The Demon's Lexicon

By Sarah Rees Brennan

Nick and his brother Alan are on the run with their mother, who was once the lover of a powerful magician. When she left him, she stole an important charm - and he will stop at nothing to reclaim it. Now Alan has been marked with the sign of death by the magician's demon, and only Nick can save him. But to do so he must face those he has fled from all his life - the magicians - and kill them. So the hunted becomes the hunter… but in saving his brother, Nick discovers something that will unravel his whole past…

"The Demon's Lexicon is full of shimmery marvels and bountiful thunder." - Scott Westerfeld
"Sarah Rees Brennan crafts a twisty tale full of surprises." - Holly Black
"Witty, dark, and moving, this novel will keep your eyes glued to the pages." - Cassandra Clare

Nonstop action, nail-biting supsense, clever rapartee, and a knockout secret involving the two brothers will keep readers on the edges of their seats. Fans of the paranormal and the Supernatural television series are going to enjoy the adventures of these demon-fighting brothers, but so will aficionados of sharp writing, complex characters, fast-paced plots, teen angst, and the struggle between good and evil.

For fans of Supernatural comes a read-until-3am-book, the first in the series by acclaimed author Sarah Rees Brennan

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
• Release date: Feb 18, 2010
• ISBN: 9780857070043

Sarah Rees Brennan

Sarah Rees Brennan is the New York Times best-selling author of fantasy novels for teens including The Demon's Lexicon, a YALSA Top Ten Books for Young Adults, and The Bane Chronicles, co-authored with Cassandra Clare and Maureen Johnson. www.sarahreesbrennan.com

Reviews for The Demon's Lexicon

[ltl1red · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

At first I didn't get where the story was going but that's where Sarah shines in her writing! The story of Nick and Alan is fascinating and by the time you get to the end of this first book you will be flabbergasted at where the story goes. I can't wait to start the next book which I have but will hold off on starting because once I start it I won't want to put it down.

[elizajane_1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Reason for Reading: The plot sounds fascinating and just like my type of book. Comments: I couldn't finish this book. I made it to page 94. I admit it's been a busy week for me but to struggle with one book and read only 95 pgs in a week, for me, is unreal. I really did give this the extra effort because I wanted to like it but it just never captured me. I couldn't get a hold on the plot. I couldn't connect with the characters. Finally, the parts about demons and magic that should have captured my imagination (I wanted it to!) just didn't. It has received very good reviews from others, though. It's average rating on Amazon is 4.5. I wish I was one of them but sadly this book and I just could not connect with one another.

[sr510 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's possible I built this book up too much before I finally got the chance to read it. I've been following Sarah Rees Brennan's work for awhile; she's done some excellent fanfic, and her Livejournal is an enduring delight. She definitely knows how to write engagingly, but I'm used to her writing about likeable characters.This book is told entirely from the point of view of a very unlikeable character. He's sociopathic, misanthropic, misogynistic. It turns out that there are important reasons for this, but that doesn't make it any more fun to be inside his head.Having read the final chapter, I want to go back and read the book again. I suspect it'll be better the second time around. (Already, there are a couple of minor points that annoyed me the first time through that turn out to make more sense in hindsight...)The good news is that book two is supposed to be from a different character's point of view. Any of the three major choices would be an improvement, and it should be much more fun to see where they go from here.

[krau0098 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book in the Demon’s Lexicon trilogy. This was an okay YA paranormal/UF book. It's a fairly dark story, and while I didn't hate it, it was incredibly predictable. I kept hoping for something to happen that I didn't expect and it never did. I listened to this on audiobook and the narration was fine; I didn’t really love it or hate it. I would recommend listening to on audiobook if you enjoy audiobooks. The story is about a couple brothers that are fleeing a cult of evil mages that are after their insane mother. It’s pretty dark for a YA novel, but not awfully so. There is some action, mystery, and of course demonic elements. I did enjoy the creative take on demons and their interaction with humans and our world; this was a bit different than other YA demon themed urban fantasies I have read. I also liked that this wasn't really "romance" focused but was focused more on family, friendship, and what it means to be human. Overall an okay book, but I wasn't all that engaged in the story and found that whole thing to be too predictable. I don't plan on continuing with the series.

[nx74defiant · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Really good. I liked the relationship between the brothers and the twist.

[pagei_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A great replacement for Harry Potter fans. There is lots of action and dark humor.

[cadym_3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was intrigued when someone recommended to me "The Demon's Lexicon". I'm a big fan of Rob Thurman's Leandros brothers series, and was curious to see how author Sarah Rees Brennan handled the brothers theme. And...I found her book hard to put down.In Brennan's world, magic and demons exist, unknown to us ordinary humans. Power-hungry Magicians, grouped in Magician Circles, use magic to summon demons into our world and "feed" humans to them (they help demons possess humans) in exchange for more power.Across England, 16 y/o Nick and his big brother Alan escape from the evil Magicians, while dragging their crazy mom, Olivia, along for the ride. Years ago, the Magicians managed to kill their father, and Alan was injured badly and was left with a permanent limp. It seems that the Magicians desperately want back a unique talisman that Olivia stole.Alan and Nick are different. While the sensitive-yet-tough Alan is thin, blue-eyed, with a pianist's hands, relying on his superb way with words, cunning and gun-marksmanship, Nick is big, dark and brooding, fighting silently with his swords and knives.One night, just when Alan and Nick intend to skip town again following another Magicians' attack, someone butts in:young Jamie and his sister Mae dare ask the brothers for help. Jamie has been mark by demons. If no one helps Jamie remove the marks, he'll die. Nick doesn't want to help; all he cares about is Alan.Alan, however, wants to try save Jamie. When, while trying to help Mae and Jamie, Alan gets marked by demons, too, Nick is furious-- he must find a way to remove the demon mark and save Alan. On top of it all, Nick starts to suspect that Alan, the only person he trusts, has been keeping secrets from him for years...The story is written in third-person, from Nick's point-of-view. Sentences are lean, simple, edgy, threaded with subtle, dark humor. The writing is superb, the surprises are many, and the ending is just perfect.I recommend this book wholeheartedly. Just don't expect another "Nightlife". Brennan's "The Demon's Lexicon" is different, in a wonderful way.

[jguidry-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I thought I was easily predicting the plot of the book as I was reading along. It was still an interesting read and I was enjoying the characters. Then the author threw a curve ball I was not expecting out of nowhere. I was glued until the last page when that one hit me on the head. Not my typical genre, but I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish.

[devafagan-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I had very high expectations for this book, founded almost entirely on Sarah Rees Brennan's bewitching livejournal posts. I am happy to say that THE DEMON'S LEXICON delivered on every level. I adored the snappy, witty banter and the excitement of the twisty plot. About halfway through I started suspecting a particular plot point and then I HAD TO KNOW if I was right and whooshed through the rest of it to the end. But my absolute favorite aspect of the book are the characters of Nick and Alan. This book may be told from the point-of-view of an apparent sociopath, but it has one of the deepest hearts of any book I've read lately. In fact, I found it more affecting emotionally than most of the romances I've read!

I will certainly be looking for the sequel!

[madamewho · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'd read this book several years ago and liked it--but not enough to buy the sequels. This time around, I picked up the entire trilogy from the library. It's darker than I remember, and the protagonist/viewpoint character Nick was still an unpleasant narrator. However, knowing what I did about the twist ending, his unpleasantness made a lot more sense. The love triangle aspect wasn't quite as played out when this book was first published, but by now I'm over the whole "Which boy will she choose?" angst thing.

[mirandalg14 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I guess this would really be 2.5 stars. The story was decent and the characters were ok, I just really had a hard time getting into it and struggled to finish it. Maybe at another time I would really like it.

[nte-7 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

So I may not be 100% on board with the Demon's Lexicon Trilogy, but this first book did have some interesting characters, a good background on just what kind of world everybody is living in - and how they should be acting in it - and a few standout great scenes. I'm definitely going to check out the rest of the books, see where she goes from here.

(Also, just Note To Me: Marked as disability-fic, because Alan, the brother of the main character has a physical disability - an untreated injury has caused him permanent damage to his leg, a (sometimes more pronounced) limp, and some chronic pain. It isn't addressed to any great extent, but IDK what happens in the rest of the books, and it is worth mentioning here.)

[wealhtheowwylfing · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I waited for this book to come out for at least a year, and when I finally got it (tonight!) I started reading it and didn't stop until it was done. It is insanely enthralling.

This is the first paragraph: "The pipe under the sink was leaking again. It wouldn't have been so bad, except that Nick kept his favorite sword under the sink." This is our introduction to Nick Ryves, a sixteen year old who has been on the run from magicians his entire life. He and his older brother Alan (with a crippled leg and a habit of caring about pitiful cases) have only themselves to depend on--their mother is mad, and their father was killed years ago. Desperate to free his family and his friends from demons and magicians both, Alan comes up with plan that could kill them all as easily as save them.

Nick has a fascinating POV, and the relationships between characters are believable and drawn with a deft touch. Brennan has a great ear for dialog, and uses humor to great affect. Every character has motivations, moralities, pasts and personalities--the depth therein never overwhelms the action, but makes it feel real, instead. The action scenes feel frantic and alive, and the twists and turns near the end...damn. Worth reading the entire book just for the showdown.

[clare_m-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent book with one heck of a surprise at the end-at least for me! Just re-read this with my daughter and she really enjoyed it as well. We're now reading Demon's Covenant and enjoying the heck out of that too. Very well paced, engrossing characters who you really care about who are in a very difficult struggle. Interesting also to watch the contrast between the jaded and world weary Alan and Nick and the more innocent yet brave Mae and her quiet brother Jaimie --with secrets of his own. Highly recommended.

[jadedlioness · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It starts very slowly, but does speed up so it is worth sticking with it. Likewise at times the plot seems very transparent, and again it will surprise you. I'm interested to see where the rest of the trilogy leads.

[jerenda-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was amazing. I couldn't say if I loved Nick, but I was attached to him from page one. The deeper I got into his mind, the more involved I became, until it was hard to put it down. It's amazing how deep she was able to go with him- especially as most writers rely on their talent to make readers feel what the character is feeling, and Nick's main is murderous rage. Not exactly something you want to impose on your readers. Yet... I loved it. The simple way he viewed the world, with a few basic truths and nothing else mattering, everything. It was amazing, and I have no idea how she did it. I'm going to be waiting for more from this author. With talent like this... it would be worth the wait.

[michalsh · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was intrigued when someone recommended to me "The Demon's Lexicon". I'm a big fan of Rob Thurman's Leandros brothers series, and was curious to see how author Sarah Rees Brennan handled the brothers theme. And...I found her book hard to put down.In Brennan's world, magic and demons exist, unknown to us ordinary humans. Power-hungry Magicians, grouped in Magician Circles, use magic to summon demons into our world and "feed" humans to them (they help demons possess humans) in exchange for more power.Across England, 16 y/o Nick and his big brother Alan escape from the evil Magicians, while dragging their crazy mom, Olivia, along for the ride. Years ago, the Magicians managed to kill their father, and Alan was injured badly and was left with a permanent limp. It seems that the Magicians desperately want back a unique talisman that Olivia stole.Alan and Nick are different. While the sensitive-yet-tough Alan is thin, blue-eyed, with a pianist's hands, relying on his superb way with words, cunning and gun-marksmanship, Nick is big, dark and brooding, fighting silently with his swords and knives.One night, just when Alan and Nick intend to skip town again following another Magicians' attack, someone butts in:young Jamie and his sister Mae dare ask the brothers for help. Jamie has been mark by demons. If no one helps Jamie remove the marks, he'll die. Nick doesn't want to help; all he cares about is Alan.Alan, however, wants to try save Jamie. When, while trying to help Mae and Jamie, Alan gets marked by demons, too, Nick is furious-- he must find a way to remove the demon mark and save Alan. On top of it all, Nick starts to suspect that Alan, the only person he trusts, has been keeping secrets from him for years...The story is written in third-person, from Nick's point-of-view. Sentences are lean, simple, edgy, threaded with subtle, dark humor. The writing is superb, the surprises are many, and the ending is just perfect.I recommend this book wholeheartedly. Just don't expect another "Nightlife". Brennan's "The Demon's Lexicon" is different, in a wonderful way.

[maureene87 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I guessed the twist pretty early on, but this is still a great book. [Oct 2010]

[shanaqui_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I didn't like this book nearly as much as I hoped to. I'm not sure whether to give it two or three stars, because once I got to the last hundred pages, it did pick up, and I loved the last few pages. But it took so much to get there, and I honestly nearly put the book down for good halfway through. All that kept me going was the knowledge that people whose taste I'd tend to trust did really love it -- but, on reflection, I'm not sure I would go back in time two hours to when I made the decision to finish it and say yes, go for it, you'll regret it if you don't. I've already decided, for example, that I won't read the sequel, based on the reviews of it. It just doesn't sound that interesting to me.

Part of the problem was that it felt like I'd read it already. The relationship between Nick and Alan reminded me of a certain other pair of brothers who get involved in deals with demons... In fact, it didn't remind me of Sam and Dean Winchester in themselves, as shown on TV, as much as it reminded me of fanfic of the series. I did believe in the bond between Nick and Alan -- I'm not saying that was badly done -- but I just felt like I'd been there before. That feeling did abate a bit in the last fifty pages or so, though.

I can't say I liked Nick as Nick. It's hard to relate to him -- throughout, I was thinking about the choice of him as the character the narration stuck to (it's third person limited). I couldn't fathom it, since surely Alan would be much easier to sympathise with, and through his love for Nick, we might understand Nick better... But having read the end, of course I understand that decision. It's just difficult to have to wait so long for payoff. In any case, I did find Nick fascinating, and I was sure that there was some plot reason for him being the way he is. A small part of me is a little disappointed it wasn't due to PTSD all along, though.

It's worth noting that Alan is a disabled character, but he's still capable in his own ways and there isn't massive dollops of angst and manpain about what he can't do.

Jamie and Mae... I just didn't really care about them, or the love triangle thing that was going on. Another reason why I will probably not go for the sequel.

The author endears herself to me by saying in the (rather skimpy) interview section that she loves Dar Williams' music (though I wouldn't call it country music). You know how people talk about how whatever music they listen to was life-changing? Dar Williams was that, for me, at the tender age of fourteen, and still is now. But that's neither here nor there.

[cathyvil · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Someone obviously forgot to hire the editor since the writing was atrocious and contradictory.

[mephistia · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I thought this was a great read, for many reasons. The characters are well developed, the pacing was perfectly timed, and best of all, I did not see the ending. I thought I did, but then she hit me out of left field with a completely different twist than what I was expecting.

First and foremost, I love Rees Brennan's writing style. I was originally introduced to her work through a fan-fiction community online. The first piece of her writing that I read, I didn't like. But as she continued to write and post in the fan-fiction community, her writing style matured and changed. Her later pieces of fan-fiction I adored -- in fact, by the time she stopped writing fan-fiction, she was the only writer in that particular form that I was still reading.

Naturally, I was excited that she was being published in her own right, as I think she's a brilliant writer with a fantastic ability to convey humor, develop character and weave multiple plotlines together. The only thing I was worried about (since I'd only read her fan-fiction work) was whether or not she could pull off the same magic in an original work.

Well, she did. This book is riveting, impossible to put down for any length of time.

The fact that I (along with many other of her fans/followers online) was able to read about her journey towards publication, follow the links to her interviews that she so generously provided and (best of all, in my opinion) watch her grow and mature in her writing style made this work all the richer and more textured, but this is a work that will stand on its own. You do not need to be familiar with the author's journey, with her previous works or her parodies of literature and films to enjoy this book.

Rees Brennan is an inspiration and an example to aspiring authors. Because of her online journal, interviews and helpful links, I've become more aware of what truly talented authors do to get published. All too often in authorial interviews, I've heard the answer, "The story just came to me and I wrote it down," in some variant. Reading Rees Brennan's blog and the various links she included helped me realize that while that is a part of it, there's so much more to getting published that first time than just a brilliant idea and a fevered spurt of writing.

[maybedog · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Brilliant. I loved this book. It's Rob Thurman for teens. Although I figured out what was going on fairly early in the book, I don't know that the target audience, who haven't read the dozens of urban fantasy books I have, would figure it out as quickly. the pacing was perfect, I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting. She showed rather than told, revealing just enough to keep me interested and not confused but not so much as to bore me or ruin any surprises. The characters are all distinctive and real to me and there's a gay boy which always pulls my heart strings. (Of course he's witty, too.) The stage is clearly set for the rest of the trilogy and I can't wait to read the next one.

[sparkleponies · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

enjoyed the book, good story line

[callmecayce · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'd always meant to read this book, but I hadn't gotten around to it. I found myself equal parts frustrated with and enjoying this book. The story is convoluted, but it's not necessarily a bad thing. It's the weird (though not unreasonable) twist at the end that messes with things. I am interested in eventually reading the second book, but not right away.

[psteinke1122_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Nick has always felt different. He is a 16 year old boy with an older brother who is devoted to him and a head-case Mom who can’t even stand to look at him. Nick was raised in a family that knows magic is real. His Dad was murdered by a magician. That magician was trying to get a charm from his Mom. Nick, his brother, Alan, and their Mom have been on the run ever since. Renting cheap flats and only staying until something magical appears in the vicinity and then they are off and running again. But this time, a sister and brother from Nick’s school appear on the scene and believe Nick and Alan might be able to help with the nightmares and weird mark appearing on Jamie…but helping them gets Alan marked by a demon as well. So it’s a race against time to get the marks removed and not be caught by the Magician that killed Nick’s Dad.I had tried to read this book a while ago and just couldn’t get into it. However, I picked it up this time and couldn’t put it down. The story moves fast and from the beginning you feel like you aren’t getting the whole story. There are too many holes and convenient excuses. So the reader is looking for clues as to what is going on. The big reveal wasn’t a surprise…I knew it was coming, but what I didn’t know was the how. Lots of surprises pop up in the last third of the book…most I didn’t see coming. Now I want to know where Rees Brennan is going to take it from here. Because this is part of a trilogy, this first book is a lot of backstory/mythology and world building…and a lot of twists and turns. The world is decidedly dark and full of bad magicians and demons…which makes for wicked fun. Nick is constantly struggling with his feelings/emotions, or lack therein. Alan is a “do-gooder”, but also a very talented liar. A cautionary tale of brotherly love, that grabs and won’t let go.

[lisamaria_c · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a promising beginning to what seems to be a series--there's a sequel, at least, The Demon's Covenant. It's a YA Urban Fantasy, and first of all I was grateful for what it's not--not the first person account of a teenage girl. Not remotely about vampires. And not set in the United States, for once, but in England. Which is not to say this didn't remind me of other paranormal tales. Many reviewers noted the similarity to the television series Supernatural, with two brothers combating, well, supernatural evil. It also reminded me somewhat of JK Rowling's Harry Potter, perhaps because the acknowledgements mentioned someone involved in that fandom. But I could see some Hermione in Mae, a Harry in Alan, a nicer, kinder Draco in Jamie and well...then there's Nick. It also reminded me too much of Daryl Gregory's Pandemonium, an amazing book with similar themes. Reading that book may be why I guessed what many found an amazing twist at the end before I'd read a couple of dozen pages of The Demon's Lexicon.Nick is the central character in this novel, and utterly unlikeable for most of the length. It's obviously deliberate and a gutsy move because even though this is told third person, it's told strictly through his point of view throughout. What kept me reading despite the nearly sociopathic protagonist was several things. For one, there's wit and humor throughout the narrative that does make this fun to read. Second, there are hints from the beginning that this is a family sorely tried--enough to gain my sympathies. The father is dead, the mother mad, and the two young men--Nick is sixteen years old and Alan not much older--taking care of themselves and each other. And that is Nick's saving grace--that he does care very much about his brother. Besides which, as I said, I had my suspicions early on about what was up with him, and staying with the story pays off. I also thought that for all that I found derivative in the novel, there was nevertheless a lot that felt very much its own book and some fine world-building. All in all a good, well-paced and entertaining read. I'd certainly be interested in reading the next book.

[acg233 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Title: The Demon’s LexiconAuthor: Sarah Rees BrennanGenre: YA ParanormalPublishing Information: 336 pages; June 2nd, 2009 by Margaret K. McElderry Series: The Demon’s Lexicon #1Where I got it: Borders liquidation saleOne sentence: Brothers Nick and Alan Ryves have always been on the run from the magicians and the demons who give them their power, until a brother and sister come to the Ryves for help and drag them deeper into a game of cat and mouse and secrets that could change Nick’s life. Themes: Fantasy, demons, magicians, magic, siblings, paranormalMain character: 4/5I’ll admit I was not enamored with either Nick or Alan at the outset of the novel, however as often happens, they grew on me. Nick is literally a sociopath, which is so different from anything I’ve ever read! A foil for Nick, Alan seemed like a pushover for most of the novel; however he definitely appeared in a different light at the end. The brothers’ development created well-rounded, fascinating characters that I was emotionally invested in. Secondary characters: 4/5Brennan excelled at expert characterizations in even the most minor characters. Jamie and Mae were thoroughly written, full of twists, surprises and quirks. I found them to be slightly clingy and dependent in the first half, but again, they came into their own in the second part of the novel. Even Nick and Alan’s mom is illustrated perfectly, despite her minimal appearance.Writing style: 3/5The writing started out slow and awkward, but picked up speed until the second half of the novel was nearly break-neck speed, making it impossible to put down. The action was intense and suspenseful, but was balanced out well with sometimes-over-the-top description. The foreshadowing was basically nonexistent. Plot: 4/5The world building was astounding- from the demons and magicians and the rules that govern their magic to the Goblin Market. What a treat to read! The plot was interesting and kept me engrossed in the tale of Nick and Alan. And that plot twist! Wow! I never really saw that one coming, but it definitely took the novel to a higher level.Ending: 4.5/5That plot twist definitely made the ending something to remember. There were so many possibilities and ways that Brennan could have ended the novel, but the myriad of twists and turns revealed more about the characters and made everything all the more richer.Best scene: The end!Positives: Interesting and unique characters, world building, PLOT TWISTSNegatives: Slow introduction, just okay writing styleFirst Line: The pipe under the sink was leaking again.Cover: A little tacky, but definitely intriguing. Verdict: A fun demon read with world-building and twists that take it to the next level.Rating: 7.8 / 10

[jacindahinten · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It has been over a month since I’ve read Demon’s Lexicon and I’m just now writing the review. I’ve never waited this long to write a review, but I did use tons of sticky notes, so hopefully all goes well.As I mentioned above, it’s been awhile since I’ve read Demon’s Lexicon, but the characters and story line have stuck with me. The story and ideas in the book are different from anything I’ve read prior. Many things stayed a mystery to the very end of Demon’s Lexicon, which I loved. I wasn’t able to guess the ending and I was surprised. The supernatural elements were very interesting and intriguing to me. A ritual that was performed I still think about on a regular basis(clue: this ritual is being performed on the cover of Demon’s Covenant, but in my mind it looks way more fascinating).Nick…he has to be the one of the roughest toughest male protagonists in the wild wild west…actually in England and in any other young adult book I’ve read. From the beginning Nick is a very hardcore and seems to show no emotion or feeling towards anything or anyone besides his brother, Alan. Nick is a character everyone will probably start off hating, but once you really get to know him and his reasoning, hopefully that will change. Nick would do absolutely anything for Alan, he’s the only person in the world he loves. Nick and Alan’s banter is hilarious at times, Nick can be very snarky.I know…very short review. But I really loved The Demon’s Lexicon and I was happy I ended up picking it up to read! The character’s names and personalities will continue to stick with me and so will the storyline! I highly recommend this series to lovers of anything supernatural!…in case you’re wondering what I really thought of Nick, I took a note that said if you look up bad boy in the dictionary, Nick’s pretty face would be there.

[shmuel510_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's possible I built this book up too much before I finally got the chance to read it. I've been following Sarah Rees Brennan's work for awhile; she's done some excellent fanfic, and her Livejournal is an enduring delight. She definitely knows how to write engagingly, but I'm used to her writing about likeable characters.This book is told entirely from the point of view of a very unlikeable character. He's sociopathic, misanthropic, misogynistic. It turns out that there are important reasons for this, but that doesn't make it any more fun to be inside his head.Having read the final chapter, I want to go back and read the book again. I suspect it'll be better the second time around. (Already, there are a couple of minor points that annoyed me the first time through that turn out to make more sense in hindsight...)The good news is that book two is supposed to be from a different character's point of view. Any of the three major choices would be an improvement, and it should be much more fun to see where they go from here.

[cay250 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Teen fantasy, good read