Monday, April 09, 2012

Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

From Goodreads: Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned - to her old life, her family, her friends - before being banished back to the underworld ... this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists. Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back - this time as his queen. As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's ...

My Rating: 4 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: While I was initially tempted to read Brodi Ashton’s Everneath simply because of its pretty cover, I knew I had to read it once I heard that it was a retelling of the myth of Hades and Persephone because I love Greek mythology. Everneath, however, wasn’t a strict retelling. Rather, it’s more like Ashton was inspired not only by the myth of Hades and Persephone but also by the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice; and then created her own interesting Underworld (which I feel like there’s still more left to be learned about).

The book opens with the reader being aware that Nikki willingly went with Cole to the Everneath, but the circumstances around her decision are revealed slowly throughout the book. Thus, I found it hard to connect with Nikki at the beginning, especially because she was stripped of all her emotions in the Everneath. Through flashbacks interwoven seamlessly into the main narrative though, it became easy to care about her and understand how and why she could just leave her family and friends behind. As time ticked by, I couldn’t help but hope that Nikki would somehow escape the Tunnels.

What I liked about Nikki was that she wasn’t perfect. She had insecurities and if you think about it, she’s a little selfish for coming back when she knows that she’ll disappear again in six months. (Then again, if I was in her position, I’m sure I’d want some sort of closure too.) I also really liked that Nikki was willing to face the consequences of her decision; but she wasn’t going to go down without a fight.

The romance was nicely done as well. Although there’s a love triangle in Everneath, it didn’t annoy me because it didn’t feel like one. Ashton does a good job of making both Jack and Cole equally complex and having Nikki distinguish her feelings about the two. Cole may be the antagonist in the story, but he’s not just a simple villain who you’ll hate outright.

Cole and Nikki may have a bond because of their time together in the Everneath, but she genuinely loves Jack. In fact, so did I! I’m normally a fan of fictional bad boys but Jack managed to win me over in Everneath. The relationship between Jack and Nikki was just so sweet and real; and I really liked that not only was there a shared history between the two but that they had some ups and downs as well.

A paranormal novel that manages to have a unique concept, Everneath was released in January 2012 by Balzer + Bray.

Comments About the Cover: The colours of red and black look very good together, and it does seem as if the model is coming up from underground. The whole girl in a gorgeous dress idea though doesn’t logically make sense because who runs away dressed like that?

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (HarperCollins) for free via NetGalley. 

11 comments:

  1. Hurray for a not strict retelling and an imperfect heroine! Haven't read this one yet, but I think I would like it! Thanks for the review :)

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  2. This is a book I kind of feel like I don't need to read because I've read so many reviews for it, but I am curious about that kind of but not really love triangle. I prefer the bad boys too, but Jack does sound like he could easily win me over.

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  3. I'm glad you enjoyed this one too, Z! I loved how the myths were interwoven into the present. I also loved the fact that Nikki knows she screwed up and she's willing to fix her mistake. I adored the moments between her and Jack. And Jack...*swoon* So incredibly sweet! One of my few complaints about the book is not getting enough time with the family especially after Nikki says how much she misses them, she doesn't really spend much time with them.

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  4. Yeah Z! I just loved this one:) And I agree, normally I gravitate toward the bad boy too, this is the case 99% of the time but Jack was definitely that 1% for me! I liked Cole, there's a lot more I want to know about him, but I was completely in love with Jack by the end:)

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  5. I also loved this book. Your review is really great too. Here are my thoughts:
    http://misclisa.blogspot.com/2011/12/everneath-by-brodi-ashton.html

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  6. Good to know that it doesnt follow the story of Hades and Persephone exactly. I feel like I've read or heard of so many retellings of this story that I would rather read something different instead.

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  7. Oh my dear!

    this re-telling sounds so much better than the one I read from CAbot @_@. I was longing to read this one, but I have read other YA with the same re-telling and they have not hooked me. I guess Im really gonna give this one a try thanks to your review =)

    ^.^

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  8. Yay, I'm SO happy that you loved this book too, Z! :) I swear this was one of the sweetest, most adorable and heartbreaking books I've ever read. Like you, one of my favourite things about this book -- next to the awesomeness that is Jack, of course -- had to be how Nikki was flawed but perfect all at ones! She was just such a strong character, which I guess had to be expected from a girl who spent 100 years in the Everneath LOL x)

    Beautiful review, Z! :) <3

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  9. Lovely review! I'm really loving all these Greek stories that are popping up in the YA category lately so I'll definitely have to get to this one soon. And the cover is just gorgeous!

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  10. Great review I really enjoyed this one too and I thought the same thing about the triangle. I think we,Ll get to like Cole more in the next book I despised him in this one haha. I also loved Nikki she was a great protagonist!

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  11. I still haven't read this book even though I told myself that I would get it right when it came out. I would read this just for the cover as well, haha. I'm such a huge fan of Greek mythology, so that's another reason why I'd read Everneath! Nikki sounds like a fabulous protagonist. I like them a little selfish. :P I really want to read this book to see how Cole--the antagonist--can also be a love interest. And to see if I like it as much as you did. :) Wonderful review! <3

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