Review: Nameless: A Tale of Beauty and Madness (#1) by Lili St. Crow

Title: Nameless: A Tale of Beauty and Madness (#1)

Author: Lili St. Crow

Published by: RAZORBILL
Released: 2013

Source: Library

Summary: On Mithrus Eve Night, 10 years ago, Cami became an adopted member of the Family. She arrived a little girl, covered in cuts and bruises and old scars. She didn't remember where she came from, or even her name. 

In the present, awful dreams plague Cami's sleep and fade away before she can remember. Her stutter makes it hard for her to communicate. She also feels like she doesn't really belong with the Family, she's a fake. The Prince of the Family, Nico, tells her that's nonsense. Nico has always had a special place in her heart.

Then a garden boy named Tor shows up. He looks familiar, but Cami can't place him. What is he to her? Who is she? Will this Snow White find out where she really belongs?

My Thoughts: mmmmm.... hmmmm.... Uhhh....

I wanted this to be better. There, I said it. This story was kind of disappointing. It had the potential to be really cool, but didn't make it there. And then, even though I was disappointed by it, there was something eerie and oddly compelling about it too.

My biggest pet peeve with this book was my inability to understand the world presented. There wasn't a lot of effort put in to the world making sense. Words and creature names were thrown out with no explanations. There was all this talk of magic and potential, but nothing about how it all worked. If I could have understood the world I was thrown into better, I definitely would have liked it more. It seemed like an odd, cool, magical place, but it just wasn't explained well.

I also felt like most of Cami's problems came from her poor-little-old-me attitude, and not talking things out. She was constantly fixated on how she wasn't "Real Family," but that was only in her own mind. I got tired of her mopey attitude. I also got a little frustrated with some of the decisions she made. Cami could be really reckless and stupid.

Maybe this book could have made a better movie. It would definitely be a dark and twisted tale. There was just something about it that didn't quite work in book form.

I wanted this to be more! It had the potential to be really good, but the lazy world building just stifled it. I liked the eerie take on Snow White, and do plan on reading the rest in the series. I didn't hate it, but it definitely wasn't a favorite.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3/5

weird