Monday, September 01, 2014

A new student review of Promise Bound by Anne Greenwood Brown

ReesaOnFire posted a new student review of Promise Bound by Anne Greenwood Brown. See the full review.

Ms Greenwood Brown certainly does know how to spin a good story.  Mystifying, heart-wrenching, and enticing, Promise Bound is a book like no other.

Promise Bound being a finale to a trilogy, I expected to be at least moderately confused. I had not read any of the previous books of the series, and so had no prior knowledge of any of the characters.  However, it wasn’t a problem.  Ms. Brown beautifully spins the story where, if you never read the series, you could still understand nearly all the actions.  Truly independent story, it can stand on its own two feet—for that reason I was hooked from the beginning.

Brown’s characters kept my attention with their magic.  The leading characters—Lily, Calder and family—were especially well done, only with perhaps one instance or two of inconsistency.   But the depth at which the character’s work is truly noteworthy and realistic.   Putting Calder and Lily aside, out of Brown’s characters, Danny stands out for his ‘realness’.  Brown does mention some side characters, Lily’s best friend as example, but does not, in my opinion, finish them in this book. In other words, they are loose ends in this finale.  I wished they were more finely finished.

With that, I must mention that at times, the book seemed a bit too fast paced.  Particularly after Calder returns, I felt that the novel was picking up a dangerous speed until the end. 

 In total, Ms. Brown creates a stunning, stand alone plot, with vivid descriptions and a romance that will have the reader eating out of her hand.   I certainly was. Calder’s and Lily’s relationship is just so strong, it draws the reader in, her action and intrigue keeping the reader in the zone.  Promise bound is sure to draw you in from start to finish, even if you hadn’t any prior knowledge about the series.

  I recommend it for ages 15+.