Spirit Bound
Richelle Mead
Dimitri gave Rose the ultimate choice. But she chose wrong...After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri's birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir's-and to her best friend, Lissa. It is nearly graduation, and the girls can't wait for their real lives beyond the Academy's iron gates to begin. But Rose's heart still aches for Dimitri, and she knows he's out there, somewhere.She failed to kill him when she had the chance. And now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and now he is hunting her. And this time he won't rest until Rose joins him... forever.
The Big Picture:
Overall, this was an okay book. It could have been much better.
I saw Rose in a different light. I felt like she was rude to Adrian. The plot wasn't bad. During the first half of the book, I loved it. Things changed once Dimitri got to the Court. I started to get annoyed at how soap opera-y the book turned. The ending wasn't bad. It was full of tension.
I saw Rose in a different light. I felt like she was rude to Adrian. The plot wasn't bad. During the first half of the book, I loved it. Things changed once Dimitri got to the Court. I started to get annoyed at how soap opera-y the book turned. The ending wasn't bad. It was full of tension.
Travel Companion:
If we traveled with the main character Rose Hathaway, she would be:
She would be the fighter. She would be the one to defend the weak. She would defend her loved ones. She would be a soldier. She would be a great soldier.
The Warrior
She would be the fighter. She would be the one to defend the weak. She would defend her loved ones. She would be a soldier. She would be a great soldier.
We would meet her on her leave. She would be teaching martial arts to children. We would join in on her class and see her fighting spirit. We would invite her to join us to see Russia. She would join because she had heard so much from her instructor Dimitri, and she wanted to see it for herself.
As I read this book, I started to see Rose in a different light. I still thought she was awesome, but I didn't harbor as much respect as I used to have for her. She was still a great fighter. She was still loyal to her friends. She was still reckless.
So what changed?
Rose treated Adrian like he didn't matter. She tossed him aside unless he was important to her situation. I was astonished. Rose was such a great character. Why did she have to do that? I started to hate her a little bit.
But...Rose was still Rose. She was reckless. She spoke up for the little guy. When she started to protest the dhampir graduation age law, I felt a glowing pride in my chest. She was defending those teen dhampirs. She knew the consequences. I admired her efforts. Rose was still the defiant girl I admired, but she had a side of her I didn't like.
The Adventure Begins (And Ends):
The first half of this book was amazing. It was filled with action. The trials. Graduation. The prison break-out. And rescuing Christian and Lissa. It was fast-paced and exciting. I loved reading it. It was interesting. I was left wanting more. Every time I stopped reading, I yearned for the next moment. So much happened. The break-out was quite amazing. It showed that Rose was not a bad leader. She could plan things out and put them into action. That doesn't mean her plans should happen all the time, though. Her plans can get reckless.
The second half grew into a soap opera. My excitement levels started to die down. I felt like the plot was something off a reality TV show. An illegitimate child. Gasp! A murder. Gasp! Rejection from the one you love. Gasp! The plot twists thrown at me were nothing. The only thing they were was dramatic. I felt like they were there for the shock factor. (Especially that illegitimate child one.)
The second half grew into a soap opera. My excitement levels started to die down. I felt like the plot was something off a reality TV show. An illegitimate child. Gasp! A murder. Gasp! Rejection from the one you love. Gasp! The plot twists thrown at me were nothing. The only thing they were was dramatic. I felt like they were there for the shock factor. (Especially that illegitimate child one.)
I'll Wait For You At the Gate:
I'm not even sure about the romance anymore.
I loved Adrian. He's such a great character. He truly loved Rose. I loved his loyalty. He was a great character. He was fun to read. Adrian would be a great friend in real life.
But Rose wasn't completely into him. She was still into Dimitri. I shipped Dimitri and Rose. I always have. She had no right to treat Adrian the way she did, though. Yes, she could have broken up with him. She could have simply told him her heart was still with Dimitri. It was obvious to me that she couldn't let Dimitri go. No matter how many times he rejected her. She wouldn't let him go. That didn't mean she had to ignore Adrian. Not at all.
What I wanted was this: Rose dumps Adrian and gets back together with Dimitri. Dimitri can't deny his feelings forever. No matter what he says. He still loves Rose, and Rose still loves him.
The love triangle was messy and completely avoidable. If only Rose was truthful to Adrian, this wouldn't have happened. Just admit you still love Dimitri, Rose. That'll make things easier.
I loved Adrian. He's such a great character. He truly loved Rose. I loved his loyalty. He was a great character. He was fun to read. Adrian would be a great friend in real life.
But Rose wasn't completely into him. She was still into Dimitri. I shipped Dimitri and Rose. I always have. She had no right to treat Adrian the way she did, though. Yes, she could have broken up with him. She could have simply told him her heart was still with Dimitri. It was obvious to me that she couldn't let Dimitri go. No matter how many times he rejected her. She wouldn't let him go. That didn't mean she had to ignore Adrian. Not at all.
What I wanted was this: Rose dumps Adrian and gets back together with Dimitri. Dimitri can't deny his feelings forever. No matter what he says. He still loves Rose, and Rose still loves him.
The love triangle was messy and completely avoidable. If only Rose was truthful to Adrian, this wouldn't have happened. Just admit you still love Dimitri, Rose. That'll make things easier.
Perks and Upgrades:
N/A
You Have Arrived at Your Destination:
The ending was filled with tension. What will happen next to Rose? Will she be okay? I was left wondering. And that last sentence about being guilty at the trial? A punch to the gut.
I have questions. This book didn't end on a high note. It ended in a cliffhanger. You're left wondering what happens next. Thank goodness I have easy accessibility to the next book.
I have questions. This book didn't end on a high note. It ended in a cliffhanger. You're left wondering what happens next. Thank goodness I have easy accessibility to the next book.
Richelle Mead really loves her cliffhangers. She's good at them thankfully, but they can be frustrating! Especially after these books get as soapy as they can (like you said). Glad you're enjoying this series anyway! They're fun books.
ReplyDeleteThey're great and all, especially if you have the next book right on hand.
DeleteYeah...soap operas aren't my thing honestly.
It's a good series. I liked it.