Review: Abandon

Title: Abandon
Author: Meg Cabot
Date Released: April 26th, 2011
Pages: 304
Rating: 4 out of 5

Description:
Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone . . . because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.

But now she's moved to a new town. Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid.

Only she can't. Because even here, he finds her. That's how desperately he wants her back. She knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven, yet she can't stay away... especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most.

But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld.

Review:
Abandon had a really cool sort of modern twist on the Hades & Persephone myth that was really intriguing to read about. 

Basically, this story is about Pierce, who died, met the mysterious John Haden, and then came back to life.  However, coming back to life has its' consequences, especially when that person really wants you back.  Pierce has moved back to her mother's hometown on Isla Huesos, where she tries to start fresh and leave behind the scandal she was involved in at her school and the memories of her death.  However, wherever Pierce goes, John goes, too.

I couldn't stop reading Abandon, although I felt like a majority of the book was mostly made up of the background of her story and flashbacks.  It wasn't until towards the end where things definitely started clicking and getting a whole lot better.  I've got to say though, this one leaves on a pretty huge cliffhanger that will keep you impatiently waiting for the next one!

The characters didn't leave a big impression on me either... Or at least Pierce didn't.  Pierce just sort of seemed to lack personality.  She was a little flat.  I don't know if it's because she was brought back to life or what, but I just found her to be kind of boring personality wise... Definitely not life wise.  Her life is pretty adventurous.  John on the other hand... I think that I'll basically fall for any bad boy, but his love for Pierce was just waaay too cute!  He also sort of fit that bad boy stereotype and had that mysterious-ness surrounding him because, well, he looks like any other teenage boy, but what the heck is he doing in the Underworld?  I thought he was a pretty cool character.

I will say though that the whole idea was really cool and definitely different from some of the other Meg Cabot books I've read, which have only been Teen Idol and All-American Girl, so there's a major difference in genre, too.  Maybe mixing Greek mythology with modern day things wasn't all that clear.  For example, since when did Furies have to do with a guy who is like Hades, but isn't exactly Greek?  Anyhoo, I liked the idea of re-creating the myth of Persephone but in a more modern way.

Overall, I really liked Abandon.  It's one of those books that will completely suck you in and you'll probably end up reading it really fast to find out what happens, but some of it would just be okay, like the characters and what the plot focuses on, which I found to be mainly the background of her story and flashbacks.  I'll definitely be looking forward to Underworld when it comes out though because Abandon left on a total cliffhanger!  I'd definitely recommend it if you're looking for a quick read full of intrigue and some suspense!

Cover Review:
I love this cover!!  I really like how the gold swirly designs and accents stand out against the brown background.  It pretty much fits the story with its mysteriousness.  However, I will admit that the little blurb thing under the title is a little corny.

Cleo :)

*Description and cover from goodreads.com
**Review copy borrowed from local library.