The League of Delphi by Chris Everheart Review *SPOILER ALERT*

The League of Delphi by Chris Everheart

ebook, 300 pages

Published by Yellow Rocket Media

Published on July 22, 2012

Buy it: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository |

Rating: 1/5 Stars

Synopsis: History’s darkest secrets hide in plain sight. 


One of the freshest new voices in the world of young adult suspense, Chris Everheart confirms that he’s here to stay with this fast-paced, ingeniously plotted, unputdownable thriller.

A lone teen, a suspicious death, an ancient conspiracy. The first book of the gripping new Delphi series, The League of Delphi draws you in, takes you on a tense and thrilling ride, and leaves you wanting more. 

Ten years after his father's mysterious death, 17-year-old Zach secretly returns to his wealthy hometown in search of answers. Why did his mother move him away then go into hiding to die alone? Why did she change his name, forbidding him to ever reveal his true identity? Why was he never allowed to return home?

Left with nothing and no one, Zach is desperate to reconnect with this seemingly “perfect” town. But something isn’t right. When a local teen commits suicide and no one seems to care, Zach’s hopes collapse into disenchantment and suspicion. Ashley, a local teenager on the fringe, piques his interest with whispers of a secret committee controlling the lives of everyone around them. Could it be true? Together, Zach and Ashley delve into the hidden life of the town and discover a dark connection to Ancient Greece and the Oracle at Delphi. Their suspicions are confirmed - but the conspiracy is more terrifying and dangerous than they ever imagined...

Fans of Charles Benoit (You; Fall From Grace) and Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games) will instantly connect with Chris Everheart’s “visual” storytelling style and relatable characters. The League of Delphi delivers a fascinating thriller filled with nerve-wrenching suspense that confounds the reader to the very end and solidifies Everheart’s status as one of the hottest newcomers to hit the shelves.

No matter how much I tried, I just couldn't get into this novel. It's overdramatic, impulsive, and unclear. There was nothing about it that made me feel attached or emotionally invested in the plot or the characters. In my opinion, it seems like the author was coming up with this plot as he was writing the book.

Weaknesses/Dislikes: 

1) Ninety percent of this novel is written in prose, with practically no dialogue. With barely any communication between the characters, how can the reader be expected to feel engaged in the story? The story is written from "Zach's" point-of-view, but because the writing is primarily focused on Zach's thoughts, it's impossible to connect, understand, and develop the other characters personalities.

2) Clarity is a huge issue in this novel. This book has a lot of things all going on at once, and none of them are explained properly. It's unclear why each tiny moment is significant relevant to the plot or the development of the characters.  Here are some specific problems of clarity in this novel:

It's not completely explained what it is the city is after in testing these strange "medicine" on these children and specifically the medical treatment for specific girls for what purpose. The word prophecy is thrown around, and we are basically told that using drugs, they expect for the girls to hallucinate and produce "oracles." But it's not explained for what purpose. Do the oracles predict the winning lottery numbers? Which stocks will plummet? No one knows.

Another problem is that somehow most of the town known about this "project" for the special kids but at the same time it's a big secret. It doesn't make sense how it's a big secret but a lot of people in town are aware of it, and think it's the right thing to do. Also, if this whole thing is such a huge secret that the government officials of Arcanville track everything people do on the internet, then why is all the information easily accessible in the town's public library? Doesn't sound like much of a secret to me.

Lastly, how does Crazy Larry recognize Zach, when the last time he saw him was a baby? The boy is sixteen years old. There is no way he looks exactly the same as when he first popped out of his mother. But somehow, Crazy Larry knows who he is, follows him around undetected, and gets all his information without causing anyone in town to suspect him or Zach.

3) Arcanville, is depicted as a town that doesn't care about its kids. They are just pawns for their government. Although towards the end of the book we are given a confusing explanation as to why this is this, the author wants the reader to get that long before this explanation. I didn't see what was so weird about this town. One main example the author tries to use to make us, the readers, believe that there is something wrong about this town because of its is little reaction to a local teen's suicide. Unfortunately, suicide happens every day, and I fail to see how an entire town insufficiently grieving over one kid's death illustrates how unfeeling and despicable the townspeople are.

4) Zach, as a whole, is not a character that makes any sense. First off, he's been on his own basically his entire life. Going to school in France, means he graduated high school at the age of sixteen, two years before the kids in Arcanville. He has barely had any parental figure in his life, works and supports himself. By this description, I would think that Zach would be a very mature, self-sufficient and put together individual when in fact he's the opposite. He's no more different than all his peers that he looks down upon. He's immature, whiny, and overtly judgmental.

His attachment to the other characters in the novel doesn't add up for me. To start off, his emotional attachment to Sutton (the kid who killed himself). Since Zach's move to France he had no contact with Sutton. So basically, the last time he saw him was in the second grade. Now, practically an adult Zach is enraged that the entire town is not affected by this suicide. He becomes obsessed with this dead kid, one that he didn't bother to keep in contact with while he was gone.

Zach's love interest, Ashley, who he spends most of the book describing her as crazy, falls in love with her after her sister Katie loses interest in him and a couple of meetings where the two barely speak to one another. Then bam! Out of nowhere, they are in love. Somehow, I just don't buy it.

5) It's never explained how Zach gets away with all of his lies. We are told that Arcanville basically decides who has the right to live in town, so how does he on a name that no one recognizes lives there? How is it possible that during a police investigation that Zach gets away with explaining that the police can't contact his parents because their out of town. Realistically, the police would have come back a week later, demanding to speak to his parents, but this never happens.

Well guys that's all I have to say (for now) about this book. I'm sorry that I don't have any quotes or moments in this book that I could share with you guys. Hopefully, I'll be able to give you guys more in my next review.