Quarter Finalist
Assessment:
In this fantasy thriller, Keira Donavan is a trained agent for SEEK, a covert government agency hunting mystical creatures called the Khayal. The way she slowly uncovers the truth about the Khayal and SEEK’s corruption and betrayal is masterfully plotted and executed. Jonathan Steed could use a little more depth, but Keira is a complex character, with needs warring with guilt, desires in conflict with what’s right. At heart, she’s just a 17-year-old girl who misses her family -- and her twisting story feels authentic and is thoroughly enjoyable.
Date Submitted: June 03, 2016
SEEK is a government operated program that Keira joined to help save her sister. She is a huntress, trained to kill Khayal, mythical creatures she’s told are evil. When she gets sent on a special meeting to kill Jonathan Steed, a rich nineteen-year-old, she learns the truth about Khayal. She flees the country with Jonathan to get away from SEEK and learn more about Khayal. There, she meets Paul and his group of teenagers with the plan to save all of the Khayal. She must make the decision to go back to her sister or join Paul's group and Johnathan. Which love will win?
Opinion:
I loved this book. It was a great read! As Keira learned more about the Khayal and fell in love with Johnathan, she became a very relatable character. The relationships and emotions throughout this book were really amazing, and the plot of the story was very fun to follow. I felt like I was part of the story. I can't wait for the next book to come out.
Reviewed by a LitPick student book reviewer Age:17
Keira is not your average seventeen-year-old girl. She works as a member of SEEK, an elite organization that hunts down the mystical Khayal. Keira’s life is going on as planned until she is sent to eliminate a boy named Jonathan. Having only ever killed the Khayal, Keira begins to question why they’ve sent her to kill a human. As Keira starts questioning the only truth she’s ever known, her world slowly starts crumbling around her. Who can she trust? Who can she love? And, most importantly, whose side should she be on?
Opinion:
When I began reading this book, I was very intrigued by the storyline. The author was unique with her imagination and came up with a very interesting story. Though slow in a few parts, the majority of this novel was fast-paced and compelling.
Keira, the protagonist, was my favorite character in the book. She was a strong, powerful woman who frequently had to question where her loyalties lied. I felt that she was a very believable and independent character.
I would personally recommend this for ages 12+ instead of mature young adult. While a good story, the writing style still felt a little bit juvenile.
Overall, it’s an intriguing read that any pre-teen or teen will enjoy.
