Becky Bookworm Book Review: Geist by Philippa Ballantine

Geist by Philippa Ballantine

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
It takes a lot for a fantasy writer to create a world with its own rules, characters and society to pull the reader in smoothly without requiring a huge prologue full of history and politics and I must say Philippa has pulled this off spectacularly well. She plunged the reader into the conflicted world of the living and the dead, the Actives and the Sensatives, the aristorcratic rulers and the powerful Deacons. And yet all bound up in the magical power struggle that radiates through it all from the first page to its epic climax of intense proportions, is a human story. Of a failing marriage and partnership, of the tenderness of facing challenges alone and relying on those you hardly know, of allowing yourself to trust and encourage trust in return, of upholding honour and truth in a world that becomes ever darker with lies and betrayal. And this is all beautifully explored through the ethereal power of the Bond between three very different characters that are drawn together through fate or traps and are ultimately relied on to save the lives of many. The action, tension, intrigue and emotions increase chapter by chapter and the middle section almost lets the reader think that finally things have been set right but its a classic 'they think it's all over moment' as events take another drastic turn as more truth is uncovered from the lies and deciets. I can't wait to start reading the second in the series, Spectyre to see what other jaw-dropping challenges these amazing characters face.
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