Review: Changeling

Reviewed by Jen
 

I don't even know where to begin. I want to begin at the ending, because I am still shaking my head... kind of... stunned by how it all went down. I won't spoil you, of course, but I will say that never in a million years did I expect what happened in those last few chapters.

This is book two in Kelly Meding's MetaWars series, but the main character is no longer longer Trance. Dahlia, the newest member of the super-hero team has taken the lead role. The story is told from her first person POV.

It's been six months since the events of book one and the heroes-formerly-known-as-Rangers are setting up shop in an old mansion they're using as a home-base. Dahlia is still learning her powers and she still feels a little like an outsider in the group. They are trying to find their place in the world, helping the police where they can -- keeping humanity safer. Their latest case is a gruesome one.  Someone is killing people and leaving only the husks of their victims behind.  Something Bad happens early on that forces the team to pursue the killer without Trance.

Over and over, this book shocked me with the way things unfolded. I was prepared for several deaths. In fact, I remember thinking to myself that the series would end once Kelly Meding has finally finished killing off all the characters.  But it really wasn't that simple.  There is so much play about what makes a hero and what constitutes a villain. Doing the wrong thing for the right reason. Shades of grey.  It made it hard to know even where my own loyalties lie.  Meding made these characters straddle a very uncomfortable line, prompting me to feel both empathy and revulsion, along with my confusion, paranoia, whatever emotion makes your mouth hang open until you realize you look like an idiot.

There's a bit of romance here, but it's not as clearly defined as it was in Trance.  There are all of these big emotions between Dahlia and Noah, but 1) not enough time passes for it to be believable for me and 2) there is not much in the way of outward expression of these feelings.  (ie. No getting busy.)  Yet I found myself rooting for them... then rooting against them... then rooting for them again.  And then the end came and my head exploded.

I know you may be thinking to yourself, "Jen, this is the worst review you have ever written. It tells me nothing."  At least, that is what I am thinking as I write it. Because I am so damn afraid of spoiling it.  All I can say is that it was good. It took me on a crazy ride.  I still have not recovered.  And I'm very conflicted about the ending.  I'd really like the circumstances to change in the next book.

Rating: B

Click to purchase: Amazon

Changeling

by Kelly Meding

Release Date: June 26, 2012

Publisher: Pocket Books