IMMORTAL RULES by Julie Kagawa

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Release Date: April 24th 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Age Rec: Older teens, for bloody and violent scenes
Source: Publisher

In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.
Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.
Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.
Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.
Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.
But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for

My thoughts on The Immortal Rules:

When I saw Julia Kagawa's name on that book cover, I knew this book was going to be a winner. Though I still have not finished the Iron Fey series (I need the last two!) I loved Iron King and Iron Daughter. Though I was a bit skeptical when I picked the first book up. Fairies really? I though. But Julie Kagawa did a flawless job with the fairies, bringing then to life in a way that no one has ever done before.

And she does just the same with the vampires in The Immortal Rules. I thought that the vampire thing was already too overdone but fortunately I was so wrong. This book isn't about a pretty sparkling vampire, this is about a girl who becomes something she lived her whole life hating and has to live with her decision. There were times in this book when I had to close it and breathe in and out because when you think the worst has happened, Julie Kagawa seems to want to prove you wrong. In fact, she does, multiple times, in many heartbreaking ways.

Allie is such a great character, she is not a sweet little doe eyed girl. She has lived a hard life, she is tough and courageous.  She loses her humanity and she tries so hard to keep the small bit of it that she has a hold on. She is the monster the everyone fears, she is the creature not the one running away. It is definitely something different and refreshing.

The futuristic  world that Julie Kagawa created is so detailed and three dimensional, just as she created the faery world that Meghan Chase was introduced to. The relationship between Zeke and Allison is confusing and heartbreaking for both the characters and the readers. I think it might have been the relationship that saved Allison from turning into a completely unattached monster. This is not a sappy romance novel, they are both struggling inwardly, they are complete opposites. Allison is the monster that Zeke was warned about as a child, and Allison is trying hard to keep hold of her humanity even though it is not there. I am excited to read more about their developing relationship.

I wish I could go through all of the things I loved about this book (i.e. brilliant plot, dialogue and character development) but it is a 500 page book, it would take a while. The Immortal Rules is a great first installment to a now very anticipated series.


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