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YA Review: The Calling by Kelley Armstrong

4/2/2012

14 Comments

 
The Calling cover
The Calling (Darkness Rising, #2)
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Publication Date: 4/10/12
Publisher: Harper Collins

Blurb (GR): Maya Delaney's paw-print birthmark is the mark of what she truly is--a skin-walker. She can run faster, climb higher, and see better than nearly everyone else. Experiencing intense connections with the animals that roam the woods outside her home, Maya knows it's only a matter of time before she's able to Shift and become one of them. And she believes there may be others in her small town with surprising talents.

Now, Maya and her friends have been forced to flee from their homes during a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set. Then they're kidnapped, and after a chilling helicopter crash, they find themselves in the Vancouver Island wilderness with nothing but their extraordinary abilities to help them get back home.

Review:

How do I put it gently? It is time for Kelley Armstrong to stop writing the same story. This cow, unfortunately, is almost dry.

I know, it sounds mean, but even though I mostly enjoyed the process of reading The Calling OK, this book is pretty much the same thing as The Summoning, The Awakening, The Reckoning, The Gathering, plus a couple of short stories relating to this whole Darkest Powers series. ALL of these stories have exactly the same plot. I do not even need to read  The Rising to know what will happen in it. Let's be honest, how fun can it be, to go through the same motions again and again?

Yes, I was complimentary in my review of The Gathering. Even though the plot of it was transparent, the setting was fresh, the new supernatural powers were interesting, the back stories were engaging. But in The Calling, here we are again - there is nothing but running around and hiding, just like in all Darkest Powers books (especially the middle one - The Awakening). Is there anyone who has read the first trilogy who does not know where the story is going in Darkness Rising trilogy? One person? No?

There is nothing but action in this book. It feels "meatless," because of the lack of background info (we already kn0w every kid who is on the run) and lack of depth. Just run, hide in the bushes, someone gets caught, rescue, run, hide in the bushes... Rinse and repeat. There are so many fortunate and unfortunate events  and coincidences in The Calling that they often undermine the believability of the whole narrative. The one event that stands out in my mind is when our teens after the helicopter crash and days of wondering in the woods finally reach a public place (a restaurant), they are denied the use of a phone, because, can you believe it, they were reported dead on the news and the owner thinks these teens are just pranking her! This is just a turn of events I have a hard time swallowing.

The characters and relationships are still good in this novel though, but I wish they were a part of a completely different story, unrelated to the Otherworld and Edison Group.

Will I read the follow-up to The Calling? I am pretty sure I will. But if there is another trilogy, with another Project in addition to Project Genesis (Darkest Powers trilogy) and Project Phoenix (Darkness Rising trilogy)? No way! Six books of the same thing is more than enough.

3/5 stars

Tatiana's signature
14 Comments
Maja link
4/2/2012 12:46:27 am

It is so depressing that an author like Kelley Armstrong can't (or won't) find ways to refresh her works. The Gathering was good enough, I guess, but I agree with you that it was pretty much like her other books, and the ending was very abrupt too. I had high hopes for this and I'll still read it, but I'm not quite as excited about it as I was before.
Great review, Tatiana!

Reply
Tatiana (The Readventurer) link
4/2/2012 01:11:17 am

Maja, as much as I like Kelley, it is SOOO the time for her move on to something else. I still generally like her Otherworld books, but not nearly as much as her earlier ones. Thankfully, she has a new series (or two) in the works. Maybe they will have more energy...

Reply
Catie (The Readventurer) link
4/2/2012 02:09:36 am

I also hope that some of her new projects are adult. I think that I like her adult series a lot more than her YA ones.

I really like her, but I think that I'm done with this series. Thanks for the heads up about it!

Heidi link
4/2/2012 03:33:56 am

The cow is almost dry, great line. I have this on my upcoming reads, I hope since I have only read a couple of Ms. Armstrong's books that I will enjoy it more :)

Reply
Lisa O. link
4/2/2012 04:38:05 am

I'm still sticking to my theory that she shouldn't have started writing YA. I mean, she has a HUUUUGE series going on in the adult genre (and that one is pretty much giving up the last drops of milk too), why did she have to go into YA, which is so obviously an attempt to make some more money? I'm keeping my good memories of Elena and Clay and that's it.

Reply
Tatiana (The Readventurer) link
4/2/2012 04:45:04 am

I guess, nobody can resist the call of the YA money. If I am not mistaken, her YA books are bigger sellers than her adult ones.

I am still enjoying her books in the neighborhood of 3 stars, but I see her turning the Richelle Mead's way, unless something changes:(

Reply
Jay
4/11/2012 02:37:58 am

Actually, she started writing YA because she wanted to write something that her young daughter could read, the explosive success was icing on the cake.

Reply
VeganYANerds link
4/2/2012 07:00:57 am

I've never read any of Kelley's books but I'm really not a fan of books in a series that all copies of each other. The same plot/action scenes over and over again drives me nuts, so I think I will be avoiding this series! Thanks, Tatiana!

Reply
Sam
4/2/2012 09:40:50 am

Thanks for the helpful review, Tatiana. It's disappointing to hear there is nothing new about this book. I enjoyed The Gathering too and was looking forward to this. I hope it goes better for me!

Reply
Rachel
4/2/2012 10:09:52 pm

This is unfortunate news, Tatiana! I will still read this because I liked The Gathering. I hate is when authors put unbelievable scenes in books that make you want to tear your hair out. The one you mentioned with the phone above sounds like one of those. Ugh!

Reply
Rita J Webb link
4/3/2012 01:09:15 am

What a shame! I love shapeshifter stories, but I definitely won't be bothering with this book.

Reply
Tatiana (The Readventurer) link
4/3/2012 01:19:28 am

Rita, there are shapeshifters in this series too.

Reply
Lucy link
4/3/2012 05:51:41 am

I still haven't started this series, though I have the Gathering audiobook. Think I've been reluctant to start it because it does sound so similar to the Darkest Powers series, and your review confirms it. Hope she comes up with something new with her next series. Very helpful review!

Reply
hollie
9/25/2012 03:26:01 am

i loved the summoning series so if this is just like it im totally going to read it:)

Reply



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