2/5 Stars
Prophecy by Ellen Oh
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: Jan 2, 2013
Originally Prophecy was not even on my radar but after trading for it on YA Book Exchange I was super excited to start this novel as the premise sounded so interesting and original. Unfortunately, I didn’t live up to my expectations.
Kira, the heroine, is a demon slayer and the only women in the King’s army. She is royal herself and has guarded her cousin, the crown prince, since she saved him from a demon attack when he was a child. When another nation invades Hansong Kira and the prince are forced to leave and set out on a journey to find the Dragon Musado of prophecy that will unite the 5 nations and bring peace.
The characters in Prophecy for me were bland. I just didn’t care about what was happening to them and that was such a shame because the story had so much potential. The think the problem was that Kira did not do a lot of thinking. There was more telling then showing and she rarely talked to those around her. The only things she talked or even thought about were the prince, and her family. Kira suffers tragic loss throughout the novel but I never felt her sadness for the loss because she didn’t internalize things.
My other problem with Prophecy was that it read very young. I never got the vibe that Kira was in her teens, she acted mature (only in that she didn’t make dumb decisions) but the story overall just came off more as MG then YA. This may have been because there wasn’t any real romance in the story. There was a possible love triangle but Kira never even expressed any interest in either of the boys or gave reasons as to why they might be interested in her.
What I did like about this book was that the story was very well researched. The author’s knowledge of ancient Korean culture was readily apparent, and I liked the addition of Korean phrases, it made the setting feel more realistic. The fight scenes were also well written and I liked the way she described the weapons used and Kira’s abilities.
Overall, Prophecy had an interesting premise and a lot of potential but the story just felt a little young and formulaic. I think if I had read this when I was 11 I would have loved the story but alas I am far from 11. I would recommend Prophecy to those who like MG novels or Korean culture.
I'm sad to hear that this one fell so flat for you. I've been hearing a lot of mixed things about it. I'm not sure I'll be able to enjoy this one but I think I'm going to give it a try. Great review!
ReplyDeleteI have seen this book around so much and have really been wondering about. I am not sure if it is something I would care for too much. Thanks for the honest review.
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