TITLE: Poison StudyAUTHOR: Maria V. Snyder
PAGES: Paperback, 416
PUBLISHER: Luna
GENRE: Fantasy
OTHER BOOKS BY MARIA V. SNYDER: Study series, Glass series (Storm Glass, Sea Glass, Spy Glass), "Inside Out"
Choose: A quick death and hell or slow poison and hell.
About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve. She'll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia.
And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. But the chief of security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds her Butterfly's Dust and only by appearing for her daily antidote will she delay an agonizing death from the poison.
As Yelena tries to escape her new dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and Yelena develops magical powers she can't control. Her life is threatened again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren't so clear.
When I first got this book, I wasn't too thrilled. I started reading it but the writing style distracted me. Maria V. Snyder uses shorter sentences than I'm used to. Not horribly short but I'm used to, say, J.K. Rowling's good sized sentences. HOWEVER! There is some allure to this book that I can't explain. I kept reading it and finished it within a day. When I finished, I thought to myself, "This series is well on its way to becoming a favorite of mine."
It's just simply amazing; this idea. It's THE most original magic book I've read, with absolutely AMAZING descriptions. It paints the picture without getting to graphic during some scenes and that was totally fine with me. When it comes to sensitive topics, I hate it when authors go into fine detail.
The only thing I have to say, even though it isn't quite negative, is her use of language. Not swearing, even though there are swear words, but some of the "oldness" of it is lost on a few key quotes, when it sounds more modern than you'd expect. Perhaps this is Maria V. Snyder's style. Perhaps this is what is acceptable in her world. Whatever it is, it doesn't detract from the reading unless you're a dork like me who picks up on that stuff.
I definitely recommend this book to all who are looking for a good romance and who want a fresh, original idea. And, consequently, for anyone who would enjoy a good "spy" novel.
Add-in: (that's the review I did right after I finished the book. Now that I've read the whole series and reread them, I thought I'd add more)
What this boils down to is a basic fact: Maria V. Snyder books are intoxicating. I like how she doesn't just hand you the romance just the way you want it. She makes it difficult and complicated, yet exquisitely sweet, too. She develops her characters in such a way that they're the kind you want to root for.
These same characteristics are carried over into her newest series starring Opal Cowan in "Storm Glass". I'm constantly rereading the Glass books, too. I've never reread a series so much since the Harry Potter books.
What I'm most impressed with about Maria V. Snyder's work is that she appears so set in her style. She never deviates from book to book, which is impressive. It's nice to find an author set in her ways of doing things. She knows what she has to do to make her story come to life.
I absolutely cannot wait for "Spy Glass", which is book three in the Glass series. *tear*
However, she has a new book series out. (Three cheers to authors who don't keep their audiences hanging...too much.) The first book is called "Inside Out" and it's got a younger main character, at 17 or so. (Yelena and Opal were both twenty in their series.)
A tidbit: Maria V. Snyder is similar to Tamora Pierce in the way that you don't have to read the very, very first series to get what's going on. You can read Glass or Study series first. Doesn't matter. But just so you know, the Study series was published first and sets the world up. Just for all of you who like to read in order of publication. :)
Grade: A+
Sequel: "Magic Study," "Fire Study"
Grade: A+
Sequel: "Magic Study," "Fire Study"
