Chimera-Vaun Murphrey

While perusing titles on Netgalley, I noticed this book had received a number of great reviews so was keen to try it out. Even though in an "outside region", I was grateful the book was delivered and so promptly.

Cassandra is a 13-year-old girl who has been imprisoned for 8 years after the death of her parents. This is no ordinary prison however, and much mental strain is placed on her to maintain her sanity, which she does by connecting with her inner self and voice. When inexplicably finding herself in a different place and with family she never knew she had, she starts learning about what type of person she is and how she fits into the world. Cassandra discovers that she is a Weaver-able to separate mind and body in order the access the plane of the Web where other Weavers travel and communicate. Just as normality seems to set in, she learns of sinister plots within her world and others and must trust her family and new friends with recently discovered secrets about herself.  With so much against her, will Cassandra survive the mental and physical attacks she is about to endure?

I really held high hopes for this book but I must say I was somewhat disappointed. The writing tended towards an immature style at times- as though it was written for a school submission. Not everything needed to be explained as much as it was-the reader understood from the initial explanation about the bad weather and the possibility of mud being tracked into houses, but this point was dwelt on over and over again. Mistakes cropped up every now and then like misplaced apostrophes and the sentence "Kara cut her eyes" used for when she looked away made no sense to me. The use of "inner voice" repeatedly at the beginning of the story eventually becomes clear (well it was pretty obvious), but its continual use in the beginning was jarring. The decision to tell certain people and at certain times about her secret has an incongruous section where it is mentioned but not explained in front of her uncle and he never questions it. Cassandra's character is a little too mature for her age-her thoughts and desires seem a lot older. Chapter One also starts off with a very uncomfortable scene which can be dangerous in trying to keep the reader connected to the book. I found the end rather abrupt too -as though the divisions between the books were just cut.

In saying all this the main idea behind the book has masses of potential which I really hope is explored in the rest of the series.  More character development needs to take place and explanations that are repeated or superfluous to requirements must go! I commend the author on the start of what could be a great series-I truly hope she ups the ante.