Forbidden
By Jana Oliver
Paperback, UK Edition, 418 pages
Series: The Demon Trappers #2
Published on: August 5th 2011
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
ISBN: 0330519484
But as Atlanta’s demon count
increases, the Vatican finally sends its own Demon Hunters to take care of the
city’s “little” problem, and pandemonium breaks loose. Only Riley knows that
she might be the centre of Hell’s attention: an extremely powerful Grade 5
demon is stalking her, and her luck can't last forever...
We’ve already reviewed
the first book in the series: Forsaken. And here we come with the review of the second book today
which is no less than its prequel.
When I read Jana
Oliver’s Forsaken, I was sure that I would read the second book of the series
as well as it was really gripping. Yet I was apprehensive if Oliver would be
able to create the same magic in Forbidden as she had done with Forsaken. And
after I have leafed through the book, I say Ms. Oliver has done it again.
Like the previous
book, this one too has been released with two different names and covers in the
USA and UK as Soul Thief and Forbidden,
respectively. Again, the former wins the race of having the prettier package.
Forbidden continues the journey of Riley Blackthorne after Forsaken. After the disaster in the tabernacle, demon hunters are
brought in to get the demon population under control. Riley is in the quest of
her father and her relationship with Simon is deteriorating. To add to her
never ending list of things to do, she is also probing the problems with the
Holy water. Just like Forsaken, Forbidden does not go light and fluffy. It is
gritty, harsh, and mesmerizing to the very end.
This book sees Riley
as a much more mature protagonist who is able to stand on her own feet. The
beautiful thing about it is that we got to know a lot more about Riley in this
one. She struggles, rises and falls and struggles again. Hardly does Riley get
a break in the book. The author makes you sympathise with Riley at every weak
moment of hers.
The one I loved the
most, Ori, was a character exquisitely made. Ori is this dark gorgeous
demon hunter, who would always be by Riley’s side. But he is not black and
white and cleanly cut, and his shades of gray add more to Riley’s troubles.
My favourite parts of
the story were learning more about the mysterious Ori and the tension-filled
scenes between Riley and Beck.
I love Oliver's
writing style. It is engaging, flows beautifully, and is so easy to read. What
I really appreciated about this novel were the twists. Jana Oliver again
demonstrates her ability to write a page-turning read that also touches the
emotions. Part of her talent is for engaging the feelings we all encounter:
loss, betrayal, doubt, confusion, friendship, lust, the need to be loved. She
makes us live through them as if for the first time. The bow on the package is
how she wraps all of this in a supernatural context that is becoming gratifyingly
complex.
The ending is a
complete shocker. Also, there are many loose threads in the book, probably left
intentionally, to be tied up in the next book of the series- Forgiven.
I recommend, if you
have read Forsaken, do buy Forbidden as soon as possible. You won't regret
it.
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