Review of Opaque
Posted: 17 Sep 2021, 15:07
[Following is a volunteer review of "Opaque" by Calix Leigh-Reign.]
Calix Leigh-Reign's composition of sentences rings like music in my ear. Opaque is exactly what you want when searching for Sci-Fi Fantasy. Reign's ability to balance the fantastical plotline with realistic elements so that the reader is not left feeling as though they have been reading a children's book is impressive, to say the least. This book comprising of 255 pages, excluding the sneak peek at the end of the next installment, had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.
Adam Caspian, a seemingly-average 16 year old high school boy, lives in Piure, California with his parents: Mark and JoAnn Caspian. Surely he can't be average since he harbors thoughts so malicious and so nasty that he has a fear of himself. Would it be possible that Adam is more than just what meets the eye? By the time he is 16, why can this high schooler admit that he has killed someone in an indirect way or has been in love with his mom? This suspicious relationship between mother and son is not the only problem in Adam's life.
It is not uncommon for teens to feel that they don't belong, but Adam's experience seems to be more than just a case of teens being teens. Introducing Carly Wit, a 16 year old from Minnesota with tan skin and beyond beautiful features. Adam isn't sure if it is the way she comes across naturally confident in her stride and in her personality, or the relaxed casualness of her appearance that stands out in sharp contrast to the rest of the girls at school...Or perhaps it was the flash of crimson in her eyes, that mirrors his golden limbal ring, that caught his attention. Her innate ability to hold secrets close to her heart stems from her being different, something she has known since she was young. In a world where a genetic mutation in the alleles of the DNA in seven families grants each with their own set of unimaginable gifts and the lengths greedy scientists will take to attain those abilities for themselves turn deadly coincides with the reality where kids are planning their futures, families are being made and broken and eternal love blossoms, where do Adam and Carly fit into this?
Opaque perfectly encapsulates the allure of a universe that resembles our own actually being an entirely different world just hiding behind the invisible veil. This book was written with such a style that caught my attention and beckoned me to read more. Even when judging a book, first impressions are crucial, and Reign took note of this. The layout of the novel truly encourages an immersive experience while reading. The visuals lend to creating the ambience Reign's imagined for us as the reader.
I strive to steer clear of full star ratings since books are subjective and one's taste in books is so nuanced that to consider a book 'perfect' would be incorrect. However, I am ever so compelled to rate this book the highest grade. Regardless of my strong liking and recommendation of this book, I do confidently rate this a 3 out of 4 stars. If, like me, your favorite book genre is Sci-Fi Fantasy and you prefer that the themes of such a book fall heavily on the Fantasy side, this book is a fantastic representation of that.
******
Opaque
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords
Calix Leigh-Reign's composition of sentences rings like music in my ear. Opaque is exactly what you want when searching for Sci-Fi Fantasy. Reign's ability to balance the fantastical plotline with realistic elements so that the reader is not left feeling as though they have been reading a children's book is impressive, to say the least. This book comprising of 255 pages, excluding the sneak peek at the end of the next installment, had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.
Adam Caspian, a seemingly-average 16 year old high school boy, lives in Piure, California with his parents: Mark and JoAnn Caspian. Surely he can't be average since he harbors thoughts so malicious and so nasty that he has a fear of himself. Would it be possible that Adam is more than just what meets the eye? By the time he is 16, why can this high schooler admit that he has killed someone in an indirect way or has been in love with his mom? This suspicious relationship between mother and son is not the only problem in Adam's life.
It is not uncommon for teens to feel that they don't belong, but Adam's experience seems to be more than just a case of teens being teens. Introducing Carly Wit, a 16 year old from Minnesota with tan skin and beyond beautiful features. Adam isn't sure if it is the way she comes across naturally confident in her stride and in her personality, or the relaxed casualness of her appearance that stands out in sharp contrast to the rest of the girls at school...Or perhaps it was the flash of crimson in her eyes, that mirrors his golden limbal ring, that caught his attention. Her innate ability to hold secrets close to her heart stems from her being different, something she has known since she was young. In a world where a genetic mutation in the alleles of the DNA in seven families grants each with their own set of unimaginable gifts and the lengths greedy scientists will take to attain those abilities for themselves turn deadly coincides with the reality where kids are planning their futures, families are being made and broken and eternal love blossoms, where do Adam and Carly fit into this?
Opaque perfectly encapsulates the allure of a universe that resembles our own actually being an entirely different world just hiding behind the invisible veil. This book was written with such a style that caught my attention and beckoned me to read more. Even when judging a book, first impressions are crucial, and Reign took note of this. The layout of the novel truly encourages an immersive experience while reading. The visuals lend to creating the ambience Reign's imagined for us as the reader.
I strive to steer clear of full star ratings since books are subjective and one's taste in books is so nuanced that to consider a book 'perfect' would be incorrect. However, I am ever so compelled to rate this book the highest grade. Regardless of my strong liking and recommendation of this book, I do confidently rate this a 3 out of 4 stars. If, like me, your favorite book genre is Sci-Fi Fantasy and you prefer that the themes of such a book fall heavily on the Fantasy side, this book is a fantastic representation of that.
******
Opaque
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords