Review: Reckoning by Kerry Wilkinson

Reckoning by Kerry Wilkinson

Publisher-St. Martin's Griffin

Realeased- July 1st 2014

Purchase- Amazon / B & N

One girl. One chance. One destiny.In the village of Martindale, hundreds of miles north of the new English capital of Windsor, sixteen-year-old Silver Blackthorne takes the Reckoning. This coming-of- age test not only decides her place in society – Elite, Member, Inter or Trog – but also determines that Silver is to become an Offering for King Victor.But these are uncertain times and no one really knows what happens to the teenagers who disappear into Windsor Castle. Is being an Offering the privilege everyone assumes it to be, or do the walls of the castle have something to hide?Trapped in a maze of ancient corridors, Silver finds herself in a warped world of suspicion where it is difficult to know who to trust and who to fear. The one thing Silver does know is that she must find a way out . . . The heart-stopping first book in a new trilogy by UK author Kerry Wilkinson, Reckoning is the story of one girl's determination to escape the whims of a cruel king, and what she must do to survive against all odds.

My Thoughts:

Going into a story like this, it's bound to be compared to other books in this genre like, The Hunger Games and Divergent and I'd be lying if it didn't sometimes feel like those stories, and yet, Wilkinson still manages to make the Reckoning entirely his own.  

I'm not really sure what I can say here plot-wise without giving something away. I think readers will want to learn all about this twisted, brutal and even disturbing world that Wilkinson has created. The storyline itself is fairly simple. It's a sci-fi survival story, but the way its portrayed is more emotional and desperate then the action suspense you would usually find in this genre. Not to say that we didn't get some action, just not the kind I personally expected. I'm not usually the kind of reader who likes torturous-type reads and apart of me actually wanted to just stop reading, but before I knew it I became consumed and my heart ached for these Offerings, and I simple needed to know how everything plays out. For most readers the content is really nothing, but I'm a squeamish gal and while it wasn't overly graphic the writing still has a way of playing with my imagination, which can sometimes be worse.

Like the characters in the book, it was hard to form any real attachments  for most of them simply because of their situation, but the ones I did find a connection with, really pulled me throughout the entire story. 

Silver is a fierce character, smart, brave and caring. I liked her voice, her determination and her compassion. I wasn't sure what to think of Imrin at first, but it didn't take long to trust him. I liked how protective he was with Silver, even if no one really sees it except her. Imrin and Silver have an instant connection and despite the looming dangers of their friendship, it was the only warmth they and the readers have in such an ugly reality. There was never any real romance in this, which I was thankful for since something like love really has no room in this kind of story, but what we did get was really very touching.

There were a few other characters that I enjoyed as well, but Hart really made an impact in the short time we see him and I hope we'll get to see more of him in the next book.

All in all, I really ended up enjoying this book. Wilkinson is a great storyteller, his words are very vivid almost haunting and there were strong moments that really made me hate and love this book in the same breath. Reckoning can be quite unforgiving, but it's also quite powerful. The sci-fi or technical elements were cleverly delivered and played an intricate part to that gasping conclusion. I'm nervous and excited for the next instalment, but I simple can't wait to see where Wilkinson takes these characters next. A gripping read!

Find the author:

Goodreads / Website                               4 Snowflakes