Seeker - A Review

Published - February, 2015, Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Author - Arwen Elys Dayton
Title - Seeker
Format - hardcover, audio, ebook
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Quin Kincaid has trained her entire life to be a Seeker. While she doesn't entirely know what that entails, she knows it is her destiny. The night that she and one of the other apprentices take their Oaths, she discovers the truth her father kept hidden from her. Vowing to be a different Seeker than her father, Quin soon finds herself in a battle for her life that leads her to question everything she'd been taught or told about her family, the boy she loves, and even herself.

This is the first book I've ever read by this author. And while there are comparisons to the Divergent Series or to Hunger Games listed on the back from various review sources, I found that comparing this book to those series is probably not the best thing. The only comparison to those series would be that this is in fact a dystopian novel. And that the main character is a girl. But that's where the similarities end.

I'll admit that the description of this book intrigued me. It really did make me want to read it. Picking it up, I had questions. And as the story unfolded, my questions didn't fully get answered. Even after finishing it, I still don't have a clear understanding of exactly what a Seeker is or the purpose of the Dreads. But I can live with unanswered questions because I know that there will be a sequel due out next year.

The story is told through the points of view of Quin, John, Shinobu, and Maud. It also takes the reader from Scotland to Hong Kong and back again. The various points of view didn't really bother me. I'm used to reading things with multiple points of view. The jumping from location to location didn't bother me too much either because I'm used to that. What did bother me though was that the "interludes" were back story into the characters that would probably have been useful to have earlier in the book.

As far as the characters go, my favorite was the Young Dread, Maud. I thought she was the best developed. John, Shinobu, and Quin all could have used some deeper development. And the whole love triangle thing drove me crazy. To me, the choice as to which of the boys Quin would ultimately end up with was obvious from the beginning. And while one of the two boys is made out to be a villain, I found that the author didn't do the best job in driving that point across. I actually thought that he was more misunderstood than anything else, and that his determination to reclaim what he considered rightfully his family's property had him heading down a path that could very well have been wrong. But was he a true villain? No, not in my opinion.

Overall, though, I enjoyed the book. It's probably not a favorite. But is was a fairly quick read. I'll look for the sequel when it comes out next year so I can see if my questions are answered.

I received a Kindle copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley for the purpose of reviewing. I was not required to like the book, only give my honest opinion.

Recommended to fans of young adult fiction, dystopian fiction

Rating - 3.5 stars - I liked it. I didn't love it. It's a little beyond just ok. Amazon/Goodreads rating will be 3 stars.

Review to be posted on Amazon on the book's release date February 10, 2015.