Monday, September 26, 2011

Review: The Mephisto Covenant by Trinity Faegen

     
The Mephisto Covenant by Trinity Faegen
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Series: The Mephisto Covenant (#1)
Pages: 439
Publisher: Egmont USA
Published: September 27th, 2011
IBSN: 9781606841709





Sasha is desperate to find out who murdered her father. When getting the answer means pledging her soul to Eryx, she unlocks a secret that puts her in grave danger—she is an Anabo, a daughter of Eve, and Eryx’s biggest threat.
A son of Hell, immortal, and bound to Earth forever, Jax looks for redemption in the Mephisto Covenant—God’s promise he will find peace in the love of an Anabo. After a thousand years, he’s finally found the girl he’s been searching for: Sasha.

With the threat of Eryx always looming, Jax knows he has to keep Sasha safe and win her over. But can he? Will Sasha love him and give up her mortal life?





Jax and his brothers work tirelessly to undo the evil of their oldest sibling, Eryx. They were given God's blessing so that despite being sons of Hell, their good won't all be in vain. He offers them redemption in the form of The Mephisto Covenant -- a promise that the selfless love of an Anabo will redeem their souls. Sasha, one of only two Anabo they've ever known, may just be Jax's way to Heaven.

The Mephisto Covenant seemed to get off to rocky start, with an opening chapter that I couldn't suspend disbelief enough to get behind, but the following pages put it into perspective and I began to appreciate the inclusion of it. The introduction gave us a glimpse into the trials the characters would face later, keeping the pacing smooth and the story engaging from the very beginning.

The mythology was imaginative and compelling, complete with themes of tragedy and hope. Something about stories of redemption and inevitability have always  Mythology-based stories are an increasing trend, but I don't think I've read one before so fleshed out and original.

The revelation of information about the back-story and context was well-paced, as was the plot. It was a smooth ride, without any lapses in action or drama.

Sasha's personality was appropriate to her being Anabo, a daughter of heaven, but her goodness wasn't self-righteous and in-your-face. It manifested in an unconditional kindness that made her endearing, if a little unremarkable in a sea of other nice YA PNR heroines. She was caught in a pretty horrible situation, but didn't stop to complain. It was easy to sympathise with a character so relatable.

The romance between her and Jax proved to be a large component of the story, but that didn't prove to be a problem. A lot of chemistry between them was apparent through their dialogue, actions, voices. Their hesitancy was understandable and gave a realistic feel to a relationship with more root in the paranormal than realism.

Overall, The Mephisto Covenant was a thoroughly enjoyable read, one of the better PNRs out there, but not without a few bumps.

I give The Mephisto Covenant a 4 out of 5.