Published by Scholastic Press
Date: January 7, 2014
Series: Defy #1
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 336
Format: eBook
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
A lush and gorgeously written debut, packed with action, intrigue, and a thrilling love triangle.
Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.
The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?
- Goodreads
Alexa has been playing a part for years, ever since her twin brother Marcel saved her life when they suddenly became orphans during an attack on their village. Ever since that day, Alexa has been masquerading as Alex, the most skilled member of the Prince's guard...and also a boy. It has been imperative for Alexa and Marcel to conceal her true identity, lest she face the horrors that await all orphaned girls at the hands of King Hector, the ruthless ruler of the once-great nation of Antion. But, when Prince Damian is abducted with Alexa and her best friend Rylan along with him, Alexa's secret is suddenly in jeopardy as she fights to keep the Prince safe, all while trying to make sense of the confusing attractions she suddenly feels for Damian and for Rylan. How can Alexa manage it all--maintaining the safety of the Prince, reconciling the feelings she harbors for Damian and Rylan, and possibly even putting an end to the senseless war that has ravaged Antion and the neighboring nation of Blevon for decades? What decisions will Alexa make, and will those decisions be the right choice?
How can Alexa manage it all? Here's my answer to that question: she can't. You would think she would be able to handle all the stress, politics, and drama? She is supposed to be a strong heroine, the most skilled fighter in the Prince's guard, and a brave soldier, after all. A girl like that should be able to handle anything. Well, here's the truth: Alexa had the potential to be a really strong female character. However, all that potential--and any potential for Defy to be a strong new addition to the fantasy genre--faded away the second she shifted from Alex to Alexa. When Alexa's fabricated identity begins to crumble, any strength she had as a strong female character crumbles with it. She quickly changes from a fierce sword fighter to a blushing, blubbering crybaby who can't seem to keep her feelings in check. Not to mention, she seems to keep finding herself in situations that require a knight in shining armor to rescue her. In fact, if Alexa isn't being rescued in some way by Prince Damian or Rylan, then she is literally crying about her inability to choose between two insanely attractive men who love her. What a bummer! Note the sarcasm.
And, Damian, the ever-so-valiant prince, is no better than Alexa. He too puts up a facade for the world to see, and he is completely incapable of being honest, even with the people whom he asks to trust him unconditionally. Sure, you could argue that he only keeps secrets to protect Alexa from harm and for the general well-being of Antion, but really, I think he's just afraid to let people get close to him.
The only character whom I truly liked was Rylan. He always seems to act honestly, without any ulterior motives. He always states his intentions outright, and you can tell that he genuinely cares about Alexa.
Apart from the characters, the other thing that pushed my buttons was the infernal love triangle between Damian, Alexa, and Rylan. It would have been okay if it was in any way original, but it isn't. It's your typical YA love triangle where the girl is horribly conflicted about making a decision between two attractive guys. There's even a scene where Alexa has to sleep in between Damian and Rylan as they make camp for the night. I know it's supposed to visually represent the dilemma Alexa faces, but, honestly, it reminded me of the painful tent scene from the Twilight series. Yikes!
Don't get me wrong. Even though there were a lot of things about this book that I didn't like, I did enjoy the world building. I thought the politics surrounding the nations of Antion, Blevon, and Dansii were fascinating. I would have liked to have had some more backstory into the history of each nation and greater description about the involvement of sorcerers in each nation. I think the book would have benefitted greatly from greater world building, but some of it, I think, was sacrificed for the sake of the love triangle, which is unfortunate.
Overall, I thought Defy was just okay. I think it had the potential to be a truly great addition to the fantasy genre, but that potential was wasted on poor character development and an unoriginal love story. To make it a stronger fantasy story, it needed to have greater world building and more emphasis on plot instead of romance. I think this book would be more popular among readers who enjoy the drama of a love triangle, like the Twilight fans, for instance. If your a big fan of traditional fantasy, you might want to look elsewhere because, at its core, Defy is not a traditional fantasy story; it is a romance through and through, and a terrible romance at that. It's going to take a lot of convincing for me to read the next installment of the Defy series. Defy just wasn't the book for me.
Posted in Fantasy, Reviews, Romance, Young Adult