Whew. I finished "Acheron" by Sherrilyn Kenyon in the wee hours of the morning. Even though I picked up the book on Tuesday, I held off starting in on it until after work on Friday because I KNEW that once I started I wouldn't put it down until I finished it. I was right. Acheron's story was larger than life, just like Acheron himself. My emotions ran the gamut from despair to joy as I read his story. As others have commented, the first part of the book was almost painful to read. Each time I finished a chapter and thought, "Whew, now things will get better for him." But they didn't. I liked the fact that the author warned us in her note at the beginning of the book that the story would be painful. Reading that she herself has firsthand knowledge of childhood abuse made Acheron's past that much more poignant. But by providing a happy ending for him, Kenyon really made this book a paean to all those who have experienced abuse and overcome.

I won't take the time to retell any of his story. Suffice to say that until the age of 21, Acheron's suffering was horrific and endless. My emotions are still reeling, hours after I finished with the happy ending. Will I reread this book? My first instinct is to say no...but I think that time will likely change my mind. Does that make this a great book? I don't know that either. But I DO know that those are just a few things that make this a book I will never forget.