BOOK REVIEW: The Medium by C.J. Archer

Seventeen year-old spirit medium Emily Chambers has a problem. Actually, she has several. As if seeing dead people isn't a big enough social disadvantage, she also has to contend with an escaped demon and a handsome ghost with a secret past. And then there's the question of her parentage. Being born an entire year after her father's death (yes, a year) and without the pale skin of other respectable English ladies, Emily is as much a mystery as the dead boy assigned to her.

Jacob Beaufort's spirit has been unable to crossover since his death. It might have something to do with the fact he was murdered. Or it might not. All he knows is, he has been assigned by the Otherworld's administrators to a girl named Emily. A girl who can see and touch him. A girl who released a shape-shifting demon into the mortal realm. Together they must send the demon back before it wreaks havoc on London. It should be a simple assignment, but they soon learn there's nothing simple when a live girl and a dead boy fall in love.

Set in not current day England (think like horse and buggy times) Emily is an honest to goodness Spirit Medium, unlike the hacks, fakes, and wannabes that are popping up on the scene as the idea of contacting spirits and holding seances are like parlor games for society ladies.  Emily and her sister Cecilia make a decent living on these parlor tricks.  Until they hold a seance here the ghost won't leave when he's supposed to.  And Celia accidentally lets a demon loose on London.  In swoops Jacob.  The rest is interesting, frustrating and a bit of a let down.

I liked that, for the most part the characters are thought out and developed.  The story didn't drag but it didn't go anywhere either.  Jacob is a pain and pouty but at times also pulls some hilarious antics and tricks as only a ghost can. His 'romance' if you can call it that with Emily is trite and overblown.  They are in love within just a few days, but he can't have her he's a ghost you know.  But heaven forbid someone else show interest in her and blam he's all moody jealous that she might actually have a normal healthy relationship with a living breathing human, you know as opposed to a ghost. Celia is a mix between wanting her sister to find a man and marry when she should be encouraging her to grow up.  Good gravy but Emily does not act her age, she acts like a petulant 12 year old child.  In a day and age when most girls grew up and married young Emily is very immature.  And there's this demon.  Which really takes a back seat to everything else most of the time.

The book had a very interesting cover story.  The synopsis was intriguing.  But it stopped there.  Most of the story that actually happened had very little to do with the demon and more to do with Emily and Jacob making gooey eyes at each other, when they weren't fighting and pouting.  Even the wrap up about the demon left me wanting more.  I really wanted to like this book.  I loved the idea of this book.  However the actual story left me waiting for something to be delivered by FedEx that never got updated with tracking and just disappeared off the radar.  

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About C.J. Archer

C.J. Archer has loved history and books for as long as she can remember and feels fortunate that she found a way to combine the two. She spent her early childhood in the dramatic beauty of outback Queensland, Australia, but now lives in suburban Melbourne with her husband, two children and a mischievous black & white cat named Coco.

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