Morpho Wilson thought her life was difficult enough. Her father is Pazuzu, the Mesopotamian demon of plague and the Southwest wind. As a teenager Morpho struggles against her father, while trying to adjust to high school in a new neighborhood. The family is constantly moving in an attempt to elude Pazuzu’s murderous ex-wife, a demoness known for killing children.
Then something unique happens. A socially-impaired classmate becomes so intrigued by Morpho that he pursues her, despite the mystery surrounding her family and the danger that accompanies it.
But before their romance can grow, the demoness tracks Morpho down, and now only needs an ancient artifact called the Tablet of Destiny to complete the destruction of the world. The tablet confers on its owner the ability to control the fate of everything and everyone on earth.
Once the tablet is discovered in the Middle East, the oldest and most powerful gods begin a battle for its possession, with the human population caught in the middle. Morpho, her family, and her new friend must decide, do they escape from the horrifying demoness or fight for their own destiny. How far will Pazuzu go to save his daughter from a hellish fate? Will his banishment from Heaven so many millennia ago end up being a curse...or a blessing?
Review:
I will not label this book YA (young adult) fantasy, because of the amount of adult content it contains (drugs, mature language, etc...), but that doesn't mean that teens (17 and up) won't enjoy the fast-paced and well-researched story-line of Pazuzu's Girl. I found the book to be entertainingly original, with a well-developed plot-line and believable characters. I liked the contrasts between Pazuzu and Lugal (the Gods), and the more humanly "flawed" individuals throughout the text; they added a needed layer of background/depth to the story. I connected with the characters on some levels, but I wish I could have empathized more; the scenarios ranged from shockingly serious to ludicrously laughable, however, I felt that there was something missing - the character-to-reader connection so many readers crave. I didn't react the way I thought I would towards the ending for that reason, (no spoilers). I still enjoyed the characters, especially Lugal, Morpho, and Pazuzu, but there was something lacking in their emotional presentation. Another aspect that irked me was the "romance" between Morpho and JD, it was rushed, unrealistic, boring, and unnecessary. What made me overlook most of this was the witty dialogue and the beautifully crafted story-line centering on Mesopotamian mythology in the 21st century. I loved seeing familiar names from my world mythology class woven throughout the book! Overall, I enjoyed Pazuzu's Girl and the punch of personality it brought to the mythology/fantasy genre! I look forward to future books by this author, (maybe a prequel?).
Rating: Bounty's Out (3.5/5)
*** I received this book from the author (LibraryThing Early Reviewers) in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
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