Monday, November 5, 2012

ARC SPOT: Black City


Black City
Elizabeth Richards
Releases: November 13, 2012
G.P.Putnam’s Son’s
Penguin Young Readers
ISBN: 9780399159435


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Blurb From The Publisher:

A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war
In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable--they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash's long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they're caught, they'll be executed--but their feelings are too strong.
When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

Our Thoughts On Black City:

            This is not just another vampire book, in fact in Black City there are humans, and then there are Darklings and both have an agenda up their sleeves for the future. What captures readers is the world and character building in this book that surpasses expectations and weaves reader’s into an intriguing bittersweet story of finding what you what and having to fight to keep hold of it in an unsteady time.
           
            Ash is a Darkling, in fact he is more than that because he is considerd a twin-blood meaning that he crosses both the world of human and Darkling. The Darkling race is varying in looks and abilities and a human created virus is sweeping through their families destroying people into slavering Wraiths. Ash struggles to help provided money for his troubled family and help other people in hius commnuuity but the price of that help is consuming him because he is providing a drug called Haze that is being persecuted by officials and is destrying some of his friendships. Finding himself questioning parts of his existence and running from humans who may want to maim or kill him just for being Darkling, Ash is becoming more bitter and detatched until one day something drastic happens, in his heartbeatless life, something is stirring that will change his life forever.

            Natalie has recently moved back to the derelict Black City, a city in the Sentry States that has seen recently harsh times in its history. Natalie has a history of herself with her father recently killed for his work involving Darklings and her Emissary mother who works in the labs on Darklings to produce something sinister for their race. With something hunting Natalie and a recent string of killings and attacks, her conflicted relationship with her mother and injured sister are leaving Natalie wanting more in life, as if she is missing a piece of herself but that may all soon pass as she has to enroll in a new Black City school for the lower class people, including Darklings that will change her world forever. As Natalie tries to hold off her attraction to Ash, she soon finds herself immersed in a hidden world and strung into events that will change her future forever, but at what cost? Will Natalie find the strength in herself to face the growing challenges in fighting for what is right and involving herself in an illegal relationship? Richards blends these elements together into a gripping heroine that captivates us as much as we want Natalie to find peace in this troubled world.

            In the world of Black City we find the United Sentry States, basically our future has been transformed. Cities are divided between Wookboot working class people and the Sentry humans who are running the show. There are massive Boundary walls separating the humans from the Darkling population except for the Darklings who are basically slaves for humans and with a new legislation that is in the works, the Darkling may soon become nothing more than expendable livestock with little rights. But all of that may soon changes as alliances are being made and undermined by individual and faction groups that are fighting for their own ideal futures at the cost of many lives.

            Elizabeth Richards has created something spectacular in Black City. With a cast of driven and captivating characters we are immersed into a dark world of intrigue and oppression at the cusp of change and at the cost of citizen life. With a dueling scientific community and a host of ruling class people that are fueling their own agenda, Richards takes us into the heart of our characters just as they are finding something in each other to live for. With a gripping plot and twists that will surprise, Black City is a powerhouse of beauty in a dark time in these character’s lives that will pull our heartstrings.

With an astounding finish Black City will give a great book hangover and leave us all pining for more.

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