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The Katerina Trilogy, Vol. I: The Gathering Storm (2012)

by Robin Bridges(Favorite Author)

3.9 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

0385740239 (ISBN13: 9780385740234)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Ember

series

Katerina

review 1: I honestly liked this book more than I figured I would. I grabbed this book for something different, and I was pleasantly surprised. Katerina has the ability to raise the dead,so with the popularity of zombies I guess I was expecting this book to be about flesh eating zombie running around 1800s Russia. Not even close! As a child Katerina, Katiya, realized she could bring an animal back to life, simply by willing it to live. After her mother's cat dies, Katiya brings it back, and then she realizes it did not come back quite the same. (I kept thinking Pet Sematary....this is never a good idea!) Katiya keeps her power a secret and goes about her life. As a teenager she believes no one know about her ability, and in a world where faeries, witches and vampires are real, ... moreKatiya fears what would happen if it is discovered she is a necromancer. Katiya is suspicious of classmate, Elena, the Princess of Montenegro, is a witch. Elena has her eyes on the tsar's son and uses magic and spells to try and win her way to the crown. Elena also keeps pushing Katiya to meet her brother, Prince Danilo, the future king of Montenegro. Katiya is skeptical of Elena's agenda, rightfully so. Then Katiya's cousin,Dariya, falls ill. Others in the school fall sick as well. It appears they have been poisoned. Princess Cantacuzene, an elderly princess,gives Katiya warning about the royal family of Montenegro. She also gives her a ring to wear for protection. Katiya does not take it seriously at first and meets the Prince where she falls immediately into his spell. Then she realizes how serious and dangerous he can be. Secrets unfold and it becomes a game of politics in 1880s Russia with a twist of fantasy. I love the historical portion of the story, and the fantasy was not too over the top either. I really look forward to the next book in this series.
review 2: This lost one star because the writing was plain, it took the story forward and was by no means bad, but it could've used some more "show, don't tell".It lost another star because it felt like a part of a series. There wasn't a cliffhanger or many unanswered questions, but it definitely probably fits in with the books that follow it than it does standing on its own.I loved how much paranormal activity and fantasy elements were incorporated, though. It's a lot for a novel set in an actual time and place on earth, but that's what I really loved about this novel. Overall though, I wanted more focus and care to have been taken with the book individually rather than what I assume has gone into the overall series. less

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