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The Lone City #1
Le Joyau
Vous êtes plus précieuse que vous ne le pensez. Le Joyau, haut lieu et coeur de la cité solitaire, représente la richesse, la beauté, la royauté. Mais pour une jeune fille pauvre comme Violet Lasting, le Joyau est avant tout synonyme de servitude. Et pas n'importe laquelle : Violet a été formée pour devenir Mère-Porteuse. Car dans le Joyau, le vrai luxe est la descendance... Achetée lors de la Vente aux Enchères par la Duchesse du Lac, Violet – le lot 197, son nom officiel – va rapidement découvrir la réalité brutale qui se cache derrière l'étincelante façade du Joyau. S'exercer à la cruauté, à la trahison et aux coups bas est la distraction favorite de la noblesse. Violet doit accepter son sort et tâcher de rester en vie. C'est pourtant dans ce sinistre quotidien qu'elle tombe amoureuse d'un séduisant garçon, loué pour servir de compagnon à la nièce aigrie de la Duchesse. Cette relation interdite vaudra aux jeunes amants d'affronter les plus grands des dangers...
452 pages, Paperback
First published September 2, 2014
1202 people are currently reading
47657 people want to read
About the author
Amy Ewing
25 books2,432 followersAs the daughter of a librarian, books were a crucial part of Amy Ewing's childhood. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School, and her young adult fantasy novel The Jewel became a New York Times and international bestseller. Amy lives in New York City with her senior rescue dog. The Irish Goodbye is her debut novel for adults.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,242 reviews
November 16, 2014
DNF at 95%, because I just don't give a fuck.
This book is called The Jewel. It is a misnomer, because had the title been accurate to the contents of the book, it would have been called The Big, Stinking Pile of Shit.
This book is similar to Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale if it had been written for people who loved pretty dresses, Mary Sues, and hates being offended. In short, it's for people who watch Fox News.
The Handmaid's Tale is a true dystopia in which the ruling class keeps a group of women around, solely for reproductive purposes. The main character in that book is a breeding cow. There is where the similarity ends. This book had none of the complexity, an interesting setting that quickly descends into absurdity and a character who is bred for perfection...a pretty breeding cow, chosen for her genetic superiority. The difference is that every ounce of flavor, every bit of grittiness, every iota of realism, every implication of the dark side of surrogacy and sexual abuse has been bleached the fuck out of this so-called dystopia.
What's left is a flavorless, bland, utterly insipid "dystopian" version of every Mary Sue-insta-love you can ever imagine.
The Summary:
In this Dystopian world, we have regions known as The Farm, The Smoke, The Bank. Each region has a ruler, a countess, a duchess...Due to some kind of genetic mutation, the upper class are no longer able to bear children. It would be an unusual world except for the stupid fucking fact that almost everyone is named after a theme. For example, all the people in one region are named after colors. Here are a sample of the names: Ochre, Hazel, Sable, Violet, Raven, Cobalt, Crow, Ginger. THERE ARE ONLY SO MANY COLORS, PEOPLE. YOU'RE GOING TO RUN OUT OF THEM EVENTUALLY.
Which is why I've decided to name our Violet #800080.
So no normal pregnancies for the rich here. Instead, they get genetically blessed girl like #800080 to have babies for them. But rather than being forced to go through, like, sexual abuse and stuff like that, these girls are more or less pets for the family that buys them. They are slaves, exquisitely dressed slaves, extraordinaryly pampered...sometimes abused---slaves. Not to mention breeding mares, who never have to have sex. EVER! Whoo! Totally PG, y'all. And the painful, excruciating, lengthy process of in-vitro fertilization? Turned into an artificial gloss of pain, without any authentic feeling of violation or despair.
In any case, #800080 is beautiful. Extraordinarily talented. Exceptionally lovely. In an auction of 200 girls, the highest ranked is the most beautiful, the most prized. #800080 is ranked...
Horrifying. But then...Cora gets the chance to do something about it. There is a secret rebellion that could free the entire fate of her fellow caged brood mares. She can free herself.
So what does Romeo and #800080 do?
My frail resolve wavers. I think about what sort of person I want to be. I owe Lucien my life, and I will be loyal to him until the end. But Ash has nothing to do with that. Ash is separate, a part of my life that is just mine. There are things that are bigger than us, it’s true. Saving the surrogates. Destroying the royalty. Is loving Ash worth the risk?You get one fucking guess. What do you think she chooses?
This book is called The Jewel. It is a misnomer, because had the title been accurate to the contents of the book, it would have been called The Big, Stinking Pile of Shit.
This book is similar to Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale if it had been written for people who loved pretty dresses, Mary Sues, and hates being offended. In short, it's for people who watch Fox News.
The Handmaid's Tale is a true dystopia in which the ruling class keeps a group of women around, solely for reproductive purposes. The main character in that book is a breeding cow. There is where the similarity ends. This book had none of the complexity, an interesting setting that quickly descends into absurdity and a character who is bred for perfection...a pretty breeding cow, chosen for her genetic superiority. The difference is that every ounce of flavor, every bit of grittiness, every iota of realism, every implication of the dark side of surrogacy and sexual abuse has been bleached the fuck out of this so-called dystopia.
What's left is a flavorless, bland, utterly insipid "dystopian" version of every Mary Sue-insta-love you can ever imagine.
The Summary:
My skin is ivory, an odd contrast with my hair color, and my eyes are violet. I don’t need a mirror to tell me that. They’re what I was named for.Our heroine is the fantastically-named Violet Lasting, who I will henceforce address as the html color code of #800080, the code for purple. Why? Because I can't type Violet Lasting without gagging, that's why.
In this Dystopian world, we have regions known as The Farm, The Smoke, The Bank. Each region has a ruler, a countess, a duchess...Due to some kind of genetic mutation, the upper class are no longer able to bear children. It would be an unusual world except for the stupid fucking fact that almost everyone is named after a theme. For example, all the people in one region are named after colors. Here are a sample of the names: Ochre, Hazel, Sable, Violet, Raven, Cobalt, Crow, Ginger. THERE ARE ONLY SO MANY COLORS, PEOPLE. YOU'RE GOING TO RUN OUT OF THEM EVENTUALLY.
Which is why I've decided to name our Violet #800080.
So no normal pregnancies for the rich here. Instead, they get genetically blessed girl like #800080 to have babies for them. But rather than being forced to go through, like, sexual abuse and stuff like that, these girls are more or less pets for the family that buys them. They are slaves, exquisitely dressed slaves, extraordinaryly pampered...sometimes abused---slaves. Not to mention breeding mares, who never have to have sex. EVER! Whoo! Totally PG, y'all. And the painful, excruciating, lengthy process of in-vitro fertilization? Turned into an artificial gloss of pain, without any authentic feeling of violation or despair.
In any case, #800080 is beautiful. Extraordinarily talented. Exceptionally lovely. In an auction of 200 girls, the highest ranked is the most beautiful, the most prized. #800080 is ranked...
I exhale. “197.”#800080 is bought by one of the wealthiest rulers, an extraordinary woman, The Duchess, for an unheard-of price.
Raven grins. “Looks like we’re hot commodities.”
“Sold!” the auctioneer cries, and all my muscles turn to jelly. “Sold for six million diamantes. To the Duchess of the Lake.”And #800080 is so fucking perfect, so brilliant, so smart. So excellent at the magical art of Augury (wut lol), that for the Duchess, she is a prize beyond compare.
“Yes,” the Duchess murmurs, almost to herself. “I think you are exactly what I’ve been looking for."#80080 has the most dreadful existence in the world. #800080 can't believe the injustice of it all. Her body is not her own. She is a slave, a possession, there to be used, abused, and thrown away.
“Yes . . .” The Duchess runs a manicured finger down her cheek. “I’ve been waiting for you,” she says, her dark eyes fixed on mine. “For nineteen years.
Horrifying. But then...Cora gets the chance to do something about it. There is a secret rebellion that could free the entire fate of her fellow caged brood mares. She can free herself.
“She must believe you are on her side. You have to make her trust you. It is our best chance of getting you out as quickly and safely as possible.”So naturally, with this grand plot in mind, #800080 must focus all her energy on looking at her lovely reflection.
The stranger in the mirror has been transformed.Exploring her enormous wardrobe. Wearing glamorous new nightgowns
I blink rapidly, trying to reconcile her with the image I had of myself in my head. The image of a pretty girl, slightly plump, full face, big eyes. The woman I am looking at now is beautiful. Stunning. Her cheeks seem thinner, molded to accent her high cheekbones, and her eyebrows arch delicately over luminous eyes, lined in rich purple with accents of lilac and gold. Her lips are glossed in pale pink, and her hair tumbles over her shoulders in thick curls, one side pinned up with a jeweled clip, encrusted with amethysts that form the shape of a butterfly. There is a shimmer to her skin, almost like she’s glowing.
I’m wearing a white silk nightdress, not unlike the one I wore at Southgate, embroidered with green and gold thread. The lady-in-waiting holds up a jade dressing gown, and I slip into it. Now I match this room.Wearing lovely dresses.
At five to seven, I stand outside the doors to the ballroom dressed in a pale green gown that makes the footman’s eyes pop before he can stop himself. The bodice leaves my shoulders bare, and the skirt falls to the floor in layers like the petals of a flower, their edges woven with glittering crystals. A choker of diamonds wraps around my neck and diamond earrings hang from my ears.And making judgmental calls on other people wearing beautiful dresses.
“My goodness, isn’t she just a vision,” the Electress gushes. She wears a gown of rich crimson velvet with a large dragon embroidered on its skirts—it seems like too much material for her small frame—and her lips are painted bright red. Like at the Auction, I am strongly reminded of a child playing dress-up.#800080 is powerful, her magic in Augury is strong. She can change the world. Or she can explore the palatial mansion in which she is imprisoned.I want to explore a little more of this palace on my own, decide for myself where to go and what to see. Several maids are cleaning the windows that look out onto the garden, and I flit past the doors, pausing in between them to make sure I’m not seen.With so much power, so much strength, that is being built up and trained every day, #80080 can do extraordinary things.
Standing in the doorway is a boy. Not a boy, a young man—he looks to be about the same age as the Duchess’s son. Tall and slender, with tousled brown hair and a strong jaw. His mouth curves a bit at the corners, like he’s holding back a smile. One hand rests in the pocket of his pants and his shirt is open at the collar.Things like...fall into insta-love. Beautiful Boy Ash is a slave himself. He is a companion, a sexual boy toy to wealthy, older woman (who are, naturally, disgusting and nasty and so unlike the pure, beautiful, and virgin-Mary-like #800080). Together, they are not strong. Together, they are a danger. This is forbidden love, if there ever was one. He could be severely punished if they were caught. She could be killed at the Duchess' whim. And forget about her grand rescue mission.
But it’s his eyes that have me pinned in place. They are a soft gray-green, and they look at me in a way I haven’t been looked at since I started my life in the Jewel—like I am a girl, a person, not a surrogate. And yet, it’s something more than that; they look at me in a way that makes me feel hollow and strangely buzzy.
So what does Romeo and #800080 do?
“Violet,” he says, and when he looks in my eyes, my stomach somersaults. “I think . . . I think I love you.”
I feel myself dissolve into a thousand molecules, amazed at how three small words can completely alter my state of being.
“I think I love you, too,” I whisper.
August 24, 2014
A place where noble women cannot reproduce.
A place where these women buy beautiful, talented, peasant girls from the Auction.
A place where these teenage girls are bought to become surrogates.
A place where these surrogates have unfathomable powers that change shapes, colors, and sizes.
...
Is it me or are dystopian novels getting weirder and weirder every year? Either the world's running out of ideas and isgrasping at straws, or the world's trends have moved on ahead of me, 'cause I do not get it and I feel like an old woman now.
In any case, I read this book with a very open mind. I was having weird feelings about the premise initially, but I still wanted to give it a chance just in case it did have the potential to be a blockbuster. It started okay, a bit confusing at first, but around the thirty percent mark it started spiraling down the rabbit hole for me. I was really, really struggling, but I trudged on, hoping to find something that would make me appreciate it. Unfortunately, the romance (read: insta-love to the max) entered, annoyed and enraged every fiber and nerve of my being, and The Jewel never manged to resurface from the abyss since then.
That left me very, very grumpy.
Now, don't get me wrong. The writing was decent. There were times it was vivid, and it was definitely easy to read. Unfortunately, we see the story unfold in the MC's eyes who is oh-so special and frankly, quite boring to boot, so while the writing may have had potential, it left a lot to be desired.
Meet Violet, a determined, beautiful girl who has... violet eyes. Can it not get any more cheesy than that? For some otherworldly reason, aside from having such a rare color of eyes, she is also incredibly talented in Auguries, a kind of magic teenage girls like her have, that give them the ability to change colors (like making the painted skin in a portrait green), shapes and sizes/life (?) (like making a bud turn into a sapling or flower). And oh, before I forget, she also is the most sought-after surrogate in the Auction. We are repeatedly told of how special she is - from her looks, to her talents, to her playing the Cello - but we're not given much foundation aside from that, and we are simply expected to accept her awesomeness.
And may I say that she is so dull? She never really undergoes any substantial character development throughout, and she is so monotonous in her narration. I guess that's to be expected from someone who is groomed to be a surrogate, but come on, we're in her thoughts, man! This is the chance to give her some spine and personality! Some oomph in her bones! But nooooope - Violet (who has violet eyes... man, I just can't get over that) has to be a one-dimensional twit.
And nothing really happens. For 95% of the bloody book, nothing really happens. The MC eats breakfast, gets sneered at by the Duchess, plays music, walks around the mansion, wears dresses, gets sneered at by the Duchess, attends balls, goes to the doctor for check-ups and experiments, gets sneered at by the Duchess, attends balls, wears dresses, plays music... And oh, gets complimented at for being so awesome, beautiful, extraordinary, and talented between the activities, while wallowing in self-pity. It felt so damn repetitive. There would be twists introduced here and there, but they were written in such an anti-climactic way that the best it got from me was a yawn.
So, was I surprised when something did bloody happen, it gets cut IN THE MIDDLE OF THINGS and now we have to wait for the next book? Dude. Just... what the hell. There are cliffhangers, where the book ends with a question or an event but STILL giving us a proper ending to an arc of the story, and there are ANNOYING CLIFFHANGERS, like the one incorporated here, where something is happening and then it gets cut in the middle. FUCK.
AND DON'T GET ME STARTED ON THE ROMANCE. ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGH.
One word: instalove. INSTA-BLOODY-LOVE.
It made me rant, rage, and swear exotic curses in my mind. I'm telling you, folks, you wouldn't want a peek into my brain during that span of time lest you want to escort me to the authorities. It was one of the worst and fast-paced romances I've ever read, and that's saying something.
Imagine, the first meeting that they had where they talk a bit about music and where it ends with him being rude to her and she tells him this:
That very night, as in JUST A FEW HOURS LATER, she's saying this:
AND IT DOESN'T END THERE! When she sees him at dinner, she goes:
Are your eyes twitching yet? HAHAHAHA BUT I'M NOT DONE YET. When Ash promptly ignores her, she now goes:
Jesus, girl... I would understand if you've known each other for some time already, but you don't - you just met him a few hours ago. A FEW HOURS AGO!!!!!! It's not that serious, darling! Believe it or not, it isn't!
And in their third meeting, apparently, the guy can't stop thinking of her either! And then, they kiss. And soon after a few more fumblings, they tell each other the following:
And I was:
Seriously, this would have been more bearable if the romance felt more natural. It moved way too fast for my tastes. They keep saying they see something in each other, but I never read enough that could justify the feelings they had. It felt so superficial and it was hard for me to regard it seriously. It was far from beautiful, it was far from deep. To me, they looked like rabbits in heat that just wanted to get it on already. EAGER BEAVERS MUCH?!
And the world-building is absolutely shaky. The kingdom or whatever is divided into rings, where there's the FARM (where I guess the farmers live...??), and there's the MARSH (where... some kind of people live... x_x), there's the SMOKE (where there are the factories... I guess?), the BANK (where there are merchants) and the JEWEL or where the nobles live, and each quadrant (North, South, East, West) there are holding facilities for girls like Violet (who have bloody violet eyes...) where they are trained to be surrogates. For some reason, the nobles can't have babies so they hold Auctions, where girls go to the highest bidder. And oh, the nobles with fight each other through some sort of court intrigue. Aaaaaand that's it.
The Farm, the Marsh, the Smoke, the Bank and the Jewel. And those descriptions. Not enough atmosphere or anything. Although there is some history with regards to the how the noble houses came to be today, but I'm pretty sure the world-building isn't limited to that.
Overall, this book had the potential, but the awesome self-pitying girl and the shaky world-building and the migraine-induing romance made me want to scream out loud. If you liked The Selection you may like it, as some reviewers pointed out that the feel is quite similar. I still encourage you to try it out for yourself to see if it works for you. This seems to be more of a hit-or-miss book, judging by the mixed reviews that are posted right now.
A place where these women buy beautiful, talented, peasant girls from the Auction.
A place where these teenage girls are bought to become surrogates.
A place where these surrogates have unfathomable powers that change shapes, colors, and sizes.
...
Is it me or are dystopian novels getting weirder and weirder every year? Either the world's running out of ideas and isgrasping at straws, or the world's trends have moved on ahead of me, 'cause I do not get it and I feel like an old woman now.
In any case, I read this book with a very open mind. I was having weird feelings about the premise initially, but I still wanted to give it a chance just in case it did have the potential to be a blockbuster. It started okay, a bit confusing at first, but around the thirty percent mark it started spiraling down the rabbit hole for me. I was really, really struggling, but I trudged on, hoping to find something that would make me appreciate it. Unfortunately, the romance (read: insta-love to the max) entered, annoyed and enraged every fiber and nerve of my being, and The Jewel never manged to resurface from the abyss since then.
That left me very, very grumpy.
Now, don't get me wrong. The writing was decent. There were times it was vivid, and it was definitely easy to read. Unfortunately, we see the story unfold in the MC's eyes who is oh-so special and frankly, quite boring to boot, so while the writing may have had potential, it left a lot to be desired.
Meet Violet, a determined, beautiful girl who has... violet eyes. Can it not get any more cheesy than that? For some otherworldly reason, aside from having such a rare color of eyes, she is also incredibly talented in Auguries, a kind of magic teenage girls like her have, that give them the ability to change colors (like making the painted skin in a portrait green), shapes and sizes/life (?) (like making a bud turn into a sapling or flower). And oh, before I forget, she also is the most sought-after surrogate in the Auction. We are repeatedly told of how special she is - from her looks, to her talents, to her playing the Cello - but we're not given much foundation aside from that, and we are simply expected to accept her awesomeness.
And may I say that she is so dull? She never really undergoes any substantial character development throughout, and she is so monotonous in her narration. I guess that's to be expected from someone who is groomed to be a surrogate, but come on, we're in her thoughts, man! This is the chance to give her some spine and personality! Some oomph in her bones! But nooooope - Violet (who has violet eyes... man, I just can't get over that) has to be a one-dimensional twit.
And nothing really happens. For 95% of the bloody book, nothing really happens. The MC eats breakfast, gets sneered at by the Duchess, plays music, walks around the mansion, wears dresses, gets sneered at by the Duchess, attends balls, goes to the doctor for check-ups and experiments, gets sneered at by the Duchess, attends balls, wears dresses, plays music... And oh, gets complimented at for being so awesome, beautiful, extraordinary, and talented between the activities, while wallowing in self-pity. It felt so damn repetitive. There would be twists introduced here and there, but they were written in such an anti-climactic way that the best it got from me was a yawn.
So, was I surprised when something did bloody happen, it gets cut IN THE MIDDLE OF THINGS and now we have to wait for the next book? Dude. Just... what the hell. There are cliffhangers, where the book ends with a question or an event but STILL giving us a proper ending to an arc of the story, and there are ANNOYING CLIFFHANGERS, like the one incorporated here, where something is happening and then it gets cut in the middle. FUCK.
AND DON'T GET ME STARTED ON THE ROMANCE. ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGH.
One word: instalove. INSTA-BLOODY-LOVE.
It made me rant, rage, and swear exotic curses in my mind. I'm telling you, folks, you wouldn't want a peek into my brain during that span of time lest you want to escort me to the authorities. It was one of the worst and fast-paced romances I've ever read, and that's saying something.
Imagine, the first meeting that they had where they talk a bit about music and where it ends with him being rude to her and she tells him this:
"I've never met anyone like you before," I say. I blush furiously - that didn't come out the way I'd intended.
That very night, as in JUST A FEW HOURS LATER, she's saying this:
I stare at my reflection - pink cheeks, tiny smile, bright eyes... the girl in the mirror looks truly happy, for the first time.
I've never thought much about kissing, but the idea of Ash's lips against mine --
I giggle.
AND IT DOESN'T END THERE! When she sees him at dinner, she goes:
It's only been a couple of hours since I met him, but he's somehow even more handsome than I remember. My whole body feels like it's blushing.
Are your eyes twitching yet? HAHAHAHA BUT I'M NOT DONE YET. When Ash promptly ignores her, she now goes:
The pain of this is a sharp, physical thing, almost like the aftermath of an Augury except that it's not my head that feels like needles are being shoved into it.
Jesus, girl... I would understand if you've known each other for some time already, but you don't - you just met him a few hours ago. A FEW HOURS AGO!!!!!! It's not that serious, darling! Believe it or not, it isn't!
And in their third meeting, apparently, the guy can't stop thinking of her either! And then, they kiss. And soon after a few more fumblings, they tell each other the following:
"I think I love you"
"I want you forever, Ash."
And I was:
Seriously, this would have been more bearable if the romance felt more natural. It moved way too fast for my tastes. They keep saying they see something in each other, but I never read enough that could justify the feelings they had. It felt so superficial and it was hard for me to regard it seriously. It was far from beautiful, it was far from deep. To me, they looked like rabbits in heat that just wanted to get it on already. EAGER BEAVERS MUCH?!
And the world-building is absolutely shaky. The kingdom or whatever is divided into rings, where there's the FARM (where I guess the farmers live...??), and there's the MARSH (where... some kind of people live... x_x), there's the SMOKE (where there are the factories... I guess?), the BANK (where there are merchants) and the JEWEL or where the nobles live, and each quadrant (North, South, East, West) there are holding facilities for girls like Violet (who have bloody violet eyes...) where they are trained to be surrogates. For some reason, the nobles can't have babies so they hold Auctions, where girls go to the highest bidder. And oh, the nobles with fight each other through some sort of court intrigue. Aaaaaand that's it.
The Farm, the Marsh, the Smoke, the Bank and the Jewel. And those descriptions. Not enough atmosphere or anything. Although there is some history with regards to the how the noble houses came to be today, but I'm pretty sure the world-building isn't limited to that.
Overall, this book had the potential, but the awesome self-pitying girl and the shaky world-building and the migraine-induing romance made me want to scream out loud. If you liked The Selection you may like it, as some reviewers pointed out that the feel is quite similar. I still encourage you to try it out for yourself to see if it works for you. This seems to be more of a hit-or-miss book, judging by the mixed reviews that are posted right now.
December 20, 2014
OH MY GOSH. BRILLIANT BOOK!! I adore it!! ♥ It truly surprised me. I bought it because well.. because it was cheap,the reviews i read were bad,but i thought 'oh well,lets give it a try'. and OMG THIS BOOKS IS SOOOOO GOODDDDD!!!!! I JUST...UGH I'M SPEECHLESS!!!
Its not like Selection. (not that i didn't like Selection.BUT) This books is deep and it touches some really serious issues like slavery. Violet is a strong character and i love her for it. Ash is..hot and dreamy and kind and broken. All the characters are well based. Even the Duchess became a character i loved to hate and hated to love. The ending was so heartbreaking and WHAT? OMG THAT ENDING!! The big twist. I can't wait to read the next book. i need it. NOW.
LOVED LOVED LOVED IT. A unique book. A category of its own. WOW. ♥
Its not like Selection. (not that i didn't like Selection.BUT) This books is deep and it touches some really serious issues like slavery. Violet is a strong character and i love her for it. Ash is..hot and dreamy and kind and broken. All the characters are well based. Even the Duchess became a character i loved to hate and hated to love. The ending was so heartbreaking and WHAT? OMG THAT ENDING!! The big twist. I can't wait to read the next book. i need it. NOW.
LOVED LOVED LOVED IT. A unique book. A category of its own. WOW. ♥
August 24, 2014
Another example of wasted potential, The Jewel could have been the next big thing for many other readers--if not for that shitty, awful romance. That's pretty bad, considering I almost NEVER say something is awful--I call a lot of things shitty, but awful? That is a hundred times worse than shitty in the Language of Aimee.
Oh, and noticed how I said "many other readers"? Yes, because even without said shitty, awful romance, this book is just not for me. It was a bit similar to The Hunger Games (they had rings around the city and the larger rings are for the poorer sectors) and The Selection (the atmosphere and writing), but there were really just some stupid things I couldn't understand about this one. *grabs notes* Let's get started, friends.
"I have absolutely no idea what it must be like to be pregnant."
What. The. Hell? Weren't these girls brought up to be surrogates in the future? Why does it seem like Violet seem to have zero idea about pregnancy? Throughout the novel, she was basically ignorant and constantly confused--just SNAP OUT OF IT AND GET A GRIP ON YOURSELF, OKAY?
This novel was also had a billion cliche scenes/lines. I mean, how many times have you read about the girl "in the mirror" as she "transformed"? That's seriously one of the most annoying bookish scenes ever, and I can't help but cringe every time I read about those.
And drama. Drama llamas everywhere, people! The Jewel could totally be turned into the next High School Musical. Really, the characters have already practiced! See:
Her voice is sweet and she sings a traditional Marsh-song, one we all know.
[...]
Two other girls join in.
And here we go: the romance. Excuse me while I go laugh hysterically, folks! Because this romance gave me a huge migraine. I feel like vomiting just thinking about it. But still, I present to you THE STAGES OF THE ROMANCE IN THE JEWEL! (Take note that the novel is only about 350 pages long, so these are actually really close to each other.)
1. They meet. They lock eyes. What can Violet say about Ash's eyes? "[T]hey look at me in a way that makes me feel hollow and strangely buzzy." (51% in the eARC)
2. When Violet leaves Ash's room, she thinks of kissing him. (53.8% in the eARC)
3. A few hours after they first met, when they meet again, Violet says, "My whole body feels like it's blushing." (54.3% in the eARC
4. First kiss. (70.7% in the eARC)
5. Second kiss. (73.9% in the eARC)
6. Admission of love. (85.7% in the eARC)
7.
Okay, I should get over that. Moving on!
This book also had some fantasy elements mixed in. I did appreciate that, since fantasy is my favorite genre, but I still have many unanswered questions in my mind about the magic and sorcery in this book. Well, I had questions about ALMOST EVERYTHING, actually. Why were there surrogates? How come only magic-wielding girls can be surrogates? I also felt like the fantasy aspect of the novel was just forced into it--it didn't really seem to fit with the mood of the story, but maybe that's just me.
One last thing: STEREOTYPING. Women were portrayed as either too helpless and idiotic (Violet) or vicious and bitchy (basically all of the women who bought surrogates). Men were portrayed as handsome and always drunk (Garnet--the only character I could tolerate) or kind gentlemen (Ash--*pukes*). Where are the normal, average, REALISTIC people?
The only positive thing I can say about the book is that I did enjoy Ewing's writing. It was easy to read and I just flew through the pages without much reading-related problems.
Well, this review turned out a lot longer than I planned. Anyway, I'm off to bleach my brain after re-thinking about this novel.
August 25, 2014
My first thought about THE JEWEL was that the gorgeous silver cover was strangely similar to the covers for THE SELECTION series. I wasn't sure, after reading the synopsis, if this book would also have a similar plot. I was totally wrong.
In one word, THE JEWEL is FANTASTIC. When I began reading, I was pleasantly surprised by the writing style and the very xmen like twist that this "ball gown" story took on. THE JEWEL is brilliant and unique, and so creepy in the way the society is run, that I found myself unable to put it down. I flew through all 368 pages in just a few days (in the middle of a huge move and edit, as well--- it was that good!).
In Violet Lasting's world, identity isn't important. She's not a name; she's just a number. As a surrogate, raised to bear a child for whatever member of the royal Jewel section of society purchases her in an auction, Violet has been trained for years to be submissive and poised and perfectly fine with being in the background.
The twist to this story comes with something called the Auguries: special powers that each surrogate has, where they can change the colors and shapes of objects, as well as grow things. In Violet's case, the third augury, Growth, is her best gift.
When Violet is taken to the auction and purchased by the Duchess of the Lake, she's thrown into a world full of fancy balls and mansions and dresses and makeup. But there's a dark side to Violet's new, glittering world.
There's death. There's destruction. There are lies and manipulations, and somehow, very well-twisted into the middle of it all, is forbidden love.
Violet soon discovers that she can never be who she truly wants to be. Danger is around every corner. Love is not an option. And when Violet discovers she might have a way out, even darker secrets are revealed. The characters are wonderfully fleshed out, from Violet herself, to her fellow surrogate and best friend Raven, to the horrible Duchess of the Lake. Even Violet's maid, Annabelle, a girl who can't speak, was so well done that I felt like I knew her. The love interest, Ashe, is totally shiptastic.
This story is just incredible. I fell in love with it, and by the time I finished (warning: there's a cliffhanger!), it was 1am and I was dying for book 2.
THE JEWEL is definitely not a copy of any other story---it stands out on its own, and is sure to be a bestseller. Fantastic. I loved the terrifying, beautiful world that Amy Ewing created. I need book 2 now! (And I've preordered my own hardcover copy for my personal shelves!)
In one word, THE JEWEL is FANTASTIC. When I began reading, I was pleasantly surprised by the writing style and the very xmen like twist that this "ball gown" story took on. THE JEWEL is brilliant and unique, and so creepy in the way the society is run, that I found myself unable to put it down. I flew through all 368 pages in just a few days (in the middle of a huge move and edit, as well--- it was that good!).
In Violet Lasting's world, identity isn't important. She's not a name; she's just a number. As a surrogate, raised to bear a child for whatever member of the royal Jewel section of society purchases her in an auction, Violet has been trained for years to be submissive and poised and perfectly fine with being in the background.
The twist to this story comes with something called the Auguries: special powers that each surrogate has, where they can change the colors and shapes of objects, as well as grow things. In Violet's case, the third augury, Growth, is her best gift.
When Violet is taken to the auction and purchased by the Duchess of the Lake, she's thrown into a world full of fancy balls and mansions and dresses and makeup. But there's a dark side to Violet's new, glittering world.
There's death. There's destruction. There are lies and manipulations, and somehow, very well-twisted into the middle of it all, is forbidden love.
Violet soon discovers that she can never be who she truly wants to be. Danger is around every corner. Love is not an option. And when Violet discovers she might have a way out, even darker secrets are revealed. The characters are wonderfully fleshed out, from Violet herself, to her fellow surrogate and best friend Raven, to the horrible Duchess of the Lake. Even Violet's maid, Annabelle, a girl who can't speak, was so well done that I felt like I knew her. The love interest, Ashe, is totally shiptastic.
This story is just incredible. I fell in love with it, and by the time I finished (warning: there's a cliffhanger!), it was 1am and I was dying for book 2.
THE JEWEL is definitely not a copy of any other story---it stands out on its own, and is sure to be a bestseller. Fantastic. I loved the terrifying, beautiful world that Amy Ewing created. I need book 2 now! (And I've preordered my own hardcover copy for my personal shelves!)
September 30, 2017
9/30/17 - ON SALE for $1.99:
http://amzn.to/2gRVBRY
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
3.5 stars
Violet Lasting is a Surrogate. She lives in a world where blue bloods can no longer produce viable offspring. BUT. Before they begin to die out, a doctor discovers a genetic quirk that (fortuitously) exists most frequently in the lowest caste of their society . . . a quirk that allows the girls who have it to carry a royal child to term . . .
And so it is mandatory--on pain of death--for every girl to be tested for this quirk upon reaching puberty. If the girl is a Surrogate, she is taken from her family to be raised, groomed, and educated for life in the Jewel.
But being a Surrogate means more than simply having a womb capable of playing host to a royal baby:
Being a Surrogate also means being able to manipulate the three Auguries: color, shape, and growth. Having command of the first (and easiest) Augury means being about to change the superficial aspects of something like . . . wait for it . . . color. Same goes for the shape and growth Auguries, but the interesting thing here is that the royals who purchase their Surrogates at the Auction intend for the girls to use their gifts specifically on their child.
In utero.
Kind of cool. Kind of creepy.
Kind of dangerous for the Surrogate . . .
Or at least that was my early impression. Anything that causes severe headaches, nosebleeds, and coughing up blood cannot be good for you. BUT. Like I said, only the lower class has this ability, and everyone knows poor people have no power, so the upper classes are free to use them as they see fit.
I actually thought this was a clever premise. Anyone who has taken any kind of History of England (or any Western European country) knows about the weakness and illness that began to plague the royals, b/c of all the inbreeding. And in this inexplicably dystopian, presumably post-apocalyptic (b/c “Lone” city) world, who’s going to stop them from abusing their power and exploiting the peasants?
No one, that’s who.
There were lots of interesting little details that made this story stand out for me:
BUT . . . there were even more things that were either strangely familiar, or did not work for me at all:
So yeah, there were problems. But overall it was an entertaining read with a great premise—I finished it in an afternoon—and I’ll definitely read the next book. Amy Ewing’s THE JEWEL is a solid first installment in her THE LONE CITY series. It combines fantasy and dystopian elements to create an interesting new whole, so if either of those sub-genres are your thing, I’d check this one out.
http://amzn.to/2gRVBRY
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
3.5 stars
Violet Lasting is a Surrogate. She lives in a world where blue bloods can no longer produce viable offspring. BUT. Before they begin to die out, a doctor discovers a genetic quirk that (fortuitously) exists most frequently in the lowest caste of their society . . . a quirk that allows the girls who have it to carry a royal child to term . . .
And so it is mandatory--on pain of death--for every girl to be tested for this quirk upon reaching puberty. If the girl is a Surrogate, she is taken from her family to be raised, groomed, and educated for life in the Jewel.
But being a Surrogate means more than simply having a womb capable of playing host to a royal baby:
The first time I coughed up blood, I thought I was dying. But it stops after a year or so. Now I only have the occasional nosebleed.
Being a Surrogate also means being able to manipulate the three Auguries: color, shape, and growth. Having command of the first (and easiest) Augury means being about to change the superficial aspects of something like . . . wait for it . . . color. Same goes for the shape and growth Auguries, but the interesting thing here is that the royals who purchase their Surrogates at the Auction intend for the girls to use their gifts specifically on their child.
In utero.
Kind of cool. Kind of creepy.
Kind of dangerous for the Surrogate . . .
Or at least that was my early impression. Anything that causes severe headaches, nosebleeds, and coughing up blood cannot be good for you. BUT. Like I said, only the lower class has this ability, and everyone knows poor people have no power, so the upper classes are free to use them as they see fit.
I actually thought this was a clever premise. Anyone who has taken any kind of History of England (or any Western European country) knows about the weakness and illness that began to plague the royals, b/c of all the inbreeding. And in this inexplicably dystopian, presumably post-apocalyptic (b/c “Lone” city) world, who’s going to stop them from abusing their power and exploiting the peasants?
No one, that’s who.
There were lots of interesting little details that made this story stand out for me:
1. Iron bars in the shape of roses on the windows of the facilities where the girls lived until it was time for their Auction.<——beautifully ironic.
2. The use of real folk songs—I cannot hear or read the lyrics of “The Water is Wide” without getting goosebumps.
3. The flashback to the girl getting her head chopped off for trying to escape becoming a Surrogate gave me goosebumps too:
The girl was wild, long black hair tangled around her face, framing eyes of a brilliant, almost shocking, blue. There was something fierce and untamed about her appearance. She couldn’t have been more than a few years older than me.
She didn’t fight of struggle against the two Regimentals restraining her. She didn’t cry, or beg. She looked strangely peaceful. When they put her head on the block, I could swear she smiled. The magistrate asked her if she had any last words.
“This is how it begins,” she said. “I am not afraid.” Her face saddened, and she added, “Tell Cobalt I love him.”
Then they chopped off her head.
4. Violet’s first cello performance . . . YEP, more goosebumps.
5. I’m sure there’s probably some female version of the male occupation of “companion” in this world, but in this story, it’s the male version in the spotlight, which is still terrible, but also refreshing somehow.
6. I saw that twist at the end coming, but it was still a very cool twist.
BUT . . . there were even more things that were either strangely familiar, or did not work for me at all:
1. The “inexplicable” and “presumably” parts of the world-building. We’re given no explanation for the lack of any other cities, or how this one manages to have marshland in concentric rings with the rolling hills and vineyards of farmland. Mighty convenient that . . .
2. Violet’s eyes are violet. This is a personal peeve of mine, b/c NO SUCH THING. No, not even Elizabeth Taylor. Her eyes were very, very blue, NOT purple. So. Unless it’s an alien or some type of Fae creature, if it has violet eyes, I’m going to roll mine.
3. If a noun isn’t named for exactly what it is, or some obvious attribute—industrial part of the city is called Smoke, farm part of the city is called Farm, Violet has violet eyes, etc.—it’s named some other animal, vegetable, or mineral. Raven and her twin brother Crow. The royals are all named after precious gems, or in one case, rare and expensive wood—Ebony. It’s weird and distracting.
4. Lucien is Violet’s very own Cinna. And yes, I realize that “Lucien” is not an animal, vegetable, or mineral, but he is also property, and I have suspicions about what his real name is.
5. The Surrogates have their own version of District Twelve’s three-fingered salute.
6. The “It only takes one small stone to start an avalanche,” and, “one crack spreads until the whole wall crumbles,” lesser versions of, “It only takes a spark.”
7. For a smart girl, Violet is incredibly dense sometimes.
8. The insta-love. It’s not as bad as most, but it is still, undeniably, insta-love.
So yeah, there were problems. But overall it was an entertaining read with a great premise—I finished it in an afternoon—and I’ll definitely read the next book. Amy Ewing’s THE JEWEL is a solid first installment in her THE LONE CITY series. It combines fantasy and dystopian elements to create an interesting new whole, so if either of those sub-genres are your thing, I’d check this one out.
December 31, 2016
[4.5]
La Joya fue uno de esos libros que me sorprendió gratamente este año. Por la portada me imaginaba que sería algo muy del estilo de La Selección: una historia súper romántica que enmascaraba una revolución en ciernes por una sociedad oprimida e inconforme. Pero no, La Joya rompe los esquemas con una premisa que yo nunca antes había visto.
Todo empieza con la Ciudad Solitaria, un reino dividido en círculos, siendo el más pobre el Pantano y el más rico la Joya. A lo largo de los siglos, la realeza ha empezado a debilitarse, pues han perdido la capacidad de reproducirse ya que todo son abortos, muertes e hijos deformes. Así mismo, con el paso de los años se han dado cuenta de que algunas mujeres del Pantano, el círculo más pobre, desarrollan unos poderes especiales, los Augurios, y son perfectas para devolver la grandeza a la realeza. Cada año, las mujeres de las grandes familias acuden a una Subasta en la que venden a las mujeres más prometedoras, que han sido entrenadas en sus Augurios, para comprarlas y usarlas como vientres externos para concebir a sus herederos.
Aquí es cuando conocemos a Violet, la protagonista, una chica que tiene uno de los mejores puntajes en los Augurios y, por tanto, es de las más cotizadas en la Subasta. Como una de estas mujeres especiales, Violet siempre ha sido criada y entrenada para pensar que el ser la Sustituta de una de las mujeres de la Joya es un gran honor, pero poco a poco se empezará a dar cuenta de lo oscuro que es el mundo de las intrigas reales. Las Damas y Duquesas viven de apariencias y harán lo que sea necesario para que nadie socave su imagen de poder y control... y Violet entenderá todo esto a las malas, mientras trata de sobrevivir a las humillaciones y maltratos a los que la somete su nueva dueña.
La Joya es un libro en el que las apariencias lo valen todo, en el que el juego de poder está a la orden del día y en el que el amor está, básicamente prohibido. A lo largo del libro, conoceremos a personajes intrigantes como la Duquesa del Lago, la Dama de la Piedra, la Electriz, el Exetor, Lucien, Ash y Garnet. Cada uno de ellos juega un papel importantísimo en las rivalidades entre las Grandes Casas, en la mafia que realmente es el sistema de las Sustitutas y en el boicot que se está gestando debajo de las narices de todo el mundo sin que nadie lo note.
El universo que crea Amy Ewing en esta primera parte de la trilogía es un universo cruel y despiadado en el que se debe pelear con las garras o con una máscara impenetrable para poder sobrevivir. A medida que avanza la historia ves la clase de vejámenes que sufren las Sustitutas y no puedes evitar estremecerte. Si bien Violet no es un personaje completamente memorable o con el que te identifiques inmediatamente, sí que sientes de alguna manera todo por lo que está pasando.
¿Qué fue lo único que no me convenció de este primer libro? La historia de amor. Vaya, vaya. No mencionaré nombres, pero creo que era algo que sabíamos que iba a suceder y, encima, que sabíamos cómo iba a terminar. La posición de una Sustituta es algo bastante precario como para que la cosa no acabara de la manera en la que acaba y, la verdad, tampoco es que hubiera muchas bases para esa relación. Sí, es cierto que la chica nunca había visto a un chico guapo que se interesara en ella en toda su vida... pero no se justifica un romance a lo loco así porque sí.
Eso sí, lo que tengo que rescatar de este romance es que le da pie a una línea de historia que promete ser interesantísima en el segundo libro. Una línea de historia que involucrará a un personaje en el que no sé si confiar, pues la imagen que nos pintan de él en La Joya es bastante alejada del papel que tiene pinta de ir a jugar en el segundo libro.
En resumen, La Joya es un libro increíble y diferente a lo que estamos acostumbrados a ver en el género de las distopías juveniles. Si quieren leer crueldad a raudales, ¡no se lo pierdan!
La Joya fue uno de esos libros que me sorprendió gratamente este año. Por la portada me imaginaba que sería algo muy del estilo de La Selección: una historia súper romántica que enmascaraba una revolución en ciernes por una sociedad oprimida e inconforme. Pero no, La Joya rompe los esquemas con una premisa que yo nunca antes había visto.
Todo empieza con la Ciudad Solitaria, un reino dividido en círculos, siendo el más pobre el Pantano y el más rico la Joya. A lo largo de los siglos, la realeza ha empezado a debilitarse, pues han perdido la capacidad de reproducirse ya que todo son abortos, muertes e hijos deformes. Así mismo, con el paso de los años se han dado cuenta de que algunas mujeres del Pantano, el círculo más pobre, desarrollan unos poderes especiales, los Augurios, y son perfectas para devolver la grandeza a la realeza. Cada año, las mujeres de las grandes familias acuden a una Subasta en la que venden a las mujeres más prometedoras, que han sido entrenadas en sus Augurios, para comprarlas y usarlas como vientres externos para concebir a sus herederos.
Aquí es cuando conocemos a Violet, la protagonista, una chica que tiene uno de los mejores puntajes en los Augurios y, por tanto, es de las más cotizadas en la Subasta. Como una de estas mujeres especiales, Violet siempre ha sido criada y entrenada para pensar que el ser la Sustituta de una de las mujeres de la Joya es un gran honor, pero poco a poco se empezará a dar cuenta de lo oscuro que es el mundo de las intrigas reales. Las Damas y Duquesas viven de apariencias y harán lo que sea necesario para que nadie socave su imagen de poder y control... y Violet entenderá todo esto a las malas, mientras trata de sobrevivir a las humillaciones y maltratos a los que la somete su nueva dueña.
La Joya es un libro en el que las apariencias lo valen todo, en el que el juego de poder está a la orden del día y en el que el amor está, básicamente prohibido. A lo largo del libro, conoceremos a personajes intrigantes como la Duquesa del Lago, la Dama de la Piedra, la Electriz, el Exetor, Lucien, Ash y Garnet. Cada uno de ellos juega un papel importantísimo en las rivalidades entre las Grandes Casas, en la mafia que realmente es el sistema de las Sustitutas y en el boicot que se está gestando debajo de las narices de todo el mundo sin que nadie lo note.
El universo que crea Amy Ewing en esta primera parte de la trilogía es un universo cruel y despiadado en el que se debe pelear con las garras o con una máscara impenetrable para poder sobrevivir. A medida que avanza la historia ves la clase de vejámenes que sufren las Sustitutas y no puedes evitar estremecerte. Si bien Violet no es un personaje completamente memorable o con el que te identifiques inmediatamente, sí que sientes de alguna manera todo por lo que está pasando.
¿Qué fue lo único que no me convenció de este primer libro? La historia de amor. Vaya, vaya. No mencionaré nombres, pero creo que era algo que sabíamos que iba a suceder y, encima, que sabíamos cómo iba a terminar. La posición de una Sustituta es algo bastante precario como para que la cosa no acabara de la manera en la que acaba y, la verdad, tampoco es que hubiera muchas bases para esa relación. Sí, es cierto que la chica nunca había visto a un chico guapo que se interesara en ella en toda su vida... pero no se justifica un romance a lo loco así porque sí.
Eso sí, lo que tengo que rescatar de este romance es que le da pie a una línea de historia que promete ser interesantísima en el segundo libro. Una línea de historia que involucrará a un personaje en el que no sé si confiar, pues la imagen que nos pintan de él en La Joya es bastante alejada del papel que tiene pinta de ir a jugar en el segundo libro.
En resumen, La Joya es un libro increíble y diferente a lo que estamos acostumbrados a ver en el género de las distopías juveniles. Si quieren leer crueldad a raudales, ¡no se lo pierdan!
Read
April 8, 2017DNF @ pg 65
Will come back to this sometime in the future. On hold for now.
BR with my friend IRL. I really want this to be good.
Will come back to this sometime in the future. On hold for now.
BR with my friend IRL. I really want this to be good.
September 29, 2015
Die Rezension (ab 01.10.15) : https://youtu.be/KLKWBaL6VNc
March 25, 2015
2.5 stars
I was sort of bored throughout the book. I'm thinking the subject matter just didn't interest me, so you might have a different experience with this one than I did.
Fabulous cover, though!
The Royalty that live in the Jewel can't have babies anymore.
Poor people, yes. Rich people, no.
But the nobility have found that some of the poor girls have these abilities that can allow them to manipulate a fetus in their wombs. Make it a viable pregnancy. Even make the child better looking, smarter, more talented, etc.. So, they test all of the poor girls as soon as they get their period, and if they have this ability then they whisk them off to be raised in solitude. Once there, they train them to use their powers, until they are old enough to be auctioned off to the highest bidder.
Violet is one of the surrogate girls, and she's about to be auctioned off when the story starts. The book goes on about how she is used and abused, her concern for her friend, what is expected of the surrogates, how they are treated as less than human....and so on.
Plod, plod, plod.
Of course, her abilities are special. More. Better. Something that hasn't been seen before.
I don't...I'm still not sure what the hell her abilities are, but it has something to do with the life-force of things.
Like, she makes plants grow and stuff?
Lots of pain, nosebleeds, and coughing up blood happen when their powers are used, by the way. Kinda gross when the girls are spewing blood all over the dinner table, you know?
*hoark*
Plans are made to help her escape by a mysterious servant with a magical tuning fork.
No, really!
But before she can escape, she needs to fall in love with a boy, right?
Yes. Yes, she does.
Done!
Love is in the air, and it feels somewhat boring and rushed.
BUT. The main thing is that they desperately love each other, there will be horrifying repercussions if they are caught, and that she will act foolishly for love.
Ta-da!
The last 5 pages are excellent, and left me with a cliffhanger so good that I would almost consider reading the next book, just to see what happens next.
Yes, really.
It may be that I have read too many books with a similar feel to them, but this just didn't do it for me. However, that doesn't mean that I would warn anyone off of reading it, because it wasn't badly written.
Sorry, book.
It's not you, it's me.
I was sort of bored throughout the book. I'm thinking the subject matter just didn't interest me, so you might have a different experience with this one than I did.
Fabulous cover, though!
The Royalty that live in the Jewel can't have babies anymore.
Poor people, yes. Rich people, no.
But the nobility have found that some of the poor girls have these abilities that can allow them to manipulate a fetus in their wombs. Make it a viable pregnancy. Even make the child better looking, smarter, more talented, etc.. So, they test all of the poor girls as soon as they get their period, and if they have this ability then they whisk them off to be raised in solitude. Once there, they train them to use their powers, until they are old enough to be auctioned off to the highest bidder.
Violet is one of the surrogate girls, and she's about to be auctioned off when the story starts. The book goes on about how she is used and abused, her concern for her friend, what is expected of the surrogates, how they are treated as less than human....and so on.
Plod, plod, plod.
Of course, her abilities are special. More. Better. Something that hasn't been seen before.
I don't...I'm still not sure what the hell her abilities are, but it has something to do with the life-force of things.
Like, she makes plants grow and stuff?
Lots of pain, nosebleeds, and coughing up blood happen when their powers are used, by the way. Kinda gross when the girls are spewing blood all over the dinner table, you know?
*hoark*
Plans are made to help her escape by a mysterious servant with a magical tuning fork.
No, really!
But before she can escape, she needs to fall in love with a boy, right?
Yes. Yes, she does.
Done!
Love is in the air, and it feels somewhat boring and rushed.
BUT. The main thing is that they desperately love each other, there will be horrifying repercussions if they are caught, and that she will act foolishly for love.
Ta-da!
The last 5 pages are excellent, and left me with a cliffhanger so good that I would almost consider reading the next book, just to see what happens next.
Yes, really.
It may be that I have read too many books with a similar feel to them, but this just didn't do it for me. However, that doesn't mean that I would warn anyone off of reading it, because it wasn't badly written.
Sorry, book.
It's not you, it's me.
June 12, 2014
BRACE FOR FEELS.
This book is the kind of stressful/addictive/engaging story that is almost dangerous in its demand to be read. It will keep you up well past your bedtime with all the INTENSITY and PAIN and TENSION and just when you think you're nearing the end and maybe your heart will get a break...
NOPE.
That ending. THAT ENDING.
OH IT HURTS.
This book is the kind of stressful/addictive/engaging story that is almost dangerous in its demand to be read. It will keep you up well past your bedtime with all the INTENSITY and PAIN and TENSION and just when you think you're nearing the end and maybe your heart will get a break...
NOPE.
That ending. THAT ENDING.
OH IT HURTS.
Want to read
February 14, 2014When I saw this I couldn't help but think The Selection.
But with a better cover.
& a better blurb.
&, I hope, a better everything else.
Damn, oh, well. My curiosity has brought the better out of me yet again.
But with a better cover.
& a better blurb.
&, I hope, a better everything else.
Damn, oh, well. My curiosity has brought the better out of me yet again.
December 16, 2014
I really enjoyed this book! I loved the idea of it and can not wait for the next one!
June 26, 2017
Die erste Hälfte war echt cool, aber danach fand ich's nur so meeeh. Vor allem die Liebesgeschichte hat mich total genervt.
June 16, 2015
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
“Sometimes, I wish I hadn’t been born a surrogate.”
This was an enjoyable dystopian, with girls with special powers being sold as surrogates.
I felt quite sorry for Violet in this story, her whole life had been changed by one blood test, and she was forced to carry someone else’s baby after being sold at an auction. I did think that she made some very dubious decisions at times though, and she should probably have covered her tracks better than she did!
“The thought of being pregnant, of having someone else’s child growing inside me, is terrifying.”
The storyline in this was about Violet being sold as a surrogate, and being forced to demonstrate her powers over the ‘Auguries’ – being able to change somethings colour, change its shape, and encourage it to grow. I did think the world building was pretty good, even if it did remind me of other books, although I wondered why the surrogates didn’t use the Auguries more.
“The lone city is divided into five circles, each separated by a wall, and all of them but the Marsh have nicknames based on their industry.”
There was a bit of a forbidden romance in this one, and it was a very bad idea really!
“Then his mouth is on mine.
I feel entirely new.”
The ending to this was pretty good, and now I remember what happened I can start book 2! Yay!
7 out of 10
How it ends -
“Sometimes, I wish I hadn’t been born a surrogate.”
This was an enjoyable dystopian, with girls with special powers being sold as surrogates.
I felt quite sorry for Violet in this story, her whole life had been changed by one blood test, and she was forced to carry someone else’s baby after being sold at an auction. I did think that she made some very dubious decisions at times though, and she should probably have covered her tracks better than she did!
“The thought of being pregnant, of having someone else’s child growing inside me, is terrifying.”
The storyline in this was about Violet being sold as a surrogate, and being forced to demonstrate her powers over the ‘Auguries’ – being able to change somethings colour, change its shape, and encourage it to grow. I did think the world building was pretty good, even if it did remind me of other books, although I wondered why the surrogates didn’t use the Auguries more.
“The lone city is divided into five circles, each separated by a wall, and all of them but the Marsh have nicknames based on their industry.”
There was a bit of a forbidden romance in this one, and it was a very bad idea really!
“Then his mouth is on mine.
I feel entirely new.”
The ending to this was pretty good, and now I remember what happened I can start book 2! Yay!
7 out of 10
How it ends -
February 3, 2015
I think on some level I should probably have disliked this book, but I ended up enjoying it quite a bit. It's a light read and I sped through pretty fast and none of the characters irritated me too much. This might have something to do with the fact that books that explore a Reproductive Dystopian world fasciate me. I didn't really love the romance because it is on the "quick" side of things, but somehow that did not seem to bother me much. The plot seemed to more than make up for that, and The Jewel had good pacing and even better anticipation. One thing you might want to consider is that this book does have a terrible cliffhanger. It's the worst. I know I'll end up reading book two just for that alone. I only hope that book two either expounds on the romance or gets rid of it completely.
I can't compare this to The Selection because I haven't read it, so if you are looking for me to do that, I'm not the best person to ask.
I can't compare this to The Selection because I haven't read it, so if you are looking for me to do that, I'm not the best person to ask.
February 5, 2018
Violet is a surrogate, born with unique gifts to shape the world around her, yet bought and sold to the highest bidder in a world where royalty rules all. This had a lot of flaws, and unfortunately it really hindered my enjoyment of what could have been a good story.
The main issue I had was just how unoriginal I found the story. Reading this felt like deja vu. Poor yet beautiful girl with unique gifts brought into a different world? Check. Evil ruling power that manipulates said girl? Check. Dull and one dimensional love interest leading to instalove? Check. I also think I rolled my eyes several times over the names of some of these characters. One character is called Cinder. And her brother is Ash. Seriously.
My other main issue was Ash. The love interest. The story takes a significant dip after his introduction, as he's so dull with no definable characteristics or charm. He's basically Finnick from The Hunger Games without the emotional depth. When Violet starts fawning over him after meeting him for all of ten minutes, I knew this story wasn't going to end the way I wanted it too. I much preferred the relationship between the various surrogates and their 'owners', and the dynamics and rivalries that are barely explored but had so much potential. I didn't think there was any need to introduced Ash at all. If anything, he hinders the plot. I found all of his scenes very cringy, and I often skim read them. Violet as a main character is also severely lacking in personality. She goes from petulant teen to submissive slave with no in-between. She's got no emotional depth, and bumbled from one scenario to the next, relying on other people to rescue her.
Several times I was also confused by the world itself. We don't see anything outside of The Jewel except very briefly at the beginning. The rules of the world aren't explained very deeply either, and are often contradictory. Why treat some surrogates well, others badly, yet always have them dressed up like dolls all the time? Why are they repeatedly drugged? It felt like an easy cop out to explain any passage of time. What are the various Auguries, and why do only poor girls have these powers? They weren't explained well, or integrated well into the story, and I often felt confused when Violet uses any of them. Also, their use with regards to childbirth is just...odd.
This really wasn't for me. The potential was there, but the execution fell flat.
The main issue I had was just how unoriginal I found the story. Reading this felt like deja vu. Poor yet beautiful girl with unique gifts brought into a different world? Check. Evil ruling power that manipulates said girl? Check. Dull and one dimensional love interest leading to instalove? Check. I also think I rolled my eyes several times over the names of some of these characters. One character is called Cinder. And her brother is Ash. Seriously.
My other main issue was Ash. The love interest. The story takes a significant dip after his introduction, as he's so dull with no definable characteristics or charm. He's basically Finnick from The Hunger Games without the emotional depth. When Violet starts fawning over him after meeting him for all of ten minutes, I knew this story wasn't going to end the way I wanted it too. I much preferred the relationship between the various surrogates and their 'owners', and the dynamics and rivalries that are barely explored but had so much potential. I didn't think there was any need to introduced Ash at all. If anything, he hinders the plot. I found all of his scenes very cringy, and I often skim read them. Violet as a main character is also severely lacking in personality. She goes from petulant teen to submissive slave with no in-between. She's got no emotional depth, and bumbled from one scenario to the next, relying on other people to rescue her.
Several times I was also confused by the world itself. We don't see anything outside of The Jewel except very briefly at the beginning. The rules of the world aren't explained very deeply either, and are often contradictory. Why treat some surrogates well, others badly, yet always have them dressed up like dolls all the time? Why are they repeatedly drugged? It felt like an easy cop out to explain any passage of time. What are the various Auguries, and why do only poor girls have these powers? They weren't explained well, or integrated well into the story, and I often felt confused when Violet uses any of them. Also, their use with regards to childbirth is just...odd.
This really wasn't for me. The potential was there, but the execution fell flat.
August 9, 2014
ARGHH!
It is not often that I give 1 star to a book. I usually try to find the good in each book that I read. Even books that I have not finished do not get a star rating, that's just how I review. But - this book drove me bonkers and I must highlight the things that drove me crazy.
1)This is a dystopian book along the lines of The Selection (which I haven't had the pleasure of reading, but the synopsis sounds right) and The Handmaid's Tale (of which there is absolutely no comparison).
2)Young women are groomed to become auctioned off as surrogates to the wealthy and privileged royalty of this world. They are given a lot number and dressed up in spectacular gowns and costumes and sold to the highest bidder. Sounds like slavery to me. Oh, the girls are never referred to by their names, only lot numbers.
3)The women are treated like pets by their "owners." They are led about on a leash, told what to eat, what to do, and how to behave. Good behavior is rewarded, bad behavior is punished.
4)There's a lot of invasive medical testing with our main character being drugged, poked, and prodded way too many times.
5)Too much emphasis is placed on the beautiful dresses and gowns and balls. The reality is that this is a race to produce a super baby.
6)There is a much more sinister aspect to this whole baby making process. Surrogates are told that once they produce a child, they will go on and retire in another part of this world. Wonder if that's true? Also, there is work to lobotomize the surrogates so they would just have a breeding womb available. Gross!
7)The writing is weak. The story is told in first person POV, so we only know what Violet is doing or thinking. See my status updates for an example.
8)Love triangle - is there or isn't there? Can't tell you for sure. Our heroin falls in love with a character, who is the love interest of another.
9)Cliffhanger - If you hang on until the end, you'll be treated to a surprise cliffhanger.
I'm sure that there will be plenty of people who will enjoy this book. For me, it was not a pleasant read. Read at your own risk.
Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperTeen for a review copy of this book.
It is not often that I give 1 star to a book. I usually try to find the good in each book that I read. Even books that I have not finished do not get a star rating, that's just how I review. But - this book drove me bonkers and I must highlight the things that drove me crazy.
1)This is a dystopian book along the lines of The Selection (which I haven't had the pleasure of reading, but the synopsis sounds right) and The Handmaid's Tale (of which there is absolutely no comparison).
2)Young women are groomed to become auctioned off as surrogates to the wealthy and privileged royalty of this world. They are given a lot number and dressed up in spectacular gowns and costumes and sold to the highest bidder. Sounds like slavery to me. Oh, the girls are never referred to by their names, only lot numbers.
3)The women are treated like pets by their "owners." They are led about on a leash, told what to eat, what to do, and how to behave. Good behavior is rewarded, bad behavior is punished.
4)There's a lot of invasive medical testing with our main character being drugged, poked, and prodded way too many times.
5)Too much emphasis is placed on the beautiful dresses and gowns and balls. The reality is that this is a race to produce a super baby.
6)There is a much more sinister aspect to this whole baby making process. Surrogates are told that once they produce a child, they will go on and retire in another part of this world. Wonder if that's true? Also, there is work to lobotomize the surrogates so they would just have a breeding womb available. Gross!
7)The writing is weak. The story is told in first person POV, so we only know what Violet is doing or thinking. See my status updates for an example.
8)Love triangle - is there or isn't there? Can't tell you for sure. Our heroin falls in love with a character, who is the love interest of another.
9)Cliffhanger - If you hang on until the end, you'll be treated to a surprise cliffhanger.
I'm sure that there will be plenty of people who will enjoy this book. For me, it was not a pleasant read. Read at your own risk.
Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperTeen for a review copy of this book.
September 14, 2016
Hello. If you've found this review, perhaps you are wondering why I appear so irked by this book. Giving it one star, and all.
Well, it's because MARGARET ATWOOD already wrote this book. Also, the girl on the cover, yeah, she is way too well-dressed to be a slave.
Some books do not need a dumbed-down romance version with a bunch of silly tropes. The Handmaid's Tale is one of those books*. It is a serious treatment of a serious subject. Why is there a need to publish a glossy new version with girls in pretty dresses?
I have nothing against YA. I love YA. Some YA is wonderful. This book, though, this one has ALREADY BEEN WRITTEN. Read the fucking original. It will make you smarter.
Thank you.
*I just realized that they have made this a trilogy. A trilogy. Margaret Atwood was able to tell this story in a single, classic, amazing book that is still studied in high school and college courses. Why is this a trilogy? Are we now at the point where YA publishers are unable to publish anything that isn't a series?
Well, it's because MARGARET ATWOOD already wrote this book. Also, the girl on the cover, yeah, she is way too well-dressed to be a slave.
Some books do not need a dumbed-down romance version with a bunch of silly tropes. The Handmaid's Tale is one of those books*. It is a serious treatment of a serious subject. Why is there a need to publish a glossy new version with girls in pretty dresses?
I have nothing against YA. I love YA. Some YA is wonderful. This book, though, this one has ALREADY BEEN WRITTEN. Read the fucking original. It will make you smarter.
Thank you.
*I just realized that they have made this a trilogy. A trilogy. Margaret Atwood was able to tell this story in a single, classic, amazing book that is still studied in high school and college courses. Why is this a trilogy? Are we now at the point where YA publishers are unable to publish anything that isn't a series?
December 27, 2015
Goddamn. That was a clusterfuck if ever I saw one. Review to come.
March 18, 2015
See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads
Mini review:
After the early reviews started rolling in for this one I was getting less and less excited about reading this one. I mean, JUST LOOK AT THE COVER! HOW COULD I NOT WANT TO LOVE THIS?! Anyway, I had this period of time where I just decided that I was going to skip this completely, BUT THEN I saw three people give this 3-4 stars and they're all people whose reviews I completely trust... and well I gave in to the cover and read it. Well, I didn't really read it. I more like, barfed through it.
I'll give the book this: it was a light and fast read. I was almost finished by no time but then figured that there was no longer any point so I DNFed it after Ash and Violet just started overly-infuriatingly cheesy. (Note that they were already infuriately cheesy and instant-lovey beforehand.) The instant love is actually so bad.
This is when they first meet
And then just moments later when Violet is alone, staring at her beauteous self in the mirror
Oh and then later at that night intense staring ensues
I mean really, no shit he's looking at you. *eyeroll*
I CAN'T DO THIS ANY LONGER.
Anyway, if you like the whole X meets Y thing, the best I can give you is The Hunger Games meets The Selection. That being; the excellent potential of The Hunger Games but actually just as bad as The Selection.
I'm done here.
Celine did a full review on the blog and it's 10000 times better so you should check that out.
Mini review:
After the early reviews started rolling in for this one I was getting less and less excited about reading this one. I mean, JUST LOOK AT THE COVER! HOW COULD I NOT WANT TO LOVE THIS?! Anyway, I had this period of time where I just decided that I was going to skip this completely, BUT THEN I saw three people give this 3-4 stars and they're all people whose reviews I completely trust... and well I gave in to the cover and read it. Well, I didn't really read it. I more like, barfed through it.
I'll give the book this: it was a light and fast read. I was almost finished by no time but then figured that there was no longer any point so I DNFed it after Ash and Violet just started overly-infuriatingly cheesy. (Note that they were already infuriately cheesy and instant-lovey beforehand.) The instant love is actually so bad.
This is when they first meet
I can only stare. His mouth curves into a full smile and I feel my lungs contract, making it very difficult to breathe.
And then just moments later when Violet is alone, staring at her beauteous self in the mirror
I've never thought much about kissing, but the idea of Ash's lips against mine--
I giggle.
Oh and then later at that night intense staring ensues
I look up and meet a pair of bray-green eyes, no longer soft but blazing. Ash doesn't look away, and neither do I. His gaze is fierce, and open, and it makes me feel alive. He isn't looking at a surrogate--he's looking at me.
I mean really, no shit he's looking at you. *eyeroll*
It's only been a couple of hours since I met him, but he's somehow even more handsome than I remember. My whole body feels like it's blushing.
I CAN'T DO THIS ANY LONGER.
Anyway, if you like the whole X meets Y thing, the best I can give you is The Hunger Games meets The Selection. That being; the excellent potential of The Hunger Games but actually just as bad as The Selection.
I'm done here.
Celine did a full review on the blog and it's 10000 times better so you should check that out.
March 24, 2017
Este libro me causó serios problemas, por un lado me encantó la trama y lo bien escrita que esta, me mantuvo en vilo y deseaba saber todo, pero por otro lado... me dio la impresión de ester leyendo de nuevo los juegos del hambre, la selección y la maldición del ganador, fuera de eso si es muy entretenida y sobre todo me dejó con muchas ganas de leer su continuación pero no estoy muy segura de comprarla, ¿y si es la copia de la copia de otras ideas de libros como este? difícil decisión.
June 22, 2018
So, I wasn't originally going to write a review for this, since I guess I'm not really a review-writing sort of person. But then I saw the overwhelmingly bad reviews, and I felt sorry for this book - which I thought was actually rather good - getting so much negative attention.
First of all, I didn't have tremendously high hopes upon starting this book. I expected it to be mediocre at best, and awfully problematic and rage-inducing at worst. To my surprise, it was actually far better than I was expecting!
Things I Liked:
- Female friendship! There was genuine, real friendship between Violet and her best friend Raven, as well as some other girls in the novel. It's great to see non-duplicitous friendships in YA novels between girls! I hate it when the heroine's only friends are either a boy or girls who she's only pretending to like.
- Characterisation! I've heard a lot of people complaining about Violet being whiny, but I completely disagree. I really do not see how she is whiny at all. She was a strong character, rebelling against her mistress whenever she could but clever enough to be submissive when she had to be, to gain her mistress's trust. She did complain sometimes, but never enough to be excessive - and she had just been sold at auction, as property, and was going to be forced to carry someone else's child. Isn't a bit of complaining justified in such circumstances? Gosh. I also liked the Duchess of the Lake's character - it would have been so easy to make her shallow and overwhelmingly-evil, but instead we see other sides of her that are rather unexpected, and add to her complexity as a character.
- VIOLET. I mentioned this in the last point, but I really did like Violet. She was a strong female character, and she wasn't afraid to acknowledge her beauty - something which I also found refreshing, as a lot of YA heroines think of themselves as plain until some boy comes along and then suddenly she realises she's pretty, but this wasn't the case with Violet at all. The fact that she's named after her eye colour is a bit cheesy though, I must admit that.
Things I Was Uncertain Whether I Liked Or Not:
- The Auguries. Whereas it did add a touch of originality and magic to the story (and I do have a very large weakness for magic), it wasn't really explained why the surrogates had this power, and as such it felt a little out of place.
- The Worldbuilding. It was great in some parts: we learn about the royal houses and how the Lone City is arranged and who does what and what goes where, but shaky in other parts. The Lone City is surrounded by water - are we to assume it is an island? Are there any other countries that are lurking beyond the sea, or is the sea too perilous to even try and venture past? And, of course, we still know next-to-nothing about the Auguries.
Things I Didn't Really Like:
- The romance. It wasn't as bad as some I've seen, and it wasn't abusive like in certain other YA books but there was a definite element of insta-love about it, and it went far too fast to really be believable. But it wasn't super-terrible, at least.
So this wasn't a perfect book, by any means, and there wasn't really much in the way of diversity either (although it wasn't devoid of diversity altogether, there was still much to be desired). But I don't think it was a bad book, by any definition of the term, and if you're contemplating reading this book but are put off by the negative reviews, I would say... just go for it!
-
edit 22/06/2018: i don't have anything profound to add i'm just laughing at how 4 years ago i "wasn't a review person" and now i review like everything djsjdjsdksd character development
First of all, I didn't have tremendously high hopes upon starting this book. I expected it to be mediocre at best, and awfully problematic and rage-inducing at worst. To my surprise, it was actually far better than I was expecting!
Things I Liked:
- Female friendship! There was genuine, real friendship between Violet and her best friend Raven, as well as some other girls in the novel. It's great to see non-duplicitous friendships in YA novels between girls! I hate it when the heroine's only friends are either a boy or girls who she's only pretending to like.
- Characterisation! I've heard a lot of people complaining about Violet being whiny, but I completely disagree. I really do not see how she is whiny at all. She was a strong character, rebelling against her mistress whenever she could but clever enough to be submissive when she had to be, to gain her mistress's trust. She did complain sometimes, but never enough to be excessive - and she had just been sold at auction, as property, and was going to be forced to carry someone else's child. Isn't a bit of complaining justified in such circumstances? Gosh. I also liked the Duchess of the Lake's character - it would have been so easy to make her shallow and overwhelmingly-evil, but instead we see other sides of her that are rather unexpected, and add to her complexity as a character.
- VIOLET. I mentioned this in the last point, but I really did like Violet. She was a strong female character, and she wasn't afraid to acknowledge her beauty - something which I also found refreshing, as a lot of YA heroines think of themselves as plain until some boy comes along and then suddenly she realises she's pretty, but this wasn't the case with Violet at all. The fact that she's named after her eye colour is a bit cheesy though, I must admit that.
Things I Was Uncertain Whether I Liked Or Not:
- The Auguries. Whereas it did add a touch of originality and magic to the story (and I do have a very large weakness for magic), it wasn't really explained why the surrogates had this power, and as such it felt a little out of place.
- The Worldbuilding. It was great in some parts: we learn about the royal houses and how the Lone City is arranged and who does what and what goes where, but shaky in other parts. The Lone City is surrounded by water - are we to assume it is an island? Are there any other countries that are lurking beyond the sea, or is the sea too perilous to even try and venture past? And, of course, we still know next-to-nothing about the Auguries.
Things I Didn't Really Like:
- The romance. It wasn't as bad as some I've seen, and it wasn't abusive like in certain other YA books but there was a definite element of insta-love about it, and it went far too fast to really be believable. But it wasn't super-terrible, at least.
So this wasn't a perfect book, by any means, and there wasn't really much in the way of diversity either (although it wasn't devoid of diversity altogether, there was still much to be desired). But I don't think it was a bad book, by any definition of the term, and if you're contemplating reading this book but are put off by the negative reviews, I would say... just go for it!
-
edit 22/06/2018: i don't have anything profound to add i'm just laughing at how 4 years ago i "wasn't a review person" and now i review like everything djsjdjsdksd character development
November 22, 2014
I was really captivated by the characters, the world, and the plot. However, the insta-love just did not work for me!
August 29, 2014
I picked up The Jewels salivating, thinking this book could be a better and finer version of The Selection. Both books offer the same “prose” in some way. Trust me with this, we do not need another disastrous The Selection Trilogy, one is enough.
There were so many bad things about this book I don't even know where to start.
The writing is sloppy. In other circumstance I don't mind when authors don't use huge words as long as the characters and plot is compelling enough but this book isn't giving me something to work on.
The characterization of the characters are monotonous and one dimensional. They lack depth.
Insta-love. I would have probably like it if the protagonist and the guy interacted more and have build an actual relationship first before professing their eternal love and loyalty to each other.
And lastly the most difficult thing for me about The Jewel, is there isn't any solid foundation of the world building. It's not believable and it's so hard to connect with that.
Over all THE JEWEL is sloppy writing, lackluster "shallow" characters, a complete nonsensical. You wont see me running for the sequel like ever.
May 30, 2014
Nose Graze — Book reviews & blogging tips
The Jewel was an awesome book! ...until the romance. But more on that later. ;)
I really loved the plot in The Jewel. I think it's definitely similar in vibe to The Selection (which it's being compared to). However, my feelings about it are the total opposite. In The Selection, I adored the romance but didn't care much about the rest of the plot. In The Jewel, I adore the plot but hate the romance. The Jewel has a lot of political/royal scandal.. and it's fascinating! Everyone is basically frenemies. The royals invite each other over for tea parties and dinners, but they actually hate each other and plot against each other.
Also, the whole idea of surrogates was HORRIBLE! ..but in a good way. Like obviously it was sad and disgusting, but that's what made the book so interesting. I mean, the girls are bid on at auction, purchased, given collars, walked around on leashes, compared as if they're trophies or trading cards (bragging about "stats" or talents their surrogates have), etc. That whole part of the book was really disgusting, but fascinating. I was outraged and felt so sorry for Violet! I love that the book got me so riled up.
My only gripe with the plot side of things was I didn't fully understand why the surrogates existed. It was only briefly explained why the royals couldn't have their own children. The author explained how their children died early or were sickly, etc., but I didn't fully understand WHY.
But then somewhere around page 250, the romance kicked in.. and it sucked. Violet meets this guy Ash, they exchange about two glances, then his lips are on hers, then they're making out, then they're saying "I love you". They have like three interactions, zero conversations, and they're already in love? Waaaa??? I was really disappointed because there could have been a lot of potential with this romance, but it was easily the weakest part of the book. I didn't connect with it at all. I went from being addicted to The Jewel to kind of making a "wtf" face at it while reading.
I was pretty devastated to have my love for this book plummet so hard, because up until that point, I was ADDICTED. I read the whole thing in less than 24 hours. I loved it so much, then the romance just sucked! WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME?!?!
But the book is still worth reading, even if just for the cool plot and crazy political scandals. The different houses of royalty are constantly plotting against each other and it's pretty crazy what lengths they go to!
The Jewel was an awesome book! ...until the romance. But more on that later. ;)
I really loved the plot in The Jewel. I think it's definitely similar in vibe to The Selection (which it's being compared to). However, my feelings about it are the total opposite. In The Selection, I adored the romance but didn't care much about the rest of the plot. In The Jewel, I adore the plot but hate the romance. The Jewel has a lot of political/royal scandal.. and it's fascinating! Everyone is basically frenemies. The royals invite each other over for tea parties and dinners, but they actually hate each other and plot against each other.
Also, the whole idea of surrogates was HORRIBLE! ..but in a good way. Like obviously it was sad and disgusting, but that's what made the book so interesting. I mean, the girls are bid on at auction, purchased, given collars, walked around on leashes, compared as if they're trophies or trading cards (bragging about "stats" or talents their surrogates have), etc. That whole part of the book was really disgusting, but fascinating. I was outraged and felt so sorry for Violet! I love that the book got me so riled up.
My only gripe with the plot side of things was I didn't fully understand why the surrogates existed. It was only briefly explained why the royals couldn't have their own children. The author explained how their children died early or were sickly, etc., but I didn't fully understand WHY.
But then somewhere around page 250, the romance kicked in.. and it sucked. Violet meets this guy Ash, they exchange about two glances, then his lips are on hers, then they're making out, then they're saying "I love you". They have like three interactions, zero conversations, and they're already in love? Waaaa??? I was really disappointed because there could have been a lot of potential with this romance, but it was easily the weakest part of the book. I didn't connect with it at all. I went from being addicted to The Jewel to kind of making a "wtf" face at it while reading.
I was pretty devastated to have my love for this book plummet so hard, because up until that point, I was ADDICTED. I read the whole thing in less than 24 hours. I loved it so much, then the romance just sucked! WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME?!?!
But the book is still worth reading, even if just for the cool plot and crazy political scandals. The different houses of royalty are constantly plotting against each other and it's pretty crazy what lengths they go to!
September 12, 2016
OMG!! Mit dem Ende hätte ich echt nicht gerechnet! Muss mir unbedingt den zweiten Band kaufen! Total verdiente 5/5 ⭐! Spannend von vorne bis hinten, bin sehr begeistert!
October 31, 2021
از اون ۳.۵ ها که رو به ۴ رند میشه :))
من میدونستم گارنت یه جنتلمن واقعیه :(((
من میدونستم گارنت یه جنتلمن واقعیه :(((
December 4, 2016
This was the perfect dystopian style book for me. I love The Selection by Keira Cass and Wither by Lauren DeStefano, and The Jewel fits perfectly into that category of girl-in-pretty-dresses-doing-badass-things. I thought the Lone City itself was well explained and easy to imagine, and the magic system was simple to grasp. The concept of surrogates made a lot of sense, but the actual 'how?' behind the procedure is what's tripping me up.
I was also warned about the insta-love in this book, and yes, the relationship between Ash and Violet does escalate from just meeting to 'I can't live without you' pretty quickly, but if Romeo and Juliet can get away with it after all these years, I'll forgive it. It's the kind of romance that I either love or hate and it's just lucky that I loved it this time round!
I'm beyond pumped to read the next book in the series now that everything's kicking off, and hopefully I can finish the trilogy by the end of the year!
I was also warned about the insta-love in this book, and yes, the relationship between Ash and Violet does escalate from just meeting to 'I can't live without you' pretty quickly, but if Romeo and Juliet can get away with it after all these years, I'll forgive it. It's the kind of romance that I either love or hate and it's just lucky that I loved it this time round!
I'm beyond pumped to read the next book in the series now that everything's kicking off, and hopefully I can finish the trilogy by the end of the year!
March 6, 2019
"Violet, they do not tell you anything at Southgate. They do not even allow you to look at yourself in the mirror. The less you know, the less identity you have, the easier you are to control."
Initially, I picked up this book because I liked The Selection and I was not disappointed. I've been thinking about rereading this series for quite some time now and the second time around didn't diappoint either.
The writing is really good, the story gripping and the world Amy Ewing built here, is purely fascinating. Brutal and evil, behind all the glitter. Plus, I really like Violet. This time around, I can't give five stars anymore though. There are some weaknesses and this time I found myself shaking my head at some points of the story. But it wasn't enough to stop me enjoying this book and I'm really looking forward to continue the reread.
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