My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a uniquely interesting read. I really enjoyed the cult like ‘village’ that is the home of Artemis Burden. I found the family lineage to be intriguing and how Artemis was doing what he was born into but remains conflicted on so many different occasions.
I connected with Artemis and could sympathize with his internal conflict. At certain times in the story I was sure that Artemis was going to snap and kill someone as he really seemed to not care about the others around him. Then, in the next moment he seems to care about everyone and wants to help. Artemis is just a young boy and is responsible to keep the village in good health and alive.
The Vallincourts are the rulers of this village and they do not tolerate much of anything. It seems that daily whippings and beatings occur in the town square to make sure everyone remains in fear enough to obey.
I found the storyline to be quite intriguing and I was gripping my seat to see what happened next. I loved how the author portrayed the ‘outside’ and how some from the village would escape there and I would find myself cursing the character and telling them to not go back to the awful village.
The character development was detailed and in depth. The development and interaction of relationships is well defined. The author provided many twists and turns in the book that kept me engaged and guessing until the very end. I am definitely looking forward to the next book!
Connect with AJ Shute at
Purchase ‘Burden’ HERE!
