Fates by Lanie Bross Review

Title: Fates
Author: Lanie Bross
Publisher: Delacorte BYR
Publish Date: February 11, 2014
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Pages: 336
Source: Publisher

She fell from her tranquil life in Pyralis Terra and found herself exiled to the human world. Her punishment? To make sure people’s fates unfold according to plan. Now, years later, Corinthe has one last assignment: kill Lucas Kaller. His death will be her ticket home.

But for the first time, Corinthe feels a tingle of doubt. It begins as a lump in her throat, then grows toward her heart, and suddenly she feels like she’s falling all over again—this time for a boy she knows she can never have. Because it is written: one of them must live, and one of them must die.

In a universe where every moment, every second, every fate has already been decided, where does love fit in?

Fates is a novel that sets itself apart, in large part, because of the writing, moreso than the actual story. Lanie Bross offers up to the YA readership a tale full of sweet romance, mystery, intrigue and danger, but does so all the while in a voice that is rich, decadent and lyrical. While the plot devices slowly unfurled through the novel, the words spun the story like music, and I have to say that it's been a while since I've read a full-on novel that reads much like poetry. It has a delicate quality as though each word was chosen with great care, and as a reader, I can definitely appreciate that.

I did have a few issues with the plot of Fates, however. While the novel offers us a truly engaging premise, I feel as though the book lacked in the actual execution of the plot. The ideas of the Guardians, Fates, Radicals and more was a solid setup, but I felt as though nothing was truly elaborated upon, and I think I was left with more questions than answers by the time that I reached the end of the novel. I think that, perhaps, this was a judgment call on the part of the author though, making certain that there will be unanswered questions with which to start the next story, so I can only hope and assume that we'll learn more in the next installments.

Corinthe was a tough character for me to get to know, as well, because she seems to err on the side of cold and holding us at arm's length for much of the novel. It was like a barricade against hurt, but it kept me from truly accessing her motivations and feelings at times. However, when Luc is added to the equation, I felt her slowly emerge from her shell, and she took her place within the novel as a sympathetic heroine. Luc though, wins top prize in terms of characters. He had such a strong aura of bravery and heroism that I couldn't help but become invested in his plight - perhaps moreso than in Corinthe's. There is a sweet romance in the novel that begins but never truly develops into something real, but I've begun to accept that this is often times the norm within the genre.

Overall though, Fates was a solid beginning to what could be a really exciting new series. While I had a few qualms with it, the writing made up for many of the flaws, and I'm curious enough to read on. I give it a 3.5 out of 5, and I recommend to all fans of YA, especially those who enjoy paranormal and fantasy stories.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.