Monday, April 27, 2015

Rook by Sharon Cameron

Title: Rook
Author: Sharon Cameron
Length: 464 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Classification: Young Adult, Action & Adventure, Dystopian, Fantasy
Release Date: April 28, 2015
Source: e-galley via Edelweiss (Thank you, Scholastic!)
Read: April 2015
History has a way of repeating itself. In the Sunken City that was once Paris, all who oppose the new revolution are being put to the blade. Except for those who disappear from their prison cells, a red-tipped rook feather left in their place. Is the mysterious Red Rook a savior of the innocent or a criminal?
Meanwhile, across the sea in the Commonwealth, Sophia Bellamy’s arranged marriage to the wealthy René Hasard is the last chance to save her family from ruin. But when the search for the Red Rook comes straight to her doorstep, Sophia discovers that her fiancé is not all he seems. Which is only fair, because neither is she. 
As the Red Rook grows bolder and the stakes grow higher, Sophia and René find themselves locked in a tantalizing game of cat and mouse.

GoodReads || Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Books-a-Million

***I received an e-galley of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review***

I really enjoyed reading Rook! In fact I loved it.

I think Rook is primarily a Dystopian type book, but I also felt like there was a bit of Fantasy in the story as well. There were some really dark and rough parts.
It didn't take long for me to become interested in the story and the characters. The story is a bit slow at times. There are bits of action and excitement during the first part of the book.  But it really picks up and is packed with a lot of action from the middle to the end of the book! I honestly did not mind that the story started off slow, I was very interested by the characters and wanting to find out more. I found the history to be quite fascinating. And even though the story does move a bit slower than other stories, I was still easily pulled into wanting to know more about the characters and the world they lived in.

In this Dystopian future, Paris is now called Sunken City. Technology is outlawed and everyone who is opposed to the new revolution is being arrested and placed in cells, awaiting public execution. But some of the prisoners are being rescued by the mysterious Red Rook. And when the Red Rook rescues people, there is a red-tipped rook feather left in their place. On the other side of the sea in the Commonwealth, Sophia is preparing to marry a wealthy man, Rene, to save her family from financial ruin. Sophia and Rene both have secrets from each other and neither of them are exactly what they seem to be. The search for the Red Rook expands and the Commonwealth, becomes the ideal place to search. What secrets are Sophia and Rene hiding and what will happen to the Red Rook?

There were some surprises for me in this story as well. Twists that I didn't see coming. As well as, suspense that left me dying to know what would happen next. This story made me smile, laugh, worry, and really care about what would happen.

One of my favorite things about Rook is the interesting world-building. I was found the history to be fascinating. Even though the story is set in the future, it was like they were back in the past without technology. Hence the idea of "History has a way of repeating itself". I definitely got that feeling from this story.

Another favorite thing from this story was the characters. I found several of the characters to be in the grey area. I wasn't really sure which side they were on. I think I was second-guessing myself a lot throughout this story. It was also easy for me to like and care about the characters.

I really like Sophia. She is smart, clever, cunning and so strong. She really cares about her family and will do anything to help them. She also really cares about doing the right thing and standing up for her beliefs. She has determination and perseverance. I especially love the sibling relationship that she has with Tom. It is wonderful!

Rene is another awesome character. He is charming and mysterious. I was constantly wondering what his secrets were. I absolutely loved the dialogue and developing relationship between Rene and Sophia. The witty banter and chemistry is another one of my favorite things from this story.

The parts with LaBlanc were pretty interesting addition to the story. He is pretty crazy and creepy. But I did find his part in the story to be a bit different then what I thought it would be. It really added some craziness to the story. I was never quite sure what problems he would cause and how his beliefs and desires would affect the story and the characters.


My Recommendation:
I recommend giving it a read. I really enjoyed the story and the characters. I was entertained by the story and the amazing characters. Some parts of the story are a bit more slow than others, but I really didn't mind it at all. I loved reading Rook and do recommend it to others that enjoy Dystopian books that have wonderful characters, interesting history, and an awesome ending!

My Rating:

1 comment:

  1. I was apprehensive about this book. The premise seemed strange and I wasn't sure it was a book I would like. However, I've been hearing really great things so maybe I'll give it a try! Great review :)

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit my blog and leave a comment! I read every single one and they make my day! <3