I came across this book because I read an excerpt from the sequel, Ghost Key. It was compelling enough for me to read Esperanza, and I'm glad I did.I liked the concept of Esperanza. The two main characters belong to a small group of people who can become instrumental in saving the living world from the ghosts who are stuck between life and afterlife. The protagonists are two people who are chosen to have a special ability, but they get to make a choice about joining the fight. That's how a hero is generally defined in any quest story. At times, the author was juggling quite a few balls in the air in terms of characters and plot points, but I thought she pulled it all together really well. The story didn't get off-track. What I didn't care for was the swearing on every page for about the first 100 pages or so. Don't get me wrong- I enjoy well-placed cursing. I didn't feel that the way she used it in the beginning of the story added anything. When you use it too much, you lose the power of emphasis. That's exactly what happened here. I actually found it difficult to read because of the liberal swearing, because it bogged down the otherwise well-paced plot. Once the constant swearing ended, when it was used again, it packed more punch in its placement. The last forty or so pages before the last ten pages dragged a bit, gathering all the elements for the crucial battle at the end. Also the very end wasn't a complete surprise to me, I don't see that it could have ended differently, with the conclusion of the battle, and the fate of Dominica. Because I was expecting the ending that was written, it didn't have as much emotional impact on me as a reader. But I was satisfied with the ending. I look forward to reading Ghost Key after this. Ok, the book was interesting but all the action in the end really confused me and I totally didn't understand the reasoning behind it. The enemies weren't even vanquished and there was so much carnage. The storyline was good but then all the action in the end I found unnecessary. Could have been better........ Disappointed it could have went in a better direction. The characters weren't fully developed and the backstory never fully came through for the chasers. The plot could have been further explored.
What do You think about Esperanza (2010)?
I loved it. It was never full, and looking forward to the second part. I recomend it
—sincerelyblunt
Not as scary as I had anticipated. Plot was a little confusing. Just OK.
—hmars
