Cast In Shadow

By Michelle Sagara

Seven years ago Kaylin fled the crime-riddled streets of Nightshade, knowing that something was after her. Children were being murdered — and all had the same odd markings that mysteriously appeared on her own skin.

Since then, she's learned to read, she's learned to fight and she's become one of the vaunted Hawks who patrol and police the City of Elantra. Alongside the winged Aerians and the immortal Barrani, she's made a place for herself, far from the mean streets of her birth.

But children are once again dying, and a dark and familiar pattern is emerging. Kaylin is ordered back into Nightshade with a partner she knows she can't trust, a Dragon lord for a companion and a device to contain her powers — powers that no other human has. Her task is simple — find the killer, stop the murders and survive the attentions of those who claim to be her allies!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Harlequin Luna
• Release date: Aug 1, 2007
• ISBN: 9781426804823

Michelle Sagara

New York Times bestselling author Michelle Sagara writes as both Michelle Sagara and Michelle West; she is also published as Michelle Sagara West. She lives in Toronto with her long-suffering husband and her two children, and to her regret has no dogs. She can be found @msagara on Twitter or http://msagarawest.wordpress.com

Reviews for Cast In Shadow

[frithir · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love this whole series! Can't put them down from start to finish.

[darrianas · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I can honestly say that I enjoyed this story and the characters in it,but there were a few problems. It was often hard to distinguish between the different characters and decipher who was narrating/talking at times. The main character also doesn't act the way an 18 year old would at all but maybe that's how the author wanted her to act. I also felt like I spent half the book trying to figure out what Severn did To Kaylin and it was frustrating. There was also a lot to remember about the different characters and the different races. But I don't think this would be a problem if you continued reading the series, but I will not read the second book. Overall, it's a good read and you should at least give it a try

[Nic · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I am rereading this series. I am surprised by how much I didn't love this book this time around. Too many characters with similar names, too many instances where Kaylin doesn't inexplicably boneheaded things, too much of every annoying fantasy trope. Maybe the next book will work better for me.

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The first book in the Chronicles of Elantra introduces Kaylin Neya. She is the youngest member of the Hawks - one of three branches of law enforcement in the city of Elantra. She was born and raised in the lawless fiefs but escaped them as a young teen ager. She bears strange and potentially dangerous marks on her arms and thighs. She left the fiefs after her protector. an older boy named Severn, killed the two younger children who lived with them. He believed that their deaths were necessary to save Kaylin from being found and sacrificed because of those strange marks. Kaylin has made a new life for herself among the Hawks. She has learned to read and write. She has learned the two languages she needs for her job as a Hawk. She has learned weapons. She has also learned to use her magical ability to heal even though she doesn't understand it. What she hasn't learned is magic or politics or anything else that she doesn't believe has a practical use in her work as a Hawk.But now the murders of children have begun again in the fief of Nightshade and Kaylin is sent back in with a dragon named Tiamaris and that boy she ran from now grown and also a member of the Hawks. She has to deal with the Barrani outcaste who is Lord Nightshade and she has to track down the ones who are killing children.To do her job, she has to confront her own magic and learn more about it when little more is known by anyone currently alive. This was an excellent start to a new fantasy series. I combined reading this one and listening to the Audible recording of the book. Khristine Hvam did an excellent job with the narration. I liked her distinctive voices for the characters. The pacing was also excellent.

[devilwrites · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My Review: 6 - Worth Reading, with ReservationsI've been wanting to read this book for quite a long time now. I was familiar with the author through LJ, and when this came out, it seemed like it'd be right up my alley. But I never got it. I waited forever, kept it on my wishlist, but never got around to picking it up. But a couple of years ago, the Christmas fairy delivered it to my doorstep, and it's been waiting on my attentions ever since. Thanks to all of YOU, dear readers, I've finally gotten the motivation to give it a go.The world-building is fascinating, and the crafting of characters is very well done. Each of the characters stand as individuals, with their own demons driving them. Even if I don't know entirely where they're coming from, I don't get the characters confused with one another, not even the minor ones. That's impressive, because the book is told predominantly from a single POV, so there's a lot of secondary, tertiary, and very minor characters to keep track of. And as I said before, the world-building is fascinating. I was quite impressed with the way the world and its magic and races were crafted, and I can see why this book has garnered quite a lot of praise.However, and you knew this was coming due to the rating, I can't say I ever really connected to the material emotionally. Or intellectually. It took me a while to warm up to the book. I recognized that this is well written, and Sagara doesn't bother spoon-feeding her readers: she makes you wait for your revelations, and furthermore, she forces you to figure things out for yourself. Whereas some writers would come out and just explain what's happening and why, Sagara uses character-building moments that build the tension, so that when the information is given that reveals what's happening, you really feel like you've earned it. My trouble is I felt like I was kept as such a distance the entire book that I really wanted, at some point, was for someone or something to give me a quick pat on the head and confirm what I thought was revealed. I don't need it info-dumped or spelled out in neon lights: just some kind of little confirmation in certain cases would've been great. This may be a me-thing, but it's weird when I finally think I figure out what's going on but feel unsatisfied because the author's been so deft, and so coy with the revelations that it's not like a light bulb turning on with all its dazzling brightness; instead, it's like one of those florescent bulbs that slowly brightens, but flickers while doing so and you're not sure if it's going to die or not.But there are moments of great beauty in this book: the description of the Dragons (and they're not what you think they are) was utterly fantastic. Then there's the hard-earned relationships that Kaylin has with her co-workers: I really feel those relationships, and the end rang on a fantastic note. So while I'm not rushing out to buy the next installment, I am sufficiently engaged to consider glomming onto this series when that mythical day of my conquering my TBR passes. For those looking for a unique take in the epic fantasy sense, you should consider this.

[jami_leigh · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Plot: 4 stars
Characters: 4 1/2 stars
Style: 4 stars
Pace: 4 stars

Rather reminds me of Tamora Pierce's Beka Cooper series. There were a few points where I was confused, but they seemed to be the points where Kaylin was confused too, so I can't fault that.

[maaike15274 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I received this through SantaThing this year, and what a good choice. Fast paced story, cool tough heroine (although a little bit at some point in the story) and good world building. I had great fun and it got me over my reading dip. Just what I needed.

[sunnysd_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

When bodies of dead children tattooed with mysterious symbols begin appearing again, Hawk Kaylin is ordered back into the crime-riddled streets of Nightshade she fled from. With a man who once betrayed her and a mysterious colleague at her side, she finds far more in NightShade than she remembers leaving.Wonderful!

[bryndahlquis · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The only thing really wrong with this is the writing. It's not too awesome. It feels like it -could be- spectacular, but it just isn't. Michelle Sagara is trying way too hard to be deep and poetic, but mostly it just ends up being nonsensical. Plus, she needs a lot more description of -everything-, from her characters to her scenery to the plot itself. She leaves waaaaay too much to the imagination. Meaning, I kind of had to fill in the gaps myself and hope I guessed right.Despite this, I did kind of enjoy it. I really like a lot of the characters, and Kaylin's stupidity is oddly endearing. Severn is dangerously close to a cliché, but somehow ends up all right. Tiamaris is awesome. Nightshade is pretty cool. Most everyone else is so-so.Michelle Sagara and her Elantra series has definite potential, it's just not quite there yet.

[shaiha_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Absolutely loved it. The characters (of which there are many) are unique and multidimensonal. The pacing is right on and the dialogue snappy. Makes for a great start to the series.I was also impressed by the narrator who does a great job of distingishing between each character's voice. I never had to wonder just who was speaking.

[lauren2013_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Cast in Shadow
3 Stars

After fleeing the crime-ridden streets of Nightshade as a child, Kaylin Neya joined the ranks of the Hawks, the guardians who patrol and police the city of Elantra. Now, seven years later, Kaylin is drawn into an investigation that has its roots in her childhood when several children with strange markings similar to her own are found murdered. Together with a partner who has betrayed her in the past and a dragon companion who may have his own agenda, Kaylin is charged with finding a killer whose plans may just lead to her own destruction.

Unfortunately, the choppy writing, underdeveloped world building and lack of background on the various characters and races that populate Elantra undermine an otherwise excellent plot premise.

The story revolving around Kaylin’s investigation is fascinating and the complex world building has definite potential. Nevertheless, the flow of the narrative is often disrupted by the dense language and fragmented sentence structure, which makes it necessary to re-read entire passages in order to understand what has occurred or who has been speaking. Moreover, the terminology, concepts and descriptions are lacking in detail, which leaves the reader with more questions than answers.

Despite the compelling cast of primary and secondary characters, including the strong willed and intelligent Kaylin, the enigmatic fieflord of Nightshade, Kaylin’s former friend and current partner, Severn, and Tiamaris, a member of the dragon race with shapeshifting abilities reminiscent of the Kate Daniels series, none of them is sufficiently fleshed out and the lack of background impairs the overall effect of the book.

In sum, regardless of the confusing elements and problematic writing style, Kaylin and her comrades are interesting enough to continue with the series. Hopefully the problematic issues will be resolved and listening to the audiobook narrated by the incomparable Khristine Hvam will help me with the language.

[ansate · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

+1 new fantasy world, hangs together consistently-10 literally the chosen one+8 I got caught up in the damn thing anyway and hurried to the end and I'm going to read book two+2 no obligatory romance jammed into a perfectly full book

[pwaites_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

My reading relationship with Cast in Shadows had a lot of ups and downs. The beginning made it seem like it would be terrible again. The middle made it seem like it’d be all right. Then the ending brought it to back down to a “not very good.”Kaylin is a Hawk, the police force of the City of Elantra. Seven years ago she fled the lawless streets of the fiefdom Nightshade, when strange marks appeared on her skin that had marked death for other children. Now children are dying again, and the marks on Kaylin’s skin are changing. But this time, Kaylin has the power to investigate the mystery.The world building should be one of the draws here. There’s an invented fantasy world, different sentient species, and an urban fantasy feel. Unfortunately, Cast of Shadows did not make that as fun as it sounds. The world never felt very well realized to me, to the point where I couldn’t figure out if it was pre or post industrial revolution. The multitude of non-human species was probably the high point of the series, although I would have liked to see them veer away from strict analogs to Earth species (lions and birds for instance).When it comes to the plot itself, everything was so weird and vague. It also ends up trying to justify child murder in the backstory? I don’t want to talk too much about it here, but it’s under spoiler tags in my LibraryThing reading journal. The pacing also felt super slow, although it did speed up for a while during the middle.I was also hoping from what else I’ve read of the author that there’d be a number of significant female supporting characters who interact with Kaylin. This sort of happened. Kaylin had a female best friend, and there were a couple of other female characters. But it still ended up feeling like almost everyone else involved in the plot was male.Cast in Shadow just felt lacking. I’m not planning on continuing with the series.Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.

[theyodamom · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

3.5 I loved the plot, really wanted to know more of several characters. I really enjoyed the parts of the book I read when I knew who was talking. That was the major problem, I did not know who was talking or what they were talking about more than a few times. I found myself just skimming through the muddle to get to an understandable section. I compare the premise and plot to one of my favorite series The Tarien Soul series-but the author lost me, for many pages and it did not seem to hurt the story ? I needed more direction on who said what, clarity of voice. I have never been so lost while reading a book, so much muddle.. I will read the next book, to see if this improves.

[slpwhitehead · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Cast in Shadow is set mainly in the City of Elantra, which is governed by an Emperor Dragon and occupied by citizens of various species (races?): humans, the winged Aerians, dragons, Leontines, and the immortal Barrani.

Kaylin Neya, the troubled, heroine is marked by mysterious symbols--sigils and curves. She fled the fiefs when she was young when a terrible event occured in the fiefs; children bearing the type of markings she bears were being slaughtered.

Years later, it is up to Kaylin, who is a member of the Hawks of the Houses of Law, who police the city, along with others, including a dragon and a man from her past, to stop the slaughter of children, which is once again occurring.

Kaylin has a power that she does not understand and cannot herself control. Will her power lead them to finding those responsible for the slaughter of innocent children, or will it destroy her and others along the way?

Cast in Shadows is Michelle Sagaras' first book in The Chronicles of Elantra series. It's a fascinating tale that keeps you guessing at every turn. It's fast paced, and everyone has their secrets, so the intrigue is well-layered throughout the text. I really appreciate books that keep the reader guessing and keep the suspense built until the end.

Sagara does an excellent job at world building. She has a good eye for including little details that make the fantasy world she has built seem complete and real. She also does a great job of creating a flawed heroine, with some annoying traits, but those annoying traits make Kaylin seem believable.

I really enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the next book in the series.

[teckelvik · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this book. Sagara has created a really unusual world, with a lot of back story and a lot going on, and done it without one single info-dump! If you read as much alternate world stuff as I do, you realize that this is really unusual, and high praise indeed.It's the characters that really make this book work. Kayla is more of less a cop, and she has a history. She is put in a situation where she is facing down monsters, of what shape isn't clear, to her or to the reader. But she doesn't give up.I liked the fact that she has skills, and she has allies. She's not dumb enough to try to do everything on her own, but she's willing to put herself out there for other people (of whatever species) and they reciprocate. She's not super smart, and not everyone likes her. She's not beautiful, and doesn't use sex to lure in the bad guys. She's funny, and faces consequences, and cares. She's a girl well worth spending time with.The writing is good, although the big confrontation at the end wasn't. This is a book that has been all about show, not tell. In that scene, it all fell apart. I got what Sagara was trying to do, but it wasn't done well. On the other hand, the dialogue is excellent. She is able to do whole pages without tags, simply because each character has such a clearly distinct voice that they aren't needed.I will definitely be following this series.

[steph1203-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Awesome book! Can't wait to read more!

[snownsew · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have looked at this book I do not know how many times before I actually caved in and purchased it. My main resistance was the fact that it is published by Luna - a Harlequin publishing company. Didn't want to read a romance. I decided to read it based on the reviews. I am glad I did - it does, in no way that I could see, fill the "Harelequin" mold.

As usual, I had a bit of trouble getting into this book. I honestly cannot remember at what point it became a book I was unable to put down. Kaylin is a very passionate and feisty heroine. The mystery as to who she is and what makes her so kept me glued to the story. Unlike other stories where I just wanted to know the answer to the mystery, I really enjoyed the ride as it unfolded. After finishing the book, I still have unanswered questions - not the kind that make me angry in the "Why didn't the author address this?" way but the kind that go "I can't wait to read the next book to see what direction these questions take me" way.

I could not decide if I was angry or fascinated by the way the answer to Kaylin's relationship with Severn was revealed. I will say that it came as a complete surprise and I did not see it coming. Even a tiny bit.

I adored the different races in this book - and the characterizations that came with each. I will admit to picturing the Leotines a bit like the cowardly lion in The Wizard of Oz. And, who among us hasn't dreamed of having wings and the ability to fly?

The humor in this book is very subtle. In some (very few) instances I actually laughed out loud. Kaylin reacts to stress the way that I do: by making really bad jokes that cause those around her to question her sanity. Not a lot of romance here - but I can see it developing in future installments.

Indeed, I am annoyed that I have finished this. Now, I have to "get into" another novel.

[mikaela_l_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What I liked about it:
I picked up this one on Fictionwise, since I had wanted to read it for a long time. I am glad I bought it. It is a fast paced read, that at times feels like it is an Urban Fantasy. It hooked me from the start. From the opening scene, with Kaylin being awakened by the mirror . If the day started bad, it gets worse when she is told that she has to go back to Nightshade, the fief she grew up in To make things worse, she has two partners that she cannot quite trust. ( I loved that Kaylin makes no secret about the fact she would love to kill Severn.) But then Kaylin is courageous, sometimes bordering on reckless. She faces Lord Nightshade several times, alone. ( Lord Nightshade gave me goosebumps.) She faces her own memories again, albeit reluctantly. Kaylin is loyal, and would do anything for a child. And that is what really puts her in trouble.
Through the book, it feel as if everyone knows more about the reasons, and about the probable source about Kaylin’s power. This causes a layer of suspense that gives the book another layer.
What I didn’t like about it:
What kicked this down from A to B- , was that Kaylin failed all classes, except Barrani. Despite this, she was allowed to become a hawk. Yes, I know it is fantasy but there should be some classes that are required to pass.
Summary:
A fast paced fantasy, with a tone of Urban Fantasy. Will I pick up the next book? Probably.

[janetarmentani · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really liked this one. The characters make you relate to them, even if they total fantasy creatures. I will definitely read the rest of this series.

[christiesbookreviews · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Cast In Shadow by Michelle Sagara is the first book in an intriguing series. I have never read anything like this before. The world she brings you into is very different. When I first began this series I really had to think to read it because it was a completely new world. With a new world I had to learn a lot. Now I know the world and it is easier to sit back and read without as much thought. Don’t be discouraged though. Cast in Shadow is a really good book and so is the series. Kaylin is a strong female character. She ran away from her past years ago and devoted her life to work for the law in Elantra. Now she is being confronted with her past and all the questions that come with it. One of those questions is about the marks that cover her body that have been there since she could remember. This is a wonderful world holding plenty of action and adventure and even some mystery. If you are looking for an interesting read this is a good book and series to invest yourself in.

[sailorfigment · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed the story, but for most of the book I just wanted the characters to 'get on with it'. Dialogue is fine, but there was little description going on around it. The dialogue didn't always make sense and the characters didn't always explain things they expected the reader to know. I know the main character was supposed to be rash and immature, but but that doesn't mean the author can't tell the readers about things.I will read the next one in the series, but mostly out of morbid curiosity.

[bookaddictdiary · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Young Kaylin left her home to find protection in the ranks of the Hawks, a type of peacekeeping, almost police-like force in Elantra. Sadly, she finds that she's not very good at magic, generally fails classes and is cursed with a strange gift that ties her to the past she tried to run away from. When the Elantran authorities investigate Kaylin further, her past returns and Kaylin is forced to unravel the mystery behind her strange past.Cast in Shadow sounds like a typical high fantasy novel with a butt-kicking heroine -and it pretty much is. The story, overall, was enjoyable and entertaining; I kept reading up until the very end. While the plot itself and characters are hardly original, the world of Elantra was really interesting to learn about and I enjoyed some of the secondary characters quite a bit. Sagara has a gift for fun, believable dialogue and has a great writing style that captures just enough of the novel to give the reader a picture of the world without overdoing the detail.So, with all these glowing remarks, why not more stars? Well...Cast in Shadow was "good" not "great." The originality was a little lacking for me and at points it felt like the characters sat around and talked too much. I was also was hoping that Kaylin would get a little more interesting, but she ended up being one of my least favorite characters in the book.I think this series has great potential to be even better in future installments. Heck, I'm interested enough to pick up book 2, so that's saying something.

[animeshon_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I had heard good things about this series, but really nothing prepared me for how epic it truly was. The world is so detailed and rich. The histories of the characters and the races brilliantly developed and interwoven with the plot. Kaylin herself is a strong female warrior desperate to be stronger and filled with guilt.

[adambourke · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An incredible start to an incredible series. The world that Sagara has created is a fascinating realm of politics and fantasy, which is explored to the deepest levels. In this first novel in the series however, it is perhaps too deeply. By this I mean that there are some elements that remain confusingly complex until later books. Despite this only frustration however, the book is a brilliant read, and deserves a place on any fantasy-lover's bookshelf.

[mmillet_7 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Seven years ago, Kaylin left the fief of Nightshade with various demons at her back, vowing never to return. Since then, she has made it into the ranks of the Hawks - one of the three branches of peacekeepers in Elantra including the Wolves, Hawks and the Swords. She's worked hard to get where she is, overcoming a rough childhood where she lived on the brink of poverty, scrounging to make a life for herself. These fiefs are areas full of old magic that don't really come under any government jurisdiction and it shows as crime is rampant. But she's moved past all that (or so she thinks) when Kaylin's boss gives her a new assignment, asking her to investigate a recent murder in the fiefs along with - surprise, surprise - her childhood friend Severn who she doesn't exactly have fond memories of. The murders throw her back into the horrors of her past as the killings mirror those that occurred seven years ago and above all seem directly connected to Kaylin. Kaylin is determined to stop the murders this time around and with Severn and a Dragon at her back she is prepared to unravel the mystery no matter what the cost to herself.So much happens in this 400 page book but not always what I wanted to hear about. I found myself confused about several points in this book. For the first 100 pages or so, I was just confused. I had absolutely no clue what was going on most of the time - so much history, the different races - it was a lot to take in. It got better, but I was still floundering for the rest of the book. Most of the time I left a scene only understanding a piece of what just occurred. But that's not to say Sagara's world building isn't extremely impressive. Elantra is composed of six races: humans, Aerians, Dragons, Barrani, Leontine, and the creepy Tha'alani. Each has it's own complicated set of customs and caste system that I, for one, would have loved to learn more about. And I wish I knew more about Kaylin's early years spent with the Hawks and Severn's time spent with the Shadow Wolves. I know this book is intended to be the first in a series but I really wanted MORE. There were also a few inconsistencies that stood out a little too much: like the fact that even though Kaylin was raised on the streets she refers to herself at one point as a spoiled brat. Huh. I didn't know street urchins qualified as spoiled brats. But Kaylin herself is wonderful. She does what it takes to get the job done and I can't but help love her for that.

[jak1886 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It was really hard for me to decide, once I finished this book, if I really liked the story or not. There were things about the novel that were good, but many that got on my nerves. I came to the conclusion, after some deliberation, that there were two things that irked me about this book.One was that I had a hard time with the way the main character, Kaylin Neya, acted. She's twenty years old, but through her actions, thoughts, and words, I felt like she was thirteen, which was also a time in her life when traumatic things happened to her. It irritated me how immature she seemed for her age. I'm still not sure if the author did that on purpose or if that's just what the author thinks 20 year olds act and think like. My suspicion is that it was done on purpose, trying to show how much the past effects Kaylin, but having said that, it could have been written so much better. Kaylin didn't have to act like a thirteen year old to show that she was still partially stuck in the past. I felt like Kaylin was acting like one of those kids that, after being reprimanded, sticks her tongue out at her disciplinarian when their back is turned.I also really didn't like the constant mystery and alluding to events that happened in Kaylin's past. The author took way too long to explain the way Kaylin acts towards Severn, a boy she once knew in the "fiefs" (what could be compared to slums), who becomes her partner in a branch of "law enforcers" called the Hawks. During their first encounter after 7 years, she tries to kill him. More than half of the book leaves you wondering what Severn could have done to warrant this type of reaction, and her subsequent treatment of him. This thread of the plot is dragged out much longer than necessary. The reader doesn't find out until well through the 2nd half of the book. The "event" is constantly being referred to without the reader being "allowed" to know what the actual event was.Other than those two things, the story wasn't half bad. Her other characters were more likeable than Kaylin. The world and types of races that Sagara creates are really rather intriguing, and the actual story line isn't half bad. I just wish that Sagara had taken a different approach to revealing Kaylin's past in the fiefs, as well as making Kaylin a more mature woman.

[psychobabble4u · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I am now on book three of the series, which means I read and finished this book. I was engaged in the story but got lost several times when the author failed to help me understand her concepts. I liked the characters and the story, I just think the author got caught up in the fantasy at times and was unable to put it into words the reader could understand.

[crazybatcow · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Ummm... it was a very difficult book to finish. Not because it's a hard read, it just wasn't engaging enough to make me want to keep reading. I kept putting it down (and, in fact, ending up reading a non-fiction while in the middle of this because it was more engaging!).And the last quarter of the novel was very rushed. First 3/4 spent setting up the history, plot and romance, last quarter to do all the action (except, of course, fulfilling the romance - and isn't Luna supposed to be a romance line?). It's almost like a different writer took over at the end - the writing gets "poetic" and flow-y and is told in fast forward... actually becoming, well, juvenile.I don't think I'll waste my time with more in this series.

[seekingflight · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I was a little disappointed by this fantasy crime novel. Based on the jacket, I’d expected a sophisticated tale of court intrigue. Instead, I got an impetuous teenager with a mysterious past, working with someone from that past, trying to solve a series of murders where the corpses are all tattooed similarly to tattoos that exist on her own arms and thighs. I might have been better able to accept it on its own merits if I hadn't expected something so drastically different.