DNF Review: Fever by Dee Shulman

Title: Fever 

Author: Dee Shulman
Series: Fever, #1
Pages: 400
Publisher: Puffin
Date of Publication: 5th April 2012
Source: Publisher*
Synopsis from Goodreads: A fearless Roman gladiator. A reckless 21st century girl. A mysterious virus unites them . . .


152 AD. Sethos Leontis, a skilled and mesmerising fighter, is unexpectedly wounded and lies dangerously close to death.

2012 AD. Eva is brilliant - but troubled. Starting her new life at a school for the gifted, a single moment in the lab has terrifying results.

An extraordinary link brings Sethos and Eva together, but it could force them apart - because the fever that grips them cannot be cured and falling in love could be lethal . . . Can love survive when worlds collide and threaten time itself?

My Thoughts:
First and foremost I'll start by saying I have not finished this book. I've read to page 150, and I'm sorry but I just can't read anymore - there are too many things that I found too unrealistic or annoying about the book. I'm going to attempt to explain myself, so there WILL be spoilers, so don't read this if you're planning to read it soon and don't wish to be spoiled! Also, I'm sorry if it's harsh - I don't think it is but I don't know how to explain myself in any other way, and I promise I don't mean to  be!

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What I didn't like (I've narrowed it down to the three main points - not the nit-picking subtle ones, in an effort not to sound too mean):

Instalove:
Gahh, there is SO much instalove in this book! With Seth especially. When Seth meets Livia, he's instantly completely besotted with her. He can't stop thinking about her and it nearly kills him, LITERALLY. He's a gladiator, fighting for his life in the arena and all he can think about is some girl he met for five minutes, just a few minutes before. And yeah, Livia is also completely in love with Seth despite already being engaged to another man.

There's also the instalove between Omar and Eva, back in 2012 at St. Magdelene's. I couldn't help but feel like it's another case of the unattainable guy (this time because he's already got a girlfriend) falling for the new girl just because she's a little bit different to everyone else. He kisses her, and Eva was completely blind to it, but I saw it coming from a mile off.

Which brings me to my next point...

Predictability:
This book is so easy to predict, and I'm BAD at predicting plot lines. I saw almost every major plot twist before it happened, and it disappointed me that it didn't go off in some wacky and interesting direction - that I was right and that rather basic plot twist that I thought up very quickly was what actually happened...

Unlikeable characters:
I don't know what it was about them, but I just really didn't like most (but not all) of the characters. Seth was too caught up in his undying love for Livia, and I just wanted to slap some sense into him. He was after a girl who was completely out of his reach, (that much was made clear at the beginning) yet he still lusted after her and in the end they got together, even though that was completely forbidden between slaves/gladiators and the higher class Romans. Livia fell for Seth like a rock through water - she didn't even know him. (I won't say anymore or I'll repeat the instalove paragraph again). Then Livia's mum, Flavia, was just gross in her, um, fascination with Seth... :S

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There were things/people I liked, like Eva and Matthias, and the whole concept of the book was interesting and I really wanted to like it, but the bad far outweighed the good and I just don't have time to read a book I'm not enjoying when I have so much else to read. However, I seem to be in the minority of people who don't like this - every other review of this I have read was 3 stars or above, so please don't just take my word for it! If it sounds like something you'd enjoy, give it a go, and let me know what you think! I'm interested to know :)

Other reviews: 
The Overflowing Library
Fragments of Life
Best Books
Feeling Fictional