June 1, 2015
Gr 9 Up-The final book of this paranormal trilogy finds Isobel traveling back into the dream world, hopefully for the last time, to save her beloved Varen. Readers were introduced to this grim and dangerous alternate reality in Nevermore (2010) and Enshadowed (2012, both S. & S.). Isobel's experience gained from her past dream world encounters allows her to manipulate what she sees and feels as Life and Death blend together. "The boundaries which divide Life from Death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where the one ends, and where the other begins?" Readers will question the idea that love could conquer death. The "Poe-etic" aspect of this series is seamlessly featured in Creagh's final installment, incorporating Edgar Allan Poe's life, poems, and troubles into Isobel and Varen's story. Readers are on the edge of their seat throughout the battles with Lilith and the Nocs (the series' villains). The secondary characters, such as Gwen and the protagonist's family members, contribute to the emotional impact of the dream world plight for the pair. VERDICT This title doesn't stand alone, but fans of the "Nevermore" series or Poe will root for Isobel and Varen to escape their demons once and for all.-Morgan O'Reilly, Riverdale Country School, NY
Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
May 1, 2015
The conclusion to the gothic paranormal-romance trilogy started in Nevermore (2010). The last time Isobel saw Varen, in Enshadowed (2012), he nearly killed her; technically, she temporarily died of her injuries on the operating table. Lilith still has Varen wrapped up in her twisted lies, turning him against Isobel-who in spite of everything still loves Varen. Although Varen is lost to the dreamworld, he's still blurring the lines between it and reality, to dangerous ends that suit Lilith too well. Through a long string of action sequences in atmospheric dream settings, Isobel learns even more about the nature of the dreamworld and nightmarish Nocs, and her love for Varen is tested. Creagh's prose is still slow-paced and lush to the point of occasionally feeling overwritten, but this time around the story structure is well-supported by the placement of action and story-driving tension-especially in some surprise betrayals and twists. In the end, the question is whether Isobel can save Varen from his own inner demons and self-destructive tendencies-the very vulnerabilities that allowed Lilith access to him in the first place. Throughout, the real-life consequences of actions-especially for loved ones oblivious of the supernatural happenings-ground the story and add extra stakes. The denouement gives the ending extra weight. A romantic, hard-fought conclusion that should please fans. (Paranormal romance. 12 & up)
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January 1, 2016
To save her beloved Varen, Isobel ventures once more into the dreamworld of Edgar Allan Poe for a final confrontation with the demon Lilith that will decide not only Varen's fate but the world's. Pacing issues break up the tension and drag out elements to the detriment of characterization, but series fans will be happy with the trilogy's conclusion.
(Copyright 2016 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
June 1, 2015
Grades 9-12 Teens who have stuck with Creagh's complex, darkly romantic, and very long Nevermore trilogy so far (Nevermore, 2010; Enshadowed, 2012) will not be disappointed by this finale. Heroine Isobel, a former cheerleader, continues to chase her goth heartthrob, Varen, in and out of a nightmarish dream world once inhabited by Edgar Allan Poe. In the last book, demoness Lilith managed to turn Varen against Isobelcan the damage to their relationship ever be repaired? And as Varen's dangerous mirror world threatens to shatter, overwhelming reality, Isobel must also scramble to protect her friends and family. As with the previous books, Creagh's strength lies in her ability to sustain these rich, vivid dream sequences while orchestrating a shifting series of plot surprises. But many readers will be frustrated by the length of the book, especially since the young lovers are kept far apart from each other for most of it. A possible recommendation for fans of Maggie Stiefvater's Raven Boys series and Meg Wolitzer's Belzhar (2014).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)