Teardrop by Lauren Kate

“Wisdom holds a candle to experience, but you’ve got to take the candle and walk alone.”

Never, ever cry. . . . Eureka Boudreaux’s mother drilled that rule into her daughter years ago. But now her mother is gone, and everywhere Eureka goes he is there: Ander, the tall, pale blond boy who seems to know things he shouldn’t, who tells Eureka she is in grave danger, who comes closer to making her cry than anyone has before.

But Ander doesn’t know Eureka’s darkest secret: ever since her mother drowned in a freak accident, Eureka wishes she were dead, too. She has little left that she cares about, just her oldest friend, Brooks, and a strange inheritance—a locket, a letter, a mysterious stone, and an ancient book no one understands.

The book contains a haunting tale about a girl who got her heart broken and cried an entire continent into the sea. Eureka is about to discover that the ancient tale is more than a story, that Ander might be telling the truth . . . and that her life has far darker undercurrents than she ever imagined.

From Lauren Kate comes an epic saga of heart-stopping romance, devastating secrets, and dark magic . . . a world where everything you love can be washed away.

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Personal Thoughts:

After the success of Fallen series, Lauren Kate is back with a new and exciting tale that focus on uncommon fiction mythology of the legendary city of Atlantis. This long-lost city is rarely used in YA fictions which makes Teardrop something refreshing for readers. Lauren Kate weaved a new story with the touch of an old legend tale that is both intriguing and mysterious on its own.

The story follows Eureka Boudreaux, as she lives her life after her mother killed by a tragic accident. She is grieving for her lost, but she cannot cry. Ever since her mother told her not to cry when Eureka was still young, Eureka never shed a single tear in her life. But that changed when she met Ander.

Ander is one of the Seedbearers whose ancestry can be trace back to the legendary Island of Atlantis. As one of the Seedbearers, he was tasked by his family to watch Eureka since he was young because they believe that Eureka is so powerful that she can end the world without even knowing it. Ander’s family doesn’t want to take a chance about Eureka’s power so they decided that the best way i to eliminate her. Ander is supposed to do the job but he fall in love with Eureka. Now he needs to make a choice — save the world or save the girl?

I think Lauren Kate initially intended to weave Ander’s character to be mysterious. And she almost did it if not for the Prologue which I think gives away too much information being told in Ander’s point of view. With that I suggest skipping the prologue and just get back to it after you read the whole story. In that way you will possibly keep in sync with Eureka’s views and opinions about Ander. Though I must say, the prologue is the most intense and catchy part of the novel. It can really sway readers to read more.

As for Eureka, well she is not an easy to like character but she certainly grew on me. At first I didn’t like how dense and passive she is, but at some point I realized that Eureka is still grieving. She lost her mother from a tragic accident, and being the one who survive the same accident Eureka is guilty in some way. Her life isn’t really easy, add her step-mother in the picture and the fact that she isn’t allowed to cry, I can’t really put all the blame on her. She just need a break and her attitude toward life and things around her somehow  become understandable. If there’s one thing that really stood out about Eureka is her love to her siblings. That even these kids are not her mother’s child she love them unconditionally.

“Love was a dance floor where everyone you loved left a mark behind.”

Having read the whole Fallen series of Lauren Kate before Teardrop, I can see how her writing improved. Her description of things and surrounding where detailed and easy to picture. I’m not familiar in Bayou Louisiana, after all I haven’t been there or in any part of United States, but reading Lauren Kate’s description is like seeing the small town of Bayou myself. The overall atmosphere of surrounding feels lay back to me which contrast Eureka’s tragic life.

Teardrop, being the first installment of the series as expected doesn’t reveal much of an intricate plot but with Lauren Kate writing style just like with her Fallen series, it is obvious that she is cooking something big for her characters. The bits of information she revealed in the end of this book were good start for a more action pack and highly appealing fantasy series. The Atlantis myth alone is intriguing enough to keep me reading. Add the Seedbearers, and the concept of a single emotion so powerful to build or break one world, Lauren Kate successfully offers something new to her followers.

Overall, Teardrop is a quick read that offers a unique fantasy plot by combining an old myth of a legendary Island of Atlantis with a new twist. Lauren Kate fans will surely enjoy this new offering from her.

*This review is based on a copy I received courtesy of the publisher, Random House UK in exchange of honest opinion.