Thursday, March 17, 2016

Review: Marked in Flesh

MARKED IN FLESH
The Others #4
Anne Bishop
Urban Fantasy
416 pages
ROC
Available Now
Source: Bought

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
For centuries, the Others and humans have lived side by side in uneasy peace. But when humankind oversteps its bounds, the Others will have to decide how much humanity they’re willing to tolerate—both within themselves and within their community...

Since the Others allied themselves with the cassandra sangue, the fragile yet powerful human blood prophets who were being exploited by their own kind, the delicate dynamic between humans and Others changed. Some, like Simon Wolfgard, wolf shifter and leader of the Lakeside Courtyard, and blood prophet Meg Corbyn, see the new, closer companionship as beneficial—both personally and practically.

But not everyone is convinced. A group of radical humans is seeking to usurp land through a series of violent attacks on the Others. What they don’t realize is that there are older and more dangerous forces than shifters and vampires protecting the land that belongs to the Others—and those forces are willing to do whatever is necessary to protect what is theirs…


MY THOUGHTS
Marked in Flesh is a pivotal book in The Others series, finally giving us a terrifying taste of just what's out there in the wild country as the Humans First and Last Movement makes one mistake too many. In the previous books we've been treated to the more "civilized" species of Others, those who are able to interact with humans without causing them to go catatonic with fear, but with each new installment we've gotten fleeting glimpses of the Elders, and we can't help but let a vengeful smile crease our faces as they make their presence known.

The Humans First and Last Movement are at their most appalling in Marked in Flesh, the hatred and prejudice they spread all the more infuriating because it's in no way exaggerated despite its place in a piece of fiction, and we can't help but want to snarl as the Others do at their sense of superiority and entitlement. It's downright impossible to root for any side but that of the Others and the handful of humans who've formed relationships with them over time, and when extinction threatens we're simply unable to muster up any sympathy for those who merrily paved the way to their own destruction.

While this fourth book takes us outside of the Lakeside Courtyard more than any of the previous books, introducing us to yet another group of new characters residing in a town eventually linked character-wise to those we've visited in books past, Meg, Simon and the rest of Lakeside Courtyard are still at its heart. Some of the intimacy of the first two books is missing though, with beloved characters like Sam, Tess, the Crowgard and the ponies existing only on the periphery, but given the size of the events taking place as humanity begins to reap what its sown it's an understandable loss.

We're sent reeling for nearly the entire second half of this story, the Elementals across Thasia teaming up with Ocean herself and the Elders to mete out much-deserved punishment, but Ms. Bishop wraps things up on a hopeful note with a small and beautiful moment between Meg and Simon. It hints that perhaps the romance we've all been waiting for is on the cusp of becoming reality, which of course makes the wait for the next book all the more painful. As has always been the case though, it will undoubtedly be one worth waiting for.

Rating: 4/5


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26 comments:

  1. Yeah, part of me understood why humans felt ... controlled. I mean, The Others do control everything, but at the same time I understand why they do. The complexity of it all really is wonderfully done. Gah! I can't take the wait for the next book.

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    1. SO GOOD CHRISTY! I just found the HFL movement baffling - why would they think the Others wouldn't retaliate in epic fashion?

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  2. I keep saying it, but I should try book 2..never did

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  3. I agree that the reckoning for the Humans First & Last movement was well deserved and I was feeling very much on the Other's side! I'm so very intrigued about the alternative methods for the cassandra sangue to avoid cutting and I'm so hoping the last book will be mostly decicated to Simon & Meg finally being together together!!

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    1. YES! I loved the cards and hope they can help Meg control the urge to cut. And that scene at the end with Simon and Meg? SO CUTE. I need the next book asap:)

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  4. Next on my stack. Can't wait so maybe I will start reading it tonight! Again thanks Jenny for getting me started on this series

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  5. Ah yes I just loved loved loved this one! so many things to discover!

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    1. This series is fantastic, I can't get enough of it Melliane!

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  6. Huh, I was under the impression that this was the last book in the series. Clearly from your review, it's not. I hope to get to this series as I heard nothing but great things about it.

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    1. I thought I had heard that too, but the way things were left means there must be at least one more:)

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  7. OMG you read it already!
    I was worried about their being a loss of the intimacy with the world getting wider and wider. :(
    At least it's still a really great book though and even just a couple of scenes between Simon & Meg will be enough to satisfy me. I'm super excited about that ending, especially, Jenny! :D Can't wait to read this, Jenny.
    Lovely review!

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    1. I COULDN'T STOP READING NICK!!!! You're going to love it. As soon as you finish you have to let me know:)

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  8. Yes! I loved going outside the courtyard and the Elders are freaky. I love the Elementals -they are so kickass!

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    1. The Elders ARE freaky, but I love how they're fascinated by Meg too:)

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  9. I really do hope things go further in the next book with Meg and Simon, I love their sweet relationship and how it is progressing but it would be nice to get a bit more. ;)
    So excited for the next book and excited that you've love this as much as I was hoping you would Jenny!

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    1. Me too Ali! I think we've all been very patient over the past 4 books, and I'm ready for them to take things to the next level:) I love that we've had to wait though, it will make the moment they do get together all the more worth it!!!

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  10. I'm about a third of the way through this right now and I'm enjoyed it but I definitely see what you mean about losing some of the original intimacy of these books as we move beyond Lakeside but I'm excited to get to the second half of this novel, not to mention the much-awaited Meg and Sam scene that everyone has been citing! So glad you finally read these books this year, Jenny, and the wait will definitely be long for the next novel!

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    1. I definitely miss all the time we got with Tess, the ponies and the Crowgard in the first and second books Keertana! And the second half of this book really picks up, I can't wait to see what you think!

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  11. I think I'll start the audiobook of the first one!

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  12. Ugh. That movement needs to die a thousand deaths. It's amazing to me that they are not even scared of what the Others could do to them. Anyway, I still need to read this. *cries*

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    1. Right? It's even more upsetting since there are people spreading the same kind of hatred and prejudice here and now:(

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  13. I can't wait to see what you think Heidi! Simon and Meg are just so cute:)

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  14. Everyone seems to be head over heels in love with this series and it's just one of the many that I need to begin and can't wait to do so as well. So glad you're still loving them this far in <3

    My recent review: http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/2016/03/shylock-is-my-name-review.html

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