Avete presente le mie geremiadi sui romance tutti uguali, con personaggi stereotipati e situazioni assurde? Ebbene pensavo di esserci cascata un’altra volta – e già avevo la lamentela pronta per il tweet di The Lesbian Review che mi aveva fatto notare Requiem for immortals – quando Lee Winter mi ha letteralmente preso a calci in culo.

A mia discolpa dirò che all’inizio c’è una scena assurda che mi ha fatto davvero pensare di star leggendo una stupidata. Insomma, un’assassina professionista super-qualificata ha appena ammazzato un tizio, va in un vicoletto oscuro a recuperare la sua moto per darsela a gambe, viene attaccata da una collega e che fa? Ci amoreggia. Ci amoreggia? Sul serio!?

Voi capite come mi fosse già partito l’acido: mi era quasi venuta voglia di mandarlo a spendere. Invece, ho tenuto duro, e meno male! Requiem for immortals è proprio un bel romanzo (non so cosa gli sia preso a Winter per farlo iniziare così, ma va be’), che a metà mi ha riservato un’altra sorpresa (della quale non vi parlo, altrimenti che sorpresa sarebbe?).

Quello che rende questo romanzo così particolare è Requiem, la protagonista (tranquill*, è un nome “d’arte”, non sia chiama davvero così): come ho già detto, è un’assassina di professione, la migliore del suo campo, e, come copertura e lavoro “ufficiale”, è una violoncellista. C’è quindi molta (bella) musica in questo romanzo e un’atmosfera di oscura grandezza segue Requiem dovunque vada.

Questo perché essa stessa si considera una sorta di Mietitrice onnipotente, che quasi non si ritiene parte della specie umana: quest’aura di tracotante superiorità, però, non la rende antipatica perché il suo comportamento è da contestualizzare in una vita molto particolare che, per sopravvivere, l’ha portata ad avere un certo atteggiamento.

Tutto ciò si ripercuote sulla storia d’amore che nasce nel corso di uno dei suoi incarichi: Requiem, infatti, non si converte a cuori e fiori solo perché ha visto un bel faccino, ma rimane una donna dura e con l’empatia sotto la suola delle scarpe, incapace di ammettere che un’altra persona è riuscita a toccarla in quelle profondità dove pensava ci fosse solo buio. E questo è meraviglioso: ho davvero adorato questo personaggio… benedetti i tweet di The Lesbian Review! ( )

I tried to like this one but just couldn’t.... I enjoyed Alison’s character and I wish she had more limelight over all.... I’m frustrated that her pov was only used as flashback to prop up the facts.

The whole Requiem/Natalya thing made me think it was a multiple personality disorder or something and not just a persona thing.... in that trying to make Requiem be such a cold heartless badass I mostly just found her unlikable. I found myself wanting to stuff a gag in her mouth. I think it was just trying way too hard. The character was there and just waiting to shine through.... which she finally did in random moments and it’s the main reason I stuck through this one. ( )

Requiem for Immortals is the type of story that stays with you long after you‘ve finished reading it. To say Natalya is flawed is an understatement. As a world renowned cellist, Natalya is cold, witty, rigid, and doesn’t like talking about emotions. Hidden under her skin is the sociopath, stone-cold assassin, Requiem. With her arrogance (and a manipulative stepmother) Natalya/Requiem established a world with walls made of power and rules that should never be challenged. However, all it takes is one little mouse named Alison Ryan to nibble away at Natalya’s world. Natalya and Alison have some serious chemistry; but honestly, Natalya’s level of mystique created a charged reaction with all the characters (not to mention how her "clean it up" remark gave a serious jolt to my....never mind).

Lee’s development of the setting, plot, and tone allowed me to escape to a world where #saverequiem and #karmickillerforthewin are not only possible but also needed. There are some bad people in the word. I'm not saying they need to "sleep with the fishes" (or pigs), but they need to be exposed just the same. In addition, I appreciate that the story shifts between Natalya and Alison’s POV. The shifts make the mystery/thriller/romantic elements of the story much more authentic. The story itself is a page-turner due to the build-up of the surprised twist near the story’s middle and another twist 70% into the story. Overall, another great story by Lee. ( )

If it weren’t for the redemption arc — WHY won’t they let baddies just stay baddies?! ( )

I'm sitting here listening to Tchaikovsky, sipping my green tea and trying to review this incredible book. Lee Winter, you've done it again. You have swept me away again into a story with unforgettable characters and twists.

It's one of the many Lee Winter books I've already read, and seriously? It won't be my last. Her way of giving depth to imperfect characters who rise above is genuinely incredible. Even more exciting is that her stories are all entirely different. It's as if she reinvents herself every time.

But back to "Requiem for Immortals". The author immediately introduced me to the plot at the beginning of the book. It starts right away. At first, I was like, "Okay. Wow, what's happening?!" but it wouldn't be Lee Winter if it didn't totally make sense by the end. I don't want to go into too much detail about the plot because I'm afraid I'd give too much away.

This review reads like a tribute to Lee Winter. And that's a good thing. Because when an author keeps pulling me along with so many stories, she deserves it. Thank you - now I've fallen in love with an assassin too.

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