Rook by Sharon Cameron

Title:Rook
Author: Sharon Cameron
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date:April 28th 2015

Summary from Goodreads:
History has a way of repeating itself. In the Sunken City that was once Paris, all who oppose the new revolution are being put to the blade. Except for those who disappear from their prison cells, a red-tipped rook feather left in their place. Is the mysterious Red Rook a savior of the innocent or a criminal?

Meanwhile, across the sea in the Commonwealth, Sophia Bellamy’s arranged marriage to the wealthy René Hasard is the last chance to save her family from ruin. But when the search for the Red Rook comes straight to her doorstep, Sophia discovers that her fiancé is not all he seems. Which is only fair, because neither is she.

As the Red Rook grows bolder and the stakes grow higher, Sophia and René find themselves locked in a tantalizing game of cat and mouse.

Review

The beginning was such a struggle for me, I even considered not finishing the book.  Rook is told in third person, so at first it took a while to get used to.  One paragraph we would be in one part of town and then the next we would be in a prison learning about a different character.  Aside from the quick switches, the writing style is a bit different.  It forced me to slow down and rereads sentences a couple times to make sure I was understanding what was going on.

There are also a good number of characters and sine the names were harder to pronounce at times it was easy for me to get confused.  The reader is dropped right into this future Paris that has gone back to the 'dark ages' with no real technology.  The setting is dark, mysterious, and unique, it does take time to fully grasp the world Sharon Cameron has built though. Once I had a feel for the characters and understood the world, I really enjoyed the story line.

There was a nice balance between romantic tension and action.  Sophia Bellamy is a strong female lead that often times reminded me of Batman, helping those who need help while remaining unknown.  The romance had a well done gradual build up complemented with plenty of banter. Rook is full of crazy rulers, secret missions, and a ton of romantic tension!