Review of Opaque
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Chiara Govender
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- Latest Review: Opaque by Calix Leigh-Reign
Review of Opaque
[Following is a volunteer review of "Opaque" by Calix Leigh-Reign.]
Adam struggles to blend into a society he hates and to control his dark desires but when Carly moves to sunny Piure there is a hope for change. The two teenagers are immediately drawn to each other by something deeper than physical attraction and a young romance blossoms. But the more Carly learns about Adam the more difficult it becomes for her to stay. With secrets unfolding and an eminent danger threatening Adam’s newfound happiness, will he choose to turn towards the light or succumb to darkness? And will Carly stand by his side even if it puts her and her family in danger? Read Opaque by Calix Leigh-Reign to find out.
Calix eloquently draws us into the darkness of Adam’s mind. His thoughts make for a jarring start to the story, but I could not stop reading because of a desire to understand him. His character is well developed, and while being horrified by his thoughts and actions, I found myself rooting for him to evolve into something greater and happier. His character is unique, fresh, and real – much like the fantasy aspects of Opaque. I found the scientific way Calix describes the Descendants’ supernatural abilities fascinating and enjoyed discovering more about the magic system she built as the story progressed. Calix leaves brilliant breadcrumb trails for us from the beginning that tie into the various plotlines and revelations by the end, satisfying my burning questions such as why Adam’s eyes itch when he is angry or why he feels an unnatural attraction towards JoAnn.
Adam and Carly’s relationship provides all the high school romance you could ever need without taking away from the action. I particularly enjoyed Calix’s beautiful writing when describing the couple’s encounters and feelings for one another. It is difficult to choose a favourite line, but I feel this one perfectly describes what Carly means to Adam: “It’s as if he’s walked under her umbrella of sunshine because his darkness retreats, time pauses, and his ears go deaf to all other sound but the beating of her heart.” (Page 32).
The only complaint I have regarding Opaque is that Calix briefly describes a passing period without being explicit about when this period occurs. It is introduced in Carly’s narration as: “So much has happened. So much is happening. She and Adam consented to-“ (Page 185) and I had to reread the passage to understand what was happening. Other readers may not have an issue, but I found the jump in the narration’s pace quite sudden.
Sexual violence is implied, mentioned, or briefly described, but never in graphic detail, several times throughout the story. These instances contribute to the development of characters and certain plotlines.
I found no spelling or grammatical errors while reading Opaque and the novel appears to have been excellently edited. However, there were extra spaces between letters in some words and some letters were squished together in other words. This did not make reading difficult or unpleasant, but it was noticeable. The book is otherwise formatted well with a beautiful page at the start of each chapter.
I rate Opaque a well-deserved 4 out of 4 stars. The writing style, unique characters and magic system, interesting plot, and flawless editing make for a great read. The occasional extra space or lack of one did not take away from the reading experience. I recommend this book to fans of fantasy, romance, and young adult fiction. I would not recommend this book to young children or anyone who may be sensitive to reading about sexual violence.
******
Opaque
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords
Adam struggles to blend into a society he hates and to control his dark desires but when Carly moves to sunny Piure there is a hope for change. The two teenagers are immediately drawn to each other by something deeper than physical attraction and a young romance blossoms. But the more Carly learns about Adam the more difficult it becomes for her to stay. With secrets unfolding and an eminent danger threatening Adam’s newfound happiness, will he choose to turn towards the light or succumb to darkness? And will Carly stand by his side even if it puts her and her family in danger? Read Opaque by Calix Leigh-Reign to find out.
Calix eloquently draws us into the darkness of Adam’s mind. His thoughts make for a jarring start to the story, but I could not stop reading because of a desire to understand him. His character is well developed, and while being horrified by his thoughts and actions, I found myself rooting for him to evolve into something greater and happier. His character is unique, fresh, and real – much like the fantasy aspects of Opaque. I found the scientific way Calix describes the Descendants’ supernatural abilities fascinating and enjoyed discovering more about the magic system she built as the story progressed. Calix leaves brilliant breadcrumb trails for us from the beginning that tie into the various plotlines and revelations by the end, satisfying my burning questions such as why Adam’s eyes itch when he is angry or why he feels an unnatural attraction towards JoAnn.
Adam and Carly’s relationship provides all the high school romance you could ever need without taking away from the action. I particularly enjoyed Calix’s beautiful writing when describing the couple’s encounters and feelings for one another. It is difficult to choose a favourite line, but I feel this one perfectly describes what Carly means to Adam: “It’s as if he’s walked under her umbrella of sunshine because his darkness retreats, time pauses, and his ears go deaf to all other sound but the beating of her heart.” (Page 32).
The only complaint I have regarding Opaque is that Calix briefly describes a passing period without being explicit about when this period occurs. It is introduced in Carly’s narration as: “So much has happened. So much is happening. She and Adam consented to-“ (Page 185) and I had to reread the passage to understand what was happening. Other readers may not have an issue, but I found the jump in the narration’s pace quite sudden.
Sexual violence is implied, mentioned, or briefly described, but never in graphic detail, several times throughout the story. These instances contribute to the development of characters and certain plotlines.
I found no spelling or grammatical errors while reading Opaque and the novel appears to have been excellently edited. However, there were extra spaces between letters in some words and some letters were squished together in other words. This did not make reading difficult or unpleasant, but it was noticeable. The book is otherwise formatted well with a beautiful page at the start of each chapter.
I rate Opaque a well-deserved 4 out of 4 stars. The writing style, unique characters and magic system, interesting plot, and flawless editing make for a great read. The occasional extra space or lack of one did not take away from the reading experience. I recommend this book to fans of fantasy, romance, and young adult fiction. I would not recommend this book to young children or anyone who may be sensitive to reading about sexual violence.
******
Opaque
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords
Latest Review: Opaque by Calix Leigh-Reign
