Review - Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy 5) by Richelle Mead

Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

4 out of 5

Synopsis:
Salvation has its price.
The words stunned Adrian for a moment, but he kept going. "You're lying. What you're describing is impossible. There's no way to save a Strigoi. When they're gone, they're gone. They're dead. Undead. Forever."

Robert's next words weren't directed at Adrian. They were spoken to me. "That which is dead doesn't always stay dead...."

After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri’s birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir’s—and to her best friend, Lissa Dragomir. It's graduation, and the girls can’t wait for their real lives outside of the Academy’s cold iron gates to finally begin. But even with the intrigue and excitement of court life looming, Rose’s heart still aches for Dimitri. He's out there, somewhere.

She failed to kill him when she had the chance, and now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and she knows in her heart that he is hunting her. And if Rose won't join him, he won't rest until he's silenced her...forever.

But Rose can't forget what she learned on her journey—whispers of a magic too impossible and terrifying to comprehend. A magic inextricably tied to Lissa that could hold the answer to all of Rose's prayers, but not without devastating consequences. Now Rose will have to decide what—and who—matters most to her. In the end, is true love really worth the price?

My Review:

The Rose that we love has gone! We're left with a whinging girl who thinks that if she mouths off and pushes her weight around then she'll get answers. Bearing in mind that she is only eighteen and only the 'would-be' guardian for the last Dragomir descendent (nothings definite) I think she's got a little too big for her boots. Gone is the growing up phase where we hoped we would see a little more calm and rationality but I guess this is where love really hurts and affects us in different ways.

To begin with she persuades Lissa to help in getting Victor Dashkov out of prison. The very man who used Lissa in the first book for his own means and gains. Why would anyone who had been treated so unjustly agree to anything like this?
So, Adrian gets in on the action in Vegas too but really offers very little support or help in Rose's quest. A little bit disappointing.
And then Lissa and Christian begin their own little subterfuge for Rose's sake and one we know little of until they meet Dimitri finally and return him to his former self.
At this point I can only feel sorry for Rose (who is still acting irrational) as we, the reader, fear that Dimitri's affection is being transferred bizarrely to her best friend in a strange and unusual way. Dimitri emerges from his change a broken man but refuses to have anything to do with Rose. Again, thinking about his so called honour that he constantly talks about- wouldn't it be the honourable thing to openly speak to Rose and pointedly say that he's sorry instead of getting Lissa to pass on his messages?
At the end we see the former lovers finally arriving on a level ground when yet again disaster happens, but for this time its Rose.
It's a shame that this book couldn't have been wrapped up sooner. I did feel that 'filler' was the operative word in this book and more depth should have been emphasised on Dimitri and Rose's characters. They just feel a little bit shallow and not really deserving of the second chance they have both been given. Rose has no tolerance whatsoever and Dimitri has lost all value of life but instead of feeling sorry for them as a couple I just want to bang their heads together!
If you've been reading the series then you'll still love it (as I did!) but be prepared for annoyance!