REVIEW: Inanimate Objects by Kendra L. Saunders (@kendrybird)

Inanimate Objects is a dark and glittering novel of artists and magicians, muses and immortals. At the heart of the story is Leonidas Bondi, a charismatic young artist who falls under the watchful gaze of Matilda August. Matilda has been a patron to the stars for hundreds of years, but this fickle muse is more than a little taken with her new protégé, blurring her own lines of work and obsession. Providing opposition is Matilda’s son, Elisha, a moody figure who holds revenge above all else after he suffers a terrible wrong.

Inanimate Objects is quite possibly the most unique story line I have ever read.  Everyone and everything is filled with mystery and enchantment.  However, it’s all on a much different level than anything I have come across. 

Our main characters (for the most part) are Leonidas Bondi (an exceptional artist fueling his art with angst and pain that he keeps bottled up inside), Matilda August (a several-hundred-year-old muse who is quite taken with Leo) and Elisha August (Matilda’s grief stricken son).  Leo is prone to somewhat over-the-top displays for nothing more than artistic shock factor and who sometimes dances dangerously close to that border line between eccentric and self destructive behavior.  Matilda nurtures every part of his lifestyle.  Elisha abhors it. 

I happen to like Elisha the best out of all of the characters.  One of the things that I love about this book is the lavish, extravagant, magical atmosphere surrounded by glitter and fairy tales.  Everything is done on such an unbelievably grand scale.  There are a few scenes in particular that take place at events held within the magical community and all I could picture in my head was an ornately decorated masquerade ball.  It’s like ‘Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous’ if all the featured guests were immortal and a touch off in the head.  Even with being submerged in this lifestyle, not only is Elisha not swayed by it but he’d be happy if he was never exposed to it again.  He is on a mission and nothing will deter him from reaching his goal.  I find it quite admirable. 

 (masquerade ball scene from Phantom of the Opera)

The only thing that I had trouble with in this book is the beginning was written in such a way that I was completely lost on what was going on.  It’s like the storyline was already started and you’re brought in halfway through the first act.  I started the book not knowing really who was who and what was what and had to do a little catch-up to get my bearings.  On top of the “drop you in the middle of the story line” style, the beginning is a little too all over the place for that style to read well.  You’ll have a section of storyline and then an “interlude” of a newspaper clipping.  More storyline and then an “interlude” of a diary entry.  With that being said, once you adjust to the flow of this book, it does move at a very fast pace.  I was almost sad to see it come to an end. 

Overall, I am going to give Inanimate Objects 4 stars.  I was going to do 3.5 stars because of the difficulty I had getting into the story line at first.  However, I feel that the face that this book is a one-of-a-kind, it 100% redeems itself for the slow start.  Definitely worth the read!  It’s not a book like anything you’ve ever read before, I assure you of that!