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.
***
Out of all dystopian novels, that's not the best I've ever scene. I mean, it's not bad. But it's just not as addicting as it sounds and to be honest, it's definitely no match to famous ones like The Hunger Games, Divergent, The Maze Runner, etc. Though there's some really good parts that makes me think of... well, other books.
For instance, don't you think the heart flutter thing from the very first parts of the book is like Warm Bodies? If I remember correctly, the zombie's heart fluttered when he saw the girl. And now Ash's still heart flutters and beats afterward. Don't tell me there's no resemblance between them, even though there's a huge possibility that it's just a coincidence.
Another thing that reminds me of someone else is Ash himself. And he is somehow similar to Ash in The Iron Fey series. Don't get me wrong. It's not just the name. You see, the Winter Prince Ash was a heartless boy and when he fell for Meghan, his emotions were more... human. And this Ash is just about the same. Before he met Natalie he felt like he was existing between the dead and the alive. He feels when Natalie comes around. Another resemblance here.
The plot itself reminds me of Mystic City (why does everything in this book has to remind me of something?). In Mystic City, Aria Rose is a girl from the "royal family" that is enemy to the mystics... and Hunter, her love. In this book, Natalie is the daughter of Emissary, who rules the government and a sort-of enemy of the Darklings and half-bloods. Now I really wonder if the author's idea of Black City comes from Mystic City, or vice versa.
Of course, there are really good parts. The book is really detailed. There are hidden threats everywhere, there are secrets everywhere. And the fighting scene is just awesome. I really like how Natalie confess her love for Ash in front of the whole country. Admitting you love an enemy to all humans is not something you will see everyday, and definitely one of the most dangerous things to do. And most of all, the book starts out really well. It really caught my attention at first.
I hate to write negative comments, but I have to. The book is detailed, yes. But everything has a negative side. And a too detailed book means there are some little boring parts. And there are some... not so important parts that can be ditched. Like the whole Evangeline issue. I don't know if she will do something in Phoenix, the second book of the series. But if she's not gonna do anything in Phoenix or even the last book of the series, I really doubt the importance of that part's existence. It kind of annoys me.
I can't say the book is not good. But I can't say this book is underrated either. I understand why the rating in goodreads is just 3.93. If you are an expert dystopian novel reader, then I think you should broaden your horizons and read more kinds of dystopian novels, and then I may recommend this book. But if you are a new novel reader, then I think you should know famous ones like THG and Divergent first.
Rating: 6.5/10
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