Study #1
Published: June 1, 2004
Publisher: Mira
Author: Maria V. Snyder
Pages: 412
Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy
Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy
Choose: A quick death…Or slow poison...
About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve. She'll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace—and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia.
And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. But the chief of security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds her Butterfly's Dust—and only by appearing for her daily antidote will she delay an agonising death from the poison.
As Yelena tries to escape her new dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and Yelena develops magical powers she can't control. Her life is threatened again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren't so clear...
I remember picking up Poison Study a few times in the past but losing interest very quickly. This time I was determined to finish it and I have no regrets. I blame the unsuccessful tries on the writing style which I didn't fully enjoy. Maria V. Snyder uses short sentences, too short for my liking.
I didn't really pick up the main character Yelena's personality, it kind of got lost between her thoughts and actions and hidden in the very rushed final part of the book.
But for the most part the book engaged me, I found myself wanting to read rather than do anything else. It's quite predictable but nevertheless has a very original element. There is a strong narrative which clearly knows where it intends to go, but how many paragraphs could one write to describe climbing a tree, anyway?
You pretty much like and hate whoever you're supposed to like and hate. Yelena is someone to like and sympathise once her past is fully revealed.
“Everyone makes choices in life. Some bad, some good. It's called living, and if you want to bow out, then go right ahead. But don't do it halfway. Don't linger in whiner's limbo.”
I recommend this book for those who like fantasy YA novels with some romance in it and a tiny bit of action. Be warned that the story is predictable at times if you're good at knowing what cues to look for (if you're one of those people who hates predictability). Despite some picky comments, I look forward to reading the next book in the series!
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