Began reading: 30.3. 2016
Completed reading: 3.4.2016
Overall rating: 4.6 stars
Auctioned as a surrogate.
Imprisoned in the palace of the Duchess of the Lake.
Destined to carry the child of a woman she despises.
Violet is trapped in a living death, her name and body no longer her own. She fights to hold on to her identity and sanity, uncertain of the fate of her friends, isolated and at the mercy of the Duchess.
Then she meets another captive - Ash, the handsome royal companion. Drawn together, Violet and Ash are puppets in the deadly game of court politics, each the other's jeopardy - and salvation.
The Jewel by Amy Ewing is a young adult fiction novel with a combination of genres, such as dystopia, fantasy and romance. I have been waiting to read this book for so long. I spent a while eyeing it in the shops, and finally got my hands on it last Christmas. I have to say, it was definitely worth the wait. I really, really, really loved this book!
Firstly, I have to share some awesome quotes that I found while reading:
I love sunrises, even more than sunsets. There’s something so exciting about the world coming to life in a thousand colours. It’s hopeful (p. 8).
I am so glad I get this tiny slice of time. No matter what happens after, no matter what result the auction brings, I am grateful that at least I get this one last moment with my sister (p. 32).
‘Hope is a precious thing, isn’t it,’ she says. ‘And yes, we don’t really appreciate it until it’s gone’ (p. 254).
‘It’s hard to remember who you were when you’re constantly pretending to be someone you’re not’ (p. 266).
Ash: ‘I don’t know if I can trust you anymore’.
Violet: ‘What, because I was trying to be responsible? Because I made a mistake? Well, guess what — I’m human. I’m not perfect. I was trying to do the right thing, but you know what? I don’t care anymore. I don’t want to be right, I don’t want to be good. I wasn’t supposed to have you any more than you were supposed to have me. And if you can’t forgive me for having a moment of weakness or a moment of uncertainty, then maybe you’re right, maybe I don’t know you at all. But don’t think that I don’t want you, because I do and maybe I’m just not good at saying it out loud. I want you forever, Ash, but that’s not going to happen and I get that. But I’ll take you for as much time as I can have, and I won’t waste a single second of it’ (pp. 305-306).
I found the book to be very well structured, with everything clearly defined. The novel was extremely detailed, which is another great thing. It was easy for me to imagine what the characters were experiencing. Ewing also did a great job of including literary techniques to detail everything. I loved that!
The plot contained some emotional sections that almost brought me to tears. For example, when Violet talked about losing her sister then growing a single lemon for her to remember her by. Another example was when Violet grew things and sent them to Raven — I really LOVED their friendship.
As well as emotional moments, there were also a few suspenseful ones. I held my breath numerous times, especially with the Duchess and the royalty. I have to admit, Ewing definitely knows how to leave her readers hanging. The ending was a cliff-hanger and a BIG one too. I was so glad to have recently purchased the sequel, so I instantly picked it up and continued the story!
There were so many great plot twists, some were expected and some were unexpected. But I loved each and every one of them. Not that I was losing interest, but these twists kept me turning the page.
I absolutely fell for the plot — it was unique and interesting! I LOVE DYSTOPIAN NOVELS and this one didn’t disappoint. It was great to read about the surrogate’s experiences from their perspectives. The whole surrogacy concept, combined with servitude and class differences creates an incredibly attractive plot for lovers of dystopian novels.
The primary and secondary characters varied in personality and appearance too, which was awesome. I loved how each character had their own voice, rather than sounding like each other. Furthermore, each character had their own role to play in the novel, which was cool. Each character made their own contribution to the plot, and I hope this continues in the following books.
I really liked the amount of romance in the novel. Despite it being a romance novel, the main focus was more on Violet’s life in the Jewel. As you probably already know, I’m not much of a fan when it comes to mushy, fluffy books. I was kind of expecting it to be more romantic, especially as the blurb suggests that Violet’s experiences and Ash’s are meant to be entwined. I was pleasantly surprised!
In relation to romance, I found the relationship between Violet and Ash to be a bit too sudden. One moment, they’re having a nice chat about famous cellists, and the next, they’re confessing their love for each other. This was the only negative that I could find in this book. If it took them a little longer before falling for each other, I believe that the book would have been perfect.
My favourite character was Violet, as she was determined, courageous, compassionate, sweet, charming and talented (is it obvious that I have a slight girl crush?). She was so loyal to her best friend! No matter what she was being subjected to by the Duchess, she always worried about Raven instead.
I hope that she successfully rescues Raven and escapes the Jewel. Also, I really hope that Violet gets her revenge on the Duchess and Carnelian. They were both so cruel to her! The Duchess was the character that I loved to hate, and when Violet gets her revenge, it will be GLORIOUS!
My favourite parts were the garden scenes and when Violet was with Ash. The garden scenes, as I mentioned previously, demonstrated how much Violet loved Raven. They were so close, even when they were apart. Violet sending things to Raven and vice versa tugged on the heartstrings. Violet and Ash make an adorable couple. I loved how they met, and how he had no idea who she was. They got along so well! They doubted each other at times, but they belong together, and I’m glad they fell for each other!
Recommendation time! If you like The Handmaiden’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard, The Glittering Court by Richelle Mead, and The Sin Eater’s Daughter by Melinda Salisbury, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes the Luxe series by Anna Godberson, Everlife series by Gena Showalter, and Ruined by Amy Tintera.
Happy reading!
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