Summary:
Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is less than enthused when her high school English teacher assigns a huge project due on the day of the big football game. Even worse, she gets partnered with Varen Nethers, resident Goth guy. Varen is just as unhappy about the pairing as Isobel is.
As Varen and Isobel reluctantly begin spending time together to work on their project (surprise, surprise, Varen chooses Edgar Allan Poe as the subject of their project) Isobel begins to see behind Varen's indifferent facade.
When Isobel's boyfriend, Brad, and their friends begin playing cruel tricks on Varen and making his life hell Isobel is forced to pick a side; and surprisingly she chooses Varen.
But at first Varen doesn't want to let her into his life. After Varen's snubbing Isobel falls in with a new girl named Gwen and they form a friendship. The more time Isobel spends with Varen, the more she wants to unravel the secrets he hides within. She finds herself falling for Varen. At the same time Isobel begins being plagued by weird realistic dreams and run-ins with a masked man named Reynolds.
Her nightmares become reality when horrifying creatures, called Nocs, begin pursuing her. What's going on? And how is Varen involved in this? Nevermore comes to a climax during "The Grim Facade", an event held on All Hallow's Eve, when all secrets begin to come to light.
Impressions:
I really liked the dark, Gothic nature of Nevermore. Edgar Allan Poe is, of course, a great influence in this novel and who doesn't love Poe? It's been a while since I've read his work and Nevermore has renewed my love for him.
I read the beginning of Nevermore quite quickly. The first 200-300 pages flew by. There was a little section in the middle that seemed a bit slower, duller. I was surprised that I liked Isobel, despite her despicable choice in friends and boyfriends at the beginning of the novel. Blonde cheerleader types usually annoy me. Even more surprising is my feelings toward Varen. I thought I would love him, after all Goth people are awesome, but for half the book I found him really unlikable.
In fact, until the end, I found myself wondering what his appeal was at all. He spent most of the novel treating Isobel with cold indifference and she's all like "I can't stop thinking about him. I love him.". Meanwhile I'm asking why? At one point I had t envision him as an edgy Goth-y guy I know to make him more likable.
The part I found intriguing was the creepy dreamworld Varen seemed to create by channeling the anger he possessed toward things/people in his life and his love for Poe. What he wrote in his little black sketchbook became reality in his dreams.
My Rating:
4 of 5 Stars. I really liked this book. I wouldn't go as far as to say I loved it but I'm interested enough to want to read the next book. It was the kind of book that, aside from that middle part, kept me picking it up to see what happened next.
Note: The next book in the Nevermore trilogy is entitled "Enshadowed". Enshadowed is available now. The final book in the trilogy, Oblivion, comes out on July 28, 2015.
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