Review: Everless by Sara Holland

Everless (Everless #1)

by Sara Holland 

Time is a prison. She is the key. Packed with danger, temptation and desire - a perfect read for fans of The Red Queen. 

In the land of Sempera, the rich control everything - even time. Ever since the age of alchemy and sorcery, hours, days and years have been extracted from blood and bound to iron coins. The rich live for centuries; the poor bleed themselves dry.

Jules and her father are behind on their rent and low on hours. To stop him from draining himself to clear their debts, Jules takes a job at Everless, the grand estate of the cruel Gerling family.

There, Jules encounters danger and temptation in the guise of the Gerling heir, Roan, who is soon to be married. But the web of secrets at Everless stretches beyond her desire, and the truths Jules must uncover will change her life for ever ... and possibly the future of time itself. 

My Thoughts:

I've been unable to read a book for a while because of work and it's one of the main reasons I was unable to blog or review books. I've still been active on my Goodreads but I haven't had time to blog. This book has been on my radar for a while because the blurb caught my fancy. While I did finish the book in a day, I find that this book didn't really WOW me. 

Positives

World Building & Premise

I loved the premise of the novel. It reminded me of the film In Time (starring: Justin Timberlake). I wasn't sure whether the author would be able to explain how the world works clearly but she did a very good job. She builds the world,its rules as well as its mythology wonderfully. At times the world building takes us away from the plot but it always links to the characters in the end. 

The Politics & Parallels to Reality

The novel is set in a world in which time is currency. I loved the way the novel showcased the way people in power hoarded time and taxed normal individuals. It didn't shy away from showcasing the reality through fantasy. The rich keep getting richer but at what cost? For once, a YA novel does not just tell you about the cost but paints a picture of it through words. Everless represents and showcases poverty and as well as class politics masterfully. 

Negatives

Predictable Storyline

The storyline is extremely predictable as I feel the author gives too many clues before delivering the 'unexpected' twists. There were certain key events that I could not predict but I was able to anticipate and correctly guess where the narrative was heading. 

Insta-Love/Puppy love

Jules has been in love with a character in this book since she was a child. This childhood love just frustrated me as her interaction with this character throughout the book was scarce. He is supposed to be the main love interest but his character needed to be developed much more. I just couldn't get invested in this relationship.

Character Development

There were many characters in the book that I could have grown to love, but as the book focused on the world building and mythology, character development took a back-seat. 

Overall, while I did enjoy the novel I am not invested enough to rush and pick up the sequel, despite the cliffhanger ending. 

My Rating:

3 stars

I enjoyed it but I'm not invested enough to pick up the sequel