Saturday, January 3, 2015

Topian Reviews on The Jewel by Amy Ewing

The Jewel (The Lone City, #1)The Jewel by Amy Ewing

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Debut author, Amy Ewing present a shocking new YA series where brutality, duplicity, and jealousy is barely veiled by the sparkling dress, luxurious balls and overwhelming opulence that exists in The Jewel. The Handmaid’s Tale meets The Selection meets The Chemical Garden has elements of all three yet keeping an original concept all its own.

In the Lone City, containing great beauty and talent means a life of servitude where your entire worth is determined by the highest bidder. For some girls, being auctioned off like cattle, as a surrogate to the royal families is a chance to live the dazzling lifestyle of the rich and powerful. For Violet Lasting, known as 197, it means a life devoid of choices, where your body is nothing more than a commodity to be displayed, used, and abused. In the inner city known as The Jewel, Violet is suddenly forced into a world where friendships exist only as facades and cruelty and violence ensure power and status. The life of a surrogate is not easy as they are auctioned, purchased, collared and leashed, and displayed as trophies for the rich. Violet’s sole purpose is to produce an heir as she is forced to become a surrogate for the Duchess of the Lake. But Violet manages to finds a bit of happiness through this ugly and harsh reality, when she meets Ash, a handsome gentleman hired as a companion for the Duchess’s petulant niece. Both Ash and Violet know the dangers involved in their association but they can’t stop the mutual attraction, a classic forbidden love.

The political intrigue, strategic alliances and shocking moments were vivid and realistic. The scandal, lies, and outright brutality displayed by the royals where exciting and unexpected. However, the romance between Violet and Ash was some-what lacking in creativity. The pace of the romance and the automatic connection between the lovers seemed false and at time unbelievable. Their spark, made them feel like this love would not last. There was no friendship in their whirlwind love tale.

Despite the romance view of this story I still found it enjoy and was glad to read it for the first book of the year.




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