Book Review: Fates

Fates (Fates #1)

By: Lanie Bross

Published By: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: February 11, 2014

Page Count: 336

Buy it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or IndieBound

Source: ARC Kindly Provided by Publisher via NetGalley

Audience: Young Adult - Fantasy, Mythology

Fate is a theme that has been present in literature for centuries. It's something we all ponder at some point in our lives. The Fates of Greek Mythology terrified me as a kid. They seemed so ruthless and blase with the lives of humans. Their need to keep the balance bordered on cruel. I was interested to see how debut author, Lanie Bross, would tackle this age old material. I also have to admit that I was wooed by the pretty cover; there is a magical quality to this one. I wanted to spend time in this lush environment and learn the story of the girl on the rock.

Corinthe, a banished Fate, has lived a large portion of her life on Humana delivering out fates to humans. She doesn't feel emotions about her job. She just does what the marbles sent from the Unseen Ones dictate, but things start to change when she meets Luc. She isn't sure what it is about this boy that makes her feel almost human, but she finds that she is changing. The fates of Corinthe and Luc are entertwined and before they know it, they are thrust into a life or death adventure.

I have to applaud Bross for taking on such a monumental project as her debut. There are so many mystical worlds in this one and their creativity was impressive. I did have some trouble visualizing everything, but that was certainly no fault of Bross. 

I loved the high stakes adventure and the frantic pace of the plot, but I did have trouble getting through this one at times. My main complaint was the characters. I never got to a point where I liked Corinthe and Luc. I wasn't won over by their relationship. In fact, I felt pleasantly disinterested in them. I could easily have placed this one on my favorites shelf if I had formed a bond with the characters. I didn't feel like part of their story; I was merely an observer.

I feel like this novel will appeal to many readers and I did like it, but it lacked an addicting quality. After reading so many fantasy novels - particularly those influenced by mythology - I am pretty hard to please. I liked the concept behind this one, but I craved a more tightly structured story.

One Last Gripe: I never understood Luc's initial reaction to Corinthe. 

My Favorite Thing About This Book: I was drawn to the bond between Luc and Jasmine.

First Sentence: Principal Sylvia Patterson pulled her office door shut, checked the lock, then hitched a stack of folders slightly higher in her left arm as she made her way down the empty halls of Mission High.

Favorite Character: I don't have one.

Least Favorite Character: Corinthe

Summary:

What if your destiny was to kill the one you love? 

 One moment. One foolish desire. One mistake. And Corinthe lost everything. 

 She fell from her tranquil life in Pyralis Terra and found herself exiled to the human world. Her punishment? To make sure people’s fates unfold according to plan. Now, years later, Corinthe has one last assignment: kill Lucas Kaller. His death will be her ticket home. 

 But for the first time, Corinthe feels a tingle of doubt. It begins as a lump in her throat, then grows toward her heart, and suddenly she feels like she’s falling all over again—this time for a boy she knows she can never have. Because it is written: one of them must live, and one of them must die. 

 In a universe where every moment, every second, every fate has already been decided, where does love fit in?