Tallow

Karen Brooks

There’s something about Tallow that sets him apart from other children. His luminescent eyes mark him as a extractor – but what does that mean for him and his family? When the plague comes, will he be able to combat it?

For the first few moments of the prologue, the reader can feel a little confused about what is happening. It’s not immediately clear what a Bond Rider is (nor do we find out until much later the significance of this) or what the mists are doing. It’s a racy start that gets you interested in the book, and determined to press on.

There are so many hidden things in this novel that I can’t tell you about! It makes it rather hard to review actually, but the book is so good you’ll want to read it anyway. I promise! This book isn’t a waste of time, and you will really find yourself enjoying it if you have found that the majority of my reviews cover the same sort of things that you felt about the books.

I can see such a difference between the writing of Brooks and some of the other novels I have seen lately. Brooks does a large amount of work, on linguistics I believe, and it shows through. So too does the research she has done to present a semi-realistic interpretation of Renaissance Venice.

The language is easy to understand, you don’t get confused about who is speaking to whom, and the various plot lines are effortlessly entwined. It’s amazing how much has been packed into this book with all the intrigues that are going on, but at the same time they fit together into a seamless whole.

I have been holding off for what seems like months to read these books again. Originally my partner got Tallow from the bookstore he worked at as a uncorrected bound sample, even though the book had been released properly by then. I then had to wait until Votive and Illumination came out, which took forever!!! I enjoyed Tallow so much the first time, I knew I’d want to read the whole trilogy in succession. I got Illumination for my birthday, and so I thought it was high time to read them. Also, I wanted to read something I knew I would enjoy after a run of crappy books that I have won or had on tour.

I would recommend this novel firmly for older teens, and possibly also adults who like an easy read. There are elements of sex (not gratuitous) and also some violence and deaths, but nothing too shocking or uncomfortable. There is a hint of homosexuality, but it’s not what the two ‘boys’ think it is!