It’s been a few weeks since I’ve finished Mystic City and I’m struggling to remember some of the details. That’s not exactly a good thing. It’s a definite sign when I love (sometimes the same things goes for when I just absolutely can’t stand it too) a book, I remember everything about it. When it’s good, but I had nitpicks, I do forget some of the smaller things from the story. It happens though. And I’m partially to blame because I have a system for the way I write and post my reviews--I don’t just write and post immediately after I finish a book. Moving on, then. Mystic City has this unique story that builds around what I felt was almost a Romeo and Juliet inspiration. There are a lot of clues that led me to this: rival families, forbidden romance, politics, running away, fighting, more forbidden romance. But you know what? It’s not bad. I cringed in the beginning when I started picking up this storyline and realizing what the inspiration felt like and the idea. I worried it was going to backfire and be an extreme miss. It wasn’t. I liked this idea of a post-apocalyptic/dystopian and almost magical type of Romeo and Juliet. My real interest though was in the world building, which was absolutely fantastic. I liked where Lawrence created this world, our world, and showed a future that didn’t seem too far from this day and age. It was realistic at times. Lawrence crafted a new world that had been devastated from our already growing climate crisis, and THIS was amazingly detailed.The characters didn’t always grab my attention. I wasn’t particularly fond of most of them at times, even the romantic aspects of the story, because I just didn’t feel the personality during the scenes when I wanted. The story starts off with a bang, and I’m serious, it’s with a bang. When you do read it, you’ll see my reference. I really enjoyed that it was an easy page-turner and held my attention. I was fascinated in the world created, the Mystics, and wish I could have learned a bit more about them. The ending was solid and action-packed. I’m not sure if this is going to be a series, but if it is, I’d be willing to pick up the second book and see where it goes.
