REVIEW: SISTER ASSASSIN

Author: Kiersten White
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Harper Collins Children's Books
UK Release date: 19th February 2013
Genre: YA Paranormal
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

She never chose her deadly gift but now she’s forced to use it. How far would you go to protect the only family you have left?
Annie is beset by fleeting strange visions and a guilty conscience. Blind and orphaned, she struggles to care for her feisty younger sister Fia, but things look up when both sisters are offered a place at Kessler School for Exceptional Girls.
With Annie trapped in Kessler’s sinister clutches, instincts keep Fia from killing an innocent guy and everything unravels. Is manipulative James the key to the sisters’ freedom or an even darker prison? And how can Fia atone for the blood on her hands? (Goodreads)

Having just finished the Paranormalcy series by Kiersten White, I was completely surprised and blown away at how different this book was in writing style. Sister Assassin was punchy, intense and gripping; a fast paced roller coaster ride. One minute I was thinking and expecting one thing, and then a few pages later everything had changed to make me think otherwise. The plot and structure certainly kept me on my toes.

Fia and Annie were both plunged into this strange, deceptive world after the death of their parents. Unlike the school Annie is expecting it to be, it turned out to be far more dangerous and really pushed Fia to her limits. Having been tested and manipulated so much, Fia was both incredibly strong and clever and yet also so hurt and broken. I really felt for her and wanted her to outwit the deceitful people around her.

With first-person dual narratives from both Fia and Annie’s perspectives, these gave a lot of insight into their feelings, and often their guilt concerning their sister. It could be a little difficult to keep track of who was talking and when, because the narratives would also jump forward and backward in time, but I enjoyed trying to piece together what had happened and where the story was at.

I found it so intriguing and yet sad that both Fia and Annie would make decisions based on their sister. Neither of them was happy because they felt guilty or responsible for their sister, worrying that they were holding them back and trapping them in their situation. Sadly neither of them really understood how the other felt and they kept trying to do the best for the other but it often didn’t work out for the best.

The paranormal element to the story was the existence of seers and readers. I loved these different abilities people had within the story, and the mystery behind Fia’s ability. I didn’t understand what exactly she could do for a long while, but I enjoyed the way she messed with other people’s abilities, screaming swear words or annoying pop songs in her head to put off the mind readers. Apart from Tia and Annie, I didn’t trust any of the other characters or didn’t know if I could trust them so I found it amusing when she did this.

Sister Assassin is a short, sharp, punchy read with lots of action and mystery that will keep you glued to the pages.


Rating: 5*