A Most Bookish Review of: The Jewel by Amy Ewing

I'm so happy to see that it's not just Leigh Bardugo completely destroying a really fabulous story with the worst romance put to paper.

Summary: Purchased at the surrogacy auction by the Duchess of the Lake and greeted with a slap to the face, Violet (now known only as #197) quickly learns of the brutal truths that lie beneath the Jewel’s glittering facade: the cruelty, backstabbing, and hidden violence that have become the royal way of life. Violet must accept the ugly realities of her existence, and try to stay alive. But then a forbidden romance erupts between Violet and a handsome gentleman hired as a companion to the Duchess’s petulant niece. Though his presence makes life in the Jewel a bit brighter, the consequences of their illicit relationship will cost them both more than they bargained for.

Rating: 3.4 We could have had it all. 

Good: If there had been absolutely no romance this book would have been a solid 4-4.5. It is a good science fiction novel like Logan's Run, different from the dystopian novels of today that are all grime, grit in pain instead of the sterile truly frightening world of controlled, normalized cruelty. In this world girls that can manipulate color, shape and growth are auctioned off like cattle to bare children for the royalty so they can continue, basically, inbreeding without the genetic repercussions. Added into that a new queen (Electress) from a lower class that not only wants to break the barriers between in the caste system, but had some very dark plans for the girls of the Auction. After all, they're property to her and nothing more. Violet is one of the most desirable surrogates, as she has very strong powers. She's thrown into a world where no one is her friend and she is in a race against time to secure her freedom before she is impregnated. It's pretty slow and very subtle in the beginning, and if court politics and cloak and dagger means of power aren't your cup of tea, you'll see this as nothing more than a slow set up book. But if you like being immersed in a functioning world, and watching the politics of such world play out it's an extremely enjoyable and shows a very real and frightening relationship of abuse and abuser which adds to the depth of the novel until...



Bad: WOW. Wow, never has a romance completely destroyed a great novel since Mal in Siege and Storm. Surprisingly enough, YA authors, you do not need a romance in a book. It is not necessary, you can carry a plot without the main character panting over some stock Chanel model. And the romance does not have to be a character's motivation. I think freedom form slavery is pretty motivating enough. The romantic interest is introduced halfway through the novel, with no preamble or foreshadowing. He's literally dropped like a bolder in the river, immediately and suddenly diverting the plot off it's course. One look into his eyes and Violet is lost in instant love, and suddenly her secret plan to over throw the royalty with her royal handmaiden ally Lucien falls to the way side. And I am not joking, she risks time after time the revolution to free her and the other surrogates just so she could meet up with this male-version of Annie form Twin Peaks. Ahs is a companion, basically a male courtesan to teach royal girls how to act and dance in society and who usually ends up being forced into the beds of the mothers that pay for him. Ash has no character besides this, this pale echo of Violet's own story. He's drawn to Violet and stalks her even though companions are told to ignore surrogates and never allowed near them. The whole time Violet is trying not to get pregnant, so what's the most logical thing to do? Have sex with Ash of course. You would think that the it only takes once principle would be drilled so hard into the head of the surrogates that it would leave a bindi on burning knowledge on their foreheads. But apparently Violet totally forgets the biology of the act she was born and bred only to do because "Ash makes me feel so nice!" She also tells him, in full, the plan to sneak her out of The Jewel and start the revolution. Sweetheart, this boy was born, raised and train to lie to women. You've known him something like a month and change, and this could save you and your best friend and all the girls you've grown up with. But no, please, go on and tell this stranger who works for the royalty all about how you're going to overthrow them. Personal aside, I thought the romance would come in book two with either Garnet (the son of Violet's mistress) or Lucien (the Electress' servant) which are both more interesting and logical choices rather than stock YA lover boy #964. This book did not need the romance and it totally destroyed the second half of the novel. Hopefully his plot was a one time glimmer that's dropped at the end of the book and we won't have to harp on this issue or have it weigh down the rest of the trilogy. If I never read that name again, so much the better.