Keeper of the Lost Cities #8: Legacy by Shannon Messenger

My name is Sophie, and we're trying to figure out the Neverseen's next moves. They've taken Tam and plan to use his shadow powers against us, but I was still able to use my telepathy to contact him. He said the Neverseen is planning attacks that will directly affect us, and he's been ordered to kill Keefe on sight. We're thinking the dwarves are likely targets for the Neverseen, and the Council wants me to lead a small group of friends to investigate. It's hard to focus on the task without knowing the identity of my parents. I'm unmatchable, and that's pretty important to a teenage girl. It's creating stress for me and is complicating my relationships. If Fitz is my boyfriend (Is he my boyfriend?) then why do I feel funny around Keefe? There are so many questions without any answers!

I really enjoy the concept of the story and the characters' blend of abilities. My biggest dislike is the over-description and detail that causes the plot to move very slowly. The Neverseen are a covert organization that causes problems throughout the series, and Keefe's mom is one of its leaders. The main characters have special talents, but Sophie is different. She was genetically engineered by the Black Swan to have multiple talents, but this makes her parents unknown. Her internal conflict is a major issue and consumes much of the plot, but the Council strongly tells her making the identities known would have tragic consequences. The battle with the Neverseen takes a backseat to Sophie's quest to discover her genetic parents, since characters are usually determined to pursue things they're forbidden from having. The most frustrating thing about this book is the ending has me really wanting to read the sequel, but I don't know if I want to read another slow-moving plot. The first three-fourths of the story is posturing and laying foundation without accomplishing much of anything. Then, the last fourth of the book gets exciting with new revelations and confrontations. Based on other reviews I've seen, my feelings are quite common. I can recommend you give the series a shot if you're a mature reader and don't mind taking your time to finish a book.