Review: My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

I must say, I had VERY high expectations of this book because so many people, including Melissa Marr, had recommended it. So, basically, take everything I’m going to say with bountiful pinches of salt :)

The first few chapters of the book provoked similar emotions in me to reading Twilight: I didn’t know if I should be bored to tears, or choking on the corniness. O.K, I’m probably exaggerating. Unlike in Twilight, there IS a lot of action going on from the start. However, I just COULDN’T connect with the teenage characters* and the description of yet another “perfect-and-hot-boy-who-for-some-unknown-reason-decides-to-pay-attention-to-the-plain-uncool-girl” was a total turn-off. There was a bit of sense of humor, but a lack of wit… and wit is something that most authors CANNOT afford to ignore.

However, I was patient… and it paid off. I’m not going to say this is the deepest and most surprising book in the world (I had figured out “who did it” way before the end). However, Vincent DOES manage to create several interesting characters. Kaylee and Nash are the two main ones, but they have clichéd enough personalities to be unworthy of description. The interest lies in the people that surround them: Kaylee’s uncle and aunt, Nash’s mother, and, of course, Tom, that sardonic, cool, and slightly pathetic grim reaper who has Nash fuming and Kaylee being fun for a change. In fact, I’m guessing I’d be much more interested in reading a book with Tom’s POV than the actual sequel to “My Soul to Take”.

Once thing that IS appreciated, though, is the use of folklore—and, more specifically, of banshees. I’m not sure if I hate or love the “twists” Vincent has done to the beansidhe mythology. Perhaps a bit of both. I love beansidhe’s, so I was happy that she used them, and I was happy that she thought of a more interesting role for them than just wailing uncontrollably. However, I don’t think I appreciated the moralistic aspect of that role. Like, “beansidhe’s are good creatures who actually help out human beings and their souls”. I firmly believe that the human soul doesn’t have all that much interest to anyone other than humans.

Anyway, My Soul to Take is a quick read, it has its fun moments (particularly towards the end) and I would recommend it without going as far as saying, “Read this NOW”.
* And no, this isn’t because I’m not a teenager. I read plenty of YA, and even in my late 20’s, I’ve connected with plenty of teen characters.