Flow like Water by Mark Burley

[Jax14]

Flow like Water is the second in an adventure series that is aimed at YA and up.

Eric Bakker is still searching for his parents who disappeared after leaving him with a puzzling voicemail. They were working on a project with a team, whose members are now missing or turning up dead. Working with John, one of the People Under the Mountain, the twins, Tess and his brother Michael, he is about to meet Angel, the daughter of another team member. Together they will follow clues to go on journeys through many different parts of the world while being chased by the Vidi, the immortal Hunters. Time is running out and they will need to adapt in more ways than one. Flow just like water.

I loved the way the book started with a glimpse into Ada’s life under the Mountain, as it gave you a sense of how they lived and the rituals they followed. The moving around from country to country was very interesting, and a lot of work has gone into research about artefacts and architecture which is described in great detail. This has its good and bad moments in that while new information was appreciated, sometimes the sheer overwhelming amount was just too much and you wanted more of the story instead of another description of what they could see. I found myself skimming over parts when that happened. The book also has a focus on Eric’s growth as a person and how he handled relationships with others which contributed well to the interactions with other characters and the decisions he made.

The action felt a little different in this book – more cerebral and less physical. I did enjoy the story, however, and am looking forward to the conclusion and seeing how it will all tie together.

Thanks to Blue Moon Publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review the book.