Thursday, June 23, 2011

REVIEW: Passion by Lauren Kate

"Every single lifetime, I'll choose you. Just as you have chosen me. Forever."

Passion by Lauren Kate, wow. I didn't see that one coming. With each book in the Fallen series that I read, I've been slowly becoming a bigger fan. If I'm honest, I wasn't completely convinced with Fallen. I liked the setting and the idea but I wanted more. I decided to give Torment a chance anyway and it completely turned around what I thought of the story and the characters. I liked how Luce asserted herself more, explored other options in terms of love interests andin the end, struck out on her own. When Luce jumps into the announcer at the end of Torment, I actually cheered. I thought 'good for you!' and couldn't wait to find out what she'd uncover. I was far from disappointed.

And now in Passion, we have this strange flit through time as Luce is on a mission for answers, both with her relationship with Daniel and of the curse that she has been afflicted with. She needs to see proof of this epic love that she supposedly shares with Daniel. And oh boy, does she. Passion is filled with so much romance that I almost couldn't bear it at points. Some of Daniel and Luce's interactions are so tense and fraught with emotion. Some lives they barely touch or say anything, others they are able to spend longer periods of time with each other, getting to know each other and falling in love gradually. It was really sweet to read so many different types of love shared between the two over time.

I also loved all of the different historical settings that we find Luce in, from war-torn Russia to a courtly France and a secluded island on the Indian ocean. It was very exciting for me to read of the different clothing and circumstances that Luce finds herself in. And it's very eye-opening for Luce as well, as she is able to view her relationship with Daniel in a very different light. She sees him destroyed and broken and almost without hope after she dies. She sees him as he falls in love with other versions of herself that are bitchy or mean and comes to value the strength of his love and the sacrifices and hardships that the both of them make in order to spend very little time together. It's very moving and this is the first time that I really felt like Daniel and Luce really do need to be together. I'm completely and utterly behind their relationship and their love now. Just as Luce needs to be convinced, so did I. And I think Lauren Kate did a fantastic job in Passion.

But it isn't all about Luce either. Daniel and Luce's friends have all jumped into announcers on a hunt for Luce through time. Daniel, of course, understandably feeling very threatened that Luce might change the course of their shared history and it might all have been for nothing. I think the mystery of Luce dying every time is done quite cleverly, as along with Luce we learn really important clues into who or what has been behind the curse.

Enough is revealed that makes me incredibly, hugely excited for the next book in the series. Bring it on, Lauren Kate!

8 comments:

  1. I just finished Passion and I thought it was better than the other two. Great review! I would like to hear about what you thought of 'Bill'? I was always suspicious but I never thought... Won't spoil..
    Chanel x
    http://pagenumbered.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  2. I must read Torment first! Aargh!

    ReplyDelete
  3. CcG - Passion has been my favourite book of the series by far! And I found Bill to be quite the interesting character :)

    Viv - Aww, so many great books, eh? :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I still haven't managed to read any of the books in this series, it's on my list and I'm sure I'll get to it some time soon.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I can't wait to read this one! I just had to go to the book signing she did here! Its next in my TBR pile..

    ReplyDelete
  6. Jenni - Good luck to you! I always find it a little hard to catch up with a series once a few books have already been published!

    Becca - I hope you love the book as much as I did :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Passion is really great I just got a copy yesterday and I guess I can finish it in no time I just continue to read it everytime because I'm craving to know more...

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hey so I'm reading rapture right now and I need a bit of a refresher on one thing. TINY SPOILER AHEAD so Luce mentions that she could recognize Daniels soul no matter what body he inhabited. Did Daniel die/have past lives too or could he just take on another form? I cant remember lol thanks! :)

    ReplyDelete

HI! Thank you for leaving a comment, you've just become my new best friend :)