If I Should Die by Amy Plum
Tuesday, June 18, 2013.jpg)
Author : Amy Plum
Genre : Fantasy
Published Date : May 7th 2013
Publisher : HarperCollins
Pages : 405
Source : Bought
Rating : ✿✿✿✿✿
From Goodreads :
I will not lose another person I love. I will not let history repeat itself.
Vincent waited lifetimes to find me, but in an instant our future together was shattered. He was betrayed by someone we both called a friend, and I lost him. Now our enemy is determined to rule over France’s immortals, and willing to wage a war to get what they want.
It shouldn’t be possible, none of it should be, but this is my reality. I know Vincent is somewhere out there, I know he’s not completely gone, and I will do anything to save him.
After what we’ve already fought to achieve, a life without Vincent is unimaginable. He once swore to avoid dying—to go against his nature and forsake sacrificing himself for others—so that we could be together. How can I not risk everything to bring my love back to me?
Get a Copy : [AMAZON] | [BARNES&NOBLE] | [INDIEBOUND] | [THE BOOK DEPOSITORY]
Review
The first time I've seen this book, I have to admit that I'm not the biggest fan of its cover. The heart-shaped swirl was so godamn cheesy, and I think it's not really good compared to the first two book. But hell, Amy Plum had made me really curious about the continuation of Kate and Vincent's story I could care less for the cover.
"Am I okay? Will I ever feel normal again?"
—Kate
—Kate
If I Should Die begin with Kate as she sat on the river, talking to the volant Vincent, who was minutes from being burned. Desperate to not lose the boy she loved, Kate once again seek help from Bran, the guérisseur who claimed that there was a way to re-animate Vincent's lost body. But when life was lost and the stake became higher, would Kate choose her love, or the survival of the entire Paris?
From the plot and the story pacing, this book was really great for me. It started with a conflict, and was really gripping right from the very beginning. The stake was also high and the situation was very dire, and it really helped us to root for Kate.
Honestly, when I read this book, I had quite forgotten about who is who and only remember the story in general. But reading the beginning, Amy Plum had neatly summarize what had happened in the previous book on the narration in such a smooth way it didn't feel like an info dump, yet I had no trouble understanding it.
One thing I noticed—and loved—from reading this book was its character development. On the first two book, I actually didn't really like Amy Plum's characters and the interesting plot was all that made me keep on reading. In If I Should Die, however, they all showed quite a nice development, especially Kate and Vincent.
Kate Mercier, our main character, was shown as a tougher, braver girl than she was previously. And even though she didn't really possessed physical strength, I love that she wouldn't just stand still and act helpless, but rather use her brain to turn the situation somehow. Sure, badass heroine who can jump into action was lovely, but a smart and rational girl was also great to read.
I also love that in If I Should Die, Kate's parents—or in her case, grandparents—were not absent, like they usually do in so so many YA novels, but rather played a huge part in making the decisions of Kate's life. It really added a realistic and believable feeling, and also unconsciously, it also helped enhancing the story.
Vincent Delacroix, Kate's lover as well as our other main character, in my opinion, was the one who undergo the major characteristic development on this book. I didn't really like him before, because he was just really oh-so-handsome-and-perfectly-ideal and not flawed at all, which made him simply unbelievable. But as the story progress, we actually get to see his soft and human side, that he could cry and feel fear and be threatened as well, while still maintaining his trademark cool demeanor. And I think it really helped on making him more believable and likable.
The side character however, such as Jules, Georgia, and Charlotte, were all a little bit flat and two dimensional. They didn't really have any specific characteristic that felt truly 'them', and it kinda hard to connect and relate with them. Some side characters that were memorable and unique enough for me, though, was Ambrose with his trademark funny and easygoing personality. He's always the one with strong characteristic, and he was really believable I could picture him having another life outside the plot.
One think I'm not quite fond of this book was Violette, a bardia who changed side and became the numa's leader, becoming Kate and Vincent's main enemy.
As our main antagonist and traitor, she was not really brilliant and three-dimensional enough. I mean, I could totally understand her motives for hunting the Champion, but why so obsessed with it if your desire was only to control the numa? If only her desire was backed up with some kind of personal grudge or whatever, I think it would added the realistic feeling—which, in this case, was a bit lacking.
Overall, if you've read and loved the first two books of this series, I assure you'll enjoy this one. It has a perfect tension-building, and the characters were getting better than before. If you enjoy reading urban-fantasy and swoony romance, this book might be just what you've been looking for.
0 comments
A comment from readers make us happy, really!
This is also an award-free zone, but thanks for your consideration!