Friday, March 22, 2013

Review: Boundless (Unearthly #3)

Title: Boundless (Unearthly #3)
Author: Cynthia Hand
Publisher:  Harper Teen
Release Date: January 22, 2013
Pages: 438, Hardcover
Goodreads Rating: 4.2 stars
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars


Summary from Goodreads: The past few years have held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner could ever have anticipated. Yet from the dizzying highs of first love, to the agonizing low of losing someone close to her, the one thing she can no longer deny is that she was never meant to live a normal life.

Since discovering the special role she plays among the other angel-bloods, Clara has been determined to protect Tucker Avery from the evil that follows her . . . even if it means breaking both their hearts. Leaving town seems like the best option, so she’s headed back to California - and so is Christian Prescott, the irresistible boy from the vision that started her on this journey in the first place.

As Clara makes her way in a world that is frighteningly new, she discovers that the fallen angel who attacked her is watching her every move. And he’s not the only one. . . . With the battle against the Black Wings looming, Clara knows she must finally fulfill her destiny. But it won’t come without sacrifices and betrayal.

In the riveting finale of the Unearthly series, Clara must decide her fate once and for all.


MY TAKE


I liked this book.  A lot.  I just can't say that I loved it.  I'm struggling with how to review the book without spoilers, but let me just say that fans on both sides of the love triangle (which really seems more central than any of the plot twists) will find things in this book to love - and things to hate. Clara struggles to sort out her feelings for both Tucker and Christian. And it truly is a struggle. There were many times in the book where I honestly wasn't sure which choice she was going to make. Still, I felt myself being frustrated by the extremely small role that Tucker played in Boundless. Honestly, since it had been awhile since I had read the last book in the series, I found myself struggling to even remember what it was about Tucker that I loved so much.  Since he only popped up in this book for short stints, I really had to rely on my memory for this, whereas the character of Christian was much better developed in the book. I would have liked a bit more balance since Clara herself was so unsure of her feelings. 

As far as the rest of the plot goes, I thought that Hand gave us a satisfyingly exciting read. There were many twists and turns (a few of which I saw coming, but some that I did not) and the mystery behind Clara, Angela, and Christian's visions was unfolded slowly, but with many clues along the way. The end result was a fitting end to the Unearthly series - an end that will most likely satisfy most fans of the series and still keep them hoping for more. (Perhaps a future spin-off series?  Who knows?) 3.5/5 Stars