“INCARNATE,” by Jodi Meadows, Katherine Tegen Books, Jan. 31, 2012, $17.99 (ages 13 and up)
A million souls have been reincarnated for thousands of years. Each soul brings their memories and experiences from their previous lives. No one knows why it happens, but it does, year after year.
But then Ana is born. Ana who is new. Ana the newsoul or the nosoul as her mother calls her.
When Ana comes into existence, another soul vanishes. It’s the first time it’s ever happened, and people are afraid who might be next.
Ana’s mother is ashamed of her child and what she may bring with her. Her only solution: to keep Ana away from society and teach her nothing of value.
As “Incarnate” opens, Ana is leaving her mother’s home in search of her future and her past. Ana has so many questions — how did she get here, will she be reincarnated. To find the answers, Ana heads to the city of Heart, but the people there are cautious. Could this newsoul be the reason dragons and sylph are attacking the city with such vigor?
Ana would feel very alone if not for Sam, who believes that not only is Ana worthwhile, but someone worth fighting for. Standing up for Ana is noble, but it also puts Sam in great danger, and Ana isn’t sure she can live with that, even if she only lives one lifetime.
In “Incarnate” Jodi Meadows has created a world where dragons and living walls exist. It’s as warm and inviting as it is cold and calculating. Jodi’s world is heavy with the weight of history, yet we, as readers, get to discover it anew through Ana’s eyes.
Ideas of reincarnation have been around since before the pharaohs of ancient Egypt and yet Jodi is able to breathe new life into it. Her book feels fresh and is compelling throughout.
“Incarnate” is a quick read. Jodi’s prose is polished and approachable. Though there was a sequence toward the end that seemed both rambling and rushed at the same time. Looking back, I find myself thinking I need to reread the section to fully understand it. But despite that off moment, “Incarnate” remained an absorbing read.
