Luminaire Review

Title: Luminaire

 Author: Ciye Cho

Publish Date: Published November 28th 2012 Synopsis:

Being the only human in a world of merfolk... isn't easy. Florence Waverley chose to stay in Niemela, but things have gone awry. Secrets have risen and the prince she cares about has pulled away. All the while, dark dreams warn her of a tragedy that only she can stop. But in order to save the merman she loves, Florence will have to enter the Life Path tournament: a brutal test of fear and madness. The tournament is a rite of passage--a maze where young mermaids and mermen battle to find their purpose. It is also a place where Florence will face grave danger: mermaids with evil magic, tunnels filled with sea fire, and guardians who wish to use her as a pawn in their secret plans. But will Florence be strong enough to survive the tournament... or will she perish inside it? Everything hangs in the balance: her life, her world, and her love. ("Luminaire" is the second book in the Florence Waverley series.

The story continues in Luminaire.

Rolan is crowned King, and Florence is left to fend for herself when Rolan becomes distant and ignores her. Her only friend is Princess Yolee, since the other mer people of Niemela still believe that she does not belong in their world.

 Florence starts having vivid dreams, where she is told she must participate in the Life Path Tournament. She makes her decision when Princess Yolee wants to enter the tournament, but is frightened. Florence agrees to enter the tournament and this infuriates King Rolan. He wants to take her back to the human world. However, he has no control over the Life Tournament. The Guardians agree to let her enter, only because they want to see her fail.

 I have loved this series from the very beginning. The world of Niemela is vivid in my mind with the amazing descriptive detail. Florence has become a very strong character, being an outcast in this world, however fighting to remain there. She has earned the respect of the warriors from her first journey with them, and that I felt was extraordinary. New characters are introduced, Wynn, the scholar, who easily befriends Florence….Merilenna, who is driven to succeed at all cost and who seems to dislike Florence. The intensity of the Life Path Tournament was nothing what I expected. The harshness of the trials was brutal to continue onto the next level. I respect Florence tremendously for her courage and ability to persistently pursue her goal of being accepted into the Niemela world. 

Luminarie is an amazing read, full of adventure and surprises. Ciye has an incredible writing technique that will draw you into his amazing world of undersea beauty.

My Over All Rating: