My review of Ever

A few days ago, I finished reading my second ARC, which was Ever by Gail Carson Levine. Now I have long been a fan of Levine's writing, because it really does flow like magic. The book Ella Enchanted has remained (and will remain) on my list of all time favorite children's books. Her characters are detailed and the plots are beautifully executed almost without fault. Although I didn't really like Fairest, her last book, she has fully redeemed herself with Ever.

I knew I was going to like this book, because yes, I judged it by the cover. I thought both the artwork and the title were a great indicator that this was going to be a very satisfying read. There were certainly parts that were lacking something, but for the most part the book flowed very smoothly.

Ever follows the story of Kezi, a mortal girl, and Olus, the god of winds. Distancing itself from Levine's other works, Ever appears to be based off some little known or highly modified myth. I really love myths, and wish that more authors would make variations of them, so this was a real treat! Although there were times where I wasn't particularly fond of the characters (mostly towards the beginning), by the time the plot had thickened and become a matter of life and death I was thoroughly hooked.

I also found Ever intriguing because it was one of the few children's books I've read that asked life questions, like what if the God I've believed in my entire life isn't real? To see what I fully mean by that it is essential to read the book, but it has to do with Kezi finding out that her god, Admat, might not be real. The whole plot of the book after the first hundred pages centers around the god thing, the romance thing, and the life thing. Without giving too much away, I would say that the ending and plot twists were well executed and some were definitely able to surprise me!

After reading and reflecting, I feel that Ever may be a deeper book then it appears at first. There are some HUGE issues addresssed, and certainly some responses worth reading. I'd recommend this book to later pre teens through teenage girls, and maybe a few guys. Fans of Levine's other works will truly enjoy reading Ever.

It comes out May 6th, 2008.