Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton Review

Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton

“When you love, you open yourself to a dagger.”

The synopsis for Seeker is very brief and for a good reason as so much happens in this book.   The book starts off with the 3 main characters – Quin, John and Shinobu taking their final training test and taking their oaths to become seekers well 2 of them do. The book includes multi-perspectives, a time jump and a section with the past history; the characters that you meet at the first section drastically change in the second part – personality wise.

The book started off pretty badly – the action part was good but the characters were just bland. We’re introduced to the “big problem” in the first chapter which means the books purpose is given and spoiled before we even get to know the characters. Also the device (that gives off sparks) was supposed to be this big scary machine but it was used so often in the book it wasn’t really intimidating and so the fear that the characters had for it was hard to understand. In the first chapter, Quin introduces seeker training and the romance. The training part was okay but I hated the romance as I hated John – he was really obnoxious and self centred and his first chapter was just his views on Quin and to reinforce the romance.

The plot is very quick and goes from one story to another almost too quickly. The past history chapters were pointless except John’s in which we find out about his mum and his motives. After the time jump most of Quin’s good qualities were gone and the story took this really weird turn. But for most of the book the plot is repetitive – John tracks down Quin and asks her to help him and she refuses him and escapes. The same cycle was repeated at least 3 times in the book and I don’t why John couldn’t take the hint that possibly Quin didn’t want to help him.

The writing style was good which meant that although I hated the plot and the characters something made me read on. The world building was really good and the writing style was the best parts of the book.

Quin is my favourite character in the book. At first she’s naïve to the truth about being a seeker but when she finds the truth she is determined to set things right. However after the time jump which is 18 months ( I think) the author not only strips Quin of her memory but her personality – Quin is transformed into a insecure and a panicky character who needed to be saved by the hero. This is really annoying why repeat the story of making her naïve but instead of making her determined make her a whiny mess. Also her lack of respect for her mother is horrible because after all her mother does to protect herself she should at least be able to live a peaceful life.

John is the ultimate mummy’s boy. He literally has no thoughts of his own and has his mind set on destroying everything until he completes his mission set by his mother. He keeps telling Quin how different he is from her dad and how much good he will do when he’s so blind to his own way. From the start he manipulates a vulnerable Quin and throughout the novel pesters/stalks/hunts her so she can help him and he is legitimately shocked to why she won’t help him. Someone give him a clue.

Shinobu is the unlikely hero - the anti hero or he’s supposed to be. He is the worst character in the book hands down. Growing up with Quin, Shinobu developed a crush on her but she always saw him as a cousin and things seemed worse when she started to date John. Oh poor guy didn’t end up with the girl he wanted must mean he’s entitled to everything else… oh wait no. Shinobu is a beautiful ginger Asian and the only girl he ever wanted is Quin…he “loves” her so much and that love soon turns to hatred because he didn’t get her. When he saves Quin and because of Quin’s OCD with dirt and mess she starts to freak out his reaction is to get angry and mad.

“He felt a strong urge to slap her hard, to wake her up, but judging from the bruises coming in on her face, John and his men had already hit her several times.”

What! The only reason he didn’t hurt her was because she had already been hit. What kind of piece of garbage thinks like that and yet still thinks he’s in “love” with her and entitled to a relationship with her? Is this seriously the heroic guy in the situation/book?

The romance wasn’t a love triangle to me. She has a relationship with John at the start and though they never officially end things, his continuous actions pretty much show the relationship has ended. Then she magically realises how she never saw Shinobu in that light and instantly develops feelings for him. It’s a rushed mess and I hate the two love interests.

★☆☆☆☆