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kathydavie's review against another edition
5.0
Second in the Blood of Eden dystopian sci-fi fantasy series for Young Adults revolving around a young woman turned vampire who returns to the city of her birth, New Covington.
I received The Eternity Cure as an ARC from the publisher.
My Take
This was a nice change from The Immortal Rules, which was just too same-same. Too much like other dystopian stories, albeit with a vampire as the good guy!
Instead, whew, Kagawa's descriptions alone are enough to send you racing through The Eternity Cure! I do like how Kagawa retains most of the usual disaster issues, but with twists: plague that wipes out mankind with surviving pockets here and there; some pockets are independent while others are ruled over by a "strong man", in this case, the strength is represented by the vampires; scientists on both sides of the problem; the betrayal from one of their own, in this case, a vampire attempting to help humanity; and, a forbidden love story---with tremendous problems as opposed to the usual issues of merely opposing beliefs.
One of the few times, a "bad guy" gets to suffer for his sins. Only it's the wrong "bad guy".
Ooh, tricky bringing Jackal into this as she does. Talk about a rock and a hard place! And then it gets even rockier and Kagawa takes every advantage to twist and turn, leaving us wondering for pages what will happen next. Who will appear from the past and what will their reactions be? Most of them...you won't believe.
Oh. The piano scene. It's so sad, and so romantic.
It's a hard world with everyone on any side simply doing their best to survive.
Oh. God. The ending. All that loss. There is just so much loss in this story, and it will drive me mad until the next installment comes out! I have to know what happens next!!
The Story
A plague wiped out most of humanity, and the vampires are helping to preserve most of the rest. There are a few holdouts. People who refuse to accept the vampires' terms.
Allie was one of the holdouts, and it was that choice that almost led to her death. Now the man, the vampire, who rescued her is in trouble. And Allie is desperately searching for Kanin.
If she can only find Sarren, she can return that life-saving favor. For Kanin, for the vampires, for humanity. She must or Sarren will destroy everything.
The Characters
Allison "Allie" Sekemoto is quite a moral vampire, eating only where it won't hurt anyone. Anyone who deserves to live anyway. Kanin is the vampire who turned her, saved her life in The Immortal Rules. He also has a tumultuous past. One for which too many believe he should pay.
Ezekiel Crosse was the human with whom she fell in love in The Immortal Rules. The young man onto whom all responsibility devolved. Malachi Crosse, Zeke's great-great-grandfather, was one of the scientists in New Covington; he tried to get a warning out. Caleb, Matthew, and Bethany are safe in Eden, adopted. Jake has gotten married. Silas and Teresa are happy.
I received The Eternity Cure as an ARC from the publisher.
My Take
This was a nice change from The Immortal Rules, which was just too same-same. Too much like other dystopian stories, albeit with a vampire as the good guy!
Instead, whew, Kagawa's descriptions alone are enough to send you racing through The Eternity Cure! I do like how Kagawa retains most of the usual disaster issues, but with twists: plague that wipes out mankind with surviving pockets here and there; some pockets are independent while others are ruled over by a "strong man", in this case, the strength is represented by the vampires; scientists on both sides of the problem; the betrayal from one of their own, in this case, a vampire attempting to help humanity; and, a forbidden love story---with tremendous problems as opposed to the usual issues of merely opposing beliefs.
One of the few times, a "bad guy" gets to suffer for his sins. Only it's the wrong "bad guy".
Ooh, tricky bringing Jackal into this as she does. Talk about a rock and a hard place! And then it gets even rockier and Kagawa takes every advantage to twist and turn, leaving us wondering for pages what will happen next. Who will appear from the past and what will their reactions be? Most of them...you won't believe.
Oh. The piano scene. It's so sad, and so romantic.
It's a hard world with everyone on any side simply doing their best to survive.
Oh. God. The ending. All that loss. There is just so much loss in this story, and it will drive me mad until the next installment comes out! I have to know what happens next!!
The Story
A plague wiped out most of humanity, and the vampires are helping to preserve most of the rest. There are a few holdouts. People who refuse to accept the vampires' terms.
Allie was one of the holdouts, and it was that choice that almost led to her death. Now the man, the vampire, who rescued her is in trouble. And Allie is desperately searching for Kanin.
If she can only find Sarren, she can return that life-saving favor. For Kanin, for the vampires, for humanity. She must or Sarren will destroy everything.
The Characters
Allison "Allie" Sekemoto is quite a moral vampire, eating only where it won't hurt anyone. Anyone who deserves to live anyway. Kanin is the vampire who turned her, saved her life in The Immortal Rules. He also has a tumultuous past. One for which too many believe he should pay.
Ezekiel Crosse was the human with whom she fell in love in The Immortal Rules. The young man onto whom all responsibility devolved. Malachi Crosse, Zeke's great-great-grandfather, was one of the scientists in New Covington; he tried to get a warning out. Caleb, Matthew, and Bethany are safe in Eden, adopted. Jake has gotten married. Silas and Teresa are happy.
As for Zeke: "It wasn't home without you." Just made me cry...Jackal, a.k.a., James, is her blood brother, another human whom Kanin saved. A self-declared Prince of a flooded city, a mistake. For Jackal is too caught up in the same dreams he had in The Immortal Rules. Except for that knowledge he has that Allie doesn't… Azura is the Master of Washington, D.C. What's left of it anyway. Kagawa's description of the Metro underground station was just horrific!
Sarren has gone mad, and he's got his own plans for retribution. I'm not saying he's not somewhat justified...I just can't approve of his methods.
The vampire, Prince Salazar, rules New Covington. Mr. Stephen is the prince's secretary; a man with a lot of power who is too willing to use it.
Stick! The weak, little boy Allie thought was her friend, whom she worried had died is alive. And, boy, was she wrong about him! Roach is another survivor hiding out with the new guy who took over the Fringers. Who is saving them.
The mole men are even lower, civilization-wise, than the Fringers. I keep trying to think of the story they remind me of—H.G. Wells' Time Machine?
Eden was the promised oasis in this new world of fear and terror. The goal in The Immortal Rules. Just not the final destination for all. Rabids are humans the scientists tried a cure on. Oops…
The Cover and Title
The cover is the most beautiful blue with a tone-on-tone print that reminds me of brocade. I have to confess I don't grasp the significance of the upside-down tree, bare of any leaves that encompasses the title, unless it's intended to remind us of family trees. For Zeke and his scientist ancestors and, possibly, Allie's new vampiric bloodlines.
I'm thinking the title is the hope they all have, the search for The Eternity Cure that will save the world.
yodamom's review
4.0
Julie Kagawa, never disappoints this reader. She once again wrote a beautifully visual novel that had me enthralled with every page. It is a treat to read her words.
This the second book in her Blood of Eden series, takes us back into her world of cruel vampires and herded humans. Allie was turned in the last book by a dark and mysterious vampire, Kanin. He has been taken by one of the most ruthless and crazy of vampires. he is being tortured and does not have long. through their bond she can feel his despair and his pain. She vows to save him, no matter the cost.
Her quest takes her around this terribly dark world and back where it all started. There she faces, betrayals, mistrusts and new horrors. Her life and many others may be lost if she can't solve this situation.
I loved this twisted tale. I think it was even darker than the first book. As dark as things got there is beauty and hope.
This the second book in her Blood of Eden series, takes us back into her world of cruel vampires and herded humans. Allie was turned in the last book by a dark and mysterious vampire, Kanin. He has been taken by one of the most ruthless and crazy of vampires. he is being tortured and does not have long. through their bond she can feel his despair and his pain. She vows to save him, no matter the cost.
Her quest takes her around this terribly dark world and back where it all started. There she faces, betrayals, mistrusts and new horrors. Her life and many others may be lost if she can't solve this situation.
I loved this twisted tale. I think it was even darker than the first book. As dark as things got there is beauty and hope.
robinhood2000's review
4.0
I loved the blood of eden series, for the first time the vampire trope felt original. The characters were good. I look forward to rereading it. Recommend!
graceannee's review
3.0
I quite enjoyed the first book in this duo. I feel like the sequel just didn't compare. I cant believe she would side with Jackal in more than a mandatory agreement. She actually started to like him!? I think thats when I lost interest. I kept reading wnting to see if they would rescue Kanin. Which they did but I never got reinvested.
stuckinafictionaluniverse's review
5.0
4.5
There are tons of young adult vampire books out there today. There's also an astounding amount of YA dystopian books nowadays. It's hard to find a gem in either genre, because it seems like all the ideas are dried out and that there isn't anything refreshing about them anymore. But not this book.
Julie Kagawa manages to combine two overdone genres and turn them into something amazing.
There are so many things to love about this series. From the clever world-building to the unexpected twists and turns. From the terrifying characters to the hilarious ones, who have just my sense of humour. Filled with sarcasm, action and a decent amount of gore, it makes a fantastic sequel.
____________________
Update 10/7 -14: Now having read the final book in the trilogy, I can say that this is not my favorite series, but almost went there. It's solid, wonderfully fast-paced and has a solid plot and characters. The first two novels are close to fantastic, even.
However, [b:The Forever Song|17883441|The Forever Song (Blood of Eden, #3)|Julie Kagawa|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1397957046s/17883441.jpg|25046312] is one of the weakest conclusions I've ever stumbled upon.
I'm torn; should I recommend you stay away from it or do I advice you to read it and get disappointed? Well, some readers may enjoy it, but the majority of reviews I've read have described the book as a let-down.
Shortly: my previously positive picture of Blood of Eden was shattered by cheesy lines, slow pacing and annoying characters.
Read [b:The Forever Song|17883441|The Forever Song (Blood of Eden, #3)|Julie Kagawa|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1397957046s/17883441.jpg|25046312] at your own risk.
There are tons of young adult vampire books out there today. There's also an astounding amount of YA dystopian books nowadays. It's hard to find a gem in either genre, because it seems like all the ideas are dried out and that there isn't anything refreshing about them anymore. But not this book.
Julie Kagawa manages to combine two overdone genres and turn them into something amazing.
There are so many things to love about this series. From the clever world-building to the unexpected twists and turns. From the terrifying characters to the hilarious ones, who have just my sense of humour. Filled with sarcasm, action and a decent amount of gore, it makes a fantastic sequel.
____________________
Update 10/7 -14: Now having read the final book in the trilogy, I can say that this is not my favorite series, but almost went there. It's solid, wonderfully fast-paced and has a solid plot and characters. The first two novels are close to fantastic, even.
However, [b:The Forever Song|17883441|The Forever Song (Blood of Eden, #3)|Julie Kagawa|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1397957046s/17883441.jpg|25046312] is one of the weakest conclusions I've ever stumbled upon.
I'm torn; should I recommend you stay away from it or do I advice you to read it and get disappointed? Well, some readers may enjoy it, but the majority of reviews I've read have described the book as a let-down.
Shortly: my previously positive picture of Blood of Eden was shattered by cheesy lines, slow pacing and annoying characters.
Read [b:The Forever Song|17883441|The Forever Song (Blood of Eden, #3)|Julie Kagawa|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1397957046s/17883441.jpg|25046312] at your own risk.
bluejaybooks's review
5.0
Third-read through
Looking back at my previous review, that statement was a little too hasty as I can definitely think of at least a few other novels that meet the criteria I outlined below. But I'll leave my previous review for posterity despite it's issues.
For whatever reason, I was feeling nostalgic for the era of dystopian/vampire novels and what better than a novel that touches on not one of those trends, but both of them at the same time. ;) Yes, that means that we get not just angsty vampires bemoaning their complicated love life, but we get to do it while our strong female heroine saves the world from tyranny with a hot guy at her side.
Though in all honesty, this book is definitely one of the better novels to come out of that time period and either trend.
Also, since Julie Kagawa now seems to be in the habit of reviving her old series with The Iron Raven, I seriously hope The Blood of Eden is next on her list.
Looking back at my previous review, that statement was a little too hasty as I can definitely think of at least a few other novels that meet the criteria I outlined below. But I'll leave my previous review for posterity despite it's issues.
For whatever reason, I was feeling nostalgic for the era of dystopian/vampire novels and what better than a novel that touches on not one of those trends, but both of them at the same time. ;) Yes, that means that we get not just angsty vampires bemoaning their complicated love life, but we get to do it while our strong female heroine saves the world from tyranny with a hot guy at her side.
Though in all honesty, this book is definitely one of the better novels to come out of that time period and either trend.
Also, since Julie Kagawa now seems to be in the habit of reviving her old series with The Iron Raven, I seriously hope The Blood of Eden is next on her list.
adragonwithoutfire's review
5.0
| My heart.... Ohhh my wee heart.... I think that you broke it.... Help...
chelsea2020's review
5.0
*Spoilers alert: Only read if you read Eternity Cure*
Am I the only one who thinks Sarren is cruel enough to simply bring Zeke's body to flaunt in Allie's face, as well as possibly Turning him?Both are terribly cruel, and if he wants to get rid of everyone, then wouldn't option #1 also make some psychotic sense. *Shivers
I sure as heck hope not though!! That ending!!! Tears!!!! But the book as a whole... LOVED IT!!!! *Squeals
Am I the only one who thinks Sarren is cruel enough to simply bring Zeke's body to flaunt in Allie's face, as well as possibly Turning him?Both are terribly cruel, and if he wants to get rid of everyone, then wouldn't option #1 also make some psychotic sense. *Shivers
I sure as heck hope not though!! That ending!!! Tears!!!! But the book as a whole... LOVED IT!!!! *Squeals