When I first picked up my advance reader’s copy of Into the Dark: The Shadow Prince by Bree Despain, I was a bit wary. Most YA romances I’ve read have been filled to the brim with cliches and bland, forgettable characters, and I assumed that the first installment of the new Into the Dark series would be the same. I also assumed that the myth-based tale would be just like other stories based on Greek mythology.

When I first opened the book, my low expectations were met. The characters felt cliche, and the plot felt weak. After I decided to give it the most fleeting of chances,eventually I found it hard to put down; the adventure and mystery that unravelled in the pages of The Shadow Prince left me wanting more.

The book tells the tale of two teenagers who come from two vastly different worlds. The first chapter introduces Haden Lord, a half-human Underlord who resides in the Underrealm. He is the disgraced son of King Ren, the ruler of the Underrealm, and all his life he has been competing with his twin brother, Rowan, to prove himself and regain his honor.

Haden Lord is chosen by an Oracle to be that year’s Champion, tasked with bringing a girl down to the Underrealm with him. However, it’s not just any girl he’s meant to bring; Haden must bring a specific girl, called the Cypher, who apparently is essential to the interests of the Underlords. If he does that, then his honor will be restored.

The Cypher is a girl named Daphne Raines, a teenager living with her mother in a tiny town in southern Ohio. Her mother is small-town gardener who refuses to leave home, and absolutely will not allow Daphne out of town. Her father, Joe, is a rock star who lives in California and hasn’t talked to Daphne since she was ten. One day, her father appears, seemingly out of nowhere, and whisks her away to Olympus Hills in California, where Daphne will attend a prestigious high school and have a shot at her dreams to become a singer.

That was the point where I wanted to put the book down. Haden and Daphne both felt too angsty (I think Bree Despain went a little overboard on the angst and “tough life” plot lines, even though it was acceptable in quite a few areas), and their “big breaks” felt a little too…easy. What made Daphne’s father to go to court, get custody over Daphne, and take her away? What possessed the Oracle to choose Haden over his honored, more educated twin brother? I figured that this would be another book filled with “perfect” characters, and set it aside.

Luckily, I picked the book back up and forced my way through the next few chapters. They were filled with irrational thinking on the characters’ parts and more sickening perfection that made me want to shake my head, sit down and give it a scathing review before I was even done, but the story began to get a little more interesting the further along I got, and once the plot began to really pick up, I couldn’t put it down.

Haden had felt like another Edward Cullen, only with more dishonor and fewer sparkles and fangs. Girls fawned over him; boys didn’t like him; and one of the supporting characters tried to punch him in the face. Daphne didn’t feel like another Bella, but she came pretty close. Soon they shed their wannabe personalities and their own unique personalities began to shine through, and it was around that time that I decided that the book was worth reading.

Music is one of the major motifs of the story. Music is the reason why Daphne Raines, an aspiring singer, agrees to go to California with her dad in the first place. Music is something new and wonderful to Haden, since it is outlawed in the Underrealm, and helps to bring him and Daphne closer together. Daphne’s musical abilities also have some fantasy elements, but I won’t spoil them for you. Read the book.

I will admit that the musical aspect was what kept me going while reading. I have a real passion for music, and even though I don’t play instruments or sing for anyone, I appreciated experiencing those feelings through Daphne and, eventually, Haden. Anyone who loves music will like this book.

The final chapters are action-packed and kept me on the edge of my seat. There are some cryptic messages from an Oracle (not the same one who sent Haden on his quest), a fight scene that includes a hellcat, and a good dose of dread-filled foreshadowing. I have to say that I was disappointed that the book came to an end and that I have to wait for the next installment to come out; despite my earlier assumptions and what I’d seen in the first chapters, Into the Dark: The Shadow Prince ends on a good note.

Bree Despain’s writing style is flowery at first, but it’s also jam-packed with the character’s thoughts and feelings. Each chapter alternates between the points of view of Daphne and Haden, and as the point of view changes, so does the voice and the way the story is told. I could almost hear the characters’ individual voices telling the story as I read each page, and I appreciated how unique they both are. Though the angst bit did drag on throughout the entire story, which reminded me of other YA novels I’ve read in the past, I enjoy the tone and Bree Despain’s writing style. The flowery, almost purple prose style was dropped once the plot picked up the pace, and I was able to enjoy the book fully.

Despite the bumpy beginning, I recommend Into the Dark: The Shadow Prince by Bree Despain. Even though it starts out boring and painfully reminiscent of Twilight, only without vampires and with more money, the story develops and blooms into something unique and will leave you wanting more — especially for you music and mythology buffs.