Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Book Review: Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy # 3) by Richelle Mead


Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy #3) - Richelle Mead

Synopsis:
Rose Hathaway is still trying to recover from the traumatic events that occurred only three weeks earlier- she witnessed the cold-blooded murder of one of her close friends at the hands of the Strigoi who captured them, and got her first molnija marks, as a sign of having slain several Strigoi.
However, all of these events have begun to build up for Rose, and focusing on normal everyday life is difficult. When the Guardian novices face their field experience orientation, and have to protect their selected Moroi student for six weeks, Rose is determined to do her very best. She is a strong-willed person who is dedicated to becoming a Guardian and she is not going to let a traumatic experience mar her commitment to the job.
Meanwhile, Rose’s best friend Lissa is getting off the meds and will be once again able to access her magic, and sexy Guardian instructor Dimitri is still working on campus, and getting Rose all hot and bothered.
But there are dark forces surrounding St Vladmir’s Academy, and Rose discovers that she is the only one who is able to see the ghostly shadows wandering the campus.
With danger looming and a large-scale Strigoi attack imminent, Rose finds herself having to choose between life and love, and the two people she cares most about…

What I gained from reading this book:
Spirituality and faith are covered a little bit in this novel, as well as the concept of fortune and how it can be shaped by one’s actions.
After Rose starts to see ‘ghosts’, she begins to question her sanity, but she also delves into the spiritual side of life to try and determine whether the ‘ghosts’ she sees are trying to give her a message, in order to find peace, or if they are out for revenge like she previously assumed.
This course of thought also makes her consider her own death and ‘rebirth’ at the hands of Lissa, and makes her wonder whether being shadow-kissed is the reason why only she can sense the dead and the messages that they are trying to communicate.
Rose, Lissa and Dimitri also visit a fortuneteller in this novel, whose predictions cast a shadow over the events in the story, and Rose encounters strange premonitions from an old feeder named Alice as she accompanies Christian to his meals.
These moments, interspersed with some church scenes, make this novel ‘deeper’ than the previous two, and show how Rose is maturing in her views towards faith, especially in times of ill fortune.

Positives:
It’s so romantic reading of Rose and Dimitri’s blossoming but ultimately forbidden love. These moments are especially highlighted during their quiet interludes together, which often occur between the action sequences in the novel.

Negatives:
I don’t know if it’s just the copies that I’ve been reading or if it’s more of a widespread problem but I’ve found quite a few spelling and grammar mistakes in this novel and the previous two books. Although this has nothing to do with the storyline, I find it quite irritating.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Genre: Teenage Fiction

Recommended for: People who enjoyed the action of the previous novel in the series, only this time it’s on a darker level.




Australians can buy the book by clicking the picture below:

Shadow Kiss: Bk 3 (Vampire Academy)

No comments:

Post a Comment