How did I get the book? I bought it.
Genre: Fantasy
First Impression: Sounds promising.
Synopsis: On Roanoke Island, the legend of the 114 people who mysteriously vanished from the Lost Colony hundreds of years ago is just an outdoor drama for the tourists, a story people tell. But when the island faces the sudden disappearance of 114 people now, an unlikely pair of 17-year-olds may be the only hope of bringing them back.
Miranda, a misfit girl from the island’s most infamous family, and Phillips, an exiled teen criminal who hears the voices of the dead, must dodge everyone from federal agents to long-dead alchemists as they work to uncover the secrets of the new Lost Colony. The one thing they can’t dodge is each other.
Blackwood is a dark, witty coming of age story that combines America’s oldest mystery with a thoroughly contemporary romance.
200words (or less) review: Blackwood is somewhat split, the first half of the book is atmospheric, intriguing and spooky. The second half wanders a little into the ridiculous in my opinion but overall it’s still an enjoyable read.
Miranda and Phillips are good characters, personally I preferred Miranda but I think that has a lot to do with the fact that the reader meets Phillips based on Miranda’s opinion and he doesn’t make a good first impression. The banter between the two of them is great and brings humor to an otherwise gloomy tale.
I couldn’t get to grips with part two of Blackwood, partly because I thought it was a little over the top and partly because the action got a little muddled. With the exception of our protagonists we don’t get to know the remaining characters all that well and truthfully I didn’t grow fond of anyone apart from Sidekick.
Blackwood is very clever at pulling you into the story, by the time you’ve reached the reveal you have to know how it ends. It’s just not as dark as I was expecting.
Recommend it?
Yes.
Luna's Little Library 