The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black
Synopsis
“Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown’s gates, you can never leave.
One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is a wholly original story of rage and revenge, of guilt and horror, and of love and loathing from bestselling and acclaimed author Holly Black.”
Jen’s Review
I finally got my hands on a copy of The Coldest Girl in Coldtown. And good news: I liked it! A lot. It was chilling, unique and thoroughly entertaining. I literally felt cold the whole time reading it.
I’ll be honest and admit I’m not the biggest vampire fan. However, every now and then, I enjoy a good bloodsucking tale, and this one definitely ensnared me from the start. Just the concept of The Coldest Girl in Coldtown was enthralling. The idea of vampires being imprisoned in “Coldtowns” with other humans was intriguing alone. But then you add in a Hollywood-like infatuation for these cities from those living on the outside, and you’ve got a creepy recipe for success.
Besides the concept, the characters were the strongest components of this story. First, of course, was Tana. She was an ideal combination of daring, fearful and determination. When faced with the worst of the worst (death and destruction and whatnot) she’d shutdown like any normal person would. Then, despite her terror and uncertainty, she’d pick herself up and do something certifiably insane yet awesome (fight back, rescue a vampire, sacrifice herself for someone else). She never gave up even when I was urging her to do so. I kept saying, “Geeze, Tana, just throw in the towel already!” But she didn’t. And that was cool (no pun intended).
Tana was supported by an eclectic group of characters. From the selfish and (somehow) endearing ex-boyfriend, Aidan, to the deluded and disturbing blogging duo, Midnight and Winter, to the ravenous and manipulative vampire, Lucien. And, of course, the mysterious and troubled, Gavriel. He was possibly one of the most curious and unpredictable love interests I’ve ever come across. I couldn’t pin down if he was good or bad, sane or insane, more human or more monster…He was all over the map! And I loved him for that.
Gavriel also didn’t make me want to barf or roll my eyes like so many other troubled vampire boys in books…Not naming names, but I’ll give you a clue:
If you’re in the mood for a chilling, dark and exciting story, check out The Coldest Girl in Coldtown. It’s definitely worth your time.
Jen’s Rating
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