REVIEW : Poison Study

TITLE: Poison Study
AUTHOR: Maria V. Snyder
SERIES: Poison Study
GENRES: Fantasy, Fiction, Young Adult
PAGES: 427
FORMAT: Paperback
PUBLISHED: September 1st 2006
PUBLISHER: Luna Books

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Choose: Quick death… or slow poison…

About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve. As a food taster, she’ll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace – and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia.

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…

What I Think

Everyone makes choices in life. Some bad, some good. It’s called living, and if you want to bow out, then go right ahead. But don’t do it halfway. Don’t linger in whiner’s limbo.

Yelena is next in line to be executed after committing a murder. But before her time to be hanged, she gets an offer to avoid the noose and become the Commander’s food taster. Even though taking the job could mean that she’s dead the minute she tastes his food, Yelena takes the job. But Yelena soon realizes that that there is more threats to her life than just the chance to be poisoned.

I really, really enjoyed Poison Study! I don’t know why it took me over a year to actually loan it again from the library after I had started it as an ebook. I remember that I managed to read the first couple chapters the first time and really like the book so far. But this time I was adamant to finish it. And ain’t I needing the Magic Study like right now?!

I enjoyed the story. Even though I pretty much guessed from the start what was going to happen, it still managed to be thrilling (and I didn’t guess all the bad guys right). Poison Study has some magic, fights, espionage, revelations and even a bit of romance. Even though I’m a sucker for some romance, I didn’t mind the fact that this book doesn’t have it much. I would have been totally satisfied even without any romance. Honestly I didn’t even guess the pair right!

As for the characters, I liked Yelena, Valek, Ari and Janco. The others didn’t matter that much for me. One specific death didn’t actually matter to me at all, though I wanted to feel bad.
But care to have a little chat about Valek? Well, I’ll tell you anyway. I’m not exactly sure why but I honestly thought him as an old man. I have no idea what made me picture him as an old man (lack of sleep perhaps?) but as the story got further, I was a little uncomfortable for a moment there before I finally realized that he’s not an old grandpa.

Poison Study lived up to my expectations and I truly enjoyed it. But as for the predictable ending, minimal world building and happenings all together, it fell a little under 5 stars. I have put Magic Study and Fire Study in hold from our library though and hope to read those as soon as possible! I need to know will their relationship actually hold and continue and what is there in store for Yelena’s future.