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House Immortal #1
House Immortal
One hundred years ago, eleven powerful ruling Houses consolidated all of the world’s resources and authority into their own grasping hands. Only one power wasn’t placed under the command of a single House: the control over the immortal galvanized....
Matilda Case isn’t like most folk. In fact, she’s unique in the world, the crowning achievement of her father’s experiments, a girl pieced together from bits. Or so she believes, until Abraham Seventh shows up at her door, stitched with life thread just like her and insisting that enemies are coming to kill them all.
Tilly is one of thirteen incredible creations known as the galvanized, stitched together beings immortal and unfathomably strong. For a century, each House has fought for control over the galvanized. Now the Houses are also tangled in a deadly struggle for dominion over death—and Tilly and her kind hold the key to unlocking eternity
The secrets that Tilly must fight to protect are hidden within the very seams of her being. And to get the secrets, her enemies are willing to tear her apart piece by piece.…
Matilda Case isn’t like most folk. In fact, she’s unique in the world, the crowning achievement of her father’s experiments, a girl pieced together from bits. Or so she believes, until Abraham Seventh shows up at her door, stitched with life thread just like her and insisting that enemies are coming to kill them all.
Tilly is one of thirteen incredible creations known as the galvanized, stitched together beings immortal and unfathomably strong. For a century, each House has fought for control over the galvanized. Now the Houses are also tangled in a deadly struggle for dominion over death—and Tilly and her kind hold the key to unlocking eternity
The secrets that Tilly must fight to protect are hidden within the very seams of her being. And to get the secrets, her enemies are willing to tear her apart piece by piece.…
336 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 2, 2014
About the author
Devon Monk
73 books2,026 followersDevon Monk is a national best selling writer of urban fantasy. Her series include Ordinary Magic, House Immortal, Allie Beckstrom, Broken Magic and Shame and Terric. She also writes the Age of Steam steampunk series, and the occasional short story which can be found in her collection: A Cup of Normal, and in various anthologies. She has one husband, two sons, and lives in Oregon. When not writing, Devon is either drinking too much coffee or knitting silly things.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 363 reviews
February 7, 2018
2/7/18 - ON SALE for $2.99:
http://amzn.to/2yfhi5U
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
So many strange things happened in the first several pages of this book that I made my husband stop constructing whatever diabolical thing he was working on in our basement, so I could have his undivided attention when I read those pages to him out loud.
First sentence:
After that we find out that something in the ground (nano) is presumed to mutate animals like the crocboar our heroine Matilda is currently trying to kill, it's causally mentioned that said feral beast makes for excellent "dragon chow," and the farmhand first known as "Neds" quickly becomes Left Ned and Right Ned (b/c Neds has two heads).
So weird.
And yet . . . so captivating.
Matilda Case is a Frankenstein-esque creation of her father's, a scientist of great renown (or notoriety depending on who you ask), but unlike the monster in Shelley's Frankenstein, Matilda is . . . at least partially . . . truly her father's daughter.
You see, when Matilda was a child, she became very sick and almost died, but her brother somehow managed to transfer her consciousness into the body of a "stiched" person.
There are twelve other "stitched" people in Matilda's world known as the galvanized. They are immortal. They do not age, they feel no pain, and they cannot be killed unless you irreversibly scramble their brains.
They're basically sentient zombies.
They're owned and employed by the eleven houses that control various essential resources (and the WORLD) . . . and to the general population they are . . . celebrities.
FUN FACT--If you google the word "galvanize," the definition you'll get is:
Heh.
The world-building in this book was amazing.
It's important that I firmly establish how spectacular the world Monk created in this new series, before I go on to say that by the time I finished House Immortal, I had so many unanswered questions that it took all of my self-restraint to not find her and give her a shakedown (YES, a shakedown) for the next book.
The premise was equally great.
I don't want to share too much for fear of giving something away, but suffice it to say that the hints Monk drops with just enough frequency to keep us chewing our fingernails rather than throwing things (like books and/or temper tantrums) are well worth the frustration when you finally get to the fist-pounding euphoria of knowing you were right all along (and I so was).
BUT.
What comes now?
We'll have to wait until book 2, Infinity Bell, hits bookstores in March to find out. And you'd better believe I will be counting down the days.
Until then, House Immortal by Devon Monk tosses you headfirst into a brave new world of mutated creatures and people, all controlled by Houses grasping for power and . . . immortality. From two-headed farmhands to tiny, fruit-loving octopuses that live in trees (and yes, are kind of cute), I can promise that you have not read anything like this modern parade of human oddities and the results of scientific experiments gone horribly awry. I'd recommend this to anyone looking for not-your-ordinary heroine, or not-your-ordinary anything, really. Strange is good.
http://amzn.to/2yfhi5U
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
So many strange things happened in the first several pages of this book that I made my husband stop constructing whatever diabolical thing he was working on in our basement, so I could have his undivided attention when I read those pages to him out loud.
First sentence:
"The way I saw it, a girl needed three things to start a day right: a hot cup of tea, a sturdy pair of boots, and for the feral beast to die the first time she stabbed it in the brain."
After that we find out that something in the ground (nano) is presumed to mutate animals like the crocboar our heroine Matilda is currently trying to kill, it's causally mentioned that said feral beast makes for excellent "dragon chow," and the farmhand first known as "Neds" quickly becomes Left Ned and Right Ned (b/c Neds has two heads).
So weird.
And yet . . . so captivating.
Matilda Case is a Frankenstein-esque creation of her father's, a scientist of great renown (or notoriety depending on who you ask), but unlike the monster in Shelley's Frankenstein, Matilda is . . . at least partially . . . truly her father's daughter.
You see, when Matilda was a child, she became very sick and almost died, but her brother somehow managed to transfer her consciousness into the body of a "stiched" person.
There are twelve other "stitched" people in Matilda's world known as the galvanized. They are immortal. They do not age, they feel no pain, and they cannot be killed unless you irreversibly scramble their brains.
They're basically sentient zombies.
They're owned and employed by the eleven houses that control various essential resources (and the WORLD) . . . and to the general population they are . . . celebrities.
FUN FACT--If you google the word "galvanize," the definition you'll get is:
1. shock or excite (someone), typically into taking action.
Heh.
The world-building in this book was amazing.
It's important that I firmly establish how spectacular the world Monk created in this new series, before I go on to say that by the time I finished House Immortal, I had so many unanswered questions that it took all of my self-restraint to not find her and give her a shakedown (YES, a shakedown) for the next book.
The premise was equally great.
I don't want to share too much for fear of giving something away, but suffice it to say that the hints Monk drops with just enough frequency to keep us chewing our fingernails rather than throwing things (like books and/or temper tantrums) are well worth the frustration when you finally get to the fist-pounding euphoria of knowing you were right all along (and I so was).
BUT.
What comes now?
We'll have to wait until book 2, Infinity Bell, hits bookstores in March to find out. And you'd better believe I will be counting down the days.
Until then, House Immortal by Devon Monk tosses you headfirst into a brave new world of mutated creatures and people, all controlled by Houses grasping for power and . . . immortality. From two-headed farmhands to tiny, fruit-loving octopuses that live in trees (and yes, are kind of cute), I can promise that you have not read anything like this modern parade of human oddities and the results of scientific experiments gone horribly awry. I'd recommend this to anyone looking for not-your-ordinary heroine, or not-your-ordinary anything, really. Strange is good.
February 21, 2015
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
4 Stars!
This book was surprisingly original. I real a lot of books that revolve around the paranormal. Vampires, werewolves, shifters of every kind, wizards, you name it and I have probably read a book about it. Don't get me wrong, I still have a lot of books to read in the urban fantasy and paranormal romance genres but it is becoming quite rare to for me to stumble upon something that is completely different. This book was different and that is one of the things that I absolutely love about it.
Matilda Case, or Tilly, is tough. She takes care of her Grandmother, her family's land, and an assortment of creatures with the help of Neds, her two headed farm hand. Matila is not just a regular girl. She is a girl that has been stitched together and she lives in a world that doesn't know that she exists. There are others that are stitches together and they are called the galvanized. There are 12 known galvanized individuals who are immortal. There haven't been any new galvanized since the original 12 many years ago, until Tilly.
The world has been divided into Houses that are identified by a color and an specialized set of skills. When Abraham Seven, a galvanized from House Gray, shows up on her doorstep injured, Tilly is quickly pulled into a world that she has spent her life trying to avoid. The Houses are constantly struggling for more power using whatever means necessary and Tilly is soon at the center of everything.
This is the first book in a new series and there was a lot of information to process at the beginning of the story. This story really picked up for me about 20% of the way into the story. Don't get me wrong, I liked the first 20% but I had a hard time putting it down after that point. The world had a uniqueness that I absolutely loved. Right away, I knew that this book was going to be different. I mean there was a giant lizard dragon living right there on Tilly's land.
The characters were as unique as the story. I loved Tilly. I loved how tough she was and how much she cared about others. All of the galvanized in this story were so very different and I had a few favorites. Tilly's farmhand, Neds - Left Ned and Right Ned, seemed to keep things interesting. I really liked the whole cast of characters.
I must applaud Devon Monk's writing. The story was perfectly paced. The world building was solid. The characters were unique and likeable. The story pulled me in and I had a hard time doing anything else until I came to the last page. This is the first time I have had a chance to read anything by this author but I will definitely be reading more in the future.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a well thought out and unique world. This is a series that I plan to continue to read.
4 Stars!
This book was surprisingly original. I real a lot of books that revolve around the paranormal. Vampires, werewolves, shifters of every kind, wizards, you name it and I have probably read a book about it. Don't get me wrong, I still have a lot of books to read in the urban fantasy and paranormal romance genres but it is becoming quite rare to for me to stumble upon something that is completely different. This book was different and that is one of the things that I absolutely love about it.
Matilda Case, or Tilly, is tough. She takes care of her Grandmother, her family's land, and an assortment of creatures with the help of Neds, her two headed farm hand. Matila is not just a regular girl. She is a girl that has been stitched together and she lives in a world that doesn't know that she exists. There are others that are stitches together and they are called the galvanized. There are 12 known galvanized individuals who are immortal. There haven't been any new galvanized since the original 12 many years ago, until Tilly.
The world has been divided into Houses that are identified by a color and an specialized set of skills. When Abraham Seven, a galvanized from House Gray, shows up on her doorstep injured, Tilly is quickly pulled into a world that she has spent her life trying to avoid. The Houses are constantly struggling for more power using whatever means necessary and Tilly is soon at the center of everything.
This is the first book in a new series and there was a lot of information to process at the beginning of the story. This story really picked up for me about 20% of the way into the story. Don't get me wrong, I liked the first 20% but I had a hard time putting it down after that point. The world had a uniqueness that I absolutely loved. Right away, I knew that this book was going to be different. I mean there was a giant lizard dragon living right there on Tilly's land.
The characters were as unique as the story. I loved Tilly. I loved how tough she was and how much she cared about others. All of the galvanized in this story were so very different and I had a few favorites. Tilly's farmhand, Neds - Left Ned and Right Ned, seemed to keep things interesting. I really liked the whole cast of characters.
I must applaud Devon Monk's writing. The story was perfectly paced. The world building was solid. The characters were unique and likeable. The story pulled me in and I had a hard time doing anything else until I came to the last page. This is the first time I have had a chance to read anything by this author but I will definitely be reading more in the future.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a well thought out and unique world. This is a series that I plan to continue to read.
March 15, 2023
💀 DNF at: who the fish knows? I was so enthused by this one I didn't even bother checking the percentage before throwing my Kindle out the window. Also, I was too busy rolling my eyes until they fell out of their sockets at the time. Oh, and just so you know, it's the "I'm a virgin because I've been a recluse all my life" crap that did me in.
October 1, 2014
Also review for Addicted2Heroines.
For the first book in a series, this was ok.
I was chatting with some friends the other day about what Monster was going to get sexyfied next.
Vampires, werewolves, demons, fairies...they've all been done.
I was leaning toward Mummies, personally.
Lo and behold, the answer to our question was sitting on my kitchen table, just waiting to be discovered!
Frankenstein!
And see, making a Frankensteinish character hot, never even crossed my mind. Big forehead, bolts sticking out of the neck, zigzagging stitches running all over the place?
Ehhhhhh.
But not Monk. Nope she saw potential in that big hulking creature, and decided to run with it.
Matilda is galvanized, which means she's been stitched together with life threads.
Now, there are only 12 others like her in the entire world. And they aren't even really like her, because she has the ability to feel...well, sensations.
She's also been off the radar for the majority of her life, because galvanized aren't considered human, and are therefore owned by different Houses.
Sort of like superhero mascots!
But, you know, slaves...
Matilda isn't owned, because she used to be human. When she was a little girl, she got really sick. Her brother knew she was dying, and transferred her mind into the body of a galvanized child.
Don't worry, the body she was transferred into had been comatose for a couple hundred years, so I don't think she was ever waking up.
Where he got the body, and how he did it, is all part of the mystery.
Anyway, nobody was aware of her existence, because nobody should have been able to do what he did.
And then all of a sudden, everyone knows she exists.
Due to some spoilery things that happen, she ends up in the middle of a power struggle between the Houses. So she has to try to save her brother, save her new 'friend' Abraham, and save herself, before time (quite literally) runs out for her.
I liked it, but I didn't love it.
Part of it may have been because first books are always a bit crunchy, because of all the world building an author has to put into it.
Or maybe it was because I just never connected with Matilda all that much. She annoyed the hell out of me for the majority of the book, by pulling stupid stunts that made me want to tear my hair out.
For example:
If you're in a strange city, and lots of powerful people are out to get you, and you're not sure of all the rules, and you basically have no rights...but you've found a relatively safe place to hold up?
Don't stroll out the fucking door to get a cup of coffee!
MORON.
I didn't exactly get all excited over the blooming love between Matilda and Abraham, either.
There was nothing wrong with it, I just didn't feel the sizzle.
The end of the book picked up the pace quite dramatically, and I was hooked by the 75% mark. Which kinda makes me think that the next book will be a lot more exciting.
There are tons of great reviews for this one, so just because it didn't blow me out of the water, doesn't mean you won't love it.
For the first book in a series, this was ok.
I was chatting with some friends the other day about what Monster was going to get sexyfied next.
Vampires, werewolves, demons, fairies...they've all been done.
I was leaning toward Mummies, personally.
Lo and behold, the answer to our question was sitting on my kitchen table, just waiting to be discovered!
Frankenstein!
And see, making a Frankensteinish character hot, never even crossed my mind. Big forehead, bolts sticking out of the neck, zigzagging stitches running all over the place?
Ehhhhhh.
But not Monk. Nope she saw potential in that big hulking creature, and decided to run with it.
Matilda is galvanized, which means she's been stitched together with life threads.
Now, there are only 12 others like her in the entire world. And they aren't even really like her, because she has the ability to feel...well, sensations.
She's also been off the radar for the majority of her life, because galvanized aren't considered human, and are therefore owned by different Houses.
Sort of like superhero mascots!
But, you know, slaves...
Matilda isn't owned, because she used to be human. When she was a little girl, she got really sick. Her brother knew she was dying, and transferred her mind into the body of a galvanized child.
Don't worry, the body she was transferred into had been comatose for a couple hundred years, so I don't think she was ever waking up.
Where he got the body, and how he did it, is all part of the mystery.
Anyway, nobody was aware of her existence, because nobody should have been able to do what he did.
And then all of a sudden, everyone knows she exists.
Due to some spoilery things that happen, she ends up in the middle of a power struggle between the Houses. So she has to try to save her brother, save her new 'friend' Abraham, and save herself, before time (quite literally) runs out for her.
I liked it, but I didn't love it.
Part of it may have been because first books are always a bit crunchy, because of all the world building an author has to put into it.
Or maybe it was because I just never connected with Matilda all that much. She annoyed the hell out of me for the majority of the book, by pulling stupid stunts that made me want to tear my hair out.
For example:
If you're in a strange city, and lots of powerful people are out to get you, and you're not sure of all the rules, and you basically have no rights...but you've found a relatively safe place to hold up?
Don't stroll out the fucking door to get a cup of coffee!
MORON.
I didn't exactly get all excited over the blooming love between Matilda and Abraham, either.
There was nothing wrong with it, I just didn't feel the sizzle.
The end of the book picked up the pace quite dramatically, and I was hooked by the 75% mark. Which kinda makes me think that the next book will be a lot more exciting.
There are tons of great reviews for this one, so just because it didn't blow me out of the water, doesn't mean you won't love it.
April 5, 2016
*** 4.35 ***
A buddy read with the MacHalo Freaks!
My 2016 luck with books continues!!! Another very unexpected, fun and very different book which totally got me hooked!!! I loved the concept, I loved the creativity, I loved this futuristic unusual world! But even more than that, I LOVED the modern interpretation of Frankenstein and his bride (add some relatives of theirs and you have the GALVANIZED!!!).
I don't even know how to explain what this book is about.... It is here, in the US, but about 200 + years later. Something, I think a plague of a sort, has changed the way the world is structured and 11 Houses + 1 on the down low, hold the power over the 17 Billion people populating the Earth. Every house has a different domain, and ten of them own a GALVANIZED, a seemingly immortal Frankenstein like creatures medically STITCHED by scientists and somehow, after those 12 had been created and survive, they have never been able to replicate the experiment and create more.... So, those 12 have been claimed by some of the Houses and have became anything from warriors to bodyguards, but most of all, a status symbol for those who can afford, claim and keep them.
The background story is too long for me to explain here, but I can assure you that it is intricate and fascinating. Enter our heroine, Matilda Case, who has managed to roll under the radar for over 26 years on her family farm, until a bleeding STITCHED by the name of Abraham Seven shows up at her door and turns her peaceful life upside down...
The characters are well flashed out and alive, I want to adopt grandma and the mini sheep, and Quinn is almost as enigmatic as the two-headed farmhand Neds, while Matilda is smart and strong, despite doing some risky and unadvisable stunts all in the name of loyalty and filial love...
This is a very interesting book and I think fans of Sci-fi Fantasy should definitely check it out!!! There is a hint of romance, but it blends well with the overall plot. A wonderful first installment in a trilogy and I can't wait to dive into the next one - I need to know what happens!!!!!!!!
I wish all of you Happy Reading and many more books to come!!!
A buddy read with the MacHalo Freaks!
My 2016 luck with books continues!!! Another very unexpected, fun and very different book which totally got me hooked!!! I loved the concept, I loved the creativity, I loved this futuristic unusual world! But even more than that, I LOVED the modern interpretation of Frankenstein and his bride (add some relatives of theirs and you have the GALVANIZED!!!).
I don't even know how to explain what this book is about.... It is here, in the US, but about 200 + years later. Something, I think a plague of a sort, has changed the way the world is structured and 11 Houses + 1 on the down low, hold the power over the 17 Billion people populating the Earth. Every house has a different domain, and ten of them own a GALVANIZED, a seemingly immortal Frankenstein like creatures medically STITCHED by scientists and somehow, after those 12 had been created and survive, they have never been able to replicate the experiment and create more.... So, those 12 have been claimed by some of the Houses and have became anything from warriors to bodyguards, but most of all, a status symbol for those who can afford, claim and keep them.
The background story is too long for me to explain here, but I can assure you that it is intricate and fascinating. Enter our heroine, Matilda Case, who has managed to roll under the radar for over 26 years on her family farm, until a bleeding STITCHED by the name of Abraham Seven shows up at her door and turns her peaceful life upside down...
The characters are well flashed out and alive, I want to adopt grandma and the mini sheep, and Quinn is almost as enigmatic as the two-headed farmhand Neds, while Matilda is smart and strong, despite doing some risky and unadvisable stunts all in the name of loyalty and filial love...
This is a very interesting book and I think fans of Sci-fi Fantasy should definitely check it out!!! There is a hint of romance, but it blends well with the overall plot. A wonderful first installment in a trilogy and I can't wait to dive into the next one - I need to know what happens!!!!!!!!
I wish all of you Happy Reading and many more books to come!!!
Read
January 22, 2020Look, you'll note I didn't finish this book, nor did I rate it. I don't think I'll ever be a Devon Monk fan. The book opens with an interesting premise I suppose but somehow the voice of the writer just loses me.
First we get very involved in what struck me as slightly silly parts of the story (the two headed friend who's heads always disagree as their personalities are so different) and the other seemingly pointless stitched life forms. I mean why stitch the "lizard" (read dragon) that has to have constant care but will if given a chance eat you?
Then we launch into what will be the conflicted love interest. I have read so many books with the "two characters are drawn to each other in spite of conflict" motif.
I don't rate this as if I rate unfinished books I give them 1 star. I know some of you will love this book. I'm just not it's target audience. I don't like it, it bores me and I'd rather put my limited reading time into other books. if it's for you enjoy. Really.
First we get very involved in what struck me as slightly silly parts of the story (the two headed friend who's heads always disagree as their personalities are so different) and the other seemingly pointless stitched life forms. I mean why stitch the "lizard" (read dragon) that has to have constant care but will if given a chance eat you?
Then we launch into what will be the conflicted love interest. I have read so many books with the "two characters are drawn to each other in spite of conflict" motif.
I don't rate this as if I rate unfinished books I give them 1 star. I know some of you will love this book. I'm just not it's target audience. I don't like it, it bores me and I'd rather put my limited reading time into other books. if it's for you enjoy. Really.
November 14, 2014
I'm just not sure why more of my friends aren't fangirling over anything Devon Monk puts out... c'mon, folks! Not only is she in my Big Four, but she's never, not once, let me down with a book. I can't even say that for Ilona Andrews (shakes fist Magic Breaks!).
The story is like nothing I've ever read before, and actually, that's the common thread for all of Monk's books: they're all so unique and original. On top of that very exciting reality is the fact that Devon Monk's world building is amazing - seriously. The characters, the setting, the story, the tension, the humor, the feels, GAH! I think that this series might become my favorite of hers, even overtaking Allie and Shame... wow, it's like saying I could like someone else more than I like Kate - never thought I'd say that. I'm not saying that about Kate, just making the comparison so you all know how much I love Allie.
Allie's series is special to me because I've always fantasized about magic being real and the story makes it all so believable; Shame is one of my favorite characters from that story, so his own series is special to me, too. But this book really blew my socks off. Usually there's that moment when you're a couple books into a series and realize that first one wasn't that great, and you're surprised you kept reading, but this first one doesn't feel like that. I can only hope it's going to be as long as Allie's series.
The story is about Matilda, and the theme I'd choose to describe it would be acceptance. Learning to accept yourself and all that comes with that. There are a cast of characters that are all really interesting, and several beasts that were crazy awesome - like the kitten sized sheep with endless wool that Tilly's grandma used to knit with - I really want those. The antagonist was wonderfully evil and the romantic interest was ridiculously sexy. Our MC isn't the kind to sit back and be taken care of, and you know how much I appreciate that. She was funny, courageous, humble, loyal and, in my opinion, authentic.
A believable dystopian novel featuring a cast that you can't help but feel curious about, and a story that keeps you up late into the night even though you have stuff to do the next morning... that's what I want more of.
September 14, 2017
3.5 stars
Even though the writing style wasn't exactly my cup of tea, I found House Immortal to be very weirdly fascinating. The characters are interesting and developed well and the plot just thickens and thickens as the story goes on. Matilda was a great character and it's easy to find yourself rooting for her and her friends. The story itself has a lot of potential, if I can assume by those last 30% of the book which were very action-packed, and I am looking forward to reading the sequel.
Even though the writing style wasn't exactly my cup of tea, I found House Immortal to be very weirdly fascinating. The characters are interesting and developed well and the plot just thickens and thickens as the story goes on. Matilda was a great character and it's easy to find yourself rooting for her and her friends. The story itself has a lot of potential, if I can assume by those last 30% of the book which were very action-packed, and I am looking forward to reading the sequel.
November 12, 2014
Devon Monk knows how to write ensemble casts, and kickass strong chick first person POV. Already an Allie Beckstrom series fan, I bought this without reading the blurb. I knew whatever she wrote, I'd like it - and I was totally not disappointed. The entire concept surrounding this new series is unique, and I found myself immediately sucked in. I was up most of the night because I needed to keep reading, and now I have a book hangover. Thank goodness the next book is out in roughly 6 months or I would be devastated!
April 6, 2015
Frankenstein insta-love that turns into some Hunger Games like gathering at the end?!
Not bad for a first and I LOVE Devon Monks Allie Beckstrom series so I'll try the next one. But stitched together people is just a little past my creep allowance.
Not bad for a first and I LOVE Devon Monks Allie Beckstrom series so I'll try the next one. But stitched together people is just a little past my creep allowance.
April 4, 2017
I can safely say that I have never read from a world quite like this one. I became a fan of Devon Monk with her Allie Beckstrom books, and I had no idea what I was getting into here. This series bears absolutely no resemblance to that one, except that they are both unique, engaging, and generally awesome.
You can tell from the first chapter that this book is filled with the unexpected, from its Frankenstein-like heroine, to her two headed farmhand, to her menagerie of strange and deadly animals. And it doesn’t stop there. The world building is fascinating. Basically, a group of powerful Houses run the world, each in possession of one of the galvanized –an immortal man or woman who stands as both a slave and a hero. Tilly has been hiding that fact that she, too, is galvanized, because it would end her life as she knows it. But as the story begins, that secret is coming out and she can only work to mitigate the damage.
Her brother is missing. Her grandmother is vulnerable. And if she doesn’t agree to sign with what appears to be the least offensive House, any one could claim her as their own. Which could mean torture, experimentation, or who knows what. But in a world where everyone lies, she has no idea who to trust. Add to that, Tilly is in close quarters with Abraham, one of the galvanized who seems to have her best interests at heart. He wakes up something long dormant in her, and for the first time, she feels an attraction to a man.
Abraham is fascinating. He’s lived so long and sacrificed so much. There’s this quiet dignity and strength about him. I really enjoyed his interplay with Tilly… and the effect they had on one another. Tilly is a cool heroine too. She’s not afraid to get her hands dirty. She is willing to do whatever needs to be done. She is loyal, and she is resourceful. And she reminded me a little of Katniss a la The Hunger Games, in that she has lived her life off the grid, but she may be exactly what the world needs to shake up a corrupt power structure.
Meanwhile, there’s a powerful villain doing Very Bad Things that are on a collision course with Tilly and those she loves. It just builds and builds and then… it ends! I want more! I wish I could describe all of this better. But suffice it to say, I really enjoyed this, and I look forward to see what’s coming next. Bring on book 2!
Rating: B/B+
You can tell from the first chapter that this book is filled with the unexpected, from its Frankenstein-like heroine, to her two headed farmhand, to her menagerie of strange and deadly animals. And it doesn’t stop there. The world building is fascinating. Basically, a group of powerful Houses run the world, each in possession of one of the galvanized –an immortal man or woman who stands as both a slave and a hero. Tilly has been hiding that fact that she, too, is galvanized, because it would end her life as she knows it. But as the story begins, that secret is coming out and she can only work to mitigate the damage.
Her brother is missing. Her grandmother is vulnerable. And if she doesn’t agree to sign with what appears to be the least offensive House, any one could claim her as their own. Which could mean torture, experimentation, or who knows what. But in a world where everyone lies, she has no idea who to trust. Add to that, Tilly is in close quarters with Abraham, one of the galvanized who seems to have her best interests at heart. He wakes up something long dormant in her, and for the first time, she feels an attraction to a man.
Abraham is fascinating. He’s lived so long and sacrificed so much. There’s this quiet dignity and strength about him. I really enjoyed his interplay with Tilly… and the effect they had on one another. Tilly is a cool heroine too. She’s not afraid to get her hands dirty. She is willing to do whatever needs to be done. She is loyal, and she is resourceful. And she reminded me a little of Katniss a la The Hunger Games, in that she has lived her life off the grid, but she may be exactly what the world needs to shake up a corrupt power structure.
Meanwhile, there’s a powerful villain doing Very Bad Things that are on a collision course with Tilly and those she loves. It just builds and builds and then… it ends! I want more! I wish I could describe all of this better. But suffice it to say, I really enjoyed this, and I look forward to see what’s coming next. Bring on book 2!
Rating: B/B+
August 3, 2015
This book caught me completely off guard. I was struggling to find a book that would hold my interest, randomly scrolling through my Kindle looking for something to read and found myself landing on House Immortal. I had never read a book by Devon Monk though I have bought more than one. In the description for this book it says, "... a girl pieced together from bits..." ~ sounded pretty interesting, so I started reading. I couldn't have been more than a handful of pages into it when I met Neds. "Neds had two heads but only the one body ..." Yes! Go on. Grandma [was] knitting in the corner "... the twisted wool spooling up off the three pocket-sized sheep", which "... were another of my dad's stitched critters, built so they grew self-spinning wool." Wicked cute! More, please.
By the end, the cliffhanger end, I was grateful I'd started this series late because book two, Infinity Bell was ready and waiting for me to click that beautiful(ly wicked) 1-click button sending it straight into my pretty little hands. Not only did I find an interesting read, I found a new favorite series!
ETA: Re-watching Serenity (for the millionth time), I realized I'd forgotten to mention that Welton, the head of House Yellow/Technology, in this world reminded me of Mr. Universe in Serenity. Both are excited by chaos and their superior technological advantages. :D
(Rating: ✮✮✮✮½)
I'd never once in my life met a person stitched like me.Hook. Line. Sinker. From the start, Devon's words created a fascinating world I knew I'd have a hard time leaving. I don't want to discuss anymore of the book's secrets, those are for you to discover. The world creation was done well yet slightly overwhelming at times. Yes, there's a lot to take in, but thankfully she spaces out the building blocks, giving you time to acclimate yourself to this new world before handing you more pieces.
Until this man. This stranger bleeding on my floor.
By the end, the cliffhanger end, I was grateful I'd started this series late because book two, Infinity Bell was ready and waiting for me to click that beautiful(ly wicked) 1-click button sending it straight into my pretty little hands. Not only did I find an interesting read, I found a new favorite series!
ETA: Re-watching Serenity (for the millionth time), I realized I'd forgotten to mention that Welton, the head of House Yellow/Technology, in this world reminded me of Mr. Universe in Serenity. Both are excited by chaos and their superior technological advantages. :D
(Rating: ✮✮✮✮½)
September 10, 2014
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.
Original and intriguing, HOUSE IMMORTAL falls closer to the science-fiction spectrum of books than urban fantasy. However, with the kickass heroine, powerful, near immortal beings, fun sidekicks, and original world, HOUSE IMMORTAL will definitely appeal to the standard urban fantasy reader.
The world of HOUSE IMMORTAL is complex and fascinating. Though lacking magic or vampires, there’s still plenty of oddness to be found here – like a scarf that stops time, and a two-headed man. A lot of thought clearly went into building the world around the heroine, Matilda. Matilda herself is refreshing, a young “immortal” character, which we don’t often see in urban fantasy. She’s plucky, and impulsive, and not jaded about the world around her and though she’s different, she just is who she is, she doesn’t dwell on her specialness excessively. Plus, the other characters around her weren’t cookie cutter or stereotypes. There was at least some depth to all of them, which added to my enjoyment.
The mystery of HOUSE IMMORTAL was multi-faceted and kept me reading eagerly. I can’t wait to see where Monk takes it next, since there were so many aspects twisting and turning together which resulted in the best reveal at the end. It also wasn’t predictable – I’m pretty sure I actually gasped out loud, I was so surprised.
My one complaint was with the very abbreviated romance plot line. It seemed to me like it was only put there to make the following events more shocking to the reader, and that isn’t a reason for two characters to get together. I would have either appreciated more, or less, but it felt like an afterthought, not something that was being built toward.
With an ending that truly caught me by surprise (hard to do these days!) and a remarkably likable main character, I’m definitely on board for the next book in the House Immortal series, INFINITY BELL, which comes out next year.
Sexual content: Kissing
Original and intriguing, HOUSE IMMORTAL falls closer to the science-fiction spectrum of books than urban fantasy. However, with the kickass heroine, powerful, near immortal beings, fun sidekicks, and original world, HOUSE IMMORTAL will definitely appeal to the standard urban fantasy reader.
The world of HOUSE IMMORTAL is complex and fascinating. Though lacking magic or vampires, there’s still plenty of oddness to be found here – like a scarf that stops time, and a two-headed man. A lot of thought clearly went into building the world around the heroine, Matilda. Matilda herself is refreshing, a young “immortal” character, which we don’t often see in urban fantasy. She’s plucky, and impulsive, and not jaded about the world around her and though she’s different, she just is who she is, she doesn’t dwell on her specialness excessively. Plus, the other characters around her weren’t cookie cutter or stereotypes. There was at least some depth to all of them, which added to my enjoyment.
The mystery of HOUSE IMMORTAL was multi-faceted and kept me reading eagerly. I can’t wait to see where Monk takes it next, since there were so many aspects twisting and turning together which resulted in the best reveal at the end. It also wasn’t predictable – I’m pretty sure I actually gasped out loud, I was so surprised.
My one complaint was with the very abbreviated romance plot line. It seemed to me like it was only put there to make the following events more shocking to the reader, and that isn’t a reason for two characters to get together. I would have either appreciated more, or less, but it felt like an afterthought, not something that was being built toward.
With an ending that truly caught me by surprise (hard to do these days!) and a remarkably likable main character, I’m definitely on board for the next book in the House Immortal series, INFINITY BELL, which comes out next year.
Sexual content: Kissing
April 3, 2016
Why aren't more people reading this? It was awesome! Right from the start I didn't want to put it down. It was so refreshing to read a book with truly original world building. The world is ruled by houses. Each one controls something different like medical, technology, etc. All people are supposed to be aligned with a house.
Matilda wasn't aligned with any house. She was hiding from the houses because she wasn't human. She was stitched together, which made her one of the galvanized. There are only 13 galvanized in existence. They're special because they're immortal and really hard to kill. Matilda's life got flipped upside down when she was discovered by one of the houses.
All of the characters had personality, even the side characters. Matilda was young and inexperienced but didn't make a bunch of stupid decisions, which was cool. There was a romance, but it was not central to the story. It's the slow building type which is just the way I like it. This was fun and different, and it will leave you wanting to start the next one right away.
Matilda wasn't aligned with any house. She was hiding from the houses because she wasn't human. She was stitched together, which made her one of the galvanized. There are only 13 galvanized in existence. They're special because they're immortal and really hard to kill. Matilda's life got flipped upside down when she was discovered by one of the houses.
All of the characters had personality, even the side characters. Matilda was young and inexperienced but didn't make a bunch of stupid decisions, which was cool. There was a romance, but it was not central to the story. It's the slow building type which is just the way I like it. This was fun and different, and it will leave you wanting to start the next one right away.
September 9, 2014
4.5 stars!
House Immortal is the first book of a new urban fantasy trilogy with the same name from Devon Monk. Set in the near future, it combined the urban fantasy element (urban location, a little magic) with a dip of science fiction. The new modern world is ruled by twelve powerful Houses — each House rules one element, such as water, mineral, agriculture, technology, even people, vice, and defense. There is a thirteenth house, House Brown, which is made up of people living off the grid. Then there are the galvanized … they are immortal non-humans, stitched together like Frankenstein, who have survived a research gone wrong that killed hundreds of people. Now, they are owned by Houses, doing the things that the House leader wants them to. They are also a bit like celebrities among the citizens. All galvanized must belong to a House. Except for Matilda “Tilly” Case — she is the only free stitched. And she is unique, she is special … and now a galvanized has come to her secluded place, and Tilly’s life is going to change.
Gosh, I loved this book so fricking much!! I thought the worldbuilding was exhilaratingly fresh and unique. Since this is the first book, there are a lot of info-dumps to the worldbuilding. Tilly often explains about the galvanized and the Houses and how the modern world worked. The history on how it could come to this point is introduced to readers using bits of a (mysterious) journal, which later proves to be a very significant element to the story-arc.
It took me awhile to get into it, but it was actually faster-paced than a few other first books of urban fantasy series that I follow. Maybe because Devon Monk also brought the action quite early in the game, with Abraham Seventh (the number indicates the order in which the galvanized were brought back to life) coming to Tilly’s grandmother’s farm, bleeding and requesting to meet Tilly’s father (who was murdered by House Black few years back).
Tilly is a protagonist that I truly love — in fact, I probably love her a bit better than Devon Monk’s other female protagonist, Allie Beckstorm. She is strong (she basically manages her grandmother’s farm, dealing with gigantic stitched-animals), fierce, and definitely independent. Even when she is confused and concerned with the problems that Abraham brings to her life, Tilly is determined to get through it all since she needs to protect her grandmother and the people of House Brown. She is also determined to find her genius brother, Quinten, who had been missing for the past three years.
I admit that there were times I was slightly frustrated with the choices that Tilly made (I was worried she fell into a trap of ‘too stupid to see dangers’ and ‘I need to sacrifice myself to save others’ themes) but then again, it was what made the story alive and exciting. It would become dull otherwise, wouldn’t it?
There is a teaser of a developing romance between Tilly and Abraham, but that is not the focus of the story. There are very intriguing secondary characters who I want to know more about. There are surprising developments between the leader of House and the galvanized which is controlled by this evil villain. And there is a doozy cliffhanger that makes me want to fast-forward time to next year so I can get my hand on the sequel.
In conclusion, the characters are well-written, the villain is creepy, and there are twists and a nail-biting action-driven plot that kept me on the edge of my seat. Devon Monk takes this story to places that I couldn’t predict, and I basically put my reading life in her hands and will just go along, because I know she will deliver amazingly.
A Guest Review for The Blogger Girls
House Immortal is the first book of a new urban fantasy trilogy with the same name from Devon Monk. Set in the near future, it combined the urban fantasy element (urban location, a little magic) with a dip of science fiction. The new modern world is ruled by twelve powerful Houses — each House rules one element, such as water, mineral, agriculture, technology, even people, vice, and defense. There is a thirteenth house, House Brown, which is made up of people living off the grid. Then there are the galvanized … they are immortal non-humans, stitched together like Frankenstein, who have survived a research gone wrong that killed hundreds of people. Now, they are owned by Houses, doing the things that the House leader wants them to. They are also a bit like celebrities among the citizens. All galvanized must belong to a House. Except for Matilda “Tilly” Case — she is the only free stitched. And she is unique, she is special … and now a galvanized has come to her secluded place, and Tilly’s life is going to change.
Gosh, I loved this book so fricking much!! I thought the worldbuilding was exhilaratingly fresh and unique. Since this is the first book, there are a lot of info-dumps to the worldbuilding. Tilly often explains about the galvanized and the Houses and how the modern world worked. The history on how it could come to this point is introduced to readers using bits of a (mysterious) journal, which later proves to be a very significant element to the story-arc.
It took me awhile to get into it, but it was actually faster-paced than a few other first books of urban fantasy series that I follow. Maybe because Devon Monk also brought the action quite early in the game, with Abraham Seventh (the number indicates the order in which the galvanized were brought back to life) coming to Tilly’s grandmother’s farm, bleeding and requesting to meet Tilly’s father (who was murdered by House Black few years back).
Tilly is a protagonist that I truly love — in fact, I probably love her a bit better than Devon Monk’s other female protagonist, Allie Beckstorm. She is strong (she basically manages her grandmother’s farm, dealing with gigantic stitched-animals), fierce, and definitely independent. Even when she is confused and concerned with the problems that Abraham brings to her life, Tilly is determined to get through it all since she needs to protect her grandmother and the people of House Brown. She is also determined to find her genius brother, Quinten, who had been missing for the past three years.
I admit that there were times I was slightly frustrated with the choices that Tilly made (I was worried she fell into a trap of ‘too stupid to see dangers’ and ‘I need to sacrifice myself to save others’ themes) but then again, it was what made the story alive and exciting. It would become dull otherwise, wouldn’t it?
There is a teaser of a developing romance between Tilly and Abraham, but that is not the focus of the story. There are very intriguing secondary characters who I want to know more about. There are surprising developments between the leader of House and the galvanized which is controlled by this evil villain. And there is a doozy cliffhanger that makes me want to fast-forward time to next year so I can get my hand on the sequel.
In conclusion, the characters are well-written, the villain is creepy, and there are twists and a nail-biting action-driven plot that kept me on the edge of my seat. Devon Monk takes this story to places that I couldn’t predict, and I basically put my reading life in her hands and will just go along, because I know she will deliver amazingly.
A Guest Review for The Blogger Girls
March 29, 2016
I finished this book a few days ago and I honestly don't know how to review it. This series is so unique and it has a plot so crazy that it's hard to review. I tried explaining this series to my husband and I failed miserably. It's that different. So, I'm going to try my best.
The plot centers around a group of people that are galvanized. They are stitched together people (from body parts of other people) and they have super human strength. Their heads can be chopped off and they'd still live. They are kind of like Frankenstein people but not in a hideous terrifying way. There are different houses, which are kind of like kingdoms, and each house has a galvanized to help strengthen them from enemies.
The main character is a galvanized named Matilda. She's not a pansy Mary Sue. She's smart, strong and isn't afraid of much (besides losing the ones she loves). Matilda is special because nobody knows she's galvanized. She has been hidden well, until one of the other galvanized find her.
The rest of the MCs are all equally as awesome as Matilda. I loved them all. I even loved the crazy stitched animals.
I can't even tell you 90% of the things that are amazing about this series because it's one that's best read blindly. There are lots of plot twists and some crazy syfy stuff that happens. The world building is just right but it's the characters and crazy plot that makes this series great. I like character driven books. A book will go straight to DNF if it's not character driven. That should tell you the type of book this is.
I wasn't overly involved with this book until it it reached about 70% (reason for 4 stars and not 5). I liked it a lot before then but I wasn't in love with it. As soon as I got to around 70% I became obsessed and the story is still going strong into book 3. It was well worth the wait. Now I'm on the hunt for some more urban fantasy. I've never really been into UF but now I need more!
The plot centers around a group of people that are galvanized. They are stitched together people (from body parts of other people) and they have super human strength. Their heads can be chopped off and they'd still live. They are kind of like Frankenstein people but not in a hideous terrifying way. There are different houses, which are kind of like kingdoms, and each house has a galvanized to help strengthen them from enemies.
The main character is a galvanized named Matilda. She's not a pansy Mary Sue. She's smart, strong and isn't afraid of much (besides losing the ones she loves). Matilda is special because nobody knows she's galvanized. She has been hidden well, until one of the other galvanized find her.
The rest of the MCs are all equally as awesome as Matilda. I loved them all. I even loved the crazy stitched animals.
I can't even tell you 90% of the things that are amazing about this series because it's one that's best read blindly. There are lots of plot twists and some crazy syfy stuff that happens. The world building is just right but it's the characters and crazy plot that makes this series great. I like character driven books. A book will go straight to DNF if it's not character driven. That should tell you the type of book this is.
I wasn't overly involved with this book until it it reached about 70% (reason for 4 stars and not 5). I liked it a lot before then but I wasn't in love with it. As soon as I got to around 70% I became obsessed and the story is still going strong into book 3. It was well worth the wait. Now I'm on the hunt for some more urban fantasy. I've never really been into UF but now I need more!
June 6, 2015
6 stars for awesomeness and originality!
Wow, and I mean wow. It has been an absolute blast. This book was sweet, tough, funny, original, brilliant and a-fucking-mazing! It's not the first book I've read from Devon Monk, and I must admit at the beginning I wasn't the biggest fan of Allie Beckstrom, but after reading thins I think I might backtrack and give it another go. Perhaps I see something with new eyes.
This is a fantastic UF with creative individuals like the MC Melita, a 'stitch'. An immortal, stitched together from pieces like Frankenstein's monster. There are twelve known in the world, all of them famous, all of them enslaved by the ruling houses and all of them unable to feel physical contact. Until now. Until her. Melita the thirteenth galvanized. Made differently from the others, she spent her life in hiding on a farm filled with most amazing creations her late father has created. Thinks like her. A Lizard-dragon, poisonous apple munching octopuses, zombie chickens, and three kitten sized house sheep that spin the finest wool.
I could wax poetic about this novel the entire day, but I absolutely will not give anything away. All I will say is that for a while there I have given up on originality. It has been a while since I have been immersed in an UF world that's not built on cliches and I can tell you it's so refreshing.
I would recommend this book to everyone with a need of a breath of fresh air. No damned love triangles, no insta lust, no black trench coats or katanas.
I know right... for a moment there I thought there was nothing else out there. Good to know I was wrong.
Wow, and I mean wow. It has been an absolute blast. This book was sweet, tough, funny, original, brilliant and a-fucking-mazing! It's not the first book I've read from Devon Monk, and I must admit at the beginning I wasn't the biggest fan of Allie Beckstrom, but after reading thins I think I might backtrack and give it another go. Perhaps I see something with new eyes.
This is a fantastic UF with creative individuals like the MC Melita, a 'stitch'. An immortal, stitched together from pieces like Frankenstein's monster. There are twelve known in the world, all of them famous, all of them enslaved by the ruling houses and all of them unable to feel physical contact. Until now. Until her. Melita the thirteenth galvanized. Made differently from the others, she spent her life in hiding on a farm filled with most amazing creations her late father has created. Thinks like her. A Lizard-dragon, poisonous apple munching octopuses, zombie chickens, and three kitten sized house sheep that spin the finest wool.
I could wax poetic about this novel the entire day, but I absolutely will not give anything away. All I will say is that for a while there I have given up on originality. It has been a while since I have been immersed in an UF world that's not built on cliches and I can tell you it's so refreshing.
I would recommend this book to everyone with a need of a breath of fresh air. No damned love triangles, no insta lust, no black trench coats or katanas.
I know right... for a moment there I thought there was nothing else out there. Good to know I was wrong.
January 16, 2019
3.75 stars - would have been a solid 4+stars if it hadn't been for the ending
Well this was cool - and different - and fun! The world is brilliant, so it's a shame that the ending let it down. I think probably the last 20%-ish felt a bit rushed and left me feeling dissatisfied. There was no real ending or resolution to..well...anything?! I know it's Book #1 in the series, but I would have liked a bit more explanation around certain points and all the action crammed into the final 10% or so felt a bit rushed, then suddenly it was the end, which all seemed rather abrupt. I was expecting at least some bits to be wrapped up in this one.
Definitely an interesting fantasy world though - I was sucked in from the start. Loved Matilda's character too - I kept picturing her as a bit like Kaylee, from the Firefly TV series. Same accent and a complete tomboy most of the time, but cute.
I wasn't really convinced about the romance angle if I'm honest - Abraham seemed a bit distant, so I wasn't really feeling it - hopefully that will develop further as the series goes on. All of the galvanized seemed a bit unknown. I wanted more info on each of these characters to truly get a feel for them, along with the heads of houses as they were fascinating as individuals and the various relationships between them. There's clearly a lot of plotting, power struggles & betrayal going on here, but unfortunately I didn't feel we got to see enough of any of the characters to really guess properly at what their real motivations and allegiances might be at this stage.
So great start to a series, loved the original world and the likeable characters, but a bit let down by that cliffhanger ending.
Well this was cool - and different - and fun! The world is brilliant, so it's a shame that the ending let it down. I think probably the last 20%-ish felt a bit rushed and left me feeling dissatisfied. There was no real ending or resolution to..well...anything?! I know it's Book #1 in the series, but I would have liked a bit more explanation around certain points and all the action crammed into the final 10% or so felt a bit rushed, then suddenly it was the end, which all seemed rather abrupt. I was expecting at least some bits to be wrapped up in this one.
Definitely an interesting fantasy world though - I was sucked in from the start. Loved Matilda's character too - I kept picturing her as a bit like Kaylee, from the Firefly TV series. Same accent and a complete tomboy most of the time, but cute.
I wasn't really convinced about the romance angle if I'm honest - Abraham seemed a bit distant, so I wasn't really feeling it - hopefully that will develop further as the series goes on. All of the galvanized seemed a bit unknown. I wanted more info on each of these characters to truly get a feel for them, along with the heads of houses as they were fascinating as individuals and the various relationships between them. There's clearly a lot of plotting, power struggles & betrayal going on here, but unfortunately I didn't feel we got to see enough of any of the characters to really guess properly at what their real motivations and allegiances might be at this stage.
So great start to a series, loved the original world and the likeable characters, but a bit let down by that cliffhanger ending.
April 19, 2015
With a section on her website dedicated to her knitting, it was inevitable that Devon Monk would write a series where craftwork is integral.
In 1910, an experiment killed most people in the region. Thirteen people survived - they are "galvanized", seemingly immortal. They fell into comas, awakening later.
Matilda Case has been stitched together with "life thread", and her grandmother is mostly seen knitting a lengthy scarf from "pocket sheep's" wool with nano-whatever in it. Yes, this is confusing, but the scarf turns out to be very useful later on.
I came into this novel expecting a futuristic Frankenstein kind of tale, so the urban fantasy-esque creatures in the first chapter are surprising. With "immortal" in the title, it shouldn't be a surprise that the novel discusses how to stop time, but I'm more interested in the surgical/medical aspects of the story.
The novel's large cast gets confusing, with all the different House heads and their galvanized, and lengthy descriptions of what everyone looks like and what they're wearing, but I still couldn't keep track of everyone. Also, it's never explained how stitches get coloured, because the life thread itself seems to be silvery.
I don't fully understand what's going on, but I'm firmly entrenched and along for the ride. Mix Mary Shelley's Frankenstein with Amy Ewing's The Jewel, and you get Devon Monk's House Immortal: an intriguing blend of science, technology, politics, and who knows what else is in store.
In 1910, an experiment killed most people in the region. Thirteen people survived - they are "galvanized", seemingly immortal. They fell into comas, awakening later.
Matilda Case has been stitched together with "life thread", and her grandmother is mostly seen knitting a lengthy scarf from "pocket sheep's" wool with nano-whatever in it. Yes, this is confusing, but the scarf turns out to be very useful later on.
I came into this novel expecting a futuristic Frankenstein kind of tale, so the urban fantasy-esque creatures in the first chapter are surprising. With "immortal" in the title, it shouldn't be a surprise that the novel discusses how to stop time, but I'm more interested in the surgical/medical aspects of the story.
The novel's large cast gets confusing, with all the different House heads and their galvanized, and lengthy descriptions of what everyone looks like and what they're wearing, but I still couldn't keep track of everyone. Also, it's never explained how stitches get coloured, because the life thread itself seems to be silvery.
I don't fully understand what's going on, but I'm firmly entrenched and along for the ride. Mix Mary Shelley's Frankenstein with Amy Ewing's The Jewel, and you get Devon Monk's House Immortal: an intriguing blend of science, technology, politics, and who knows what else is in store.
September 12, 2014
Devon Monk brings us a unique new series with intriguing characters, a power hungry villain, and an original, well built world.
Matilda (aka Tilly), is a pretty awesome heroine. She knows her way around protecting herself, and has no problem telling people what she thinks. I liked that she accepts herself. She was born a normal human but circumstances have changed her into something that shouldn't be possible. When she is discovered, she of course protects herself and is apprehensive about those that want to use her, but she also steps up to her new role while also trying to protect those she is loyal to. I never liked the Neds, they just rubbed me wrong, but I instantly liked Abraham Seventh. I was a little bummed that the romance between him and Tilly never really developed. Their attraction was apparent and there was some mutual relationship type things, but their relationship didn't go anywhere.
There is a ton of mystery involved with this story. Mystery surrounding Matilda, her parents, her brother, the stitched, the Houses. Lots and lots of questions and slow answers that kept you gripped in the story, wanting more. I enjoyed the twists and turns that the author threw out and the world building was well done. I think HOUSE IMMORTAL had more of a science-fiction with a hint of dystopian feel to it and I really didn't want it to be over. The book ends during a pretty hectic part of the book, so you can't help but want more and fast. March is too far away ...
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Matilda (aka Tilly), is a pretty awesome heroine. She knows her way around protecting herself, and has no problem telling people what she thinks. I liked that she accepts herself. She was born a normal human but circumstances have changed her into something that shouldn't be possible. When she is discovered, she of course protects herself and is apprehensive about those that want to use her, but she also steps up to her new role while also trying to protect those she is loyal to. I never liked the Neds, they just rubbed me wrong, but I instantly liked Abraham Seventh. I was a little bummed that the romance between him and Tilly never really developed. Their attraction was apparent and there was some mutual relationship type things, but their relationship didn't go anywhere.
There is a ton of mystery involved with this story. Mystery surrounding Matilda, her parents, her brother, the stitched, the Houses. Lots and lots of questions and slow answers that kept you gripped in the story, wanting more. I enjoyed the twists and turns that the author threw out and the world building was well done. I think HOUSE IMMORTAL had more of a science-fiction with a hint of dystopian feel to it and I really didn't want it to be over. The book ends during a pretty hectic part of the book, so you can't help but want more and fast. March is too far away ...
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
October 25, 2014
Devon Monk does it again.
Her Allie Beckstrom series left a bad taste in my mouth with the whole history between Zayvion and Chase, and how he still loved her and always would. But I still decided to read this series hoping that this would be different.
It wasn't.
I knew, I knew near the beginning that Abraham's ex would be one of the galvanized. I was practically rolling my eyes at the predictability of the plot when it turned out to be January, the perfect, model-like galvanized. Matilda was left feeling slightly green because of how perfect January was.
And to those who think I am making things up, let me ask you this. Why is it that Devon Monk never wrote about another person who could compete for Allie's interests? There were so many perfect men in the Beckstrom series, but Allie had no eyes for any one other than Zayvion.
I am willing to bet that it will be the exact same thing with Matilda in this series. January will crop up in the later books and pose to be a problem in Matilda's and Abraham's relationship, but Matilda will probably never look at a man other than Abraham. If I am wrong, I will eat my words and continue to read this series. But as it stands, this kind of double standards frustrates and annoys me.
Her Allie Beckstrom series left a bad taste in my mouth with the whole history between Zayvion and Chase, and how he still loved her and always would. But I still decided to read this series hoping that this would be different.
It wasn't.
I knew, I knew near the beginning that Abraham's ex would be one of the galvanized. I was practically rolling my eyes at the predictability of the plot when it turned out to be January, the perfect, model-like galvanized. Matilda was left feeling slightly green because of how perfect January was.
And to those who think I am making things up, let me ask you this. Why is it that Devon Monk never wrote about another person who could compete for Allie's interests? There were so many perfect men in the Beckstrom series, but Allie had no eyes for any one other than Zayvion.
I am willing to bet that it will be the exact same thing with Matilda in this series. January will crop up in the later books and pose to be a problem in Matilda's and Abraham's relationship, but Matilda will probably never look at a man other than Abraham. If I am wrong, I will eat my words and continue to read this series. But as it stands, this kind of double standards frustrates and annoys me.
July 17, 2017
Really caught off guard with this one. I've tried Devon Monk before and felt kind bleh about the book I read. And I'm also not a huge Frankenstein fan. But this was soooo much more than I expected. Really engaging story. And I've never read anything quite like it- it's refreshingly different. It took me quite a few chapters to finally get what was going on due to the way the author lets the story unfold. But I found myself very on the edge of my seat the entire book. The MC is strong, smart, and self-reliant. She loves only a few people but does it very deeply. Jury's still out on all the side characters... there's so much more to the backstory that still hasn't been revealed. I don't quite trust anyone except the MC. Immediately downloaded book 2 as soon as I finished. Nice surprise!
April 3, 2016
I've never read anything by Devon Monk before so I wasn't sure what to expect, but this was good! I loved the characters and the world building. There was so much to this story, but it never felt long or slow. It was exciting and interesting! I'll be reading book 2!
November 11, 2014
“It’s all about the soil. Out here in the scratch, we still have devilry in our dirt. Makes stitched things stay stitched.” (p. 5)
House Immortal is the start of a new, futuristic series by Devon Monk. It played with the concept of Frankenstein; in this world there are twelve (and now thirteen) immortal men and women who have been stitched together. In order to save the innocent from slaughter, these twelve sold themselves into service, they are no longer considered human, but property of the highest bidder. However, the conclusion of House Immortal leaves the impression that change is imminent for these immortals, as well as society at large.
Matilda Case has been living under the radar since the death of her parents when she was a child. Ever since her brother disappeared, Matilda has been caring for her grandmother and maintaining her farm and the strange stitched creatures her father created. Matilda has always needed to maintain her privacy, she’s not like anyone else, in fact, she’s not living in the body she was born in, hers has been stitched, making her a valuable commodity when her existence is learned.
When an injured man, who is also stitched, winds up bleeding on her front porch, Matilda finds herself becoming a pawn in a much larger game. Instead of countries, the world is now ruled by houses, and all of them would very much like to control Matilda, the first modern immortal to be created.
Matilda’s mysterious visitor, Abraham Seventh, is contracted (or owned) by House Gray, the house the deals in human resources. He received a message from Matilda’s dead mother asking him to find her husband and daughter. In order to protect Matilda, Abraham brings Matilda into the heart of the conflict, which forces Matilda to claim a house and surrender her right to humanity and all the freedoms associated with it. But that certainly doesn’t mean that Matilda is going to meekly obey those who think that she is inferior, which has severe repercussions for all of the twelve.
House Immortal really wasn’t what I was expecting, but it did remind me of Monk’s Age of Steam series. While Age of Steam is a Western steampunk and House Immortal more conventionally urban fantasy, the tone in both is very much the same. Since I liked Age of Steam, I did enjoy House Immortal. That said, I did find myself underwhelmed by this novel. For a book that is filled with such big ideas, it seemly strangely lacking in passion. Even Matilda, for all her anger and thoughts of revenge, seemed a little flat to me. For a reader like me that reads primarily for the characters, I did find myself less interested in Matilda as an individual character.
What I did find myself more interested in was the futuristic world that was introduced in House Immortal. There is a lot that I feel that I do not know about this world yet, but I went in expecting that since this in the start to a series. The idea that the world is ruled by houses, or companies, is interesting and speaks to the concept of commercialization that is apparent today. House Immortal takes this commodification further by placing the control of good and services in the hands of a few, stripping away the rights of those that create these goods and provide these services. As we start to learn more about the heads of these houses this concept becomes even more unsettling considering that these people have the same petty motivations as everyone else. I thought this was a pretty interesting set up and I was eager to learn more; however, I have many questions about the viability of this world.
My other questions about this world relate to the immortals, otherwise known as the galvanized. I simply find it hard to believe that these twelve willingly gave up their humanity to save the humans that dared to rise up against the houses. I struggle to understand their motivation, especially after meeting more of them and learning that they weren't all as outwardly empathetic as Abraham is. Further, I feel confused as to how the galvanized are both revered as heroes and reviled as monsters. When Matilda first comes to Chicago she is shocked by the billboards that show off the immortals heroic feats where they are saving the lives of humans, and so was I. Why has the general public allowed for their heroes to be enslaved? How do these heroes even have the freedom to commit heroic acts? It's okay for them to save the day, but it seems that they are nothing more than objects or commodities to the public gaze. Again, this is rather disturbing and it does make you question whether or not people do critically consider what they are consuming in the media, a question I often find myself asking and one that I love seeing explored in my reading.
Ultimately, I think the fact that I have so many questions about this world will bring me back to the series. I need to know whether Matilda will be a game changer for the galvanized. Will she win these inhuman creatures back their freedom? I'm also very curious about the origins of the immortals. There are hints throughout House Immortal but nothing concrete is offered. It was a bit of a strange experience for me, being more invested in the world rather than the characters, which is the complete opposite of my usual reading experience.
*Originally published with similar reads at The Book Adventures.
House Immortal is the start of a new, futuristic series by Devon Monk. It played with the concept of Frankenstein; in this world there are twelve (and now thirteen) immortal men and women who have been stitched together. In order to save the innocent from slaughter, these twelve sold themselves into service, they are no longer considered human, but property of the highest bidder. However, the conclusion of House Immortal leaves the impression that change is imminent for these immortals, as well as society at large.
Matilda Case has been living under the radar since the death of her parents when she was a child. Ever since her brother disappeared, Matilda has been caring for her grandmother and maintaining her farm and the strange stitched creatures her father created. Matilda has always needed to maintain her privacy, she’s not like anyone else, in fact, she’s not living in the body she was born in, hers has been stitched, making her a valuable commodity when her existence is learned.
When an injured man, who is also stitched, winds up bleeding on her front porch, Matilda finds herself becoming a pawn in a much larger game. Instead of countries, the world is now ruled by houses, and all of them would very much like to control Matilda, the first modern immortal to be created.
Matilda’s mysterious visitor, Abraham Seventh, is contracted (or owned) by House Gray, the house the deals in human resources. He received a message from Matilda’s dead mother asking him to find her husband and daughter. In order to protect Matilda, Abraham brings Matilda into the heart of the conflict, which forces Matilda to claim a house and surrender her right to humanity and all the freedoms associated with it. But that certainly doesn’t mean that Matilda is going to meekly obey those who think that she is inferior, which has severe repercussions for all of the twelve.
House Immortal really wasn’t what I was expecting, but it did remind me of Monk’s Age of Steam series. While Age of Steam is a Western steampunk and House Immortal more conventionally urban fantasy, the tone in both is very much the same. Since I liked Age of Steam, I did enjoy House Immortal. That said, I did find myself underwhelmed by this novel. For a book that is filled with such big ideas, it seemly strangely lacking in passion. Even Matilda, for all her anger and thoughts of revenge, seemed a little flat to me. For a reader like me that reads primarily for the characters, I did find myself less interested in Matilda as an individual character.
What I did find myself more interested in was the futuristic world that was introduced in House Immortal. There is a lot that I feel that I do not know about this world yet, but I went in expecting that since this in the start to a series. The idea that the world is ruled by houses, or companies, is interesting and speaks to the concept of commercialization that is apparent today. House Immortal takes this commodification further by placing the control of good and services in the hands of a few, stripping away the rights of those that create these goods and provide these services. As we start to learn more about the heads of these houses this concept becomes even more unsettling considering that these people have the same petty motivations as everyone else. I thought this was a pretty interesting set up and I was eager to learn more; however, I have many questions about the viability of this world.
My other questions about this world relate to the immortals, otherwise known as the galvanized. I simply find it hard to believe that these twelve willingly gave up their humanity to save the humans that dared to rise up against the houses. I struggle to understand their motivation, especially after meeting more of them and learning that they weren't all as outwardly empathetic as Abraham is. Further, I feel confused as to how the galvanized are both revered as heroes and reviled as monsters. When Matilda first comes to Chicago she is shocked by the billboards that show off the immortals heroic feats where they are saving the lives of humans, and so was I. Why has the general public allowed for their heroes to be enslaved? How do these heroes even have the freedom to commit heroic acts? It's okay for them to save the day, but it seems that they are nothing more than objects or commodities to the public gaze. Again, this is rather disturbing and it does make you question whether or not people do critically consider what they are consuming in the media, a question I often find myself asking and one that I love seeing explored in my reading.
Ultimately, I think the fact that I have so many questions about this world will bring me back to the series. I need to know whether Matilda will be a game changer for the galvanized. Will she win these inhuman creatures back their freedom? I'm also very curious about the origins of the immortals. There are hints throughout House Immortal but nothing concrete is offered. It was a bit of a strange experience for me, being more invested in the world rather than the characters, which is the complete opposite of my usual reading experience.
*Originally published with similar reads at The Book Adventures.
January 9, 2018
I quite liked this! The world was certainly interesting, if a bit confusing. I thought Matilda was a great character, full of sass and recklessness. My favorite kind.
September 19, 2015
Frankenstein, anyone? Albeit, a more modernized version, but the characters in House Immortal quietly echo the famed story with its scientist-created beings.
Some 150+ into the future, the modern world is ruled by Houses which control pretty much everything under the sun: technology, vices, medical, water, the list goes on. There are 11 ruling Houses in this new world. Created from something called the Restructure, the new world was faced with overcrowding and the burdens that go along with it, including chaos. The 11 Houses were put in place as a means of control and the population of the world was given a choice to pick a House to live under, complete with a contract of service. Those who disagreed with the new order chose to side with House Brown, the often overlooked 12th House, a House with no say, but much freedom. Matilda Case is one such member. Living off the grid on a farm that was her childhood home, she spends most of her time caring for odd, manmade critters of her father's creation, along with her ailing grandma and a two-headed farmhand, Ned Harris, affectionately known as Left Ned and Right Ned.
This new world isn't a very peaceful one, as each House is vying for total control over everything. There is one thing more than any that each House wants to possess the most of -- the galvanized. Immortal stitched beings brought about from a long ago science experiment called the Wings of Mercury. The galvanized are inhumanly strong, immune to death, disease, and any ailment that affects mortals. 12 Galvanized currently reside in the world, but there is a surprising 13th member. One who is very similar to the galvanized, yet so very different. Meet Matilda Case, galvanized 13, created by her family's hands and not as experiments, like other galvanized.
Tilly's peaceful, out-of-the way life is completely shattered when Abraham Seventh shows up on her doorstep, bloody, with a message from Matilda's mother. A mother who's been dead for a number of years. Facing a new, uncertain future, Matilda's about to enter the fight of her life. Because of her galvanized status and because of some interesting qualities that stem from being created as she was, she's now a hot commodity. So sought after that Houses are willing to pay any price to acquire her. So much so that Houses are willing to start a war, just to have her under their service and therefore, their rule. That's a lot of people after one woman and as Matilda learns, trust is nonexistent in such a dire situation. With only Abraham and Neds Harris as allies, it's a tough world out there for Tilly Case.
Devon Monk has created such an interesting, inventive, odd future with House Immortal, and 'odd' in this case is a high compliment. I was instantly hooked, even after just reading one chapter. There are so many different aspects, so many different traits and qualities that really made this story stand out for me, mostly that the entire series is based on a group of Frankenstein-like people. No vampires, no weres, no witches, magic, or ghosts. Just stitched, created beings. The world she built has quite a number of things to keep straight, different events and different factions that molded and shaped and now run this new world, and while it can be daunting to keep some of those things straight, it added such depth and almost a sense of wonder to this futuristic world. Because of the many futuristic aspects and some of the more scientific-themed characteristics of this story, like the medical elements and gadgetry, Monk has nicely balanced urban fantasy with sci-fi, without one overshadowing the other. And of course, there's a hint of a blossoming romance, which is always the cherry on top.
Bottom line -- great first installment in Monk's new House Immortal series that I highly recommend for UF lovers looking for something a little different. I will certainly be continuing on with this series and with the doozy of an ending that House Immortal had, March 3rd and Infinity Bell, book 2, can't come soon enough.
Some 150+ into the future, the modern world is ruled by Houses which control pretty much everything under the sun: technology, vices, medical, water, the list goes on. There are 11 ruling Houses in this new world. Created from something called the Restructure, the new world was faced with overcrowding and the burdens that go along with it, including chaos. The 11 Houses were put in place as a means of control and the population of the world was given a choice to pick a House to live under, complete with a contract of service. Those who disagreed with the new order chose to side with House Brown, the often overlooked 12th House, a House with no say, but much freedom. Matilda Case is one such member. Living off the grid on a farm that was her childhood home, she spends most of her time caring for odd, manmade critters of her father's creation, along with her ailing grandma and a two-headed farmhand, Ned Harris, affectionately known as Left Ned and Right Ned.
This new world isn't a very peaceful one, as each House is vying for total control over everything. There is one thing more than any that each House wants to possess the most of -- the galvanized. Immortal stitched beings brought about from a long ago science experiment called the Wings of Mercury. The galvanized are inhumanly strong, immune to death, disease, and any ailment that affects mortals. 12 Galvanized currently reside in the world, but there is a surprising 13th member. One who is very similar to the galvanized, yet so very different. Meet Matilda Case, galvanized 13, created by her family's hands and not as experiments, like other galvanized.
Tilly's peaceful, out-of-the way life is completely shattered when Abraham Seventh shows up on her doorstep, bloody, with a message from Matilda's mother. A mother who's been dead for a number of years. Facing a new, uncertain future, Matilda's about to enter the fight of her life. Because of her galvanized status and because of some interesting qualities that stem from being created as she was, she's now a hot commodity. So sought after that Houses are willing to pay any price to acquire her. So much so that Houses are willing to start a war, just to have her under their service and therefore, their rule. That's a lot of people after one woman and as Matilda learns, trust is nonexistent in such a dire situation. With only Abraham and Neds Harris as allies, it's a tough world out there for Tilly Case.
Devon Monk has created such an interesting, inventive, odd future with House Immortal, and 'odd' in this case is a high compliment. I was instantly hooked, even after just reading one chapter. There are so many different aspects, so many different traits and qualities that really made this story stand out for me, mostly that the entire series is based on a group of Frankenstein-like people. No vampires, no weres, no witches, magic, or ghosts. Just stitched, created beings. The world she built has quite a number of things to keep straight, different events and different factions that molded and shaped and now run this new world, and while it can be daunting to keep some of those things straight, it added such depth and almost a sense of wonder to this futuristic world. Because of the many futuristic aspects and some of the more scientific-themed characteristics of this story, like the medical elements and gadgetry, Monk has nicely balanced urban fantasy with sci-fi, without one overshadowing the other. And of course, there's a hint of a blossoming romance, which is always the cherry on top.
Bottom line -- great first installment in Monk's new House Immortal series that I highly recommend for UF lovers looking for something a little different. I will certainly be continuing on with this series and with the doozy of an ending that House Immortal had, March 3rd and Infinity Bell, book 2, can't come soon enough.
August 25, 2014
I received this book from the publishers in exchange for an honest review, I was in no way compensated for this review.
House Immortal is the first in a brand new series by Devon Monk! And it certainly has an interesting twist to it! Set in a futuristic setting in 2210, we are introduced to a new society with new social rules and governing laws dictated by the twelve ruling houses. And what's the interesting twist you ask? Why there are "Frankenstein" esque beings walking about, twelve in fact, but we're about to meet the thirteenth one.
Matilda is a galvanized, basically what everyone calls the "Frankenstein" esque beings. They are dead bodies stitched together and basically imbibed with magic/science in order to become the sentient being. I'll admit, the sciences of the matter confused me a bit, but basically, I just rolled with it! Matilda lives on her farm with her grandmother in the middle of nowhere working with her acquired hand, who happens to be a two-headed man named Neds. She still grieves for her brother who has been missing for the past three years.
Things get shaken up when another galvanized comes to her door looking for her father, her dead father. Abraham convinces Matilda to come with him back to his house because the politics are getting heated and attention will eventually turn to her and as an unclaimed galvanized, she's in danger. But we soon learn that Matilda is no ordinary galvanized and that her special abilities will make her even more of a hot commodity.
I feel like with most first in series books, we have a lot more world-building than plot development. Granted, there's still plot development, this was quite the action-packed read in fact! But we have a lot to learn about new worlds, especially ones where the time is futuristic an there's a lot of history we need to learn alongside the new rules of life. That being said, I kind of struggled with this world. Perhaps it was moreso because my last read was set in 1886 and I now jumped over three centuries into my next read, it can be kind of mind-boggling. But yet, I did enjoy this book. The characters were by far the best part! I enjoyed Matilda and Neds' antics were funny since he has two heads, he basically has two personalities, one being cynical and the other more positive.
Matilda was an enjoyable heroine too, although sometimes her choices drove me nuts. Not in a bad way really, it just came down to the heat of the moment decisions and I sometimes wished she went in the other direction than the one she chose, but then where would our story be?
One little thing that I just got a kick out of was the drug called Shelley that is basically used against the galvanized. It was a nice hat tip to the author of Frankenstein--a book I still must read one of these days! There's definitely going to be some creature vs human issues coming up in the future as well, since the galvanized are basically servants to the leaders of the Houses.
There was a bit of romance building in this one with Matilda and Abraham. It's still too early to tell, but we definitely had some nice heated tension between them that was ever so enjoyable!
House Immortal is a wild new world created by the amazing Devon Monk where we're about to see a classic "being" in a whole new light! This is one series I will be holding onto for the foreseeable future!
Overall Rating 3.75/5 stars--an almost 4 star read, but the struggle with some worldbuilding concepts held me back, but only by a bit.
House Immortal releases September 2, 2014
House Immortal is the first in a brand new series by Devon Monk! And it certainly has an interesting twist to it! Set in a futuristic setting in 2210, we are introduced to a new society with new social rules and governing laws dictated by the twelve ruling houses. And what's the interesting twist you ask? Why there are "Frankenstein" esque beings walking about, twelve in fact, but we're about to meet the thirteenth one.
Matilda is a galvanized, basically what everyone calls the "Frankenstein" esque beings. They are dead bodies stitched together and basically imbibed with magic/science in order to become the sentient being. I'll admit, the sciences of the matter confused me a bit, but basically, I just rolled with it! Matilda lives on her farm with her grandmother in the middle of nowhere working with her acquired hand, who happens to be a two-headed man named Neds. She still grieves for her brother who has been missing for the past three years.
Things get shaken up when another galvanized comes to her door looking for her father, her dead father. Abraham convinces Matilda to come with him back to his house because the politics are getting heated and attention will eventually turn to her and as an unclaimed galvanized, she's in danger. But we soon learn that Matilda is no ordinary galvanized and that her special abilities will make her even more of a hot commodity.
I feel like with most first in series books, we have a lot more world-building than plot development. Granted, there's still plot development, this was quite the action-packed read in fact! But we have a lot to learn about new worlds, especially ones where the time is futuristic an there's a lot of history we need to learn alongside the new rules of life. That being said, I kind of struggled with this world. Perhaps it was moreso because my last read was set in 1886 and I now jumped over three centuries into my next read, it can be kind of mind-boggling. But yet, I did enjoy this book. The characters were by far the best part! I enjoyed Matilda and Neds' antics were funny since he has two heads, he basically has two personalities, one being cynical and the other more positive.
Matilda was an enjoyable heroine too, although sometimes her choices drove me nuts. Not in a bad way really, it just came down to the heat of the moment decisions and I sometimes wished she went in the other direction than the one she chose, but then where would our story be?
One little thing that I just got a kick out of was the drug called Shelley that is basically used against the galvanized. It was a nice hat tip to the author of Frankenstein--a book I still must read one of these days! There's definitely going to be some creature vs human issues coming up in the future as well, since the galvanized are basically servants to the leaders of the Houses.
There was a bit of romance building in this one with Matilda and Abraham. It's still too early to tell, but we definitely had some nice heated tension between them that was ever so enjoyable!
House Immortal is a wild new world created by the amazing Devon Monk where we're about to see a classic "being" in a whole new light! This is one series I will be holding onto for the foreseeable future!
Overall Rating 3.75/5 stars--an almost 4 star read, but the struggle with some worldbuilding concepts held me back, but only by a bit.
House Immortal releases September 2, 2014
December 11, 2014
4.5/5
Mon avis en Français
My English review
This is a brand new series by Devon Monk and it’s true that I could not wait to be able to discover it. I must say that I had a great time with the Allie Beckstrom series and I was curious to see something different, even if it is true that I was also anxious not to appreciate it as much. What a mistake! This novel was a wonderful discovery, full of ideas!
First, I’ll tell you a bit of the world. Several Houses reign supreme on this place while sharing the existing resources: humans, technology, agriculture … A color corresponding to each and every person has to wear the color of the House he belongs to. In this context, we can find some galvanized persons, once humans and who were then stitched with parts. they are now immortal, impervious to anything, more powerful than a lambda individual. But because of this, they must be claimed by a house and do not have their own status as a normal person. Nobody knows how they appeared, what they are exactly but everyone wants their immortality.
Thus we discover Matilda, a galvanized girl that no one knows about and overnight she will end up in front of the stage without any choice. To protect her grandmother and to save her brother, she will face the Houses, something she has always managed to avoid so far. But everyone seems determined to have her and to possess her, especially knowing that this woman is unique and that unlike the others of her kind, she can make feel the galvanized by casual contact. She soon meets with Abraham, one of the twelve galvanized that forces her to confront her destiny and to make a choice. And I confess that their duo was really explosive.
I loved Tilly, she is a girl who does not hesitate to do everything possible to save those she loves and who expects nothing from others. She is strong and yet nothing is easy for her. She will be launched in a new world where she will have to take a lot of decisions quickly. Abraham himself is someone mysterious and intriguing and I confess that I loved this character, to see him evolve with Matilda. He does everything to protect her and help her, and even though we have a hard time knowing if we can trust him, everything is really touching. I must say that our heroine is pretty naive and yes she believe on what people tells her as well as their proposals. But they form a nice duo together and I’m curious to see what will happen afterwards.
Conspiracies, betrayals, secrets and revelations are masters of works in this novel and I can tell you that we can only be driven by the ideas of Devon Monk. Everything is beautifully done and I enjoyed seeing this world so rich and different. You will be surprised more than once, either to the characters, revelations, or to the actions realized in the shadows. So yes I had a great time with this new story that I recommend!
Mon avis en Français
My English review
This is a brand new series by Devon Monk and it’s true that I could not wait to be able to discover it. I must say that I had a great time with the Allie Beckstrom series and I was curious to see something different, even if it is true that I was also anxious not to appreciate it as much. What a mistake! This novel was a wonderful discovery, full of ideas!
First, I’ll tell you a bit of the world. Several Houses reign supreme on this place while sharing the existing resources: humans, technology, agriculture … A color corresponding to each and every person has to wear the color of the House he belongs to. In this context, we can find some galvanized persons, once humans and who were then stitched with parts. they are now immortal, impervious to anything, more powerful than a lambda individual. But because of this, they must be claimed by a house and do not have their own status as a normal person. Nobody knows how they appeared, what they are exactly but everyone wants their immortality.
Thus we discover Matilda, a galvanized girl that no one knows about and overnight she will end up in front of the stage without any choice. To protect her grandmother and to save her brother, she will face the Houses, something she has always managed to avoid so far. But everyone seems determined to have her and to possess her, especially knowing that this woman is unique and that unlike the others of her kind, she can make feel the galvanized by casual contact. She soon meets with Abraham, one of the twelve galvanized that forces her to confront her destiny and to make a choice. And I confess that their duo was really explosive.
I loved Tilly, she is a girl who does not hesitate to do everything possible to save those she loves and who expects nothing from others. She is strong and yet nothing is easy for her. She will be launched in a new world where she will have to take a lot of decisions quickly. Abraham himself is someone mysterious and intriguing and I confess that I loved this character, to see him evolve with Matilda. He does everything to protect her and help her, and even though we have a hard time knowing if we can trust him, everything is really touching. I must say that our heroine is pretty naive and yes she believe on what people tells her as well as their proposals. But they form a nice duo together and I’m curious to see what will happen afterwards.
Conspiracies, betrayals, secrets and revelations are masters of works in this novel and I can tell you that we can only be driven by the ideas of Devon Monk. Everything is beautifully done and I enjoyed seeing this world so rich and different. You will be surprised more than once, either to the characters, revelations, or to the actions realized in the shadows. So yes I had a great time with this new story that I recommend!
March 23, 2015
This book came highly recommended from my coworker who has generally the same taste I do so I had high hopes for this book. However, I ended up skimming through most of it and I had to force myself to get through it. Then it ended right in the middle of the story with no resolution at all which was frustrating. But I don’t care enough to check out the next book to find out what happens.
This book is set several hundred years in the future and has some interesting elements to it namely, the galvanized who are people who have been stitched into the bodies of others and have become immortal. This would seem to be great power but instead they are not considered human, but property, and they are owned by others who they serve. Then there are the not so interesting elements such as color coded houses that rule the world and are apparently based in Chicago? I live in Chicago. I think Chicago is great. However, I do not see it ever ending up as the head city of the planet based on the way things are evolving. I could be wrong, however. It also doesn’t make sense that every head of house would be based out of the same city. Especially in a world where you can travel across North America in a tube in a matter of minutes.
I never warmed to the heroine. She started off seeming strong and capable living on the family farm with a two headed farm hand and a Grandma who can knit time but descends into stupid impulsive decisions and needs to be constantly rescued. The presumed hero was just kind of bland although serious eye candy if the heroine’s constant staring at his bare chest is anything to go by. Perhaps most interesting is the villain but there seem to be no shades of grey to the character so a very cookie cutter villain and not enough to sustain interest in the series.
This book is set several hundred years in the future and has some interesting elements to it namely, the galvanized who are people who have been stitched into the bodies of others and have become immortal. This would seem to be great power but instead they are not considered human, but property, and they are owned by others who they serve. Then there are the not so interesting elements such as color coded houses that rule the world and are apparently based in Chicago? I live in Chicago. I think Chicago is great. However, I do not see it ever ending up as the head city of the planet based on the way things are evolving. I could be wrong, however. It also doesn’t make sense that every head of house would be based out of the same city. Especially in a world where you can travel across North America in a tube in a matter of minutes.
I never warmed to the heroine. She started off seeming strong and capable living on the family farm with a two headed farm hand and a Grandma who can knit time but descends into stupid impulsive decisions and needs to be constantly rescued. The presumed hero was just kind of bland although serious eye candy if the heroine’s constant staring at his bare chest is anything to go by. Perhaps most interesting is the villain but there seem to be no shades of grey to the character so a very cookie cutter villain and not enough to sustain interest in the series.
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