The Coldest Girl in Coldtown
Author: Holly Black
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: September 3, 2013
Pages: 432
Source: ARC from ALA
About the Book: Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown’s gates, you can never leave.
One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is a wholly original story of rage and revenge, of guilt and horror, and of love and loathing from bestselling and acclaimed author Holly Black. (goodreads)
My Thoughts: Every time I get my hands on a new Holly Black book I tell myself I’m going to savor it. I’ll go slowly and draw out the reading experience. And then I start reading. A few hours later I’m turning the last page and my only regret is the time I have to wait for her next story. They are so fan-freaking-tastic. I get so caught up in her characters and the worlds they live in. I don’t feel like I’m just reading a story. I’m immersed in her writing and everything else is left behind. It’s all just so compelling! .
I have been anxiously awaiting The Coldest Girl in Coldtown ever since it was announced. I absolutely loved the short story in The Eternal Kiss and the idea of a novel set in that world had me all aflutter! And with good reason. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is spectacular. I loved everything about it.
I loved the writing style and the cadence of the story. I loved that we get chapters that focus on different characters and give the reader more insight to the world and the situation Tana and company are in. I loved that the stpry went in directions I didn’t see coming at all but that fit perfectly. I loved how different the vampire aspect was and the world that evolved around it. And Tana. She is such a stellar character. And Gavriel too. And really just everyone and everything!
I mean, sundown parties and Coldtowns and livefeeds from vampire parties and the Dead Last Rest Stop and a million other “little” things work together to make The Coldest Girl in Coldtown stand out from other vampire books. From other books in general. I simply cannot say enough about how much it impressed me.
Holly Black is a masterful storyteller who creates the perfect balance between light and dark in The Coldest Girl in Coldtown. I would love to return to that world someday. From a distance, of course.
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