Coexist: A Book Review

Coexist by Julia Crane
Published: June 2011
Buy: Amazon or E-book
Format: E-book
Source: Smashwords

I grabbed this book off Smashwords thinking it sounded like a good idea, so I sad down and read it rather quickly. I wasn't blown away, but it was good and it kept my attention. The plot was a good idea, but I felt the execution was a little lacking as was the character development. There were also a couple of typos, but those could be over looked.

Coexist is the story of a young elf named Keegan. She is living, mostly, seamlessly in the human world biding her time until she turns 18 and can meet her chosen, her one true mate. Little does she know the war between the Light and the Dark is nipping at her heels, her chosen, Rourk, is secretly protecting her, and the war will change everything she ever thought to be true.

As short as that description is, I feel that it is an accurate summary of the events. This novel is less than two-hundred pages with not too much story to it. My initial reaction when finishing the book was excitement and annoyance, but with further thought and calming down from the action, I realized there wasn't much there. The main character, Keegan, was underdeveloped and I felt she was unlikable in her naivety and perfection. The secondary character, such a Keegan's friends, are picked up and dropped as they are needed. I dislike losing characters or character traits simply because it's no longer of use. I feel the story could use a lot more thought and planning.

That's not to say I didn't like the book. I did, while I was reading it. I really did like Thaddeus, Keegan's younger brother. He was interesting and a nice character. I feel he acted responsibly, but not unrealistically, given his age and role in the book and war. I also liked Richard, Keegan's father. And, of course, Keegan's chosen, Rourk. They were all much more developed and likable than Keegan herself. I would love to hear the story from Thaddeus's point of view.

Over all, I'm giving this book a three-star rating because it was decent enough to keep me interested and invested in the relationship between Keegan and Rourk, but I really was not impressed at all by the style or the character development. I probably will not choose to pick up the second book. In truth, I wouldn't have picked this one up were it not free. It's worth the read if you have the time or nothing else to read and you like fantasy novels, but do not expect anything extravagant or well thought out.

Have you read Coexist? What did you think? Think I'm being too critical? 

Do you think the standard for free/self-published e-books is much lower than for printed books? 

Cinder: A Book Review

“Even in the Future the Story Begins with Once Upon a Time.” 
― Marissa Meyer

Cinder by Melissa Meyer
Published: January 2012
Buy: Amazon or B&N
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library

I picked this one up at the library after first seeing it in a bookstore when it was first released. It sounded decent enough at the time and I figured I'd come back for it in paperback. Then everyone online started reading and reviewing, giving it rather good review, so I grabbed it up (quite a bit behind the review train). I wasn't over whelmed, but it was good. I think fans of retellings would enjoy this. Though, if it hadn't been outright stated, I probably would not have seen the Cinderella correlation. I think I could have enjoyed the book a lot more had I not been trying to peg characters to their counterparts in the original tale. It's seldom good when I compare novels to originals.

As I said above, Cinder is a retelling of the classic Grim tale Cinderella.
Cinder is a 16 year old cyborg living in New Beijing with her adoptive mother, sisters, and a little android name Iko. She is known as the best mechanic in New Beijing, but she is still a second class citizen. Cyborgs are seen a lesser than humans and are used for researching a cure for the plague that has wreaked havoc on the Earth. Cinder hates her life with her step-mother, Adri. Iko and her step-sister Peony are her only friends and even those friendships are at risk of Adri's tyranny. When Prince Kai, the son of the Emperor of the Eastern Commonwealth, has trouble with his beloved android, he brings it to Cinder with a story of childhood attachment and a joke of "national security." Despite the joke, Cinder thinks there's more to the importance of this old robot. In hopes of impressing the Prince, she starts work. But soon her sister Peony is diagnosed with the plague and Cinder is blamed. In her anger Adri "volunteers" Cinder for research, which no one has survived. Once at the research facility, the doctor quickly realizes Cinder is incredibly special.

As for a retelling of Cinderella, I would say this one is decent enough. There was nothing done exceptionally well, but it was interesting. If I had not known the correlation, I think I would have enjoy the book much much more. It seemed to me that Cinder was her own "fairy godmother," which was equally refreshing and annoying. I've always liked the fairy godmother in other versions. (It could be said Iko was the "fairy godmother," but I don't feel a strong enough argument to believe it.) I felt like the emphasis on the fact that this is a retelling took a lot away and left me waiting for certain things to happen that did not or were not easily recognizable. I wish I'd never known that aspect of the story.

But I did enjoy the book despite the problems I had with it. I really liked Iko and the doctor at the research lab. Iko was such a fun character throughout the book and I loved loving her. The doctor was also interesting, even if predictable. I liked him a lot and liked the role he played in the story.  As for the obvious unique quality to this book, the cyborg/futuristic world, it was interesting. I liked the challenges and new things it provided for the story.

I thought the writing was really good, but, for me, the plot fell a little flat and short of the original. (Grim Brothers left big shoes to fill!) I would recommend this book to those who like sci-fi or fairy tale retellings. It a wonderfully written, neat not-so-little book and I don't think many people who find the idea of it interesting will be disappointed. I certainly do intend to read the next books in the series.

Have you read Cinder? What did you think of it? How do you think it did as far as being a retelling?