Review by VernaVi -- Opaque by Calix Leigh-Reign
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Review by VernaVi -- Opaque by Calix Leigh-Reign
[Following is a volunteer review of "Opaque" by Calix Leigh-Reign.]
Opaque by Calix Leigh-Reign, while carrying a surprising amount of mystery, is an adventure all the way through! The pacing is excellent while the action is non-stop and kept me turning pages right through to the end. It was a pleasant surprise to be drawn into this well-woven tale and learn, run, chase, and discover with the characters along the way.
Adam has the same feelings and problems as any typical high school kid with a chip on his shoulder. Things change when the new girl enters his classroom. Carly is like him, and neither of them knows it at first. Her sunny outlook and personality seem at odds with his own sometimes dark character, but they are seemingly drawn together. Will the fates that brought them together allow them to become friends, or will the darkness win out? You’ll have to read the book to find out!
Character development is also excellent in this work. To begin with, I liked Adam’s relationship with his mother. Her ability to make him smile with a wink when he was determined to be angry is an insight into a deep affection with which readers can connect. At the same time, I wasn’t comfortable with the way that Adam seemed to lust after his mother in his mind at different points early in the story. It was one of the twists in the plot that came as a surprise later, but no spoilers!
The thing I liked most about this book is the continuing mystery of Adam’s past. As he searches, the reader is one step ahead of him at all times. The anticipation of solved puzzles keeps the pace of the book moving forward when Adam’s negative attitude would have slowed it considerably. As things are resolved and discovered, new mysteries present themselves as new characters are introduced. Will they be friends or enemies? The curiosity of the reader is piqued at many points throughout the story.
Opaque is well rounded for a young adult novel and features family drama, adultery, parents fighting over their child, almost anything the world can throw at one these days and then some. The way that everything is brought into focus during crisis points helps a great deal and is another plus for this book.
The writing style is perhaps somewhat abstract, as it gets the ideas across very briefly and concisely in a scene, but at the same time, it’s one of the things I love about this work. The visualizations are intense and brilliant, while the characters are vivid and well-expressed.
Ultimately, I could find nothing to dislike about this book. It will appeal the most to young adult readers, although I would not recommend it to younger than 16 years old as it contains some violence and sexual content not suitable for the younger set of readers. I happily rate this book with 4 out of 4 stars. It is edited excellently, and I found very few errors. If you do not like violence or science-fiction-style battle scenes, this may not be the book for you.
******
Opaque
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords
Opaque by Calix Leigh-Reign, while carrying a surprising amount of mystery, is an adventure all the way through! The pacing is excellent while the action is non-stop and kept me turning pages right through to the end. It was a pleasant surprise to be drawn into this well-woven tale and learn, run, chase, and discover with the characters along the way.
Adam has the same feelings and problems as any typical high school kid with a chip on his shoulder. Things change when the new girl enters his classroom. Carly is like him, and neither of them knows it at first. Her sunny outlook and personality seem at odds with his own sometimes dark character, but they are seemingly drawn together. Will the fates that brought them together allow them to become friends, or will the darkness win out? You’ll have to read the book to find out!
Character development is also excellent in this work. To begin with, I liked Adam’s relationship with his mother. Her ability to make him smile with a wink when he was determined to be angry is an insight into a deep affection with which readers can connect. At the same time, I wasn’t comfortable with the way that Adam seemed to lust after his mother in his mind at different points early in the story. It was one of the twists in the plot that came as a surprise later, but no spoilers!
The thing I liked most about this book is the continuing mystery of Adam’s past. As he searches, the reader is one step ahead of him at all times. The anticipation of solved puzzles keeps the pace of the book moving forward when Adam’s negative attitude would have slowed it considerably. As things are resolved and discovered, new mysteries present themselves as new characters are introduced. Will they be friends or enemies? The curiosity of the reader is piqued at many points throughout the story.
Opaque is well rounded for a young adult novel and features family drama, adultery, parents fighting over their child, almost anything the world can throw at one these days and then some. The way that everything is brought into focus during crisis points helps a great deal and is another plus for this book.
The writing style is perhaps somewhat abstract, as it gets the ideas across very briefly and concisely in a scene, but at the same time, it’s one of the things I love about this work. The visualizations are intense and brilliant, while the characters are vivid and well-expressed.
Ultimately, I could find nothing to dislike about this book. It will appeal the most to young adult readers, although I would not recommend it to younger than 16 years old as it contains some violence and sexual content not suitable for the younger set of readers. I happily rate this book with 4 out of 4 stars. It is edited excellently, and I found very few errors. If you do not like violence or science-fiction-style battle scenes, this may not be the book for you.
******
Opaque
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords
Latest Review: The Fate of AI Society by Kenneth Hamer-Hodges
