Condemned to Die is the first ebook in the Death Eater Series, penned by Catherine Stovall. It is a quick, short read at only 34 pages. My initial reaction to the length was hesitation and doubt - it's not a lot to work with. To create something that short worth reading takes an immense amount of planning and consideration. I'm pleased to say that I wasn't disappointed, but I was certainly shocked.
It is fast paced, naturally, and takes place in very few settings. Each setting is described wonderfully and immerses the reader in the story. The back stories of the characters, though brief, are detailed and draws a lot of emotions from the reader about each person, creating a sense that you have always known these people and viewed the events that are being shown. The moments in their lives that are presented tell a lot about the type of people the characters are and the settings in which they are met also reveals traits of theirs.
There were a lot of psychological aspects to it which may resonate with some readers. The way that people hold on to certain memories or their appearance and let them define who they are as an individual can break you. The question of good and bad, light and dark is suggested at times, and the behaviour of some characters is absolutely sickening when you know that they are aware of what they are doing, they are aware of the consequences, and yet they do it anyway. It paints the world out to be scary, dark and untrustworthy.
It is bloody and gory, but what else would you expect from a story about revenge? Except the central story arch isn't entirely about revenge...but you'll have to read it to find out what that means. It is cleverly written with a surprise at the end that will make you want to read the sequels. It was an odd story to start with. The events of the plot were easy to follow and understand and it was interesting, but perhaps not enough to warrant a sequel. Then you get to the final chapter and it's a game changer! If you weren't convinced about the book before this point, you will be by the end. I had a few ideas while reading as to where I expected it to go, but I was pleasantly surprised by the ending.
It's a tragic story about loss, betrayal and revenge. It's dark and heart breaking, so I wouldn't suggest reading this if you were in a bad place yourself at the moment. Leave it for a brighter day. At only 34 pages long, it's a quick but entertaining read with a lot of potential for the sequels. It's full of magic and the balancing out of good and evil.