Review ASCENDANT

ASCENDANT
by Diana Peterfruend

Details:
Hardcover, 400 pages

Published September 28th 2010 by HarperTeen

Placement in Pile:
Middle of the Stack

Summary:
Now a fully trained unicorn hunter, Astrid Llewelyn is learning that she can’t solve all her problems with a bow and arrow. Her boyfriend has left Rome, the Cloisters is in dire financial straits, her best friend’s powers are mysteriously disintegrating, and her hope of becoming a scientist seems to be nothing but an impossible dream.

So when she’s given the opportunity to leave the Cloisters and use her skills as part of a scientific quest to discover the Remedy, Astrid leaps at the chance. Finally, she can have exactly what she wants—or can she? At Gordian headquarters deep in France, Astrid begins to question everything she had believed: her love for Giovanni, her loyalty to the Cloisters, and—most of all—her duty as a hunter. Should Astrid be saving the world from killer unicorns or saving unicorns from the world?

Review: Diana Peterfrueund's sequel to Rampant, a original novel idea about killer unicorns, is as fast-paced and intense as the first novel. That much, I enjoyed. Peterfreund writes strong characters stuck in situations that can only be described as a rock and a hard place. Thus, she has the making for an excellent novel. The more conflict the better, right? Unfortunately on this one, I think some of those conflicts played out in a way that did more damage than good. Instead of loving the strength and wit of the protagonist, I found myself thinking she's a complete idiot.
Honestly, I wrestled with liking and identifying with the protagonist, (Astrid) in the first novel (hm hm, lack of morals. Really, the girl was willing to lose her virginity in order to secure her date to prom. Can you say, slut much?) I'd hoped that the strong character she became toward the climax of the first novel would carry into the second. Instead I found a lack-luster character that can't seem to remember who she really loves, and what she should be doing. The novel left me wanting so much more from the character.
Is that a reason not to read the book at all? No way. There are so many other cool elements about this book that I LOVED! Killer Unicorns are enough to keep me turning the pages. And for that fresh idea, my hat is off to Ms. Peterfreund. So, go out and get this one.
You decide for yourself!