Review: Discord's Apple by Carrie Vaughn

Discord's Apple
by Carrie Vaughn
Release Date: July 6, 2010
2010 Tom Doherty Associates Book
ISBN: 978-0-7653-2554-9
Hardcover Edition; 299 Pages
Genre: Fiction (Dystopian, Fantasy)
Source: Local Library

4 / 5 Stars

Summary
When Evie Walker goes home to spend time with her dying father, she discovers that his creaky old house in Hope's Fort, Colorado, is not the only legacy she will inherit.  Hidden behind the basement door is a secret and magical storeroom, a place where wondrous treasures from myth and legend are kept safe until they are needed again.

Of course, this legacy is not without its costs: There are those who will give anything to find a way in.

With the help of her father, a mysterious stranger named Alex, and some unexpected heroes, Evie must guard the storeroom against ancient and malicious forces, and protect both the past and the future even as the present unravels.  Old heroes and notorious villains alike rise to fight on her side or to do their best to bring about her defeat.

At stake is the fate of the world and the prevention of nothing less than the apocalypse.

My Thoughts
Although I'd read the synopsis to the novel, I really wasn't sure to expect, being familiar with the Kitty Norville series.  I think I fully expected some werewolves, vampires, and other supernatural beings to jump out of nowhere and show up in the story and that would have been rather disappointing.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a good urban fantasy novel as much as anybody, but I was really looking for something different, and different I got.  I was pleasantly surprised by Discord's Apple and thoroughly enoyed this novel from beginning to end.

First of all, I am a huge fan of mythology and loved the mythological threads that wound throughout the novel in very intricate ways.  The mythological characters that were brought to the present were a delight to read about, even though many were villainous, and I enjoyed learning how they fit into the story.  Alex, one of the main characters, has an interesting, and lonely, background, and I love how his story was woven around Evie's modern day story.  I went back and revisited some of my mythology books just to refresh myself with the stories.  I just wish that I felt more connected to these characters as there were many times when I felt like I was observing the events rather than being there, and this disconnectedness was disconcerting.  The waves of connecting went back and forth and I felt like I was in a tennis match at times, something I didn't always enjoy.

Evie is a strong, female heroine, who lost her mother in a terrorist attack several years before.  Her mother's death provided her with incentive to write and fuels her with thoughts of revenge.  She is also compassionate and courageous, reluctant to take on the legacy that is being gifted to her with her father's illness.  It's an interesting dilemna that is presented throughout the novel, a question that is presented as what happens when one does not want to inherit the legacy?  Can you refuse or are you destined no matter what?

The plot itself moved fairly quickly, with interesting developments, often switching from the past to the present.  Going back and forth has never bothered me, so I rather enjoyed learning about some of the characters past history.  Ms. Vaughn has an intriguing writing style, that kind of hooks you without you realizing what is happening.  With a bit of dystopian thrown in for good measure, the blend of everything makes for an intriguing plot line.

Verdict
I enjoyed Discord's Apple, and the ending gives me hope that a sequel may be in the works as there were many threads left undeveloped or unfinished.