Title: Compulsion
Series: The Heirs of Watson Island #1
Series: The Heirs of Watson Island #1
Publisher: Simon Pulse, an imprint of Simon and Schuster
Genre: Young Adult Fiction - Southern Gothic, Fantasy – Paranormal
Release Date: October 28, 2014
Source: Personal copy, opinions are honest and my own. – review policy here.
Stuck with the ghosts of a generations-old feud and hunted by forces she cannot see, Barrie must find a way to break free of the family legacy. With the help of sun-kissed Eight Beaufort, who knows what Barrie wants before she knows herself, the last Watson heir starts to unravel her family's twisted secrets. What she finds is dangerous: a love she never expected, a river that turns to fire at midnight, a gorgeous cousin who isn't what she seems, and very real enemies who want both Eight and Barrie dead. - via Goodreads
A Southern Showcase...
Martina Boone's world building of South Carolina and Southern culture is awesome and so nostalgic. I immediately felt right at home with the small town gossips, Southern royalty and random teen get togethers. The plot plays into these stereotypes to strengthen it's case of family feuds that have spanned generations. What we end up with is an awesome contemporary Southern gothic tale that sets itself up nicely for a series that spooks the sleep out of me.
There's a girl, a boy and a mean girl
Barrie, is our protagonist who has lost both her father and mother who is new to Watson Island after discovering family she never knew she had. Upon arriving she is met by her Aunt Pru and handsome neighbor boy, Eight Beaufort. She quickly learns of the Watson Island feud between her family, the Beauforts and Colesworths. Barrie's naivete is balanced with her determination and increasing discovery of her compulsion.
Eight and Barrie immediately become friends as he escorts her around town to meet people, find out more about her mother and father, and find her Colesworth cousins. Their relationship is gradual in nature but you see it coming a mile away. Eight is smart, believably charming and comes with his own mysteries. I can't wait to see how their relationship develops as secrets are revealed, more information on the curse is discovered and their compulsions take hold.
This plot is wicked, wicked cool
Boone leads us into a local legend, one that I can't spoil for you, but it's really cool. We get the beginning of this hybrid culture curse that leads to relief and pain for Barrie. Some aspects are explained and revealed while many kinks are closely guarded as sure to become arcs for the next two books. If you enjoy history, legends, or folklore this will inspire some major Googling during your reading.
The two minor things I didn't care for...
Barrie, her name is Barrie. Ew. I had to mentally transpose her name to Bear, Eight's nickname for her to get through it.
In the beginning Mark, Barrie's "uncle", comes off as a gay, cross dresser and then later it's revealed he's transgendered. Which then if he's transgendered, male/female, and is attracted to men then he's not gay and would use feminine pronouns (or state his preference). Barrie always refers to Mark as a male. This is purely the social justice in me but all of those things are different. So it becomes kind of muddled and it's a bit confusing.
What I'm looking for in book two...
A lot more information!!! We've just scraped the surface regarding the shenanigans of Watson Island. I want to know all the things.
Cannot wait! The second book Persuasion releases October 2015.
4 Stars – Oh honey, bless your heart because this is creepily awesome.
Reading this one right now and loving it so far! xx,Liza
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