Review: Through the Veil by Christi Snow

Through the Veil
Author: Christi Snow
Reviewer: B.
Rating: A-

What I’m Talking About:

Through the Veil, the newest title and series by Christi Snow, begins with a fascinatingly horrific premise: Mother Earth, wounded for too long by the very beings she gave life to, was forced to take steps to protect herself. Everything west of the Mississippi River, and those who occupied it, seems to have been completely lost to the ocean. What’s left has been split in half by the sudden appearance of a deep gorge, and, 40 years later, an impenetrable wall of mist called the “Veil.” Even worse, most of those initial survivors mysteriously died almost immediately after the Veil fell. All that remain are two distinct societies: a new “Eden-like” society in the Western States, and a corrupt continuation of the past in the Eastern States. With complete sterility of both sides of the Veil, humans are at risk of disappearing from the earth forever.

There is so much going on in Through the Veil, that it is impossible to delve too deeply into it in a review without spoiling the feeling of discovery that can be had while reading it. Innocence and corruption, fantastical creatures, supernatural gifts, the battle between fear and acceptance, evil and redemption, an abundance of symbolism to ponder, etc. all combine to make this a great beginning to the series. Of course, Ms. Snow has proven time and again that she’s extremely adept at writing compelling, steamy romance, so there’s plenty of that as well.

Living on opposite sides of the Veil, Lori and Marcus begin their respective stories with separate tragedies, and prove to have quite a bit more in common with one another as Through the Veil progresses. They are both fighters, but the unsurprisingly easy attraction between them is used to full effect once the story gains momentum. Initially, I found parts of their relationship a little too contradictory to their individual histories to accept it entirely, but midway through the novel, it was no longer an issue. By then, I was fully convinced of their mutual bond, and the plot completely drew me in.

While the darker implications of the narrative are certainly present throughout the story, there is a lightness to the evolution of the relationships between all the characters that is perpetually dotting the surface. Despite the cataclysmic inception and theological undertones, there is a refreshingly playful and romantic air to Through the Veil that appealed to me greatly. Overall, I think Ms. Snow is on to something truly inventive with remarkable potential in this new series, and I can’t wait to see where she’s going with it.

My Rating:  A- Enjoyed A Lot

About the Book:

58 years ago a gorge opened up from Mobile, AL to Quebec City, Canada to split the United States into the Western States (WS) and the Eastern States (ES).

40 years later a fog rolled in on the WS that they called the Veil. Within twelve hours it formed an impenetrable wall between the two sides.

It’s been 18 years since anyone has known what’s happening on the other side of the Veil.

Now, Lori, an Other, in a desperate attempt at escape from the ES’s torture and experimentation, has crossed the Veil and found a world beyond belief.

Marcus is a Warrior, but when Lori collapses at his feet wounded and exhausted, he knows he has to protect her. But seeing that she’s the first person he’s seen in 18 years without wings, he’s worried about what her appearance means for his people and the world they’ve created since the Veil fell.

Two new societies: one built on a respect for the natural order of nature and the world, the other built on mistrust and corruption. Can they learn to co-exist once again?

Release Date: September 25, 2014
Publisher: self-published
Series: Through the Veil #1
ISBN: #978-1500897932
Genre: Paranormal Dystopian Romantic Suspense
Format(s): paperback (294 pages), e-book
Book Source: Author/NetGalley

Purchase Info:
Through the Veil (Through the Veil #1)