It's the third week of St. Vladimir's Summer School, where I'm reading through the Vampire Academy novels with Ashelynn, Jen Ryland, and Jen from Owl Read It. We're on week three and book three, but if you want to join in, feel free to jump in where ever you want. NOTE: If you read book three, HAVE BOOK FOUR READY!
Total Progress: 3/6
Vocab - (Confused? Check out my previous posts.)
Spirit - The rare fifth magical element that both Lissa and Adrian specialize in. It allows them unheard of levels of compulsion and abilities like healing (Lissa) and meeting people in dreams (Adrian).
Compulsion - A Moroi ability, usually posessed in low levels, that allows them to incluence others.
Spirit - The rare fifth magical element that both Lissa and Adrian specialize in. It allows them unheard of levels of compulsion and abilities like healing (Lissa) and meeting people in dreams (Adrian).
Compulsion - A Moroi ability, usually posessed in low levels, that allows them to incluence others.
Summary: Rose is at risk of not graduating when her temper grows out of control and she starts seeing the ghost of a friend whose death she feels responsible for. Is he out for revenge or warning her of a greater evil on the way?
Brief thoughts:
This ending is the break-your-heart/call-to-adventure type that I love. Mead pulls it off perfectly and I am DYING for Blood Promise. Something else... my favorite part of this series so far has been watching vampire society slowly change. There is some serious oppression going on that everyone just accepts and in this book we start to see Rose (among others) question the way things are done. I love that. Now, on to the important stuff....
Adrian... be still my heart. He totally made this book for me. I think what makes me like him so much is that he is this damaged guy who is totally self-destructive (I love the bad boys), but he doesn't use it as a wall to hide behind. He is sweet and goofy in the way lovable nerds are usually written, but he's well dressed and funny and he smokes and he drinks. He's this amazing mashup of literary heart throb. In this book, I also really like Christian. He's so good for Lissa and even though they have their problems, they truly love each other. I really like that their relationship is normal and not some epic battle to be together (except for the normal teenage drama).
Once again, my biggest issue is with Dmitri. I understand why people love him, but I can't get past the fact that he is Rose's teacher. It creeps me out how quickly they go from equals sharing a bond, to Dmitri pulling rank and Rose being a brat to annoy him. It doesn't feel like this is for show, to keep their relationship secret (which is a red flag in and of itself), and this struggle for power, specifically, is what makes me uncomfortable. It is not just the knowledge that he is her teacher. I'm pretty sure that I would feel the same way if he were her boss. However, this book did a good job of helping me forget my reservations. I found myself being swept along with Rose and devastated at the way things played out.
This ending is the break-your-heart/call-to-adventure type that I love. Mead pulls it off perfectly and I am DYING for Blood Promise. Something else... my favorite part of this series so far has been watching vampire society slowly change. There is some serious oppression going on that everyone just accepts and in this book we start to see Rose (among others) question the way things are done. I love that. Now, on to the important stuff....
Adrian... be still my heart. He totally made this book for me. I think what makes me like him so much is that he is this damaged guy who is totally self-destructive (I love the bad boys), but he doesn't use it as a wall to hide behind. He is sweet and goofy in the way lovable nerds are usually written, but he's well dressed and funny and he smokes and he drinks. He's this amazing mashup of literary heart throb. In this book, I also really like Christian. He's so good for Lissa and even though they have their problems, they truly love each other. I really like that their relationship is normal and not some epic battle to be together (except for the normal teenage drama).
Once again, my biggest issue is with Dmitri. I understand why people love him, but I can't get past the fact that he is Rose's teacher. It creeps me out how quickly they go from equals sharing a bond, to Dmitri pulling rank and Rose being a brat to annoy him. It doesn't feel like this is for show, to keep their relationship secret (which is a red flag in and of itself), and this struggle for power, specifically, is what makes me uncomfortable. It is not just the knowledge that he is her teacher. I'm pretty sure that I would feel the same way if he were her boss. However, this book did a good job of helping me forget my reservations. I found myself being swept along with Rose and devastated at the way things played out.
What I learned about Romance (after all, we are in summer school):
Guys, I get the attraction between Rose and Dmitri, so please don't take this the wrong way. BUT I feel like a PSA is in order. Dmitri is a compelling love interest, narratively speaking, but in real life, not so much. Plus, the biggest lesson I can think of is "If you give your heart to someone, there is every possibility it can break", because there are a million ways to shatter a heart and it has nothing to do with whether you are loved back. And that is depressing.
HOW TO TELL THAT YOU ARE IN AN UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIP
1. You don't tell your best friend. Rose can read Lissa's mind. She knows everything about her and knows that Lissa will love her unconditionally. Yet, she never tells her about Dmitri. In fact, she is terrified that Lissa will find out and goes out of her way to keep it a secret from her. I think one of the main reasons that Rose's relationship with Dmitri is so troubled is that she's never able to process what is going on by talking about it with someone.
2. You can be blackmailed with the information. Seriously, if your relationship is so shameful that someone can coerce you into doing something you don't want to do with the threat of telling people about said relationship... I really can't believe this is even going on the list.
3. He's your teacher. Rose specifically uses the word teacher in this book. And then she does community service as detention and Dmitri joins her. She thinks it feels like a date. No, it's detention. There is a priest there and you need to go on more dates.
4. You're changing who you are. Obviously, you're going to change as you grow and different people influence you, but if you are throwing away important parts of yourself, that is a problem. Dmitri is honest, that is a huge part of who he is, and Rose comments on how it is killing him that he has to lie under oath. Sacrificing who you are is not romantic.
Now that THAT is over... MORE ADRIAN. (I'm like Christopher Walken and his cowbell). I wonder if Siri can pronounce "Little Dhampir"?
HOW TO TELL THAT YOU ARE IN AN UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIP
1. You don't tell your best friend. Rose can read Lissa's mind. She knows everything about her and knows that Lissa will love her unconditionally. Yet, she never tells her about Dmitri. In fact, she is terrified that Lissa will find out and goes out of her way to keep it a secret from her. I think one of the main reasons that Rose's relationship with Dmitri is so troubled is that she's never able to process what is going on by talking about it with someone.
2. You can be blackmailed with the information. Seriously, if your relationship is so shameful that someone can coerce you into doing something you don't want to do with the threat of telling people about said relationship... I really can't believe this is even going on the list.
3. He's your teacher. Rose specifically uses the word teacher in this book. And then she does community service as detention and Dmitri joins her. She thinks it feels like a date. No, it's detention. There is a priest there and you need to go on more dates.
4. You're changing who you are. Obviously, you're going to change as you grow and different people influence you, but if you are throwing away important parts of yourself, that is a problem. Dmitri is honest, that is a huge part of who he is, and Rose comments on how it is killing him that he has to lie under oath. Sacrificing who you are is not romantic.
Now that THAT is over... MORE ADRIAN. (I'm like Christopher Walken and his cowbell). I wonder if Siri can pronounce "Little Dhampir"?
Shadow Kiss gets a Fake Steph Rating of...
Posts
I only knew Adrian through the Bloodlines series, but I am loving getting to know him better. He's such a great character --joking on the outside to hide the fact that he's such a sensitive soul.
ReplyDeleteOMG -- that ending. I'm an English major-- I should have spotted that foreshadowing. The genius of these books is that they are so much fun to read that you never see the emotional punch coming until it hits you in the gut.
Adrian is so awesome!! I agree about Lissa and Christians relationship, they are pretty good together.
ReplyDeleteAll of your points about an unhealthy relationship? Totally true!! It's just a few of the reasons I don't like their relationship. Athough at the end it seemed like it was going towork out for the best, and then that ending?!!?! I can't wait to start the next book!
One day, I will get around to reading these.
ReplyDeleteYes! Join me on the losing team, aka Team Adrian. He's clearly the better choice, though he has his flaws. But Rose is just obsessed with Dimitri.
ReplyDeleteI also love your checklist. That should be passed to every single YA heroine. Violate it and I will judge your face right off. Just watch me! Oh wait, stupid heroine, you can't BECAUSE YOU NO LONGER HAVE A FACE.
Whoa. That got a little intense. But seriously. Stop it, girls. And I would like to see authors stop romanticizing that stuff. In the magic land of YA, these guys are actually soulmates, the ones we're supposed to ship, not a treatise on exactly how NOT to choose a mate.
Your list for an unhealthy relationship is so true. One of the things that drives me crazy in books is when the girl doesn't tell her bff about her boyfriend. That is a total red flag! I'm really enjoying your reviews of VA even though I haven't read the books. :)
ReplyDeleteYour list for what makes an unhealthy relationship. So true. Loved it. It also reminds me of Ezra/Aria on Pretty Little Liars show!
ReplyDeleteAdrian, le sigh. He tugs on the heartstrings, that one.
L) i love your review! This is a wonderful review and book. I also noticed the unheathyness in D/R's love. why didn't rose just tell Lissa like a good best friend? Still awesome book in an awesome series with outstanding characters. I'm glad you like Adrian and Christain as much as i do! They are both amazing men/characters in their own way! i love the way you started with a vocabulary lesson!
ReplyDeleteI love this series! As much as I love the Rose/Dimitri dynamic, his being her teacher always creeped me out too. And while I understand the allure of forbidden romance (and it was a great narrative device too), in real life I would not be supporting their relationship at all. As for Adrian, I like him, but he's a little too immature for me in this series. I'm starting to like him more and more though in the Bloodlines series!
ReplyDeleteI love the list you made at the end! That was hysterical! I agree whole heartedly with all your points though. I think it is important for the person you are with to inspire you to be a better person, but not to the point where you are sacrificing who you are.
ReplyDeleteI really dig Adrian too.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I've never really pondered the fact that D is her teacher, but since it is a different society, I don't have an issue with it.
I am very glad you brought up those points about how to know if you're in a relationship thats unhealthy.
Brandi from Blkosiner’s Book Blog
Ok, I didn't read the review because I haven't read it and don't want to see spoilers, but the lovely Grad Student at YA Fiction & Whiskey Sours directed me to your VA readathon and seeing as I finally just read the first one I'm catching up this week and will definitely be participating! Such a fun idea, and so glad to find a new awesome blog. :)
ReplyDelete