Review: Evernight by Claudia Gray

Title: Evernight
Author: Claudia Gray
Series: Evernight #1
Genre: YA
Release Date: February 1, 2009
Edition: Paperback
Blurb:
Bianca wants to escape.
She's been uprooted from her small hometown and enrolled at Evernight Academy, an eerie Gothic boarding school where the students are somehow too perfect: smart, sleek, and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn't fit in.

Then she meets Lucas. He's not the "Evernight type" either, and he likes it that way. Lucas ignores the rules, stands up to the snobs, and warns Bianca to be careful—even when it comes to caring about him.

"I couldn't stand it if they took it out on you," he tells Bianca, "and eventually they would."

But the connection between Bianca and Lucas can't be denied. Bianca will risk anything to be with Lucas, but dark secrets are fated to tear them apart . . . and to make Bianca question everything she's ever believed.


I got problems getting into this book since the beginning. Everything starts alright, Evernight, a boarding school, is like a Hogwats for vampires. For some reason, that year they decide to admit humans into the academy, even though there are huge risks.

The problem I had was that I really didn't like the main character, Bianca. It was as if the author tried too hard to make me like her, and at the end it had the opposite effect. For me, Bianca was weak, easily manipulable and naive. To me, that doesn't make her a good heroine.
Then there's Lucas, who is Bianca's love interest. It felt like the only thing he could do was fight and get into trouble. He was a very two dimensional character and I think he could have been so much more.
The plot was predictable and not very interesting.

What I liked about the book was the head mistress of the academy, who's scary, powerful and mysterious (I really wanted to know what she was hiding and the reasons behind her actions) ; the twist at the middle of the book, which was very nicely done & the worldbuilding, that was fascinating.

I was expecting more of this book, although vampire fans might like it more than I did. Everyone has different tastes.


Memorable Lines:

“Unh!” I choked as he tackled me, and we fell. The ground slammed into my back, and his weight pressed down on me, his legs tangled up with mine. His hand closed over my mouth, and I pulled my arm free. At my old school, in the self-defense workshop, they always said to go for the eyes, seriously just poke the guy’s eyes out. I always thought I could do that if I had to, in order to save myself or someone else, but as terrified as I was I wasn’t sure I could stand it. I arched my fingers, trying to screw up my nerve.

At that moment, the guy whispered, “Did you see who was after you?”

For a few seconds, I just stared at him. He lifted his hand from my mouth so I could answer. His body was heavy atop mine, and the world seemed to be spinning. I finally managed to say, “You mean, besides you?”


Next Book:
Stargazer - Evernight #2


Rating: 1/2