RAVEN by Allison Van Diepen

• • Reading level: Young Adult
  • Paperback: 304 pages
  • Publisher: Simon Pulse (February 9, 2010)

BOOK DESCRIPTION: She wants him.

Zin dances with fire in every step; speaks with a honey sweet voice; and sees with eyes that can peer into your soul. Nicole's friendship with him is the only thing that saves her from the boredom of school and the turmoil of her family life. It's no wonder why Nicole is madly in love with him. But she can't understand why he keeps her at a distance, even though she can feel his soul reaching out for hers.

Zin is like no man Nicole has ever met, and he carries with him a very old secret. When Nicole uncovers the truth, her love may be the only thing that can save him from it.

MY REVIEW: I didn't expect to like RAVEN as much as I did. Van Diepen writes compelling characters with realistic dialogue in such a way I felt I knew them. I enjoyed her twist on the "What is he?" storyline. In this case the 'he' in question is Zin. Nic, the female main character, opens her story with this:

Ask me the exact moment I fell in love with Zin, and I'll tell you it's the first time I saw him dance.

If you've seen him dance, then you understand.

If you haven't, then trust me-there's nothing he can't pull off on the floor. (Page 1)

Off the dance floor Zin is Nic's friend, even though he keeps their relationship platonic. He is protecting his secret until the night Nic is attacked and stabbed by a druggie. In order to save her he has to expose what he is. Zin is immortal, a Jiang Shi, supernatural beings who survive by removing damaged souls and sucking them into themselves. Zin works at Evermore, a club where all the employees are the same as he is. The owner  is Carlo, the "Magician," and he is the one person who can 'change' mortals into these soul suckers. A secondary story deals with Nic's brother, Josh, a drug addict. When he is hospitalized, brain dead, Carlo changes him without telling him. Meanwhile, one of Nic's friends, Kim, tells her she's a member of Heng Te, a group which destroys the Jiang Shi. Nic has to decide if she wants to become an immortal and risk being hunted down and she grapples with protecting her brother. Can she ever be with the guy she loves?

Without divulging more, I will say this book held my attention all the way through (with the exception of the dance scenes, which I didn't understand since I didn't know the names of the moves). The story is fast paced and gritty (has cursing). At times I felt Nic "told" us how she was feeling instead of showing us, and I thought the writing was reminscent of journaling or writing diary entries. The concept of the Jiang Shi was interesting and I wanted to know more. 

RATING: +++1/2

SERIES: No.

FOR FANS OF: Contemporary fantasy.

REVIEWED BY: Laurie

BOOK SOURCE: Library.