The Blood Key

The plot seemed underdeveloped in the sense that the story moved on at a quick pace but without explaining much on the characters' situations, especially the main character, Bozena, as her questions regarding her background and abilities were left unanswered, all the way from the start till the end, which left me baffled. Countless attempts were made by Bozena to uncover the truth about herself but unfortunately they were not answered and the story just kept moving on.

What I liked about this book though, was the relationships and bonds explored and exploited as the emotions felt by Bozena were clearly conveyed. There might be too much descriptive language to the point where minute details were unnecessary, but I have to admit that the background of the characters in the book was interesting. The paratactic style and lexical density of some sentences caused some annoyance, but all in all, give this book a chance because the locale set and the way the author explored Bozena's world was different and enigmatic.

This is the first book I've read by Vaun Murphrey, and her writing voice instantly stood out. You know when you read the first few sentences and go "yeap!" because you know you're in good hands? I had that feeling.

I enjoyed the tone of the main character introducing us to the story. There's a lot to like about Zena, but there's equally a lot to get frustrated about. She's a tall girl (Amazons represent!) and blase about things enough to be quietly sassy. She wasn't afraid to speak her mind often. For instance, what's the first thing you do when let out of an asylum and left unsupervised? Drink, of course. Especially if you have a dodgy family history.

The main chapter I enjoyed with her was the flashback chapter (disguised as a dream which was kinda sneaky) introducing her brother Christophe - who, I admit, I was instantly drawn to. Vaun's description of him made him an early key player for Book Boyfriend 2017, not gonna lie.

Dominic is equally nice, though a bit underdeveloped. And when the First Big Twist turns up in the first quarter, it seems to be skimmed over so quickly as though it's automatically integrated - not even Zena, who I'd imagine despite being casual about stuff having seen it all before would still be shocked and have some discernible reaction other than "ok gimme food" - and then we're moving on to the next plot point.

While this book isn't perfect, I would pick up something of Vaun Murphrey's again because I did enjoy her writing, I just hope the pacing is more equal.

Zena (Bozena) Skala made me laugh out loud. Despite living in an asylum for years for a crime she didn’t commit (murdering her beloved brother), her sense of humor remains intact. Especially as she finds out that she’s not exactly human. Try dealing with that.

I loved Zena’s character, and her process for learning way more than she wanted. Her love for her best friend, brother, and even her disappeared father is apparent yet she doesn’t hold back on the negative feelings that accompany loving someone for who they really are.

It's not the tightest book regarding plot, and there are a lot more questions raised than answered, but it was a quick and fun read. There was a lot going on in a short period of time, and trying to make sense of it was a bit tough, but it was a good ride.

I’ll read more from Vaun Murphrey for sure.