Pact of Wolves by Nina Blazon

 **

Bianca, a troubled, intelligent sixteen year old girl, has a feeling that somebody doesn't want her to continue her studies at the Europa International School, where she has landed a full scholarship. On her first night, the school's mysterious Society of the Wolves abandon her in the dark grounds of the school during the orientation for new students.  She finally makes her way back to the main building when she stumbles on a dead body. In the days that follow she is haunted by the image of the dead woman. As well, she is being singled out by the Wolves as persona non grata. Convinced that the Wolves have something to do with the murder, she is determined to find the killer before he or she finds her. 

Set in Germany on the edge of the dark forest and enhanced by the gruesome images of a medieval witch trial, Blazon has all the elements of a good gothic mystery. However, the substance is not there. Bianca's surly attitude and inability to trust anyone is explained in a peremptory and unsatisfactory fashion. Jan, the other scholarship student, is fertile ground that is never cultivated. He is a thief that ends up in a prestigious boarding school, yet this is never explained properly. Johan, the mysterious blond boy on a motorcycle is also never given enough history, although his story is integral to the unravelling of the plot. And Caitlin, the nice roomate, remains just that- nice despite Bianca's unreasonable suspicions.

To put it in a nutshell, Blazon's got the bones of a good gothic mystery but none of the flesh.

tags: nina blazon  pact of wolves  

links: digg this    del.icio.us    technorati    reddit