Opinion | The Covenant Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout

When you get hooked on a book series because O Meu Reino da Noite 's relentless preaching...

With this series, we meet Alex Andros’ world, where Hematoi (children from Greek gods with mortals) are at the top of the pyramid, while Alex is almost at the bottom for being a half-blood (children from a pure – Hematoi’s children - with a mortal). Alex and her mom run away from Deity Island, leaving behind Alex’s dream to become a Sentinel (a type of soldier that protects the community).

Alex is forced to come back to Deity Island, where the community is, but isn’t as easy as it seems when her uncle is the dean of the school and the coach, her crush.

There’s a reason why Alex’s mother left Deity Island, and Alex will discover it and face the consequences of their departure.

I believe that this series was premeditated as such because Half-Blood (technically the first book since Daimon was released after Half-Blood) served and an introductory book to Hematoi lifestyle and powers as well we get to know the characters and the environment.

Covenant Series

0.5. Daimon

1. Half-Blood

2. Pure

3. Deity

3.5. Elixir

4. Apollyon

5. Sentinel

This book is for a young adult public. The main character is 17 years old and, if we’re older, we have to read through the eyes and feelings of a person of that age. The same goes for children’s book, for example.

An YA’s author has the responsibility to influence young minds the right things but, at the same time, draw the attention of their hyperactive teen brain, to make them hooked, and Armentrout doesn’t just that beautifully and subtlety so. She mixes the need to influence the young minds to social and personal issues, that they’re not faced every day (and underestimated), to the need to make them pick up a book and continue reading it by putting in emotions and situations that they can relate easily.

We see a metaphorical depiction of racism and generalized ignorance towards the major social issues. What I found extraordinary, in this series, was the messages that come through: the character’s personal growth into adulthood. We see her facing loss, grief, anxiety, social distancing, struggling to stay true to her principles under pressure, acceptance and love. I know this may sound cheesy but… yeah, love. Having the ability to distinguish need from love.

“I don't want to know about love.'

'But you should, my child. You need to know about love. The things people will do for love. All truths come down to love, do they not? One way or another, they do. See, there is a difference between love and need. Sometimes, what you feel is immediate and without rhyme or reason.' She sat up a little straighter. 'Two people see each across a room or their skin brushes. Their souls recognize the person as their own. It doesn’t need time to figure it. The soul always knows... whether it’s right or wrong.”

The soul knows very well what it wants when it comes to love. We need to distinguish the happy moments from a happy life.

And many adults, too many to be honest, don’t know the difference because what we mistake for need or settling blinds us.

Do we need someone or is it love?

I LOVED all the Greek mythology! I has to go to Wikipedia several times to know more and I liked it more and more every time I did research, and got more excited when something related to it appeared while reading it.

The writing is very fluid and simple, to the point that we finished the chapter, book and series without realising it. I wanted more of Alex (and her sense of humour), and of Aiden, despite the frustration he made me feel. Characters well developed and, above all, real – real emotions and situations. Feeling actual pain when they felt. Armentrout made the most despicable character that ran into in literature – except the ones from King’s of course.

The character’s interactions develop so naturally and beautifully, that we become proud of them. But, until we reach it, we suffer and become frustrated.

The plot is relatively simple, but was given to Armentrout the gift from the Gods to make us suffer with the amount of cliff hangers and plot twists, turning our thoughts upside down.

There’s nothing more that I can say, except: read this series. Nuff said.

Photo kindly provided by Corina from O Meu Reino da Noite