Review: 'Til the World Ends

Authors: Julie Kagawa, Ann Aguirre, Karen Duvall
Release date: January 29th 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Paperback, 368 pages
Buy: The Book Depository


Dawn of Eden by Julie Kagawa 

In my review of The Immortal Rules, I complained rather loudly about the lack of backstory and the incomplete worldbuilding. With Dawn of Eden, Kagawa elegantly took care of that little problem and gave us a story that is informative (a foundation for this series, I’d say), at times terrifying, but also very human and warm.

Although it describes the apocalypse, Dawn of Eden has a strong underlying message of hope that cannot be ignored. Some of the horrors portrayed are difficult to stomach, and I don’t say this lightly. I’ve read my fair share of horror, but a scene or two in Dawn of Eden made me uncomfortable at the very least. On the other hand, love can be born in such awful circumstances, and that’s what Kagawa decided to show us.

I find it most interesting that this story puts Kanin front and center, even though he appears very briefly. I feel it’s reasonable to assume that he’ll be the one to find some solution in the future. Since he’s my favorite character, I’m very much looking forward to seeing more of him.

Thistle & Thorne by Ann Aguirre 

It took no more than a few seconds for me to find myself completely immersed in this world. It’s amazing how Aguirre establishes her worldbuilding and her heroine’s voice in no more than two pages (and sometimes in a single sentece). Her world solidifies around you so quickly that you become captivated before you fully realize what’s going on. I’ve experienced this so many times now, but I never get tired of it.

Thistle and Thorne is begging to be a full-length novel. Now that I’ve caught a glimpse of this world, and especially the characters, there’s nothing I’d love more than to see it turned into a series. I’m quite willing to beg and bribe, if necessary.

The ending was perfect – it was both entirely satisfying and open enough to leave me hopeful and excited about things to come. The world Aguirre created has an enormous potential and I’m confident she’ll make the best of it. She always does.

Sun Storm by Karen Duvall 

Sun Storm is a well-written and well-paced story, although it certainly isn’t without issues, especially in the romance department. I’m not a fan of couples that are drawn together by some supernatural force or that are get together in a situation where they have no other options because I feel it makes their love both unconvincing and less valuable. Some authors find a way to make it work regardless (Tahereh Mafi is an excellent example), but Karen Duvall is not among them, at least not in this case. Sarah and Ian were drawn together by their abilities, they complemented each other perfectly. That left me wondering about the nature of their (rather sudden) attraction for each other. As hard as I tried, I just didn’t believe their feelings were genuine.

Sun Storm may be the weakest link in this anthology, but it’s still a decent enough tale. The worldbuilding alone is interesting and thought-provoking enough to make this story well worth your time.