"Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter."— Mark Twain

Review: The Vespertine

The VespertineThe Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell

Summary: It’s the summer of 1889, and Amelia van den Broek is new to Baltimore and eager to take in all the pleasures the city has to offer. But her gaiety is interrupted by disturbing, dreamlike visions she has only at sunset—visions that offer glimpses of the future. Soon, friends and strangers alike call on Amelia to hear her prophecies. However, a forbidden romance with Nathaniel, an artist, threatens the new life Amelia is building in Baltimore. This enigmatic young man is keeping secrets of his own—still, Amelia finds herself irrepressibly drawn to him.

When one of her darkest visions comes to pass, Amelia’s world is thrown into chaos. And those around her begin to wonder if she’s not the seer of dark portents, but the cause.

My Thoughts: My first thoughts upon completion: “Wow, what a story. Very emotional, and very interesting.”

The Vespertine dives right on in, starting at a point where you HAVE to wonder what is going on – and what transpired before this point. How did we get here? How did Amelia end up where we first see her? Why is she ruined? Don’t worry, all of these questions are answered. This story is very interesting, very intriguing, and very touching. I don’t want to say too much, because I don’t want to give anything away. I liked Amelia. She was a character I could feel for; I could feel her anguish when appropriate. I liked Nathaniel, too – another swoon-worthy lead male character, in my opinion.

This was a very good book that had me from the beginning and wouldn’t let me go until I closed the back cover. It was another book that ended a smidgen too soon. Not because I felt unsettled or because it left unfinished business. Neither was true. I felt it ended too soon simply because I wasn’t ready to leave Amelia and her world. This is a book I likely will purchase and look forward to enjoying again.

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Source: Received through Around The World Tours for review.

Read It: The Vespertine is scheduled for release on March 7, 2011. You can pre-order it HERE. (This is an Amazon link, and purchase through this link will result in my receiving a small commission. Your support is appreciated!)

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FTC Disclosure: All items reviewed were either obtained by me for my own enjoyment or sent (from the author, publisher, publicist, via tour sites, etc.) in exchange for an honest review. I receive no monetary compensation for my posts. All opinions expressed are my own.

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One Response to Review: The Vespertine
  1. [...] Thoughts: I really enjoyed The Vespertine and was quite excited at the prospect of a sequel – or in this case, a companion novel. Instead [...]

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