Review: The Vision, Jen Nadol

Cassie Renfield knows the mark tells her when someone is going to die and that she can intervene and attempt to change fate. But she still doesn't understand the consequences, especially whether saving one life dooms another. With no family left to offer guidance, Cassie goes in search of others like her. But when she meets Demetria, a troubled girl who seems to have the power of the Fates, Cassie finds the truth isn't at all what she expected. And then there's her heady new romance with bad boy Zander. Dating him has much graver repercussions than she could ever have imagined, forcing Cassie to make choices that cut to the essence of who she is and what she believes.

I reviewed the first book in this series, The Mark, a little while ago, and while I wasn't overly impressed, the potential of a great story was enough to keep me going. I'm glad I did. The writing in The Vision flows much better, and the story feels complete. Not at all the rough draft feeling I had with The Mark. I still don't agree with all of Cassie's decisions, but it is an honest attempt on Nadol's part to answer an impossible question: If you know someone will die soon and there is nothing you can do to stop it, do you tell them, even if doing so may condemn another?

There were very few characters in The Vision, which is fine, given the short length. I would have liked to see a few of them developed a bit more, but all of the characters that were central to the story felt very real.

Rating 4/5 stars
YA notes: Strong language