Every year I try and at least read two books a month. I think that’s pretty good considering how many shows and movies I watch in my spare time! Either way, the last two novels I read in 2018 were Fallen and Torment both written by Lauren Kate. The first book in the Fallen Trilogy, it was definitely less than. I wasn’t expecting much since it was young adult, but I just feel like I’ve read much more compelling young adult novels as a not young adult anymore. The premise is a bit Twilight-y except you can replace the vampires and werewolves with Angels and Demons (fallen angels).
In the first novel, Fallen, the only thing described in great and visual detail was the setting of the Sword & Cross campus. Other than that, the characters were flimsy at best. By the very end of the 400-plus page novel I finally learned that the main character, Luce, is a human who has apparently lived hundreds of lives. She dies every time she turns seventeen, which is when she meets her angel-lover, Daniel. Every death is almost always bursting into flames, and it seems like he doesn’t actively seek her out, but needs to? Like I said, the last fifty pages is really when any of the action occurred. It was frustrating how out-of-touch Luce was with her surroundings and reality, and not being told any other important details.
Which makes sense why there would be a second novel. I am still just shy of finishing it, but this book, despite it being another 400-plus pages like its predecessor, still hasn’t really gotten me anywhere in the way of plot. The author does a great job of shifting around and talking about everything except what the angel Daniel’s ultimate purpose is. And I’m pretty confident I won’t find out until the last page. Hence the third novel I will undoubtedly read at the start of 2019, Passion. I almost have to! But perhaps that’s what Lauren Kate wanted, and well, goal achieved I guess!
Overall, a frustrating and not very well done start to a trilogy. I think I’ve read wattpad stories better than these! Oh well, onto the next book.