“Hunger Games, but with magic” is the way this book is being described, and that fits. And while that’s a perfectly fine concept for a book, the execution here falls flat. “Flat” is a good general descriptor of this book. It had its moments, but overall it just felt uninspired.
To go into a bit more detail, this book is set in a remote British city that contains the last remaining source of powerful High Magic. As far as most of the world knows, all the High Magic is centuries gone, but centuries gone seven families of this city got together and cast a spell over themselves and this High Magic source, ensuring it would remain hidden and in their collective control. Every twenty years, each family selects one of their sons or daughters as champion and sets them fighting each other; the family of the last surviving champion controls the High Magic for the next twenty years. Except this year, thanks to a tell-all published by an anonymous member of one of the families, their secret is out and the world knows what’s going on.
The story focuses on four of the seven champions. Alistair Lowe’s family has won the tournament more than any other, and they have a dark reputation and have raised Alistair to do what it takes to win. Isobel Macaslan didn’t want to be champion (in fact, she barely knows the Macaslan family; her parents divorced, and she lives with her mom), but she’s a powerful magician and is thrust into the role of champion. Gavin Grieve is from a family that has never won, and everyone (including his own family) just assumes he’s going to die in the first few hours. Gavin is determined to prove them wrong. And Briony Thorburn, who sees herself as a hero who will triumph on behalf of her family.
There are a number of things I didn’t particularly like about all this. For one, there was obviously an effort on the part of the authors to make parallels to the Hunger Games: the press attention, the competition for sponsors, tools to help win the tournament falling from the sky for the champions to seize on.
But this just doesn’t have the heart of the Hunger Games. Katniss is in the Hunger Games for one reason: to keep her sister from being there. Once there, she’s fighting because she has no choice. The Hunger Games are, ultimately, a tragedy; never once is Katniss tempted by all the talk of “glory” from the Capitol. Take away that, give everyone a motivation to win that’s more … ambiguous, maybe? … and the whole thing just feels cheap and tawdry.
And oh my God, the teenage angst. So, so much angst. If you were to take Dawson’s Creek, Party of Five, Twilight, and a few MCR albums, (yes, I know I'm dating myself) mash them up, and distill them to 195 proof angst, you STILL wouldn’t be quite as angsty as this book.
Despite my complaints, this isn’t bad. It’s solidly mediocre. If you’re looking for a decent popcorn read fit for a cloudy and cold November day, this isn’t a bad bet. Be forewarned, this is the first in a series, and doesn’t end at a particularly satisfying point. I’d be annoyed if I was interested in reading the sequel.