Book Review + Giveaway: Dividing Dark (Melissa Swaim)

How is a 16-year-old girl with an eating disorder supposed to reconcile the ancient wounds between the Annunaki, the Reptilian Watchers, and the human race? After Flannery “Fee” Birch loses her father in Afghanistan, she ends up in the alien land of Alabama, where she learns the art of spelunking (caving) in order to make friends. To make matters worse, Fee is afraid of caves, heights, and just about everything else…until she meets Faron Rothschild, an outcast from either world, though an emissary for both. Faron’s mixed blood kind took up the role of protecting humans, whom the Anunnaki abandoned and later warred with, while also keeping the Anunnaki secret from the world who forgot them. Not an easy task for a shape shifter who can switch between both sets of his DNA, human and Reptilian. This is a secret that must be maintained at all cost, and Fee, who once tried to disappear from life, pound by pound, must not only rectify her own life, but demand truce between light and darkness.

Dividing Dark is one of those novels that manages to maintain its originality despite falling firmly within the paranormal romance genre. Indeed, even if it surrounds itself with shape shifting, human versus non-humans conflict, it is original in its setting and a few aspects of its plot. While I feel that Dividing Dark is not extraordinary, it has its own merits.

For instance, it has a darn good prologue. The tension, action combined with the deliberate missing information is what makes an interesting prologue, and Dividing Dark has that. I immediately jumped into reading the wholeheartedly, and was anxious to know how everything fits. The backdrop of caves, cliffs, raging rivers and underground tunnels is well described, enough for claustrophobics and altophobics readers to be weary of. It was such a thrill reading about the whole lot.

The characters Fee and Faron are not complex, but are also not exactly easy to read. They are not personified neatly and there are still loose threads that I thought could be tied up better. There is a lack of development in other characters, although I found them easy, sometimes even fun to read and get along with. They also create several loose subplots and are generally good foils to the main characters. These characters are not only interesting but also has realistic relationships which I felt was explored well. In particular, despite their romance being fast and instantaneaous, Fee and Faron have great chemistry together. Their connection is more emotional that physical and that is a breath of fresh air from the many young adult novels I have read.

There are several flaws which undermined the premise of Diving Dark. There were several subplots started that were not thoroughly explored, which can potentially be good for a sequel, but I am not sure if there will be one. It made the book feel incomplete somehow and confusing at times too. The descriptions in this novel is adequate, but I would have liked more elaboration on history and events that mattered in the plot, of characters and visuals. The narrative is at times confusing as there is no smooth transition between scenes and at some points I felt I was completely lost as how the scope of the plot ended up so far away from where it was three pages before.

Regardless, I read this in one sitting and would gladly welcome a sequel.

Three Stars.

It's giveaway time - 

Thanks to Melissa, we're giving away an e-copy of Dividing Dark!

Rules.

• Open internationally.
• You do not have to be a follower to enter.
• Deadline for entries will be on 15th November, 12MN GMT.
• Winners will be drawn through random.org
• Winners will be contacted via e-mail, and will be given 48 hours to response. Otherwise, a new winner will be drawn.
• Any details will be deleted after use and will not be passed on to any third party.

* E-book copy received for review from the author. Thanks Melissa!