Review: Everneath (Brodi Ashton)

Everneath by Brodi Ashton
Publisher: Simon and Schuster UK (2012)
Format: Paperback | 384 pages
Genre(s): Paranormal Romance, Young Adult

Description (GR): "Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she’s returned—to her old life, her family, her friends—before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever. 

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can’t find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there’s a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he’ll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki’s time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she’s forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole’s..."

I really tried to like this one because I think the author had a great idea, but I disliked the way the story was told. It felt like I was watching a tennis match, back and forth, back and forth.

The story begins at the middle, we get no background at all and suddenly we're at the beginning. Well, not the beginning because Nikki's memories/ flashbacks are very random. We have pieces of the story strewn around everywhere, in the middle of the regular, present-day chapters and sometimes there are conversations and things happening in the present (of the book) that don't make sense until later (after a few more flashbacks).

I'm not against nonlinear narrative at all, I quite enjoyed it in Slautherhouse-Five for example, but in Everneath... it just didn't work. It didn't work because there was actually a linear story going on too and it wasn't making sense because the reader didn't know all they needed to know to understand what was happening.

This, for me, was Everneath's weakest point. I get it; Nikki's memories were fuzzy, she didn't remember things and all that. But it was just too confusing for the reader, in my opinion. It makes the story seem fractured (which was perhaps what the author intended) from everyone's point of view (not just Nikki's)

Another thing I didn't like that much: Cole. I really didn't like Cole. He was just creepy and his attitudes made little sense (again, probably because of the way the book was written). I hope he goes away in book 2, but I'm thinking no.

I think most characters suffered from lack of development but I guess I understand why, in Nikki's case.

I was actually going to give this book only two stars but the ending... was perfect. Perfect I tell you (yes I am a closet romantic).

Overall, good and imaginative concept but flawed execution. The way the book was set up just didn't appeal to me. Too confusing and a bit too random for my taste.

Bonus Section - Cover Commentary: This cover seems cheesy at first (I mean, girl in a red dress? See how many you can spot here!) But the subtle details are beautiful: the smoke that changes color at her shoulder and waist and the dark, cloudy smoke at the bottom of her dress (there's a smooth transition as if the girl is turning into smoke or stepping out of it) make the model seem ethereal and otherworldly. It's an eye-catching cover indeed. It fits the "Underworld of Greek myth" concept to a tee.

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