Steeped in magic and action, Infinity Son by Adam Silvera, is the first book in a series and the author’s first foray into full fledged fantasy. It’s fast paced and full of twists for the reader to enjoy.
Told through multiple POV’s, Infinity Son takes place in New York, where magic is a norm. People born with powers are called celestials. Brothers Emil and Brighton don’t have any powers, but are obsessed with the Spell Walkers, a vigilante group of mutants whose purpose is to stop spectres. Spectres are people who kill and drain the essence of magical creatures in order to gain powers themselves. Both groups are locked in an eternal fight that only gets more violent as time goes on. While both brothers idolize the group, Brighton fantasizes having powers so he can join in, while Emil just wants peace. Emil discovers he has abilities when he unexpectedly manifests them after a train fight. Tensions between the two grow, and at the same time, Emil’s new abilities place both of them in the center of the conflict between Spell Walkers and spectres.
Silvera excels at describing the creatures that inhabit his world—they are vivid and through them the reader understands the greed of the spectres/ the conflict better. The way the relationship between Emil and Brighton develops is another highlight in the novel. The book shines brightest when it focuses on the strain and loyalty of what brotherhood means. Because Emil and Brighton are both narrators in this book, it’s very interesting to see how each react, and treat each other through the twists and turns that happen in the plot.
However, the book stumbles a little when it comes to the overall pacing. Action scenes don’t feel as fleshed out as they could have been and as a reader, I kept feeling like I was missing details. I found myself going back and rereading passages often throughout the first half of the book. Because this book was the first in a series, it felt like it was setting up threads at a lightning fast speed, instead of diving into the heart of the narrative. As mentioned earlier, this book features multiple narrators. The first ten chapters alternate between Emil and Bright, but after Emil’s powers are awakened, we are introduced to two more POV’s. The addition of the two extra narrators makes the book feel a tad bit crowded at times, especially in the second half.
Still, Infinity Son’s premise and layered interpersonal relationships hold so much exciting potential for the rest of the series. One of the most interesting aspects in it so far is the exploration of the shades of grey in between perceived good and bad. Book 1’s cliffhanger ending promises a thrilling continuation of that in the next book, and I can’t wait to see where the story takes us.
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