Title: Rook
Author: Sharon Cameron
Genre: Young Adult // Romance // Dystopia
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: April 28, 2014
Format: Physical
Source: Purchased (Barnes & Noble)
History has a way of repeating itself. In the Sunken City that was once Paris, all who oppose the new revolution are being put to the blade. Except for those who disappear from their prison cells, a red-tipped rook feather left in their place. Is the mysterious Red Rook a savior of the innocent or a criminal?
Meanwhile, across the sea in the Commonwealth, Sophia Bellamy’s arranged marriage to the wealthy René Hasard is the last chance to save her family from ruin. But when the search for the Red Rook comes straight to her doorstep, Sophia discovers that her fiancé is not all he seems. Which is only fair, because neither is she.
As the Red Rook grows bolder and the stakes grow higher, Sophia and René find themselves locked in a tantalizing game of cat and mouse (goodreads).
Rook is a mess of unbalanced characterization, lack of backstory, and slow moving plot.
Plot: Rook opens with Sophia infiltrating the Tombs during a public beheading. She releases an entire tomb of prisoners who are meant for the Razor and makes her way to her Engagement Party to one of society's ultimate playboys and complete dimwit.
Rook opens in the midst of a heist with little to no explanation as to what is happening. For the first 100 or so pages, I was completely frustrated because I was thrust into a new world with little to no explanation regarding plot and world building. I didn't understand the religion, I didn't understand the political parties, and I still don't understand the world and how it came to be.
After the first 100 pages, things slowed down a bit to a reasonable pace, but then the story just became boring. The pacing was frustratingly unbalanced and the story wasn't developed enough to keep my attention. I couldn't tell you what happened in all 400 pages, nor could I tell you what I enjoyed.
Characters: Sophia is our standard strong female character, and I didn't find any faults with her as a character. She was admirable and strong, but also boring.Her love interest, Rene, was not well developed and his many personas were shaky at best.
I'm not really sure who the villain is in Rook either. There are multiple characters with different motives; however, none of their actions were fleshed out.
World Building: The World of Rook was the most frustrating to me. History is only hinted at throughout the book and the description of the cities were very shaky.
Short N Sweet: With very little world building and unbalanced pacing, I couldn't make myself to care about the characters or story behind Rook.
Labels: 2 stars, book review, review, rook, scholastic press, sharon cameron
