redeemed itself, I probably would have given this book either a 2 or a 2.5. The lovefest is off-putting, but the story has just begun to get interesting, and readers will finally get a gist of what direction the books will be heading toward.
Rating:
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