Welcome back to to Cainsville! … Where things are getting steadily weirder.
What’s it about?
Only days have passed since Olivia (heiress, daughter of serial killers) and Gabriel (defence attorney, cinnamon bun) survived a murder attempt and revealed a series of very-not-ethical CIA experiments. But, a new game is afoot …
A girl has been murdered. And her body deposited in Olivia’s car.
Or has it?
Visions follows Olivia as she works to understand the mystery that is Cainsville; solve the murder of Ciara Conway; uncover the truth of what happened to her biological parents; and come to terms with her ability to see portents.
Sprinkle on some Welsh folklore …
… a heaping cup of sometimes-awkward friendship between Olivia and Gabriel.
… and a pinch of an emerging love triangle.
… and you’ve got yourself a respectable urban-fantasy thriller.
Things I liked:
The Gabriel. The ice is starting to melt!
The Ricky. I want to hate this guy. I want to. But, jeez. I just can’t. Charming. Loyal. A really good person. Love triangles suck when both options are 100% amazing.
The Banter. It’s cute. It really, really is — and, it’s how people actually talk. The small jibes, insider jokes, sarcastic quips. I really loved seeing Olivia’s relationships with other people.
What I Didn’t Like
The Pacing. There was something about Visions that dragged in the middle. I put the book down one night — somewhere around the 2/3 point — and just didn’t have the motivation to pick it up again.
The Ending. It’s building … it’s building … and then it hits you in a way that you least expect. Which, I suppose, is the point. Personally? I found the climax jarring and confusing to follow. Armstrong’s strength is not writing fast-paced action.
Favourite Quote:
Note to clients, quicklime is a preservative, not a corrosive.
Final Thoughts:
Pacing challenges aside, Visions is a fitting follow-up to to Omens. It nicely builds on the folklore, magic, and suspense — expanding the world, and introducing intriguing new villains. It’s a solid escapist read.
The Details:
- The Book: Visions by Kelley Armstrong
- Published: 2014, Random House Canada
- My Copy: Personal copy
- Read date: May 12-22, 2019
- Rating/5: 🔮🔮🔮🔮
The Geeky Jock 
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