Title: The Shadow
Prince
Series: Into the
Dark, #1
Author: Bree
Despain
Publisher: Egmont
Publication Date: March
11, 2014
Genres: YA,
Fantasy
Reviewed by: Ellen
Fritz
Ellen’s rating: 5/5
SUMMARY
Haden Lord, the disgraced prince of the
Underrealm, has been sent to the mortal world to entice a girl into returning
with him to the land of the dead. Posing as a student at Olympus Hills High—a
haven for children of the rich and famous—Haden must single out the one girl
rumored to be able to restore immortality to his race.
Daphne Raines has dreams much bigger than her tiny southern Utah town, so when her rock star dad suddenly reappears, offering her full tuition to Olympus Hills High’s prestigious music program, she sees an opportunity to catch the break she needs to make it as a singer. But upon moving into her estranged father’s mansion in California, and attending her glamorous new school, Daphne soon realizes she isn’t the only student in Olympus who doesn’t quite belong.
Haden and Daphne—destined for each other—know nothing of the true stakes their fated courtship entails. As war between the gods brews, the teenagers’ lives collide. But Daphne won’t be wooed easily and when it seems their prophesied link could happen, Haden realizes something he never intended—he’s fallen in love. Now to save themselves, Haden and Daphne must rewrite their destinies. But as their destinies change, so do the fates of both their worlds.
Daphne Raines has dreams much bigger than her tiny southern Utah town, so when her rock star dad suddenly reappears, offering her full tuition to Olympus Hills High’s prestigious music program, she sees an opportunity to catch the break she needs to make it as a singer. But upon moving into her estranged father’s mansion in California, and attending her glamorous new school, Daphne soon realizes she isn’t the only student in Olympus who doesn’t quite belong.
Haden and Daphne—destined for each other—know nothing of the true stakes their fated courtship entails. As war between the gods brews, the teenagers’ lives collide. But Daphne won’t be wooed easily and when it seems their prophesied link could happen, Haden realizes something he never intended—he’s fallen in love. Now to save themselves, Haden and Daphne must rewrite their destinies. But as their destinies change, so do the fates of both their worlds.
REVIEW
I absolutely love stories that combine the modern
world with mythology and in particular, Greek mythology. As Haden proceeds into
the mortal world and specifically, Olympus Hills High, to seduce Daphne Raines,
the Hades and Persephone myth seems about to be repeated.
I simply couldn't put The Shadow Prince down. Although comfortably paced, the frequent
shifts in point of view between Haden and Daphne move the story along with
something exciting to discover in every new chapter. A couple of oracles, a
three-headed hell cat posing as a tiny kitty, and an ancient mythological evil
are just some of the things that spice up this tale giving it an atmosphere of
old-world adventure. As music plays a key role in this book, the Orpheus and
Urydice myth is also highlighted.
The characters are extremely well developed. Daphne
Raines is a strong female lead with a healthy sense of responsibility and
enough self-confidence when adversity comes her way. Haden, though ambitious,
has the ability to feel deeply; something that is not allowed in the Underrealm.
This ability to feel, however, might save Daphne from an unimaginable future.
Haden's lack of knowledge of the modern world provides
some welcome humor throughout the book. Imagine a completely clueless young man
having to get dating advice from the internet! Definitely a recipe for disaster
and embarrassment.
The message that is driven home throughout this book
is what extent ambitious people will go to to obtain fame and money. With a
whole bunch of said ambitious people together in Olympus Hills, it is logical
that innocent people are bound to be exploited.
Although this is clearly a young adult book, it is
certainly the kind of book that even your grandmother will enjoy. For an
enchanting read filled with adventure, action, suspense and a touch of tender
romance, as well as some profound wisdom, I highly recommend The Shadow Prince to readers of all
ages.
PURCHASE LINKS
ABOUT the AUTHOR
Bree rediscovered
her childhood love for creating stories when she took a semester off college to
write and direct plays for at-risk, inner-city teens from Philadelphia and New
York. She currently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband, two young
sons, and her beloved TiVo. The Dark Divine is Bree's debut novel.
Follow us with:
No comments:
Post a Comment