{Review} The Jewel (The Lone City #1) by Amy Ewing

Posted by Donna
Release Date: September 4th, 2014
Finished Date: July 31st, 2014

Publishers: Walker  
Genre: YA Dystopia
Source: For Review
Format: Paperback ARC 

Pages: 368

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

A shocking and compelling new YA series from debut author, Amy Ewing; The Handmaid's Tale meets The Other Boleyn Girl in a world where beauty and brutality collide.

Violet Lasting is no longer a human being. Tomorrow she becomes Lot 197, auctioned to the highest royal bidder in the Jewel of the Lone City. Tomorrow she becomes the Surrogate of the House of the Lake, her sole purpose to produce a healthy heir for the Duchess. Imprisoned in the opulent cage of the palace, Violet learns the brutal ways of the Jewel, where the royal women compete to secure their bloodline and the surrogates are treated as disposable commodities. 

Destined to carry the child of a woman she despises, Violet enters a living death of captivity – until she sets eyes on Ash Lockwood, the royal Companion. Compelled towards each other by a reckless, clandestine passion, Violet and Ash dance like puppets in a deadly game of court politics, until they become each other’s jeopardy – and salvation.

The Review: Brutal, intriguing and simply horrifying, The Jewel is an enjoyable debut novel and a welcomed addition to the dystopian genre.

The moment Violet Lasting tested positive for the Surrogate genes, her life suddenly changed and she was no longer in control. The fate of her life now lies in the hands of The Duchess of Lake, who won the winning bid on Violet while she was being auctioned off to member of The Jewel. Violet’s fate is looking bleak with her only option being, to become the Duchess’s Surrogate, where she will have to provide an heir for a woman she hates, so the House of Lake bloodline can continue on. But once Violet is living in the House of Lake, it’s there that she realises she isn’t safe as the dangerous games that the Duchess and the courts play is revealed. But when she meets Ash Lockwood; the royal Companion of Duchess’s niece and their love for one another is impossibly to deny, it ultimately puts them in more danger than ever. 

The Jewel is the start to a very promising series and it’s one I really enjoyed. It reminded me of The Selection and even The Hunger Games, mainly because of the set-up of the story with the circles of each districts and how the world is run. It also reminded me of Wither with the girls being taken away from their families. I didn’t mind the similarities if I’m honest, it was actually easier for me to picture the world Amy Ewing has created because of reading similar parts before. I very much enjoyed the story, I enjoyed the world that was described and I loved discovering the horrors of the The Jewel. I found myself a little shocked at times with how the members of Court treat their Surrogates but I also found it very interesting as it made the story simply unique.

I couldn’t help myself be heart-broken for Violet’s situation and all that she had to endure during the story. I just wanted to put her in my pocket or console her somehow. However I did have a love-hate relationship with her. At times I loved her and loved her loyalty, but then other times I didn’t because of how weak she was. There are points throughout the story where she decides to stand up to the Duchess but shamelessly fails, and I couldn’t see the point, because she just gives up to easily and ends up doing everything the Duchess wants. I wanted her to defy the Duchess more – or try to escape, or do something rather than just accepting what is. As a character she definitely has her highs and lows but she does grow through-out the story and with this only being the first instalment of the series, I really hope we see more of her strength that I know she has.

The romance in the story is a little bit juvenile. I really enjoyed Violet and Ash’s first encounter, however I wasn’t a huge fan of the insta-love from there on out. Thankfully it turns up just over halfway into the story so you’re not just reading about the relationship all that much. If I’m honest, the story was interesting enough as it was. I do like that the romance was added, but it definitely could have been turned down a notch. I’m interested to see what happens next though. The ending was definitely surprising and left me wanting more, and of course I want to know more about Lucian – I wonder what he has up his sleeve next!

In all, The Jewel may not be for everyone, it wasn’t a perfect read but it’s one I certainly enjoyed and I can’t wait to read more about in the future.

Thank you to Walker Publishing for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review.