Blog Tour / Review: The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller

Title: The Eternal Ones

Author: Kirsten Miller
Published: August 24, 2010 by Puffin
ISBN-10: 0141331992 | ISBN-13: 9780141331997
Pages: 352 pgs, Mass Market Paperback

Reason for reading: Participating in Blog Tour/Review courtesy of Book Report Network.

Synopsis:
What if love refused to die?

Haven Moore can’t control her visions of a past with a boy called Ethan, and a life in New York that ended i...more Because my review is so long-winded, I'm not including the synopsis here. To read it, please visit The Eternal Ones GOODREADS page.

Isalys's Review:
Haven Moore has never been normal. The vivid visions and fainting spells from which she's suffered since her childhood have branded her an outcast in the small and close-minded community of Snope City, TN. In her visions, she is a girl named Constance who was in love with a boy named Ethan. They both died tragically in a house fire in 1925. She knows that she was Constance in her past life. The question is, who was or for that matter, IS Ethan?

She had managed to put the visions behind her and instead focus on the flourishing designer dress line that she and her best friend, Beau, started. She knew she was destined for more than a sheltered life in Snope City so she saved her money which would one day take her to New York City - a city that has called to her for as long as she can remember.

Just when things are looking on the up and up, she sees a newscast about celebrity playboy Iain Morrow who is suspected of killing musician Jeremy Johns. She immediately faints and the visions come back stronger than ever. Her holier-than-thou grandmother is convinced that she's possessed by a demon and seeks help from the church. Unfortunately the pastor, a man Haven once thought she could trust has turned the town against her and she's forced to flee Snope City, albeit a bit prematurely.

She manages to make it to NYC knowing that that's where her visions are taking her. Does Constance want her to find Ethan? Could Iain be him? Almost immediately after arriving in NY, she's swept into a whirlwind of past lives clashing with current ones. She soon realizes that it's not as simple as falling into the arms of her past and maybe future love. Not knowing whom to trust, she seeks the help of the Ouroboros Society, a group of people who recall their past lives in some form or another. It's not until it's too late that she learns that the Ouroboros Society is at the very heart of a web of lies and deceit that involve both Haven and Iain. As Haven gets closer to the truth, she discovers that there is a much greater danger ahead. An evil immortal has set his eyes on Haven and every form she has ever taken. He is determined to possess her no matter what the cost. Together, Haven and Iain, must solve the mysteries of their pasts in order to secure their future and hopefully avoid suffering the same fate over & over again.

The concept of soulmates, reincarnation or past lives is not new or untried. However, Miller proves herself a masterful storyteller by creating a story that is complex, fresh and really interesting. Haven's story really starts in the 1920's with her life as Constance. We are then taken on a journey that starts in Snope City (and rural Tennessee), then off to NY (old and new) and even modern & ancient Rome.

Haven and Iain are complex characters that are a mystery as much to us as they are almost to themselves. They are each reminiscent of all the lives they have lived and it's fascinating to think that certain qualities stay with you no matter who you are or when you lived. I enjoyed unraveling their mystery and learning who these characters were. I also loved that Haven's character was feisty and independent. My only critique of her is she was a bit too uncertain, going from hot to cold at times...but I guess considering the circumstances of her story, that's only fair. Miller also focuses a lot on the secondary characters that live right on the edges of Haven and Iain's lives. They too are interesting characters that are relevant to the story, but we have to focus on whom was who in the past in order to truly understand what's going on in their present. As readers, we are trying to distinguish the good guys from the bad guys and we are thrown for a few loops. It was a bit of a brain exercise, lol.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book and by how captivated I was by Haven/Constance and Iain/Ethan's story. At 400+ pages, the book is lengthy but I feel that Miller did a great job of breaking down the rather convoluted plot. The story of love and loss was incredibly romantic! This novel also offers a certain depth that is rare in YA novels and that I found refreshing.

Bottom line: The Eternal Ones may be a bit slow to start but stick with it because it is entirely worth it! It's not perfect, but it is incredibly engaging. It will make you think and feel and it will probably haunt you after you turn the last page. It certainly stayed with me after I finished!

*Mark your calendars, The Eternal Ones hits stores on August 10, 2010!

RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 1/2

Note: Recommended for older teens due to some very suggestive scenes.