Pub. Date: July 30th, 2013
Publisher: Razorbill
352 pgs
Hardcover
Before I review Earthbound,
let me just say that I absolutely adored Aprilynne Pike’s Wings series, and I’m always afraid I’m not going to like the new,
when I loved the old. Wings was
something that I picked up a few years ago expecting a cute, fun, light read,
and I found myself surprised by its complexity and world building. My feelings
for Earthbound were thankfully the
same. I’m not sure how Pike is able to seamlessly create an entire paranormal
world with a complex mythology, while keeping the story straightforward,
understandable and simple in its delivery. She amazes me, this book amazed me,
and you should read it.
Tavia Michaels shouldn’t be alive. She was the only survivor
of a plane crash that killed hundreds, including her parents. Now living far
away from everything she ever knew, and trying desperately to recover
physically and mentally from the damage done in the crash, Tavia questions just
how damaged she is when she starts seeing things. Buildings appear and
disappear, symbols start popping up everywhere, and Quinn, a guy she swears she
has never met, yet feels she has known forever, keeps
showing up, seemingly
with answers to her questions. Along with her more than just a friend, friend
Benson by her side, Tavia is driven to figure out how and why she was the only
crash survivor, and what the things she keep seeing mean, before the answer finds her.
Pike is extraordinary good at creating a world and
mythology, that may not be familiar, but that is instantly believable. The
answer to what happened to Tavia, or who Tavia is, is too much of a spoiler to
even hint at, but the mystery is well worth taking the time to figure out. At
times, once the reader is pretty much aware of who/what all of the game players
are, some links and associations to major past events are too far reaching and
ambitious for me, but the world-building itself never breaks, and never becomes
less believable. Much of the novel is wrapped around a love triangle between
Tavia, Quinn and Benson but I believe Pike has very pointedly made this first
part of Tavia’s story about so much more. The triangle is there, but it’s not
the driving force. The mythology and the presentation of the mystery surrounding
the mythology, is definitely my favorite part of the novel, and deservedly takes
center stage.
Full of plot-twists, hidden identities, romance, and an
entirely unique supernatural setting, Earthbound
is a must read for Paranormal/ Fantasy and Romance readers. Once you start, you
will have a hard time putting the book down until you’re done. While some
questions are answered and parts of the mystery are solved, many more questions
and mysteries are formed before the novel ends. I can’t wait to see what
happens in the second novel of the series.
Rating 9/10
** I received an advanced copy of this novel from the
publisher to read and honestly review. I was in no way compensated.
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