Review by TeachinTeens -- Opaque by Calix Leigh-Reign
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Review by TeachinTeens -- Opaque by Calix Leigh-Reign
[Following is a volunteer review of "Opaque" by Calix Leigh-Reign.]
Adam Caspian is a troubled young-man. Though he follows a mundane routine with the typical kids who attend his school, he feels like an outsider and daily fights against his own dark, repulsive impulses, which have long-since pushed a wedge between his parents and him. When he meets Carly, he finds himself fascinated by her individuality and the red flash of her limbal ring that hints at her secrets. More surprising to him, she seems equally drawn to him.
With Carly as the light to his dark, Adam uncovers the mysteries of his past to explain every unexpected phenomenon, including his own dark impulses. However, that information and the supernatural power that comes with it leads him into a battle that spans back centuries. Knowing himself to be a Descendant, he must fight to preserve the future he hopes to have with Carly.
Calix Leigh-Reign has created perhaps some of the more complex and enthralling characters in recent literature. With Adam as her leading man, Opaque could be considered a tale of redemption; however, each character must battle their own dark tendencies and temptations. Supporting characters may struggle on a smaller scale, such as Kane’s unrequited love for Carly. Meanwhile, the leading characters struggle not only with romantic desires, but their ability to literally take or give life and the morality of doing so. Overall, it leads to a captivating cast of characters with distinct personalities and complex yet relatable morals.
While certainly engaging, the least likeable aspect of Opaque is the character of Adam when he is first introduced. He is, to say the least, a very dark person. At first, Adam is the type of character you might pin as the bad guy, whose dark obsessions will eventually lead to the conflict for the leading couple. I almost quit reading on the premise that I had no desire to follow the love story of such a dark character. Carly is too light and likable; she deserves better, or so I thought. However, I eventually found that same aspect of Adam to be one of the most unique and compelling elements of the book as I continued to read in the hopes of figuring out how Adam could possibly be redeemed from not only his obsession with his own mother but his past with the innocent Terry to become a romantic hero for whom I could root.
In many ways, the supernatural abilities of the characters in Opaque are reminiscent of Twilight by Stephanie Meyers. The concept of each individual having their own unique ability, be it mental or physical, is reminiscent of those seen in the series, and Adam’s supernatural shielding ability mirrors that of Bella Swan in the later aspects of the Twilight series. However, Opaque does have distinct characteristics that set it and its author apart, making it a refreshing and compelling read for fans of the supernatural, though they initially might struggle - as I did - with the more mature and dark themes of incest, rape, torture, and death.
Opaque deserves a 4 out of 4 stars . Clearly it has been professionally edited though the English teacher in me tingles at the lack of commas in compound sentences in several instances. However, the writing is otherwise exemplary and captivating with strong characters and a compelling and original plot. With each new chapter, I found myself wondering what the end of the book would reveal to help me unravel the mystery slowly building with each page.
******
Opaque
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords
Adam Caspian is a troubled young-man. Though he follows a mundane routine with the typical kids who attend his school, he feels like an outsider and daily fights against his own dark, repulsive impulses, which have long-since pushed a wedge between his parents and him. When he meets Carly, he finds himself fascinated by her individuality and the red flash of her limbal ring that hints at her secrets. More surprising to him, she seems equally drawn to him.
With Carly as the light to his dark, Adam uncovers the mysteries of his past to explain every unexpected phenomenon, including his own dark impulses. However, that information and the supernatural power that comes with it leads him into a battle that spans back centuries. Knowing himself to be a Descendant, he must fight to preserve the future he hopes to have with Carly.
Calix Leigh-Reign has created perhaps some of the more complex and enthralling characters in recent literature. With Adam as her leading man, Opaque could be considered a tale of redemption; however, each character must battle their own dark tendencies and temptations. Supporting characters may struggle on a smaller scale, such as Kane’s unrequited love for Carly. Meanwhile, the leading characters struggle not only with romantic desires, but their ability to literally take or give life and the morality of doing so. Overall, it leads to a captivating cast of characters with distinct personalities and complex yet relatable morals.
While certainly engaging, the least likeable aspect of Opaque is the character of Adam when he is first introduced. He is, to say the least, a very dark person. At first, Adam is the type of character you might pin as the bad guy, whose dark obsessions will eventually lead to the conflict for the leading couple. I almost quit reading on the premise that I had no desire to follow the love story of such a dark character. Carly is too light and likable; she deserves better, or so I thought. However, I eventually found that same aspect of Adam to be one of the most unique and compelling elements of the book as I continued to read in the hopes of figuring out how Adam could possibly be redeemed from not only his obsession with his own mother but his past with the innocent Terry to become a romantic hero for whom I could root.
In many ways, the supernatural abilities of the characters in Opaque are reminiscent of Twilight by Stephanie Meyers. The concept of each individual having their own unique ability, be it mental or physical, is reminiscent of those seen in the series, and Adam’s supernatural shielding ability mirrors that of Bella Swan in the later aspects of the Twilight series. However, Opaque does have distinct characteristics that set it and its author apart, making it a refreshing and compelling read for fans of the supernatural, though they initially might struggle - as I did - with the more mature and dark themes of incest, rape, torture, and death.
Opaque deserves a 4 out of 4 stars . Clearly it has been professionally edited though the English teacher in me tingles at the lack of commas in compound sentences in several instances. However, the writing is otherwise exemplary and captivating with strong characters and a compelling and original plot. With each new chapter, I found myself wondering what the end of the book would reveal to help me unravel the mystery slowly building with each page.
******
Opaque
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords
Latest Review: Soul Seeker by Kaylin McFarren
