"Torment: A Fallen Novel" Review

The second book in a planned tetralogy, “Torment” (Sept. 28, 2010) is a Fallen novel by Lauren Kate. It is a young adult fantasy novel involving angels, demons and, particularly, a mortal 17-year-old girl who is definitely not a usual teenager by anyone’s definition.

            Growing up, Lucinda “Luce” Price saw what she referred to as “Shadows” from a young age. She is informed that they are actually called Announcers, but she coins them Shadows because she would normally see them hiding in actual shadows. They are wet and cold and damp. They often have a musty or other unattractive smell. Oh. And they have messages to tell her, pieces of her past, whether a recent past or a longer ago past.

            By the way, Luce is on her umpteenth reincarnation. The trouble is, she cannot remember her past lives, but they are extremely important. Here is where the angels come in. Actually, one specific angel. Daniel Grigori is a fallen angel on the angel side. He has loved Luce for eons and has watched her leave him – rather dramatically – time after time, generation upon generation, always in her seventeenth year. There must be a beginning to their story, a very first time that Daniel saw Luce, but when was it? Where can Luce find the answers she so desperately seeks and feels she needs to know? And why did Daniel choose her, a mortal?

            No pressure, but she also has factions who would like to harm her. One group is known as the Elders, though not much is explained about them, except one – Miss Sophia from the first novel – tried to kill her. Luce does not understand why they are out for her. Then there are the Outcasts, mentioned in the book as “spineless, waffling angels” who have been shunned by both gates. The Outcasts’ one great strength is a starshot. What is a starshot?

            A truce is going on between angels and demons. Thanks to an Announcer, she sees that Daniel and Cam Briel are working together (it is understood that Cam was a major antagonist in the first book). Cam is a fallen angel on the demon side. Utterly baffling to Luce. And what is this about a truce timeline?

            Whatever it is, Luce is in danger. She is shuffled from one school near her parents in Georgia to a school for gifted students called Shoreline, though its main purpose is to house Nephilim, half angels or half humans, depending on how you look at it, in California. Her roommate, Shelby, is one. She puts up a tough front, but she’s got a kind-hearted side. Yoga enthusiast. Miles is also one. He becomes a friend to Luce: he’s also the easygoing, laidback guy that Daniel, the love of her many lives, is definitely not.

            Luce thinks Daniel is way overprotective about staying on campus. She even eventually gets grounded all in the name of her protection. She doesn’t get it for most of the book, going out anyway, but Daniel is determined to protect her. Can he keep her safe always?

            If you enjoy reading fantasy and paranormal novels, this series may be up your alley. Instead of wizards and dark wizards or vampires and werewolves, there are angels and demons (and there always seem to be humans in there somewhere). I do advise, though, that you start at the beginning of the series. Context clues may help in figuring out parts of the characters and back story, but I definitely felt like I was missing bits and pieces. It wasn’t like other stories I’ve read where I can simply get by starting at the third book, or even the seventeenth book, in.

            Avoid this book if you’re disinterested in saving-the-pretty-girl-who’s-super-important-to-the-world-in-a-possible-love-triangle stories. Otherwise … enjoy!

Note: The final book in this tetralogy, Rapture, was released in June 2012. I now have the four books so that I can read them from the series’ beginning to its end, though I haven’t yet. Don’t be surprised if I some day review the final book or the tetralogy as a whole!