Review: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Immortal Rules

Series: Blood of Eden #1

Author: Julie Kagawa

Publisher: Mira Ink

Publication Date: 4 May 2012

Source: Amazon Vine

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis from Goodreads

In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

REVIEW

This is a really difficult review for me to write as I am unsure even weeks after how I feel about this book. There were things I likes and things I didn't. For a start it is long, while it was nice to be completely immersed into Allison's world, at times it felt overly descriptive and drawn out. 

A dystopian paranormal full of action and a little romance to bind it all together. Told from Allison's perspective, she lives as a street urchin to avoid being used as a food supply for the ruling vampires. Images of Victorian London abound via the descriptions, especially those of  the filth and poverty that they live in.

The nature versus nurture debate is a strong theme throughout this book, examining how peoples perceptions of us can affect the way in which we interact solely due to these assumptions. Allison is a really strong character, loyal and brave yet an air of vulnerability surrounds her. Faced with a grisly death, Allison chooses to become what she has always despised, a vampire.  The way in which she deals with her transformation shows her inner strength. Through it all anyone can choose to be what they want to be not just conform to other peoples expectations. 

The story follows Allison trials and tribulations both with other vampires and humans. The way she copes with what she has become and what she wants to be. This is not your run of the mill vampire story, there are a number of plot twists woven into the narrative, along with some kick-ass action. Although I did find the book a little drawn out I am intrigued to find out where the story is going.