The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead [Review]

If the Vampire Academy series can be likened to a television drama, than the Bloodlines series is a sitcom. It is light on the plot (although The Golden Lily actually contains one) and heavy on the relationship. It's sort of like the collateral damage version of Where Are They Now? This series is not to be taken seriously. Or, more accurately, I personally can't take it seriously.

Sure, I gave it four stars, one for the plot showing up and one because I thoroughly enjoy Richelle Mead's writing (her books really are page-turners, even if the content happens to be drivel) and two for a blossoming relationship. Spoiler not spoiler, it's Sydney and Adrian's, though mainly the way Adrian tries to be closer to Sydney in little, cute ways. Consider my heart broken on his behalf.

The Golden Lily is choppy at times and the events/devices are pretty episodic, just like a sitcom. This makes for easy reading, but it's not exactly riveting. Until it gets to the scenes between Adrian and Sydney. Then it picks you up and slams you into a wall of emotion. The utter brilliance here is that we get to see the real Adrian Ivashkov and all the reasons he and Rose would never work become glaringly obvious.

He is truly vulnerable and in need of a purpose. Most people write him off, even the ones who consider themselves his friends. They pussyfoot around him and cater to his every whim. They take his snark comments and sarcasm at face value and never bother to scratch beneath the surface. They don't know who he truly is, but Sydney does. That dynamic is breathtaking.

She makes him a better person and he makes her more human, because let's be honest, Sydney can be a drone at times. He softens her and she encourages him. They compliment each other brilliantly, but the snag here is he is a vampire and she is a human. Not just any human either, but an Alchemist who would probably never see the light of day again if her people found out about her close relationship with a, gasp, denizen of evil.

I love their relationship. I do, but therein lies the problem. This whole series exists as a crazy device to bring these two unlikely friends together, because when/how else would they ever come into contact with one another. This is easy enough to piece together when you clock how many pages Jill (who is supposed to be in danger) accumulates through The Golden Lily.

Hint: It's not a lot.

In fact, the whole cast of old VA characters and new Bloodlines characters become background noise as the focus of The Golden Lily switches to Adrian/Sydney. You forget why the pair are even in Palm Springs in the first place.

To be fair, it's not all Adrian/Sydney. There are two new annoying additions trying to wrestle the spotlight from the pair. I'm referring to Angeline (why oh why is she assigned to help Jill when she has NO FORMAL TRAINING) and Brayden (the male version of Sydney except with added "boring" and "dull" thrown in). Neither add to the wealth of the world, except maybe Angeline who represents Mead screwing logic over again. It hurts to think about all the times logic is brutally slaughtered across the two books, so I'll move swiftly on.

The Golden Lily is a solid read. Not Mead's best work, but definitely better than Bloodlines and, hopefully, a turning point for the series. There is an interesting plot threading through the pages, not a collection of fractured ends and devices. There are strong sidelines in the form of blossoming relationships and character  development. There is an obscene amount of Sydney/Adrian face time, at the cost of other characters, but you'll forgive Mead as you are swept up in their scenes.

In simple terms, it's an easy read. It might emulate a sitcom, but that doesn't steal from its value. If anything, it's relaxed nature makes it the perfect companion to VA.

4/5 stars