I really wanted to like this book. I really did. High fantasy with Eastern influence, threads of Chinese culture, a magical scroll, a poet and a thief as the main characters, the names Gaunt and Bone; It sounds like it could be something astounding, something breathtakingly fantastical.

The author’s writing style…Ahhh this tears me apart. On one hand, it’s very gorgeous, scattered with stunning figurative language and a distinct Eastern cultural influence. But, after reading a few pages, I felt like it was stilted in many places. It was not fitting. The author either rambled off into details/thought processes or did too much “telling.”

I could not lose myself in the world of this book; the writing style, alternative plotline and voice just weren’t for me. They kept distracting me. And, main point: the characters. I never got to know the true personalities of the characters. Their stories, especially that of Next-One-A-Girl (the name drew me in, nice touch), could have been heartbreakingly emotional. But they weren’t. They were all kind of flat.

The premise of the book seemed very intriguing. But I never got into the actually story. So much of it felt unbalanced. And it’s not because it’s for a younger age group. It’s marketed to “Mature Young Adult” on Litpick. I don’t know how other readers will find this book.  Remember, this is just my opinion.

***eBook provided by Litpick.com in exchange for my honest review