Lone City (1) - The Jewel by Amy Ewing
Lone City Book 1: The Jewel by Amy Ewing (Die Gabe, Le Joyaume). I read the 400 pages in English. Originally published 2015, Girls (boys), 14 plus.
Violet doesn't know what to expect of the woman who bought her. The Duchess of the Lake might be more intent on Violet's happiness then the mistresses of the other surrogates brought into “the Jewel” for childbirth, but she's still a cruel woman: One mistake could be Violet's last. Stripped of all choices, Violet can't do anything else then wait until she'll be impregnated – and then forced by her owner to use the Auguries, the special powers, to make that child grow faster – even if that kills her carrier. But a change is just around the corner, and a love that no one would have expected.
Let me start with explaining the Auguries. The first allows a girl with a specific mutation (which is found only in the poorest province of the Lone City) to change the colour of an object (or anything else). The second makes it possible for her to change a shape. The third manipulates life itself: mostly growth. Every girl is tested as soon as she becomes fertile, if she has the mutation, she's taken from her family and basically imprisoned in a holding facility. There, she learns how to use her power and has to get used to the nearly unbearable pain it brings with it. Then she's paraded in front of the royal citizens, who live in the centre, the “Jewel” of the city. The women buy one of them and impregnate her with a royal egg and sperm cell. The so-called surrogate (meaning someone like Violet) has to give birth to the child, and, while its still in her womb, make sure that the child is a) healthy and b) good looking. The surrogates are treated like dogs in households oblivious to animals. They are stripped of all choices, paraded around and hurt whenever their owners feel like it.
Violet herself is a strong, independent girl, who would love to be with her family, who hates the royal life. She's also very gifted in music and the auguries. I rather like her, she's a little rebel, but too smart to do something most of the time. But when she does... yeah, you see she's pissed.
But I must admit that I actually like her mistress better. The Duchess is enigmatic, cruel in a way, but I... well, I get why she is how she is. And she only does what she thinks is absolutely necessary. It might seem different, but... she is a member of the founding houses. But her house is loosing importance, which is fatal in the Jewel. Additionally, she has a bad start because the Exetor (sth. like the king) has rejected her and her son, Garnet, is just... well, he's ill behaved and a bad match. She hates her husband. Her father has raised her to be the Electress, the queen, the one in charge, with responsibility, he hurt her in order to make her who she is. She has worked her entire life without ever having any kind of profit, not even a hint of happiness. And you can't just tell me that she wants her girl to be the next Electress. I think that she waited nineteen years in order to make sure that she can have a daughter who – unlike Garnet – is like her, someone she can really love and respect – and get these feelings back. I think she waited so long because she doesn't trust her heart to survive another person who doesn't love her back. I think she's afraid of heart break. And I think that she's not exactly cruel, but more a tough-loving kind of woman towards Violet. She has to make sure that her surrogate isn't a shame – because she already has enough of that – and that she's remarkable enough to not be assassinated like Dahlia. I think that she hates most of what she has to do to Violet herself. The leash, for example. And she made sure Violet knows that she protects her, Violet's health and safety are very, very important to her – I even think the Duchess likes Violet. She talks to her. She asks for her forgiveness – not in words, at least not always, but in her gestures. She only ever gets really cruel when she's really angry: Because Violet has abused her trust. Like with Ash. And the fact that she a) talks to her, b) sometimes even as an equal and is c) so hurt by her shows that she actually has a heart. Sure, the Duchess is not a good woman. She murdered Dahlia, but I think she did it in order to undermine the Electress, which would be necessary in order to make sure she doesn't rule the Exetor and really hurt most of the population. She's a politician, she's bound to make the decisions that are the most efficient rather than the ones we believe are most right. That's what's in her blood, that's the only thing she knows and what she was raised to do – with sugar and a cane.
And the duchess's so lonely. I feel with her, more than with Violet – even though I'm sorry for her most of the time as well. Especially when she talked to Hazel and in the Ash-business. I was actually angry with Violet for trying to leave her. Because a part of me thinks that, even though the Duchess is not a kind, charming person, she is not entirely without scruples and deserves her shot at happiness. I don't think that she would have let Violet die, in the end.
And I must admit that I don't trust Lucien. At all. That guy is planning something else – as is Garnet. I a) don't think that it would work out and b) don't trust them to really have the surrogate's in mind with what they are doing. The fact that Lucien works for the Electress AND at the auction makes me especially sceptical.
Now to the boy I've been talking about from the beginning: Ash. He's... well, I guess he's okay. He's very charming, he and Violet fit really well together and he brings in a totally different perspective of the palace. Especially of his client, I'm actually sorry for that girl. But Ash is... well, he's too whiny for me, in a way. Sure, he has his reasons to flip, but whenever Violet does something he doesn't expect, he sulks. I especially don't like his reaction to the scene at the lake, after she changed her mind. Seriously, how is it so hard to understand she wanted the right thing? And in the scene where she tells him: Why does he make such a fuss about that she “would have let him think she'd be dead?” Hello, she DID tell him everything, before it was supposed to happen, and from her own volition. Okay, she waited really long for that. But it's not only her life at stake, but also Lucien's and the lives of everyone who could be involved. She didn't want him to have to keep that secret, to be killed by it, so she wanted to tell him as late as possible. This isn't nice, but it's sure as hell necessary.
But otherwise, I like him and their relationship. It's nice.
Spoiler:
Another person I like would be Raven. I'm so sorry for her, in the end. And I'm glad that Violet chose to save her instead of herself. Plus, it means that she might give Pearl a shot a happiness.
There's more to Garnet than the eye meets, that's for sure. I'm excited as to what his real motives and such are. What will happen next.
So... the characters are very diverse, even the side characters – like ice cake and the lioness – and I really like the villain. Otherwise it's tense with novel ideas and a nice plot. It's well written – that's, if an emotional bond between the reader and the Duchess was intended, which I definitely hope.
In brief:
I give stars for characters, the ideas, the plot, the style and the villain. Sorry, but the duchess is just to... well, she's something, that's for sure.