Wild Card by Jamie Wyman – a Review

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Description:
It was bad enough that gods gambled with human souls, but Catherine Sharp’s soul just had to be won by the Greek goddess of Discord, Eris. As if working a dead-end tech support job didn’t suck the life out of her as it was. Now, Cat finds herself performing random tasks for the goddess in her free time.

But when Coyote, the Native American trickster himself, claims to have won her own soul in Mayhem’s weekly poker game, Cat wants in on the action. With five sneaky gods upping the ante, Cat needs to find a way to collect the winning chips that could save her soul.
Marius, a handsome yet irritating satyr with his own debt to Eris, might finally come in handy for something. If they play their cards right and work together, Cat and Marius may just get their freedom back. If they don’t kill each other—or fall in love—first.

Review:

What’s better than a Las Vegas setting?  Hitting Sin City with this gal by your side!  In an unusual (but eventually explained circumstance), Catherine is allowed into the world of the immortals.  It seems she bargained with Eris, the goddess of strife, and lost her soul in the negotiations.  Wild Card by Jamie Wyman bets on Cat (couldn’t resist!) to attend a huge bash at Caesar’s Palace summoned by the deity herself.  If Cat cooperates, her servitude may be terminated.  How can she pass it up?  She hates to be entangled in their affairs as it is.  Ok…so Cat complies, but what does she do upon arrival?  What exactly is she supposed to do at this gala where her human biology will not go undetected?  What exactly is this deal that allowed Cat’s path to even cross with Eris?  And more importantly, can Eris be trusted?

“Listen closely, Cat, for this is all the aid I will give you.  There are four others in the game.  Each of them has a token.  Procure these, bring them to me, and you may get the freedom you desire…Follow your instincts, call in favors, break a few laws…I don’t care how you do it, but if you want your soul back, you will get the tokens.”

Oh, I’ll tell you what aid Eris provides:  Discord of course!  Seems the ancient goddess lost Cat’s soul in a poker game and has lined up Cat, the poor victim, to retrieve tokens from the other 4 players of the game:  Coyote, Maui, Puck and Loki.  Poor Cat has to be subjected to lascivious offers, harassed and hunted by magical creatures that are desperate to win her soul, and this is just a collection of “IOUs”; they’re “all in” for Cat’s soul (you know it’s clever!)  All of this work without certainty of freedom.  One set of jailers for another.  Are you wondering what I am?

“…I can’t understand what’s so special about your soul that all of these gods are willing to take it, let alone fight for it tooth and claw.”

Enter the love interest.  Wyman introduces us to Marius the satyr, personal assistant to Eris (though seemingly disgruntled) and Cat’s unlikely consort.  His description would make any girl swoon:  Drop-dead gorgeous with olive colored skin and a British accent.  Marius just came across as overly confident and smarmy to me.  It sounds like he’s willing to help Cat, the situation is just that dire, but I’m still undecided.  Is Wyman setting him up to be Cat’s lover?  Too soon to tell (plus Marius has painful confessions of his own).  Yes, I am reading and reviewing in tandem! J  Cat’s sworn off the otherworldly, so he better start earning her (my) respect.  To complete Cat’s life, in a good way as far as I can tell (man, I’ll be pissed if that backfires!), is Flynn, Cat’s BFF and technomage (synergy with machines and electronics).  He is a tattooed, lanky, red-headed magical being who owns a punk club and is willing to do whatever Cat needs to keep her safe.  I sense a romantic declaration has been trying to surface, but timing is everything and now is not it.  There is a major twist, a few in fact, that surprised me and made me reconsider all the players’ motives.  Some of this book reads like a prequel would have answers to certain unknowns, but Ms. Wyman takes a languid approach to its finale.

Written with a fresh tone, a contemporary hipster humor, and all around enjoyment, Wyman’s writing appealed to me instantly.  Lovers of mythology and the varying pantheons will delight in all the character references.  While love triangles are usually loathsome to me, I can’t exactly classify this as such.  Marius and Flynn are just 2 great guys who are forces in their own right; each contributes to Cat, but there is another who will throw you off (twist, I mentioned it).  52% in and it’s a simmering attraction between Cat and Marius.  It made me crazy, but crazy for more!  A fae encounter (or “mindfuck”), reassess Cat’s state of affairs.  I was in complete disbelief/denial while simultaneously outraged, but it allowed Cat an inner reflection for honest perspective and discourse.        

What ensues is a mission to reach the pivotal poker chips and Eris herself.  Jumping through hoops is putting it mildly and Eris is no help whatsoever:

“Gather my trophies.  Claim your reward.” 

Trouble is…these other players (and their pawns)?  They’re hardly harmless:  Faeries, Kupua, former lovers, Demigods and deities!  They are quite impressed with Cat’s tenacity and otherness (it’s a word; I looked it up).  Cat has to survive trials and tribulations galore.  Wyman depicts amazing action scenes!  But the unraveling of truths?  WOW.  There’s so much going on…so much for you to love!  

Now all you have to do is read this book to find out how it all culminates.  What a terrific read!  Ms. Wyman explores character backgrounds, supplies empowering moments and revelations, seduces and fools us, and ultimately delivers the Wild Card.  A big YAY for having read this book! 

Beneath my fingertips, chaos became order.  Take that, Eris!

Reviewed by Carmen

Copy provided by Publisher