The premise of the book is that the Aetherials live on Earth but periodically need access to the Otherworld through the Gates to rejuvenate. Lawrence Wilder (Jon and Sam's father) is terrified of some Otherworld monster who he feels will kill him and his sons if released so he closes the Gates and refuses to reopen them. Years and years pass with sporadic complaints from the Aetherials who don't understand why Lawrence has closed the Gates. Yet no one's dying though some of the Otherworld animals did. Jon and Lucas try repeatedly to break through the Gate with limited success but still the Gates stay closed. I'm a little more than halfway through the book and still nothing in or out of the Gate and life plods on and on. It's more a story of day to day life for the Aetherials pretending to be human but it doesn't really address the issues of the premise.
Rosie is center stage and she's made a total muck of her life - pining after Jon, marrying the wrong man, having an affair etc. I never understood her attraction to Jon. He smiled at her once when his brother Sam ripped her necklace from her neck and instantly she's in love. WTH! She didn't even know him and never got to know him but she's enthralled and he is totally oblivious. Her best friend Faith has married her brother and is a loving doormat absolutely terrified of telling her husband the truth about herself and their daughter. Oh yeah, love is in the air.
Regardless, it is an interesting story. We have infidelity, incest, betrayal, murder, possible homosexuality just to name a few. The story should be captivating but I have to force myself to continue on. I do this for many reasons: I want to know who finally settles Rosie down; if Jon cleans himself up; if Lucas finds a girl (or a boy who knows); if Matthew wises up; if Lawrence finally losses his mind; if Sapphire gets what she's looking for or what she deserves; if Faith finally stops being a doormat, etc. There is so much going on but definitely not what I expected.
The writing is so description that you are actually there living the action. Unfortunately it makes for slow and tedious reading. A definite catch-22. I wasn't aware that this was a series starter but now I understand why it was so descriptive. I'm hoping that future installments don't have as much to wade through to get to the actual story.
Rosie is center stage and she's made a total muck of her life - pining after Jon, marrying the wrong man, having an affair etc. I never understood her attraction to Jon. He smiled at her once when his brother Sam ripped her necklace from her neck and instantly she's in love. WTH! She didn't even know him and never got to know him but she's enthralled and he is totally oblivious. Her best friend Faith has married her brother and is a loving doormat absolutely terrified of telling her husband the truth about herself and their daughter. Oh yeah, love is in the air.
Regardless, it is an interesting story. We have infidelity, incest, betrayal, murder, possible homosexuality just to name a few. The story should be captivating but I have to force myself to continue on. I do this for many reasons: I want to know who finally settles Rosie down; if Jon cleans himself up; if Lucas finds a girl (or a boy who knows); if Matthew wises up; if Lawrence finally losses his mind; if Sapphire gets what she's looking for or what she deserves; if Faith finally stops being a doormat, etc. There is so much going on but definitely not what I expected.
The writing is so description that you are actually there living the action. Unfortunately it makes for slow and tedious reading. A definite catch-22. I wasn't aware that this was a series starter but now I understand why it was so descriptive. I'm hoping that future installments don't have as much to wade through to get to the actual story.
