Prism by Nina Walker Review

Goodreads Summary: What if color held the secrets to powerful magic?

Forced to move into the palace, Jessa begins training as a Color Alchemist under the direction of the kingdom’s most eligible bachelor, Prince Lucas. As an alchemist, Jessa must capture and harness the color of living things. Every color has a unique purpose, except red. Red is the untapped magic no one can access—until Jessa.

Prince Lucas is running out of time. His mother is deathly ill and healing magic hasn’t worked. When Lucas suspects someone is using alchemy to control her, he sets out to discover the truth, no matter the cost.

PRISM is the first installment of a unique young adult romantic fantasy series where a dystopian world with a Victorian flair meets the dynamic magic of color!

*I received a copy of this book in return for an honest review!*

My Thoughts: I loved this book. I am surprised by how much I loved this book.  When I first read the summary, I was interested, but I had no idea what was actually in store.  I am enamored with the concept of color alchemy and the world of Prism.  Walker did a fantastic job of explaining the power and how it works, as well as showing us the futuristic world of New Colony.  I ate up every tidbit of information, that was well dispersed throughout the book, giving us just the right amount to keep us knowledgeable, yet guessing at what was to come.  I loved her reasoning for how this dystopia came to be, and I can’t wait to find out more about the world outside of New Colony.  The main character, Jessa, was so refreshing in a YA dystopian-fantasy.  She wasn’t whiny, had a healthy self-esteem, and a passion for ballet and family.  It was also nice to see a dystopian society from a middle-class perspective, as dystopian heroes tend to be from the lowest class, and we don’t often get to see that side of the world.  The perspective switches between Jessa and Prince Lucas were very effective.  Lucas was a likable narrator, and I really enjoyed his story line and the way it weaved with Jessa’s.  I appreciated the build in their relationship, and though there was a strong immediate attraction, it didn’t feel like insta-love.  There were a bunch of dynamic supporting characters, and all of them were integral to the action.  No one felt unnecessary.  The plot was thoroughly engaging, and it was very easy to read.  Despite a few overly-used, repetitive phrases, I really liked Walker’s writing, and recognized the distinct voices of each narrator while still remaining a cohesive style.  The plot twists were great, and for the first time in a while, I actually didn’t see some of them coming.  I am so happy that I was given the chance to read this fantastic story, and my hopes are high for the next book!