In the first of the Abandon Trilogy we meet Pierce, a girl who is an NDE, someone who has had a near death experience, who was dead for an hour. Yup, that’s right, an hour. And she remembers everything. That is to say, she remembers meeting John, the ruler of the Underworld where souls go to get sorted then shuffled onto a boat that takes them to their final destination.
So, a modern variation of the story of Persephone ([per-sef–uh-nee] because I always have issues pronouncing her name), without the main character actually being Persephone or her replacement.
Okay, so, we will see if this has any spoilers.
Overall, I really liked this book. To the point that the day I finished it I went to the library and got the next book. Seriously, I was hooked. Generally, I really enjoy Meg Cabot’s writing style, and this novel didn’t disappoint. We were given a heroine who is actually a little different to your average heroine because she died and came back changed, not just because of what she saw, but actual characteristics. She can’t focus anymore, she has lost a good chunk of her social skills. She went through dying, so that isn’t surprising.
I also love the leading man because he has depth. John is a character who is true to who he is and actually shows himself the way men like him would. Those who are steely and have a background they aren’t proud of. Those who are afraid that their new loved ones will leave them if they know the whole truth.
And her father is rich. This is actually an important fact throughout this book (and the following two) as it creates more than one plot point.
I don’t like that she knows NOTHING about the myths surrounding the Underworld. You were there. You tried to tell people what you saw. You research facts on NDEs, but you literally didn’t look up anything about what happened to you and what it could have been? COME ON PIERCE!
Who will enjoy this book? Romance lovers, mythology lovers, action folks, and urban fantasy lovers. This isn’t for someone looking for high fantasy. This isn’t for someone looking for a book without romance. Because it’s kind of the whole point of the novel. If you don’t pick up on that as soon as we meet John, well… yeah…. you may be in for a number of surprises.
Loved this, highly recommend it.
It is a good book for teens or adults, or preteens. Maybe. Maybe, parents, read it first. There isn’t anything explicit in any of these books, but they do go far. Just saying.
