Review: If I Should Die by Amy Plum

Title: If I Should Die

Author: Amy Plum

Publisher: Atom

Release Date: 1^st May 2013

Rating: 3 out of 5

Description: I will not lose another person I love. I will not let history repeat itself. Vincent waited lifetimes to find me, but in an instant our future together was shattered. He was betrayed by someone we both called a friend, and I lost him. Now our enemy is determined to rule over France s immortals, and willing to wage a war to get what they want. It shouldn’t be possible, none of it should be, but this is my reality. I know Vincent is somewhere out there, I know he s not completely gone, and I will do anything to save him. After what we’ve already fought to achieve, a life without Vincent is unimaginable. He once swore to avoid dying - to go against his nature and forsake sacrificing himself for others - so that we could be together. How can I not risk everything to bring my love back to me?

This review contains spoilers that have been hidden. Highlight the text to view spoilers.

If I Should Die is the final book in Amy Plum’s Revenants trilogy. Once again this tale of love, death and immortality delves into the romantic and history filled world of the Revenants. This series has been a pleasure to read, with its unique take on supernatural people. The final instalment sees the return of beloved characters and gives them a wonderful farewell that is full of possibility.

I have enjoyed this series since the minute I began reading Die for Me.  The elements that attracted me to this series, the romance, history and mythology are still a huge part of this book. The Revenants have an extensive history that ties in with humans. It’s interesting to see their past being explored more in If I Should Die. Don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy this book but I did have a few issues. When I picked up this book I found that I was not invested in these characters as I used to be. I think part of it is due to time. Having read the last book well over a year ago, I had forgotten most of the mythology involved in this story. It took me about half the book to remember all of the facts and history tied into the plot. If you are like me and have forgotten the history of the Revenants, I would recommend reacquainting yourself with the mythology before reading this book,

This book picks up where the massive cliffhanger left us in Until I Die. Vincent and Kate have been separated, and the book concentrates on finding a solution to their dilemma and bracing for a final showdown with the Violette. I found that there were two distinct parts of this book. There was the first half of this book, which focused on finding a solution to the cliffhanger. This part of the book was a little less action packed and slower paced. It took me awhile to get into the story. The second half is where this story gets interesting and the action all comes to a head culminating in an epic showdown. Questions pertaining to the champion and prophecy are resolved.

Another issue I had with this book was the actual events. The events of this book were predictable. I also found the events this book to be a little too convenient. The solutions to the problems raised in the previous books seemed too easy. <SPOILERS I did not like what happened to Kate in the end. I strongly disliked that Kate turned out to be the champion and became a Revenant. It seemed to tie up loose ends and provide a happy ending to Kate and Vincent. Vincent’s immortality was a big issue for these two, which was discussed at length in the previous book. By turning Kate into a reverent, it felt like it was bypassing this massive issue and magically solved all of their supernatural problems.  If it was Kate’s destiny to be the Champion, I would have liked for her to turn into the champion later on her life after she has lived a full life as a human. I wish that the immortality side of this story was handled better. SPOILERS>

The setting of this book is wonderful. I love how Plum brings Paris to life with her writing. It is truly the perfect setting for a tale about death and romance. Another highlight of this book is the relationships between the Kindred that Plum has built into this story. They are one big family and the love between them is clear. Kate is a great heroine. She gets thrust into some bleak situation, and she embraces the  pain and pushes through. She is the hero of her own story, and doesn’t need anyone rescuing her. Vincent is a gentleman and a leader. The romance between Kate and Vincent is just as sweet in this story. You can see how much these two are willing to sacrifice to be together. We get to see more of Kate’s family as they play a larger role in this book.

Despite a few issues, If I Should Die is a fitting end to a good series. Its ending is filled with possibility and leaves lots of blanks for the readers to fill in. If you haven’t read this series, I recommend picking it up. Great mythology, history and romance.