Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos: By R.L. LaFevers

Doesn’t this book have the coolest title? I bought it because of the title. Oh sure, I read the dust jacket too and it sounded great, but I had pretty much decided I was going to buy just because of the title. With a name like Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos, how could this book not be epic?

Well, I was only partially wrong in my assessment. This book has a very S-L-O-W beginning. I was interested enough to keep reading, but I remember expecting so much of it, and being very disappointed at first- but only at first because this book finishes with a bang! It is not often that I start a book, think it is not that great, keep reading and end up liking it. After reading this book, I have decided to give all books with a slow beginning a chance to redeem itself. Honestly, I could not have been more impressed.

Theodosia Throckmorton has a gift. She is able to see the curses and black magic that surround ancient artifacts. This is fortunate because her Father is the curator at the Museum of Legends and Antiquities of London, and he has no idea of the dangers he is in. Theodosia, or Theo, uses century’s old magic to remove the curses tied to these artifacts and protect her Father and the other employees at the museum, all of whom are unaware that these dangers even exist. The threat to the museum increases when Theo’s Mother returns to the Museum from an archeological dig with the heart of Egypt- an amulet that was found in an ancient tomb. The curse on this amulet is so strong and so evil that it threatens to destroy the British Empire from within by causing a terrible war. It is up to Theo to use all of her training to stop this horrible event from ever happening.

The middle and ending of this book are so fantastic, I really enjoyed them. In fact, I stayed up until nearly two in the morning in order to finish this book. Honestly, if you had told me that when I had started reading I would have been doubtful. I think the strength of R. L. LaFevers book lies in the action that takes place in her novel. When this book finally picks up, its momentum and plot zoom forward at such a pace that the reader simply cannot put it down. So all you people out there who think this sounds interesting, make sure you give this book a chance. It is well worth the time you will invest in it!