Review: Anathema by Megg Jensen

Forget prophecy. Make your own destiny.

Sheltered from the outside world with no hope for escape, slave girl Reychel dreads her fifteenth birthday - when her master’s symbol is burned on the back of her bald scalp. Her best friend disappears the night before, leaving her to face the branding ceremony alone. She soon discovers nothing is as it seems when people desperate for freedom beg for Reychel's help.

Can Reychel learn to believe in herself?

I adored this book from the very first page. Major props to Megg Jensen for originality! The idea of slavery is difficult to portray in general, let alone trying to weave it into a YA novel. The plotline kept me interested as the story progressed, and I adored the relationship between the protagonist, Reychel, and her love interest, Mark.

Despite being a slave, Reychel is intelligent and headstrong. Even though her master is uncharacteristically kind to her, Reychel dreams of the simple freedom of going outdoors. What she doesn't look forward to, however, is permanently becoming a slave at age fifteen. Reychel's fifteenth birthday takes a turn for the worst when she angers her master, is thrown into the dungeon, and to top it all off, her best friend Ivy has mysteriously disappeared. Luckily, Reychel is destined to be much more than a slave girl.

When Reychel meets Mark, the chemistry is instant. It takes a little while for them to acknowledge their feelings for each other, but once they do, it's impossible not to wish for such a relationship in real life. Megg Jensen also does a phenomenal job at keeping the reader guessing. More than one scene had me gasping in shock, and I enjoyed the unpredictability. Ivy played a much bigger role in the story than I expected, as did Reychel's slave master Kantorek.

I was a little upset by the length of the novel, which was quite a bit shorter than what I am used to, but it certainly made me all the more excited for the sequel, Oubliette. I can't wait to find out what happens next in the lives of Reychel, Mark, and the rest of the characters!

Rating: 5/5 stars