Tagged: peree
The Defiance by A. G. Henley
(Cover picture courtesy of Bookworm Confessions.)
It hasn’t been long since Fennel, a Sightless Groundling, and Peree, her Lofty Keeper, fell in love and learned the truth: the Scourge, and their world, are not what they seem.
Fenn and Peree are determined to guide their people to the protected village of Koolkuna, but first they must convince them that everything they believe is a lie. An impossible task, especially when someone seems hell-bent on trying anything–even animal sacrifice and arson–to destroy the couple’s new bond and crush the frail truce between the Groundlings and the Lofties. Not everyone wants to uproot their lives in the forest, and those who stay behind will be left terribly vulnerable.
Fenn and Peree’s resolve to be together, and the constant threat of the Scourge’s return, push both groups to the breaking point. Unable to tell friend from foe, Fenn must again decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice to ensure the future of the people of the forest.
Only this time, the price of peace may be too high to bear.
[Full disclosure: I liked the first book so much that I asked A. G. Henley for an ebook copy of The Defiance in exchange for an honest review.]
Oftentimes series with great first books never really measure up to the potential that I see in the first book. Usually the second book lets me down in what I like to call Book 2 Syndrome. Fortunately, The Defiance didn’t suffer from this at all. In fact, it should probably be held up as an example of how second books should be written.
The Defiance starts off pretty much where we left off: with Peree and Fenn back in their respective tribes, trying to tell people that the Scourge are really just sick people and not real zombies. Trying to tell someone something that would change their entire worldview is very difficult and that fact is reflected in the slower pace of the story. Even though her very life is at risk, Fenn tries so hard to convince everyone that they should go to Koolkuna when she and Peree leave. She wants everyone in both tribes, even the truly horrible people, to go and live a good life.
I’m not someone who is big on romance, but I love how Fenn and Peree’s romance has progressed. It’s gone from a sweet, budding sort of young love to a more mature, secure love. You can tell that these two people love each other no matter what, even though their respective tribes will do practically anything to keep them apart. What’s so interesting about the whole Brilliant Darkness series is the fact that Fenn is blind and yet we get such a vivid picture of the characters and the surroundings. It’s sort of refreshing that the main character isn’t constantly describing how perfect her love interest’s looks are. No, Fenn focuses on who Peree is as a person and that is just what I like to see in YA.
The plot starts off a little slow like it did in The Scourge, but things quickly heat up. The mysterious threats about Peree and Fenn’s relationship, the plotting of several community members as well as the impending move to Koolkuna made me read The Defiance all in one sitting. It really was that good and I hated it when I knew the book was about to end. And on such a cliffhanger! I can’t wait for the third book, The Fire Sisters!
I give this book 5/5 stars.
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The Scourge by A. G. Henley
(Cover picture courtesy of A. G. Henley’s site.)
Seventeen-year-old Groundling, Fennel, is Sightless. She’s never been able to see her lush forest home, but she knows its secrets.
She knows how the shadows shift when she passes under a canopy of trees. She knows how to hide in the cool, damp caves when the Scourge comes. She knows how devious and arrogant the Groundlings’ tree-dwelling neighbors, the Lofties, can be. And she’s always known this day would come—the day she faces the Scourge alone.
A tale of star-crossed lovers, strange creatures, and secretive, feuding factions, THE SCOURGE introduces readers to a rich and exciting new world where nothing is as it seems.
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
I thought I’d seen it all when it comes to zombie books. Zombies are religious retribution, a virus, a parasite, etc. But nothing prepared me for A. G. Henley’s zombies.
You see, what was different about these zombies is that Fennel, who is blind, can walk among them while no one else can. She’s part of the Groundlings, people who hide in caves when the Scourge comes around because the Scourge doesn’t like the dark. The Groundlings are kind of in an uneasy alliance with the Lofties, people who stay up in the safety of the trees to avoid the Scourge. But the problem with the Groundlings and the Lofties is that they need water to survive, especially in their hot, humid climate. So the Sightless like Fennel and her adoptive mother must walk among the Scourge with the protection of a Lofty called a Keeper, who uses his bow to protect her while she gets water. Although the Scourge often avoids the Sightless, they can be dangerous and Keepers like Peree (Fennel’s Keeper) are tasked with keeping Fennel safe.
So why will the zombies not approach someone who’s blind but will devour anyone else? Why do they fear the dark? I don’t want to give away the big twist, but I’ll say this: it’s horrifying. It’s terrifying in that it could really happen but also because of the implications of it that completely change how you view Fennel’s world in the first half of the book. Really, when I learned the secret of the Scourge it hit me like the proverbial ton of bricks. But I’ll let you discover that feeling for yourself when you read it.
Having a blind protagonist is definitely new to me and I feared it would severely limit A. G. Henley’s descriptions of Fennel’s world. I was wrong to worry because instead of using sight, Henley used impressions of colour (blue is like cold, red is like heat), sounds and even taste to give us a vivid picture of a terrifying and beautiful world. In the wrong hands a blind protagonist could result in absolutely no description at all, but I like how in The Scourge it probably resulted in more description.
Since being Sightless is a huge part of Fennel’s life I feared other aspects of her characterization would be affected. Again, I was wrong to doubt. Fennel is reasonably content with her world until the Scourge and her Keeper Peree turn it upside down. Following a punishment for being a good person, she begins to doubt whether the Groundlings are necessarily better than the Lofties, challenging a belief she’s held on to for years. I expected the romance between Fennel and Peree from the first chapter, but how it developed was gradual and satisfying. They go through so much together it would be hard for them not to fall in love so it doesn’t seem like A. G. Henley threw in the romance for extra tension.
I loved everything about The Scourge: its characters, the zombies, the plot and A. G. Henley’s writing style. I even loved the cliffhanger at the end. Seriously, if you love traditional zombie books try out The Scourge and I guarantee you’ll never look at zombies the same way again. I can’t wait for the next book!
I give this book 5/5 stars.