You know the saying: familiarity breeds contempt. This can be true in literature, when, after you’ve read a certain number of books in a genre, you burn out on it. I find this to be especially true in fantasy and dystopian literature. I can be hyper critical of books that seem derivative, and yet, other times, I can find comfort in well-written tropes. Sometimes it is all about my state of mind.
As I read Amy Tintera’s Ruined, I found many familiar fantasy tropes and yet, I was not put off.
In fact, I rather liked it and found it a comfortable read, full of familiar characters and motifs. Maybe this is because I am relaxed and on summer vacation. Maybe because it has been a while since I have read anything in this genre. Whatever the reason, I found myself caught up in Emelina’s story.
Publisher’s Summary:Emelina Flores has nothing. Her home in Ruina has been ravaged by war; her parents were killed and her sister was kidnapped. Even though Em is only a useless Ruined—completely lacking any magic—she is determined to get revenge.
Her plan is simple: She will infiltrate the enemy’s kingdom, posing as the crown prince’s betrothed. She will lead an ambush. She will kill the king and everything he holds dear, including his son.
The closer Em gets to the prince, though, the more she questions her mission. Her rage-filled heart begins to soften. But with her life—and her family—on the line, love could be Em’s deadliest mistake.
The book is often compared to The Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. I can see the similarities, but I liked this one more .he worst thing about it is that is s yet another trilogy and the next book doesn’t come out until 2017. There is something to be said for coming late to a series and binge reading it in one sitting.
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