Immortal

I'll be honest. When I first saw this book, I figured it would be another blah YA novel dealing with paranormal romance. Then I read the back and had to admit that okay, it had kind of an intriguing plot, so I'd give it a chance.

I'm glad I did.

The early parts of the book wasn't particularly grabbing, and annoyed me more than anything else. The pacing seemed badly done, giving the backstory as a first-person exposition. But it was done in such a way that I couldn't really get a feel for the character. It came across as, "Things such but I'll stay strong, and I have to go to this boarding school to please my family even though I don't want to, and I'll miss my grandmother, and HOLY CRAP THERE'S ACTION ALL OF A SUDDDEN!"

I realize that the show more backstory was put in there to avoid the reader having to sit through an entire chapter of it, but it felt so rushed and removed that I actually think I would have been less bored if the first chapter had consisted of nothing but Evie's discussion with her father about her grandmother's health and going away to Wyldcliffe.

But once I got past that messy introduction, Immortal quickly turned into one of those books that has me looking up every once in a while and wondering just where the time went. The plot that unfolds is interesting, the premise decently original, and the hints that are dropped are enough to make the reader suspect and theorize but not quite know how it all fits together fully until much later. Not quite a Rowling-style adept at making literary puzzles, Shields certainly still manages to do a good job with her plot and its mystery.

I was quite happy to see that the love story in this wasn't as contrived as some I've read this past year. Stories in which two characters fall head-over-heels in love and ignore all sense and reason are in vogue these days, and aside from an initial "tugging behind the ribs" sensation when Evie first meets Sebastian, their relationship actually developped quite well, starting with some forbidden midnight outings and eventually progressing to admissions of love, with some misunderstandings and spats in between. It felt real, not rushed; complete, not contrived.

I also enjoyed seeing Evie's struggle with learning to use her newfound magical abilities. So often in books you have a character who can use magic and everything comes as naturally as breathing. There were such characters in Immortal, yes, but Evie wasn't one of them, and it was due to the kind of emotional blockage that makes sense to block something like magic (at least by my way of thinking).

Ultimately, Gillian Shields seems to have a real talent for visuals and for interesting turns of phrase, as well as for weaving a YA storyline that I can really sink my teeth into. I look forward to seeing more of her work! show less

ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.

Evie Johnson is a new student at Wyldcliffe Abbey School for Young Ladies, which resides in (you’ll never guess) a gothic mansion on the moors. Surprisingly, there are some severe headmistresses there (coiffed with scraped-back buns) and a clique of mean rich girls. They tease Evie for arriving on the train and make discourteous comments when the school mistress announces that Evie is their new “scholarship student.”

You won’t believe it, but Evie has red hair and a seemingly innocuous silver pendant which belonged to her mother (who was drowned), grandmother, and other maternal ancestors who have some connection to the area around Wyldcliffe Abbey. Needless to say, I was astonished when show more Evie started experiencing strange sensations and hallucinations when she arrived at school. These visions are connected to the tragic deaths of two young ladies, one of whom grew up in the Victorian age and wisely kept a diary detailing her experimentation with witchcraft.

In an unpredictable twist, there’s also a mysterious and exotically beautiful boy with no personality who sneaks around on the grounds at night and has fallen hopelessly in love with Evie for no apparent reason. With the help of Sarah, the only nice girl at Wyldcliffe Abbey, and Helen, the strange loner, Evie tries to figure out what’s going on.

Immortal, by Gillian Shields, is a disappointing Wuthering Heights wannabe whose plot so closely mimics Libba Bray’s A Great and Terrible Beauty, that it begs comparison. And so I will compare it. I didn’t particularly enjoy Bray’s book because of the unlikable girls, but I did find some pleasure and wit between its covers and the audio narration was truly beautiful.

Immortal, however, has nothing going for it. Evie is an ineffective heroine. We’re supposed to root for her because she’s the protagonist of the story, but she’s not particularly engaging or interesting. The only reason to root for Evie is that Celeste (the “ice princess” who’s the classic mean girl caricature) is against her. Likewise, the beautiful boy who falls in love with Evie has nothing to offer. He’s supposed to be tragic and romantic, but I found him annoying and wondered when Evie would ask herself what was wrong with this ridiculous romance. The only tolerable person in Immortal is Sarah, the nice girl. Unfortunately, though the audio version performed by Emily Durante was otherwise well acted, the voice used for Sarah was so highly pitched (sometimes becoming sharp and shrill) that it made even Sarah intolerable.

So, there’s no reason to like any of Shields’ characters, and there’s no charm, wit, beauty, or style to make up for it. Immortal isn’t likely to entertain most adults and most well-read teenagers will also find it derivative, emotionally vapid, and generally unsatisfying. Other than disappointment, while reading Immortal I never felt anything but déjà vu. show less

My Thoughts: Part ghost story, part romance, there was no putting Immortal down. I had to know what happened next. Evie Johnson is a very "no-nonsense" character. In the very first line she says "I don't belive in ghosts. I don't believe in witchcraft either...not any of the whole mumbo jumbo of the 'other side'." It makes you stop and think 'Wait, I thought I picked this up in the paranormal section?' This isn't the type of book where our heroine is so easily swayed to believe the supernatural just because of some swoony, dark-haired mystery boy...ahem, Sebastian. Evie has to be convinced, multiple times, until there's no denying the supernatural and how deeply rooted in the "other side" she really is, even without knowing it. Immortal show more is almost reminiscent of Libba Bray's Gemma Doyle Trilogy. Evie Johnson: Evie is so relatable. She's been uprooted from her home, taken away from everything she's ever known, and thrown into this new world she doesn't belong in, and one she hardly enjoys. Evie embodies the idea that "sometimes we have to do things we don't want to". She has to make the best of it, there is no other choice. I applaud Ms. Shields for taking how we all feel inside and putting it on paper in the form of Evie Johnson. Sebastian: I loved Sebastian, but I have to say he seemed almost cliche. The typical YA paranormal boy. Brooding, dark-haired, and tortured inside by something he can't share till the second half of the book. Given, Sebastian's situation was unique, and we all know this is the kind of boy we love to read about. Hello, guilty pleasure. show less

Wyldcliffe Abbey School for Young Ladies, housed in a Gothic mansion on the bleak northern moors, is elite, expensive, and unwelcoming. When Evie Johnson is torn away from her home by the sea to become the newest scholarship student, she is more isolated than she could have dreamed. Strict teachers, snobbish students, and the oppressive atmosphere of Wyldcliffe leave Evie drowning in loneliness. Evie's only lifeline is Sebastian, a rebellious, mocking, dangerously attractive young man she meets by chance. As Evie's feelings for Sebastian grow with each secret meeting, she starts to fear that he is hiding something about his past. And she is haunted by glimpses of a strange, ghostly girl—a girl who is so eerily like Evie, she could be show more a sister. Evie is slowly drawn into a tangled web of past and present that she cannot control. And as the extraordinary, elemental forces of Wyldcliffe rise up like the mighty sea, Evie is faced with an astounding truth about Sebastian, and her own incredible fate. Gillian Shields's electrifying tale will dazzle readers with suspense, mysticism, and romance. show less

Immortal by Gillian Shields is a fantasy YA novel focused on witches.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series (aka this book, Immortal). The take it has on witches was different than what I had read about before, and I enjoyed it's uniqueness. It wasn't on my top list of YA books I read years ago, but it's still a good book.

Gillian Shields is a skilled writer, and I really want to pick up more books from her. This novel isn't an A book, but I can only imagine how much she has grown since she first wrote this book. With so much potential, it's hard to believe she won't write an even better book in the future.

I did think there was a pinch too much romance in this book. If there was more focus on the plot line and witches I think it show more could have peaked up to an even higher rating on my end. I'll have to pick up the rest of the books in the series again to see if it gets any better or if my ratings change from when I first read this series. It also features some cliche characters and plot lines...

So, for me, it's a little bit boring.

It's still a sweet book, and I think there's lots of room to grow for Gillian. Hopefully she has more books out because I absolutely LOVED her writing style within this. Her books are easy to read and move at a relatively fast paced!

Three out of five stars. show less

3.5 stars

Evie is sent away to a girls' boarding school and has some trouble fitting in. She meets a boy she is drawn to, but there's something a little different about him. In fact, there's something going on at the entire school.

I enjoyed this, but probably would have liked it better in print. I listened to the audio, and my mind tended to wander so I did miss a few things. The book does go back and forth in perspective between Evie and Agnes (through Agnes's journal), who lived at the school in the late 1800s. That's partly why I lost where I was a few times. In a print book, I could have flipped back to see whose perspective we were looking at at various times, but with the audio, that's trickier. It is a series, but I'm not show more convinced that I'll keep going. show less

Once you get drawn into the young adult literature (YA) spiral, it’s hard to pull yourself out, and Gillian Shields’ new release Immortal is just one reason why. For those of you that are like me (and I know you are out there) that got sucked into the world of supernatural romance and urban fantasy after you read Twilight, then you will appreciate why I had to have Immortal. The cover promises suspense, mysticism and romance, and for the most part, it delivers.

Immortal has a lot going for it. It’s got a creepy boarding school, first love, dark family secrets, and of course, magic. The book starts off slow, with the protagonist, 16 year old Evie Johnson, lamenting her arrival at an unfamiliar and faraway boarding school, and show more quickly delves into both history of the school and its paranormal ties to her. Evie also quickly meets Sebastian, a young and mysterious boy with whom she becomes involved. The romance of the novel seems unlikely, Evie meets Sebastian, obsesses over him for awhile, then sees him again and suddenly they are undyingly and passionately in love. Sure, I can get swept up in first love and impractical romance that abounds in lots of YA novels, but their love seems rushed and their connection seems to have no real development.

Apart from the romance of the story, the author weaves in excerpts from a diary, intertwining the past life of Evie’s ancestor to the present storyline, and of course, her history is tied to the school, and the discovery of magic. Through Evie’s discovery of her ancestor’s identity she starts to learn about her tie to her own magical power, and a dark secret of Sebastian’s past.

As the storyline is uncovered, the plot races ahead at breakneck speed, packing a punch at the end, where Evie’s self discovery makes her an enemy of her love, and the novel ends leaving plenty of room for the author to make a sequel.

Although the story is predictable at times, and the romance between Evie and her first love Sebastian seems unfounded, the book serves up a good mix of the supernatural, mystery and self-discovery and is great for any avid YA readers who want a good, albeit dark romp through a Gothic castle, discover inherent magical abilities and suffer the joy and heartbreak of a first and impossible love. show less