Genre: New Adult FantasyPublisher: Misty Provencher
Publication Date: 12/12
Format: ebook
Source: Received from author for review.
CATEGORY: NEW ADULT, may not be suitable for young adult readersI want to start by saying that I absolutely adore Misty Provencher's writing. She is a truly gifted author whose words keep me in awe. That holds true for Mercy, A Gargoyle Story, though this one was a bit of a challenge for me.
GENRE: DARK FANTASY
My will to survive is the first thing to drown.
I know, because I hold it under myself.
After facing severe tragedy in life, Madeline assumes her death will be easy.
But the angels do not come to take her to Heaven.
Instead, what retrieves her is something she never expected: a gargoyle.
Delivered to Truce, the King of the Gargoyles, Madeline now has choices she never wanted. She has the ability to take over the entire Gargoyle Kingdom, if she is willing to kill the king. However, looking to prevent takeover, Truce transforms Madeline, thereby granting her the ability to achieve the thing she wants most—death—if she can just find the human recipient for the Gargoyle Gift that she now has to give. It should be easy.
But lives, whether they are lived or not, are seldom simple, and Madeline’s past still stands in her way. Now, only a voyeur in the life of The Boy with the Golden Rod Voice, Madeline’s must reconcile her own life and death, if she ever hopes to have free reign of her soul.
I almost feel as if Mercy was two separate stories, and in a way it was. The book begins with the suicide of the main character, Madeline. This opening was extremely gripping, and difficult to read, which I think is a testament to Provencher's writing. The despair, the agony of death, and the helplessness that followed was well done.
But then, the Gargoyle aspect comes into play, and I never truly got on board with that aspect. Admittedly, I'm not a huge fantasy fan, but I wanted to give this book a try. And I'm still glad I read it, the story was unique and I am positive that many fans of fantasy will love that.
So Madeline becomes a Gargoyle, and has the option of becoming the Queen. Like I said, I had a hard time following that storyline. Along the way, though, Madeline gets to see what happened to the boy who broke her heart, and her best friend. This part of the story broke my heart and was what kept me invested in Mercy. It was heartbreaking.
I feel as if my review is all over the place. I know it is. There are parts of Mercy that I completely loved and others that just didn't work for me. Either way, it's a gorgeously written book and there is no denying Provencher's talent.
Favorite Quote:
I remember the boy's voice, like a Swiss Army Knife, useful, quick, and serrated. It was used for hunting, for trapping, for feeding me. He could slide his whisper right along my skin and separate me from my clothing with three clean words. ~13%
You can purchase Mercy at:
Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Smashwords
Books by Misty Provencher
The CORNERSTONE Series (Young Adult)
HALE MAREE (Adult)
MERCY, A GARGOYLE STORY (New Adult)
