Liviania’s review of Sins of the Soul (Otherkin, Book 2) by Eve Silver
Paranormal romance released by HQN 1 Sept 10
As I said in my review of Sins of the Heart, I began Sins of the Soul as soon as I finished the first novel in the trilogy. I enjoyed Sins of the Soul as well, but it suffered a little from being the second in the trilogy. This one is heavier on the romance, however.
Personally, I like plot. So I was somewhat sad that very little happens in way of finding Lokan’s killer during Sins of the Soul. Mostly, Alastor Krayl – the middle of the remaining sons of Sutekh – works to gain control over Butcher’s soul. Butcher was a hitman who witnessed Lokan’s death, but his soul was consecrated to Izanami, a Japanese Underworld goddess that distrusts men. Thus, Alastor can’t reap his soul without complications.
Alastor was my least favorite of the Krayl brothers. He’s defined by two characteristics: being British and missing his human family. As for the British part, he didn’t strike me as overly British. He uses a few slang terms, but a fondness for suits and English toffees does not a Briton make. Alastor was raised with his mother, unlike Dagan, and he resented that Sutekh pulled him from a loving family and didn’t allow him to return to the Topworld until they were dead. His feelings made sense, but I preferred the less angsty Dagan and Mal.
Naphré Kurata, his heroine, was the protégé of Butcher. She killed him after he took a hit out on her. She’s also a derelict Daughter of Aset, as she refused part of her duties. Naphré has a strong moral center, but she acknowledges that in many ways she’s compromised her morals in order to survive. I found her intriguing, but a bit of a blank slate. An overweening desire for cleanliness wasn’t enough to separate her from the hordes of paranormal assassin heroines.
I was, however, quite fascinated by Izanami and her Shikome. Though not often present in Sins of the Soul, the two had a presence. Izanami, particularly, comes off as dangerous without ever raising her voice or doing anything overtly threatening at all. I’d have liked to read more about her.
On one hand, Sins of the Soul was a perfectly good paranormal romance. On the other hand, there wasn’t much that made it stick out from the crowd. In my opinion, it’s the weakest of the trilogy. Silver’s writing and plotting was good enough to make me pick up Sins of the Flesh instantly to discover how everything worked out.
Grade: C+
Summary:
Alastor Krayl’s world shattered when he learned that his father was the Underworld god of chaos and evil. All that saved him from self-destruction were his newfound brothers and the bond they shared as soul reapers. So when one of his brothers is murdered, vengeance becomes Alastor’s obsession. And the enigmatic Naphré Kurata, a witness—or is she the killer?—has the answers he seeks.
A reluctant Underworld enforcer, Naphré trusts no one, especially not a seductive soul reaper who makes her burn with lust. Torn between duty and desire, she fights to keep her secrets safe from Alastor, even as she longs to surrender.
Read an excerpt here.
Other books in this series:
