Original Review posted on
Bookwyrming ThoughtsOriginal Rating: 3.5
Note: Pictures, Captions have been removed from Goodreads review. Formatting may be lost due to copy and paste.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author for free in exchange for an honest review. My review is not influenced in any way.
Years after her father's death, Rosa is training to be one of the best hunters in the world in order to revenge her father's death. During that time, two of her enemies appear in a city ruled by the hunter clan for reasons of the unknown and Rosa has to make decisions that will follow the rules she has been following all her life or follow what she believes is right.
My first impression after the prologue were the first few sentences somehow mirroring Graceling (I think they're almost, if not, entirely the same???). Both Katsa and Rosa were in a dungeon, they were creeping about the wall in the dark and they had the map of the place in their mind. I was having this slight feeling that it was going to be Graceling – Hunters and Archangels/Nephilim style. Thankfully, the similarities to Graceling ended there (that doesn't mean there aren't other ones...), aside from the fact that they both move like cats.
I'm not exactly a big fan of a lot of the characters in Changed, including Rosa herself (okay, I do like Rosa... sort of. Because heroines with a "I don't play around" type of attitudes are cool). Somehow, most are either arrogant and secretly kindhearted, or just plain evil – and by evil, I mean in a coldblooded homicidal type of way to get what they want. Speaking of creepy evil guys, Lord Constantine is well described in a superiously scary way that I'm extremely glad he's preserved in writing and not going to pop out of my laptop when I'm not looking with those creepy eyes, ready to send me to a murderous game where a few other peoples and I get chased by a mysterious killer (er, Chaser) unless an item is found – Hunger Games twist with the Grim Reaper much? Thank gods there were no axes involved *shudders*.
I even find his smile extremely creepy – similar to the anglerfish you find in Finding Nemo smiling really big with it's huge teeth and the little light in front of his eyes ready to chomp up it's prey (and fails).
Okay, that's an exaggeration. The anglerfish is somehow more creepier than Lord Constantine in a nutshell (maybe it's just the teeth). But maybe Bruce smiling will do - Lord Constantine's smile, however much I despise him, can't be as creepy as the anglerfish, can it?
Generally, I usually find myself liking the love interest as well. Sadly, in this case, not really. Despite the fact that I love Jason's constant mini bickerings/banterings/pushing of buttons with Rosa (I found those amusing – probably a bit more amusing than Shane vs. Rosa bickering), I just find him too arrogant and having a really high ego. Plus he doesn't exactly give others – girls – their privacy when needed... but somehow, I feel sympathetic whenever Jason has to face his father. Regardless, I just find Jason really annoying to be around, even though there are times when he's cute, such as the way he reacts when Rosa decides to help him.
Then there's the romance between Jason and Rosa. And a few moments with Matt. I felt like it was well... that they sort of jumped in too fast. It's like jumping into a river... without checking the depth or width first.
What sets Changed from other books containing Archangels/Nephilim, other supernatural creatures, and forbiddan love, is the way Bell gives some regular, ordinary humans superpowers as well. Usually you would find humans oblivious to what really goes on behind the scenes and their view is blocked by some sort of "mist." It's refreshing to know that they aren't so oblivious and don't have to question any mysterious happenings.