Immortal Beloved

What first caught my eye about this book was that Nastasya, the main character, had to make the epic choice between light and darkness. I've always been intrigued by this choice. It's one that all people, both fictional and real of course, end up facing at some point. When it comes right down to it one wrong choice can send you skittering off towards disaster. Since my life seems to be at that point right now, I thought I might find some connection with Nastasya and her journey.

As a character, Nastasya was dynamic and vivid. I loved the multiple facets of her personality. She felt pain, regret, anger, lust, and all the other emotions that so often get ignored in favor of more the more pleasurable ones. I also appreciated how much Cate Tiernan focused on the Nastasya's inner thoughts. It was easy to get to know her as a character, and to become invested in her struggle. Truth be told I ended up rooting for her half way through the story and I wouldn't give up on her. The more she struggled, the more I felt connected to her. It isn't often a long book like this can fly by, but this one did, and all too soon it was over.

To those you haven't yet read this book, you desperately need to pick up a copy! Everything about Nastasya and her fellow characters is real. Everything about them makes you feel as though you're right there, walking among them. Although they're immortal, they tackle very human emotions and problems. I appreciated the tense relationships between some of the characters so much. I think a lot of times relationships in books are too easily forged. In this book Nastasya has to fight her inner self to do what is good for her. She shows a great amount of perseverance and gives the reader a glimpse into the reality of making a life altering decision.

I could go on and on about how passionate I felt about this book, but I won't. I'll leave you with the fact that it was a refreshing change from so many other angst-driven and romance fueled young adult novels that I've read recently. What Nastasya goes through felt real to me, and her journey spoke to me in a way that I haven't felt in a long time. I'm in love with this book friends, and I cannot wait to see what happens next. Thank goodness this is only book one!