Review: Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

Title: Poison Study

Author: Maria V. Snyder

Series: Study #1

Publisher: Mira

Publication Date: March 1st 2007

Format: ebook

Description:

Choose: A quick death…Or slow poison...

About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve. She'll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace—and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia.

And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. But the chief of security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds her Butterfly's Dust—and only by appearing for her daily antidote will she delay an agonizing death from the poison.

As Yelena tries to escape her new dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and Yelena develops magical powers she can't control. Her life is threatened again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren't so clear...

 

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Review: 

" But you've slipped under my skin, invaded my blood and seized my heart." 

The book opens with Yelena, our main character, in prison. She's sentenced to death for murder. At the last second, however, she's offered the job of food taster. Hoping to find a chance to escape, she accepts. But then mysteries, matters of revenge and romance ensue, and this book becomes an intriguing mix of death, political games and slow-burning romance.

Yelena isn't your average Young Adult character: she takes full responsibility for her actions, is smart, and oh yeah, she's killed somebody. She slowly gave the secrets of her past away: and what she's been through is so horrible and defining - I couldn't help but admire her for being this strong. I especially loved her during that one chase, when she does something with the trees and meets that one person (trying not to get spoilery here)!

I didn't really ship the romance, but that's not because it isn't a good one. Yelena and Valek don't go proclaiming their love for each other as soon as they meet. In fact, they are wary of each other and even distrusting. They slowly grow to care for each other and trust each other. I just didn't really feel it, but it's a it's-not-you-it's-me situation.

The plot was well-constructed and had me guessing from beginning to end. Snyder totally led me on the wrong path with who to suspect and I can really appreciate that, as I usually predict who the betrayer will be fairly well. I actually feel a bit stupid and dumbfounded that I hadn't thought of certain things before. I guess Snyder distracted me with strong prose and well developed characters!

All of the mysteries are solved in this book, but it does end on a bit of a cliffhanger. It's not the oh-my-god-I-need-to-know-how-could-you cliffhanger, but it definitely has me curious for the next book. However, this books works fine as a stand-alone too. (I know I'm contradicting myself a bit here, but you'd just need to read the book to see what I mean.)

I would definitely recommend this to people who want a book with solid characters, a well thought out mystery and slow romance that takes a backseat to the plot.