Review by Wacamato1961 -- Opaque by Calix Leigh-Reign

[Wacamato1961]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Opaque" by Calix Leigh-Reign.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Opaque by Calix Leigh-Reign is a fantastical tale of the Young Adult genre introducing sixteen-year-old Adam who has a secret suspicion that he is fundamentally different from those around him. Adam finds himself on a path filled with life-shattering revelations in which he is introduced to initially unbelievable experiences. He is swept into a hidden world where his suspicions are confirmed, and he discovers his latent abilities as a descendant of an ancient and mighty people.

The very first chapter, "dark mind", begins by emphasizing Adam's dark, taboo thoughts. Going beyond being a moody teen, he is downright antisocial and perhaps suicidal. Adam is lonely and angry to the extreme; he vehemently rejects his schoolmates' attempts to socialize. He feels the people who make up humanity are generally ignorant animals and isolates himself from all except his "forbidden love". He openly reads a book entitled The Life & Mind of a Sociopath in Training, which he deems his bible. Adam is on a despicable, possibly evil path until he finds acceptance and redemption in the new girl at school, Carly.

Also one of the Descendants, as they are known, Carly has always been aware of her ancestors' otherworldly powers, as well as the terrifying fact that their kind is being constantly pursued by the Iksha, a group of scientists who seek to control their power. Carly has been taught well by her mother, Dauma, of the threat the Descendants face if tracked down by their enemy. To protect her daughter, Dauma has sent Carly to a seemingly safe place, the small town of Piure, California, where she will attend Keetering High School as a normal teen.

Straightaway upon meeting Carly, Adam perceives that she is unique and affects him inexplicably. He is compelled to admit that they are drawn to each other in a singular way. Magnetically and magically Adam and Carly bond, and she reveals to him his heredity and the legacy of the Desendants. The duo resolves to defy the Iksha rather than hide from them and embark on a mission to defeat their persecutors and preserve their precious inheritance.

The introduction to Adam portrays him as unstable, sadistic, a bit perverse and perhaps even psychotic. He is quite disturbed, in turn disturbing the reader. Ironically however, while being brazenly rude and contemptuous to virtually everyone, the students at school don't seem to notice or mind, but rather continue to accept him as a peer. On page 102, Adam starts to realize "each time they're together that the darkness in him is gloriously losing its fight". However, the swiftness with which Adam seemingly morphs from being such a bad guy to such a good guy is a bit perplexing and not wholly attributable to his relationship with Carly.

This story can be interpreted as one of hope and inspiration; in finding answers to his many questions, Adam discovers a new sense of belonging and finds fulfillment and purpose in an otherwise loathsome life. Through both Carly's love and his newfound strength, he welcomes a resolution to his frustration, empowering him to essentially reinvent himself. The reader is uplifted by the thought that life is full of possibility and can hold many fabulous adventures.

However, contradicting of the young adult themes and imagery, this book does not seem appropriate for younger teens who usually need no confirmation of their sense of "differentness". They could tend to identify too closely with Adam's deep depression and rebellion; in this negative interpretation, an unstable person could consider the option to retreat to a fantasy land in which they are the hero and all others are perceived as inferior or expendable.

Though a tale of triumph, Opaque can be quite dark. When Adam and Carly become familiar with some of the Descendant teens (Fenyx, Ksenyia, Krill and others) in the underground safe haven of Afrax, this current generation of the majestic bloodline rallies in defiance of the ways of the Elders and parents. There is a fair amount of violence as the Descendants learn to mercilessly use their powers to defeat the Iksha. There are explosions, fires, bloodshed, and death and destruction aplenty.

Readers will be pleased with the fact that profanity is limited to what could be considered fitting to the situation from the outlook of the modern young adult, the worst being one instance of the "F" word. Also, while many scenes are intimate, Adam's and Carly's love is never sexually consummated. Readers encounter unfamiliar, thought-provoking terms like Limbal Ring (the outer ring of the eye's iris), as well as whimsical, fictional words such as "biokenretic" and "aeroinvisibilty".

This book earns 3 out 4 stars, mostly for its few, nearly negligible typos and its excellent editing. Parents can applaud the author's intelligent choice to avoid using gratuitous obscenity, but this book is less suited to teens and more to young adults.

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Opaque
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[kdstrack]

I enjoyed your description of Adam! Your insights about teenagers identifying with the main character really hit home. I appreciated your analysis of the characters and the themes of this book. Great review!