A writing style I couldn’t get enough of, but a middle I couldn’t push myself through fast enough. Sara Holland’s Everless was a pleasure and a bit of a pain.
In the kingdom of Sempera, time is currency—extracted from blood, bound to iron, and consumed to add time to one’s own lifespan. The rich aristocracy, like the Gerlings, tax the poor to the hilt, extending their own lives by centuries.
No one resents the Gerlings more than Jules Ember. A decade ago, she and her father were servants at Everless, the Gerlings’ palatial estate, until a fateful accident forced them to flee in the dead of night. When Jules discovers that her father is dying, she knows that she must return to Everless to earn more time for him before she loses him forever.
But going back to Everless brings more danger—and temptation—than Jules could have ever imagined. Soon she’s caught in a tangle of violent secrets and finds her heart torn between two people she thought she’d never see again. Her decisions have the power to change her fate—and the fate of time itself.
The world Holland painted for us was as wonderful and magical as it was cruel. It rang a little close to home, especially with how those in charge of the “money” (or, in this case, the blood) had it a thousand times easier than the common folk.
Holland had a way with language that was immediately spellbinding within the first few paragraph and Everless dug its claws into me and wouldn’t let go.
Even if I wanted it to.
And around the halfway mark, I sort of wanted it to.
Don’t get me wrong; this story about a girl trying to survive in a world where blood is time and time is money was worth the read. I enjoyed the worldbuilding and the plot twists were fun. But that middle, y’all, left something to be desired.
I had to power through the middle and usually if I have to power through something, I know it’s not going to be a fit for me. But I had already fallen in love with the story in the first several pages and I wanted to know if I would love the last few.
I loved the last few pages. When shit hit the fan 2/3rds of the way through, I was glad I kept going.
My good friend, Jessica Henderson, and I discussed Everless a few weeks ago on the Booked All Night podcast, so give it a listen! But be warned–there are MAJOR spoilers for the entire book!
Everless by Sara Holland releases January 2nd, 2018.
