Review #27: Ascendant by Diana Peterfreund

Ascendant (Killer Unicorns, #2)
Author: Diana Peterfreund
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy
Release Date: September 28th, 2010
Pages: 400
Source: Editor
★★★★½

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?

Sincerely, I wasn't expecting much from this one, since Rampant ended very peacefully to me, and then I was surprised that I enjoyed this sequel a lot more, though happened to me the same thing about the beginning: I took pages and pages to really get into the story. But, in Ascendant, we come to face another historical, present aspect regarding the actaeon, the Llewelyn family and the Remedy—there are mysteries to be solved, lots of discoveries, and everything fits well.

What made me a little bit confused was the romance—I didn't get it... Did Astrid really love Giovanni and vice-versa, or she didn't and vice-versa? The last scenes between them two were pretty awkward, way too straight to the point of the conversations, and I was left without understanding why that hapenned, why it was the way it was. I felt like wanting a better explanation.

As the story is settled mostly in France, Astrid is surprised—as well as I was—by those discoveries, those people she met at the Gordian. Everything seems to mess her mind, and it all gets her confused, maybe afraid, especially because they the Cloisters get to lose a few hunters for many reasons you will see when you read it. Nonetheless, she finds peace when she's around the unicorns, and her connection with them grows better, like she's feeling exactly what they are, though the description in the book sounds particularly and honestly kind of boring to me.

Well, the whole story is basically written based on the surprises Astrid faces, therefore I can not tell much or I might (sorry about the language) screw it up for you—though I don't even think it's possible since I sincerely loved this sequel and now want more! Because the ending left me sad sitting on my bed, and wondering a LOT, period!

Overall, Ascendant is brilliant. I had no idea I was going to enjoy it so much as I did, nor find what I found. Astrid keeps being such a strong female protagonist, who grows on me by every chapter. I'm sincerely super looking forward to see what comes next in the series, how everything is going to be solved... or not.

Buy/Compre: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Livraria Cultura*
*Ganhe 10% de desconto ao finalizar a compra de Ascendant através deste link.

I'm re-posting this review because today is Ascendant's release date.