Publisher: Flux
Pages: 408
Source: Netgalley
Links: Goodreads | Amazon
Wish. Love. Desire. Live.
Sixteen-year-old Noli Braddock's hoyden ways land her in an abusive reform school far from home. On mid-summer's eve she wishes to be anyplace but that dreadful school. A mysterious man from the Realm of Faerie rescues her and brings her to the Otherworld, only to reveal that she must be sacrificed, otherwise, the entire Otherworld civilization will perish.
A steampunk fantasy, eh? You got me THAR!
Yes, THAR. Okay, so it may not be a word, but it's a fun way of saying "there". (Well, at least it is for me!) Now, here's the real question: is this a damn good steampunk fantasy? YES and NO.
WHY NO? BECAUSE INNOCENT DARKNESS IS A TEASE.
Reading Innocent Darkness is like an almost kiss in a sense. It could have, would have, should have been freaking hot but it wasn't. It lures me in with its potential to have deliciously written, darn good world building and plot and all that jazz but NO. It just doesn't go in for the kill to WOW me.
Do I even make sense? Okay, well here's the bullet point version.
- This is called a steampunk fantasy, so I DEMAND my steampunky goodness.
- Innocent Darkness severely lacked in terms of world building, especially with its steampunk elements.This obviously elicited thoughts such as, "RAH RAH GIMME MORE".
- This is called a steampunk fantasy, so I DEMAND my fantasy goodness.
- Like I've mentioned earlier, Innocent Darkness fails (for me, at least) in world building. Sure, I got to see the Otherworld and get a quick taste of it but that's all I got. A. QUICK. TASTE.
- I really believe that this book enjoys teasing me. I see SO MUCH potential with this book to be something really unique, and quite possibly amazing but it just hasn't reached that level yet.
- I simply need more. I NEED MORE.
WHY YES? BECAUSE WHAT I GOT WAS ACTUALLY SATISFYING.
- We have Noli, Kevighn, and our very own V! (yes, V is a nickname.) They were very enjoyable characters to read about, especially Kevighn and his own mysterious past. Noli wasn't a pain in any body part of mine, so rejoice!
- They weren't necessarily characters that really STOOD out, if you get me. They're interesting, but not keyboard mashing worthy aka ASDFJHSALJKDFHAL WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE.
- The fantasy and steampunk elements albeit given in very low doses was FASCINATING. I loved learning about the Otherworld at every chance I was given, and I ate up all of the steampunk ID gave me like a sweet tooth child would devour candy.
- Plot plot PLOT! Not completely engrossed as I would have liked to be, I loved the pace of the story and each little twist that popped up here and there.
Quick overview of my thoughts? I'll state it again: I need MOAR. MORE. MOOORE. There's just SO much potential for this book, there really is and even as in its underdeveloped stage, it's quite gewwd! (I'm seriously in the mood to just misspell everything on purpose, so don't mind that.)
