“ALL YOU DESIRE,” by Kirsten Miller, Razorbill, Aug. 9, 2011, $17.99 (young adult)
Kirsten Miller, author of the critically acclaimed Kiki Strike book series was hoping last year to strike gold with a new series. The first book, “The Eternal Ones,” quickly made its way to the New York Times best-seller list, and her second book in the series, “All You Desire,” most likely will, too.
At the center of Kirsten’s stories is Haven Moore, who grew up the town outcast in Snope City, Tenn. It wasn’t exactly a role Haven sought out, but she can’t control the visions she’s been having since she was a young girl. Her visions are always of Ethan, a young man she’s desperately in love with.
Haven leaves Snope for New York and finds herself in the middle of a centuries-old love triangle. Haven and Ethan (now known as Iain) have been in love with each other since ancient Greece. It seems they’re destined to be together, and in each new life, they seek each other out.
But there’s someone else who loves Haven. Adam Rosier has been seeking her throughout each lifetime as well. His interest borders on obsession, often with frightening results.
Haven and Ian are able to escape Adam’s clutches after faking Iain’s death. They’ve moved to Rome, and Haven has opened up a boutique featuring clothing of her own design. All thoughts of reincarnation and the Ouroboros Society, which Adam leads, are put aside. The couple is blissfully happy.
But happiness is fleeting. When Haven’s best friend and brother from another life, Beau, disappears while visiting New York, the pair rush back to the States. Once in New York, the couple encounters the Horae, an underground group of women who have spent centuries scheming to destroy Adam. The Horae promise to help Haven find Beau, but she has to give them something in return.
The world still thinks Iain is dead, and he has to operate in the dark. But Haven, the Horae say, can do much, much more. They promise to help her uncover secrets from her past lives and help save Beau in the process. But Haven needs to do something for them, too — infiltrate the Ouroboros Society, charm Adam and lure him into a trap.
It’s a dangerous plan and one that Ian’s not sure is wise. Haven, however, can see no other way to save her friend and decides to join forces with the Horae. It’s a choice with far-reaching implications, and it may just destroy the happiness Haven craves.
As with her prior book, Kirsten’s discussion of reincarnation is original and compelling. She continues to balance the fantastical with realistic elements, though the fantastical takes on a stronger presence by pure plot design.
In many ways, Haven continues to be naïve. She is often unsure of others’ motives and is trusting in nature. While some readers might find this frustrating, it plays well to her character and the overall story arch. It’s to be expected that Iain is more wary of the world. He remembers his previous lives, whereas Haven only has patchwork glimpses. She is trying to follow her heart, and makes mistakes along the way. Her character choices make for a more complex and interesting narrative.
“All You Desire” is a strong follow-up. At times it seems a little slow and overall takes a little longer to read than its predecessor, but it’s not enough of a deterrence for fans. And after a bit of a cliffhanger ending, it will be interesting to see where Kirsten takes haven’s story next.
