Friday 3 April 2015

Der Pakt (Feuer & Glas #1) by Brigitte Riebe

Book Blurb (from Goodreads):
Venedig im Jahr 1509: Ein machtvolles Glasartefakt und die letzte Erinnerung an einen verschwundenen Vater … Eine uralte Fehde zweier verfeindeter Völker … Und ein Mädchen, das nicht ahnt, dass es den Schlüssel zur Rettung Venedigs in seinen Händen hält...
Für die sechzehnjährige Milla scheint die Zeit stehen zu bleiben, als sie an einem heißen Frühlingstag dem jungen Gondoliere Luca begegnet. Wie ein Aristokrat aus einer anderen Zeit gleitet er, gemeinsam mit einer Katze, auf einer blauen Gondel durch einen stillen Kanal. Milla ist verzaubert und kann den jungen Mann nicht vergessen. Als kurze Zeit später dieselbe geheimnisvolle Katze im kleinen Lokal ihrer Mutter und Tante auftaucht, folgt sie ihr durch die Gassen Venedigs. Sie gelangen zu einem reichen Stadthaus – und Milla sieht Luca wieder. Er ist jedoch nicht allein, und plötzlich wird Milla in den Strudel dunkler Vorkommnisse um das Ende der mächtigen Lagunenstadt gezogen. Stammt sie wirklich von den Feuerleuten ab, die seit jeher gemeinsam mit den Wasserleuten Venedig beschützen? Was empfindet Luca, einer der Wasserleute, wirklich für sie? Und hat all das mit dem Verschwinden ihres Vaters zu tun? Zwischen Liebe und Zweifel hin- und hergerissen, kann Milla niemandem vertrauen – außer einer Katze und ihrem Gespür für die Wahrheit...


My Review
This was one of the most tiring books I have read so far.
The story is taking place in Venice, Italy in the year 1509. There are two main kinds of people living there. The Firepeople, Milla belongs to them and they can blow glass, and the Waterpeople, to which Luca belong and they are mostly gondoliers. As their names suggest they can control their element and  they are currently at war with each other. But since Venice is a city of fire and water, they have to be united or it will fall. Milla has to seal the ancient pact between the two people with Luca, with the help of the glass gondola. But Milla and Luca aren't allowed to fall in love. Oh no.
Milla was in some ways an interesting character. She is very adventurous and always gets herself into trouble and she gets angry very easily. Like very easily. And she can hold a grudge against someone for a very long time. So wen you meet her, you better make sure that you get on her good side. Luca's personality was he complete opposite of Milla's. Luca was always the calm one and never rushed into things. He thought things through, but he also has a split personality because one time he can be nice and the other time he can be really mean to Milla. I never really liked him at the beginning. My favourite character in this book was probably Marco Bellino because... I don't really know, I just liked his personality.
Now, the writing style: I have so much to say about it, I don't even know where to start. Agh! Okay, I think I will start with the positive first. About half way through the book, when everything became really intense I started to get really into the book. I wanted to keep on reading, I don't know why but I really enjoyed reading the book once the action started. The real problem though, was the part before the action started which was nearly half way throughout the book. I found that the writing style was so over-dramatic and the way the characters spoke kind of reminded me of the Shakespearean style because they talked so dramatic, like the world was ending. The beginning was very dull as well, because nothing was happening and the world-building wasn't very well written (maybe it was just the choice of words by the author).
I think that after all, I liked the story and the action near the end of the book was satisfactory but I still nearly stopped reading this book about half way through because I was so bored, but I was glad I stuck around due to my motto to always finish a book that I started, no matter how much I dislike it and I haven't broken it so far! :D I think that this book can still get 3 out of 5 stars!

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