 |
| Dividing Eden by Joelle Charbonneau |
"Twins Carys and Andreus were never destined to rule Eden. With their older brother next in line to inherit the throne, the future of the kingdom was secure.
But appearances—and rivals—can be deceiving. When Eden’s king and crown prince are killed by assassins, Eden desperately needs a monarch, but the line of succession is no longer clear. With a ruling council scheming to gain power, Carys and Andreus are faced with only one option—to take part in a Trial of Succession that will determine which one of them is worthy of ruling the kingdom.
As sister and brother, Carys and Andreus have always kept each other safe—from their secrets, from the court, and from the monsters lurking in the mountains beyond the kingdom’s wall. But the Trial of Succession will test the bonds of trust and family.
With their country and their hearts divided, Carys and Andreus will discover exactly what each will do to win the crown. How long before suspicion takes hold and the thirst for power leads to the ultimate betrayal? "
I have really enjoyed Joelle Charbonneau's other books, so I was looking forward to this one. I was very disappointed and almost didn't even finish it. I really hate it when I don't like the main characters. Why keep reading if I don't care what happens to these two stupid people? However, I soldiered on and did mildly enjoy the story and action, and did end up caring about one of the main characters when something was explained.
I found the world building confusing and have no idea what the Xhelosi (I have no idea if I spelled that correctly, and I don't really care) were, or why or how they exist. I didn't understand how the kingdom and ruling family came to be, or how the kingdom interacts with other kingdoms. So many confusing things!
I didn't hate this book like I thought I was going to for about 1/2 of it, but I definitely didn't love it.
Areas of concern:
*A 17 year old main character who will sleep with anything in a skirt.
*Drug addiction in a character.
*Some violence.
*Horribly dysfunctional family dynamic.
I found the world building confusing and have no idea what the Xhelosi (I have no idea if I spelled that correctly, and I don't really care) were, or why or how they exist. I didn't understand how the kingdom and ruling family came to be, or how the kingdom interacts with other kingdoms. So many confusing things!
I didn't hate this book like I thought I was going to for about 1/2 of it, but I definitely didn't love it.
Areas of concern:
*A 17 year old main character who will sleep with anything in a skirt.
*Drug addiction in a character.
*Some violence.
*Horribly dysfunctional family dynamic.
Suggested Ages:
Publisher's Weekly - Ages 13+
School Library Journal - Grades 7+
