Jaye Wells

In reading other reviews for this book I found two things consistent--1) problems with the protagonist, Sabina Kane (too wishy-washy, too stupid, too trusting, too naive...) and 2) comparisons to the Ilona Andrews' series Kate Daniels (no favorably I might add). I'm not really the sort to compare books in that way, its hard for me to really 'rec' books because of this. To me each book series is its own universe, its own characters, its own thing. Each author is setting out to accomplish the same general goal--to bring a good read to the audience, but their specific goal for their characters (and the means used to achieve them) will greatly differ.


Did I enjoy reading this book? Yes. I can say that without reservation. Did I love every single aspect? No, but its a rare book that I won't be upset about something or some portrayal. It didn't wreck my reading experience though. Yes Sabina got on my nerves with her inability to adapt to the truth--but in her shoes I can't say I'd be any better. Her world starts out one way in the beginning of the novel and then does a flip. she has trouble coping. Given the atmosphere that she grew up in--the very controlling atmosphere--this isn't so unreasonable.


The tone of the novel was also inconsistent, but as a first novel I wasn't too worried on that. It seemed as if Wells wanted it to be a sort of darkly humorous situation at times, but wasn't able to effectively juggle the threads to do that. Its the sort of thing that can be fixed by the next novel. I thought when Sabina wasn't lamenting her life, or listening too deeply to the lies, she was a fun character to read about. Her interactions with the world at large were unique, as was the world itself. I find myself becoming drawn to urban fantasies with lots of racial politics and hierarchies as of late, so digging through the Dominae (Vampire), Mage and Fey political trenches was fun times for me.


Some of the language was crude, but it didn't faze me that much. By the end of the novel the problems I had with the book didn't keep me from wanting to read the forthcoming sequel, Mage in Black, which is enough to make me happy.… (mere)