Review: Eona

Eona by Alison Goodman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



4.5 stars.

I really enjoyed the Eon Duology, and found Eona to be a satisfying conclusion, taking the story in a completely new direction, adding depth and higher stakes. I've delayed reviewing it for a while because my feelings are kind of mixed about it still, and I can't really explain why it's not a 5-star read for me even though I was totally riveted. I think it has to do with the romance that finds its way into the second book and turns into a love triangle, but is based mainly on physical attraction. That always bothers me a little, so it interfered with my acceptance of the scenario a little bit. It's a minor complaint, but enough to drop my rating down by half a star.

Other than that, I found it an engrossing high fantasy and had a really hard time putting it down. The outcome of the love triangle was not clear from the start, Eona's struggles to grasp a situation she was not prepared for makes finding truth and trust complex, and the ending is climactic, keeping the final direction uncertain right until the end.

It was riveting, but I didn't always like it, if that makes sense. Eona's uncertainty about what to believe made me question everything as well, and I actually ended up wanting it to go a different direction. It's one of those books that doesn't necessarily give you everything you want as a reader, so I have mixed feelings about it. I love it when a book can make me feel conflicted like that! All-in-all, highly recommended for YA fantasy readers who want something a little different (more of a Chinese/Japanese-based culture) and like a bit of romance mixed in.




View all my reviews