Review: Underworld by Meg Cabot

Title: Underworld (Abandon Trilogy #2)
Author:  Meg Cabot
Pages:  336
Publisher:  Scholastic
Genre:  Paranormal
Release:  May 8th 2012
Buy the Book at: Book Depository / Indigo Chapters

Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back. Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera isn’t dead. Not this time. But she is being held against her will in the dim, twilit world between heaven and hell, where the spirits of the deceased wait before embarking upon their final journey. Her captor, John Hayden, claims it’s for her own safety. Because not all the departed are dear. Some are so unhappy with where they ended up after leaving the Underworld, they’ve come back as Furies, intent on vengeance…on the one who sent them there and on the one whom he loves. But while Pierce might be safe from the Furies in the Underworld, far worse dangers could be lurking for her there…and they might have more to do with its ruler than with his enemies. And unless Pierce is careful, this time there’ll be no escape.

Much Better Than the First One!

I am a big fan of Greek Mythology and when I first heard that Meg Cabot was writing a new series retelling the myth of Hades and Persephone, I was totally in! Yet, Abandon, the first book in the Abandon Trilogy, was a bit disappointing for my taste, and if I hadn't received a copy of Underworld (Abandon Trilogy #2) from the publisher, I wouldn't have read this book so soon. Yet, I did and I am glad of it. Underworld is definitely much better than its precedent.

My problem with Abandon was that it didn't hooked me and I didn't get to love the characters as much as I would have like to. Fortunately, Underworld offers a more intriguing plot that kept me hooked for great part of a day and almost a whole night (I'm a slow reader).

The romance is great part of the plot and I love that! Yet, John is not really the kind of male character I can easily fall for. He is a very complex character (probably due to his own nature) but I still can't see how can a girl fall for a guy like that. Pierce has her own issues and I can justify why she loves him so badly, yet I don't think is a very healthy relationship. Unfortunately, this is the one thing that still bothers me in Underworld. In the other hand, Pierce and her cousin develop a very strong connection in this installment and I really love to see this grow so much through the course of the book. I was really surprise to find myself liking this character (which I hated before) during this installment. Underworld definitely adds some great character development between these two.

The plot this time is not full of flashbacks, which I'm glad of it since that was probably one of the things that didn't hook me when I read Abandon. This time the story is set in the present and thanks to this, I felt much more connected to the story. In addition, I really like the Furies factor that Meg Cabot added to the story. I think it is a great addition that raised the consistency of the plot. Moreover, Meg Cabot inserts a nice dose of humor in this installment that definitely made my smile (with teeth and everything) a good number of times! By the end of the book, finally some questions are answered, but at the same time, more questions pop-up (how unfair!) which makes me want to get Awaken, the final book of the trilogy, like... like now! Oh yes, I am definitely reading the final book of the trilogy! I am hooked!

I certainly enjoyed Underworld much more than Abandon. The plot is definitely more enjoyable and intriguing. Yet, it didn't blow my mind but Underworld is definitely a good read. Fans of Meg Cabot and Greek Mythology will absolutely devour this book in an instant!

❤ Big thanks to Scholastic Canada for providing me a copy of Underworld for review❤


Watch the trailer of Abandon, first book of the trilogy!

Visit the author's website at http://www.megcabot.com