A nice series that goes unnoticed – a review of “Asylum” by Karen Lynch

I still cannot understand why the Karen Lynch series is not very popular with us. There is a well-planned plot in these books, interesting developing characters and a pleasant world with fantastic characters. Although there are fighting scenes, they are not very bloody, and the author has created quite a nice plot of the romance that works without overwhelming the rest of the plot. To me, it sounds like a very good book for younger teenagers.

Lesson one – you’re weird, just get over it

Sarah moved from her uncle’s house to a secluded outpost for Mohiri (warriors who contain demons and are trained to fight all evil). Unfortunately, Westhorne is not as the teenager imagined, because Nikolas, the boy she trusted, decided to disappear on a longer mission, and she herself has a problem with getting along with other students. The longing for home parties, werewolf friends and the only family member that you have, strongly influences the girl’s attitude to learning. To make matters worse, she is also unable to cope with the surges of bursts of power she inherited from faeries, and begins to fear that if she does not control them, she will hurt those around her. The life of a teenager can be difficult by definition, but Sarah’s everyday life seems to be doubly, if not triple, demanding.

Nice high school drama

The second volume of the Unbending series reminded me of the Vampire Academy to some extent. There, the heroine also faced the problems of everyday school life and being more different than the rest of the students. Frequent training, discovering your own skills and being a kind of outcast are the elements that Karen Lynch also presents to us. Even though we already know a little bit of Sarah’s behavior, it is still pleasant to follow her protective behavior and outbursts of (sometimes unreasonable) courage. The training facility for Mohiri is interestingly presented, with new heroes displaying a full array of characters and skills. In this volume, we learn more about Sarah’s family from her mother’s side, and we support her developing (which should be emphasized, at a normal pace and with open respect from both sides) relationship with Nikolas. Of course, the potential threat from vampires casts a shadow over the entire stay at school, so by reading we try to predict from which side the attack may come. The plot has an adequate accumulation of action and quiet moments.

And if what, there are also dogs! Hells cool!

This series is not particularly innovative or groundbreaking among other fantasy books. It is worth noting, however, because it is sensible, well-written and has characters that you want to cheer on. I definitely recommend it to teenagers.