Synopsis (from Goodreads.com):
It was like a nightmare, but there was no waking up. When the night began, Nora had two best friends and an embarrassingly storybook one true love. When it ended, she had nothing but blood on her hands and an echoing scream that stopped only when the tranquilizers pierced her veins and left her in the merciful dark.
But the next morning, it was all still true: Chris was dead. His girlfriend Adriane, Nora’s best friend, was catatonic. And Max, Nora’s sweet, smart, soft-spoken Prince Charming, was gone. He was also—according to the police, according to her parents, according to everyone—a murderer.
Desperate to prove his innocence, Nora follows the trail of blood, no matter where it leads. It ultimately brings her to the ancient streets of Prague, where she is drawn into a dark web of secret societies and shadowy conspirators, all driven by a mad desire to possess something that might not even exist. For buried in a centuries-old manuscript is the secret to ultimate knowledge and communion with the divine; it is said that he who controls the Lumen Dei controls the world. Unbeknownst to her, Nora now holds the crucial key to unlocking its secrets. Her night of blood is just one piece in a puzzle that spans continents and centuries. Solving it may be the only way she can save her own life.
Review:
I like books with a bit of mystery and suspense to them and unfortunately for me, I don’t read them often enough. So I was excited when I got this book into my hands.
While the book didn’t start off extremely strong, it definitely improved the more I got into it and the more things are revealed. And by the middle of it, I was sucked in. But by the end, I was left disappointed.
I honestly couldn’t tell you what happened to make me feel that way though I have my suspicions. First, I think part of it had to do with Nora. While I didn’t hate her, I didn’t particularly love her either so I guess that leaves me indifferent–though I was routing for her along the way. And I think routing for her left me a little disappointed in how her story ends. Perhaps if there was a sequel or a follow-up novella I would feel better.
The plot was intriguing and I didn’t find it predictable. I actually enjoyed the mystery but I think it moved too slow in parts. I think it left me confused at some points (I’m writing this review long after I finished the book so I’m not entirely certain) and I think my biggest problem lies with how the whole things concludes. It just felt unfinished and I HATE that about a book.
Conclusion:
This book didn’t particularly wow me in any sense. It was an interesting read and I suppose a nice break from the faster-paced novels I usually read but I think I would have spent my time on something else instead. If you like slower mystery novels that have a similar idea to the Da Vinci Code, you would probably enjoy this. Otherwise, pass.
Rating: 3/5
Shorthand Stats:
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Romance
Recommended for: 16+
Similar Reads: Cross My Heart by Sasha Gould (Cross my Heart #1)
[…] Reads: The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin […]