Pretty Things

Interesting premise with a fantastic start. Seeing the world through Nina's eyes, even with the trips to the past that slowed the pace was fascinating. Watching a group of cons interact and switch between what was supposed to be a con and what was actually real kept me reading. Where things started to fall apart for me was the introduction of the 2 narrator. Vapid, 2-dimensional, snotty, self-involved with nothing that differentiated her from a half dozen other antagonists in a half dozen other novels. There were a couple of twists that I didn't quite see coming, so I powered through the parts where I wanted to slap a piece of duct tape over Vanessa's mouth (including the long section where Nina was MIA). I actually kind of wish Lachlan had been the second narrator. It would have been an interesting juxtaposition to Nina. Anyway, I had hopes for a powerful final act. Unfortunately, all I got was disappointment. It ended on a whimper that was 1 step removed of sunshine and rainbows.