Published: 2011
Author: Joanne Reay
An exciting start to the Lo’Life fantasy trilogy
When Beautiful Books invited reviewers to read their latest fantasy novel, Romeo Spikes
Romeo Spikes is the first book in the Lo’Life trilogy and introduces lead female characters Lola and Bianca who are drawn back into the battle to stop the work of the Tormenta, a group of demons who drive humans to suicide and steal their remaining life span.
I immediately loved the concept of demons who create then (literally) feed on people’s insecurities. It is a deliciously malevolent idea but at the same time it seems oddly believable. Rooting the narrative in recognisable stories of jilted love, guilt and humiliation made the supernatural elements much easier to take on board and accept unquestioningly. If we accept that the Tormenta could exist then we must also accept that there are Hunters, a semi-human force who are devoted to eliminating the Tormenta. Lola is one such Hunter who has escaped the shackles of formally chasing down Tormenta and is following her own instincts for her own personal reasons.
I won’t lie to you – some of the book I found a little bit confusing.
As the first book in the trilogy a lot of concepts and characters are introduced and I didn’t entirely keep all of the information straight in my head. For people with better memories – or more experience of fantasy novels which always introduce lots of new ideas, this wouldn’t be a problem. I either need to train my mind to take on board lots of concepts in quick succession or keep a little notebook with me in order to jot down who’s who. Despite having read the entire book I’m still not sure of all the sects, characters, good guys and bad guys. Before I get onto the next installment (due in 2012) I’ll have to re-read Romeo Spikes!
Despite my confusion at times, I thoroughly enjoyed Romeo Spikes and Joanne Reay’s writing. There are some brilliantly witty lines that just jump off the page at you. Reay’s background is as a screenwriter which shows in her dialogue which drives the action and is both sharp and funny.
There are plans in place to make the Lo’Life world a multi-media franchise with a film and comic book in the pipeline. I’d really like to see how the Tormenta and their Hunters are brought to life and would definitely go see the movie version.
The last couple of chapters are absolutely heart-pounding, the action never stops and the stage is set for a fantastic continuation of Lola and Bianco’s stories. I am very much looking forward to the next book but I need to teach my poor brain how to take in and store lots of otherworldly information.