Book Review: Redeemed A House of Night Novel

By Ameerah Holliday

P.C and Kristen Cast, the number one New York Times and worldwide Bestselling mother daughter duo we have all come to know and love, have teamed up for what may be the last time to write the exciting finale for The House of Night Series, Redeemed . As a dedicated fan of the series who has been reading it since the first book in the series Marked slid across my high school desk, I can honestly say this series has come to an exciting close containing everything from a teenage love story and an epic battle, to of course, a little magic, Redeemed did not disappoint.

The novel begins with our heroine Zoey Redbird, a gifted teenage vampyre in prison after confessing to the murder of two men found dead in the park. This pivotal moment develops the theme of the novel as Zoey is reprimanded by Grandma Redbird, who has served as more than just Zoey’s grandmother in the series, but as a spiritual guide in their Cherokee culture. In learning that “pushing away those who love you and have your best interest at heart would be the action of a child,” Zoey realizes that she must grow up and find herself if she is ever to defeat Darkness, a force of purely evil energy being controlled by former High Priestess of Nyx Neferet. As Zoey, her “Herd of Nerds” and their allies realize that they are alone, they join forces to gain control over their elemental affinities, Old Magick and emotions, in their final battle against Neferet and Darkness.

This novel is filled with mass murders and the death of a few heroes, but none of this overshadows the happy ending we get at the end of the novel. Neferet continues to become even more insane in this novel with her claiming that “I am a Goddess, an immortal, gifted with the ability to command Darkness” and is now holding a hotel and its guests hostage as she forces them to worship her. Meanwhile, Zoey struggles to gain control over Old Magick as she must learn to clear her intentions in its use to destroy Neferet or end up just like her. The novel follows the perspectives of Zoey, Neferet, Kalona and a few new characters as they attempt to develop their plans of action and discover themselves as well.

There was one constant thing among us all: love. Always love.

The story is beautifully written, with the classic P.C and Kristen modern day references to pop culture we have come to love. As the story plays out we are able to see many of the main characters transform from teenagers to adults, ultimately completing their final Change into vampyres. As the final circle of the series is cast we, as well as the characters, are reminded of their first attempts at casting a circle as they recited the same lines one final time. The characters have a moment of realization and remembrances with the reader: that things have not ended, but come full circle. As the series concludes, each of the characters is given an ending that leaves the audience satisfied in knowing that although the books are over, the characters have not disappeared.

Throughout the series we have experienced death and creation, first love and spiritual discovery, and as we watched the characters change and grow, we grew with them and I know for me and my friends the Tulsa House of Night became a sanctuary, a home. As I finished the novel and realized the seven year journey I had taken with Zoey, Stevie Rae, Erin, Shaunee, Damien, Nyx: The Goddess or Night and the entire House of Night gang had beautifully come to a close, I was left with the novel’s one reminder that “there was one constant thing among us all: love. Always love.”