Book Review: Mine to Possess

Singh, N. (2008). Mine to possess. London, UK: Orion Publishing Group.

Author:

Nalini Singh had her first novel published in 2003. The New Zealand writer is best known for her Psy-Changeling paranormal romance series, but Singh has published over two dozen novels since this first best-selling book.

Summary:

Clay Bennett is a Dark River sentinel with a grim past. The day he took another’s life as a child was the same day, he lost his best friend – Talin. Now he has her in his reach once more they are forced together to help save the life of an innocent, all while facing the horrors from their past, or risk losing everything that mattered.

Analysis & Application:

I wanted to read another in the Psy-Changeling series by Nalini Singh to compare how she changes point of view between characters in a later book, from her first. The transition between character points of view isn’t what identified with me from reading it. The story line between the two main characters, Clay and Talin, resonated with me. They have been friends since they were little, and now after years apart, their friendship is rekindling and a romance blossom’s. It stuck out because of how natural the progression from friends to lovers was. Singh was able to bring the characters back together due their current predicament. Talin needed protection from the one man she could trust. It reminded me of Danielle and Jamie’s relationship, and how she does need him around, but won’t admit it. I examined the first interaction between Danielle and Jamie, and on review, I rewrote it to build on their friendship and to establish an understanding about their friendship.

In the beginning, I found it hard to read Singh’s books, due to the swapping of points of view but after reading more of her books, and specifically after Mine to Possess, that I understood. Singh changes the point of view to whoever has the most to lose in a scene or the bigger story. The person whose motivations and conflicts are greater. By changing points of view, I gained greater insight and understanding as to a character’s motivation, what their goals were, and what happened if they could not achieve them. Applying this to my own writing required an entire rewrite of my first chapter. Jamie and Danielle both have a voice in this section, but their motivations and goals were not defined, nor was their reasons for wanting them, and what the consequences would be if they didn’t achieve them.