c3 Paperback – June 7, 2014

*DISCLAIMER: C3 is the fourth installment of the Number 46 Ascending series by Sherrie Cronin. We have been part of this novel since its draft came out. Yes, we have edited this novel and given our inputs on this.* This novel follows the life of the youngest Zeitman, Teddie. In the insistence of a friend, Teddie goes to India as an exchange student to a school in Darjeeling. There, she shares the room with Michelle, her friend, a mountaineer and a local girl, Usha. There she meets with various experiences that hone her childhood ability. (We aren't revealing what it is, of course! For purposes of this review, we will call it travelling.) Teddie is exposed to a totally diverse world in India. As she adapts to the new school, she encourages Haley, who has dreams of conquering the peaks of Himalayas. She has certain eye opening experiences with her Indian friend Usha and her friends from the US. The book is basically a story of coming to terms with one’s unique abilities and using that ability to help others. The plot centers around courageous women and how they overcome the challenges they face in the world. The plot is a novel attempt and it is fairly tight, with not many holes. The author, after all, is famous for her continuity and the common thread in all of her books. The book, like its predecessors, is well researched and the author takes care to get her details right in this book. The characters are cleanly etched. The writing is clean too, and does not use technical jargon. Sherrie takes care that even though she has included a debated supernatural element in the story, it is not overdone. The story flows smoothly and is believable. But on the minus, due to the immense details that must be included to allow readers to understand, the story seems slack paced in certain places. There are sudden flashes of slow moving theory in between racy scenes. The plights of women in India and neighbouring countries are well explained, and the character of the American social reformer who helps the local women out of misery is totally native as well as international. The Indian Law Enforcement could have been given a little more positive spotlight. This novel is a rarity in a few things. Though it has various characters like perverts, molesters, greasy businessmen etc, the story is devoid of any violence or romance. It is a commendable trait in a novel these days and a refreshing change from the run of the mill novels that focus on love, sleaze and violence. Considering that this is a book written about India by an author who has never visited the country, makes it all the more special. The readers will never realise this secret if not told explicitly. There is, of course, a lot of research that was done for this book. As usual, visiting the companion links of this story is a treat unto itself.WHAT WE LIKED: The clean writing, clear characters, continuity between books of the series.WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER: Certain slow paced theory parts that hamper the speed of the narrative.VERDICT: Go for this novel if you want a refreshing eye opener. If you are fans of Sherrie, this is her best so far. If you have never read her, go ahead; pick this one up without worrying about the loss of continuity of the first three books. This book is as good as a standalone as it is a part of a series.RATING: 4.5/5

I loved the first three books in Ms. Cronin's "46. Ascending" series, and if this review seems similar to those I wrote for "x0," "z1," and "y2," it should not be a surprise. Each book features one member of the fictional Zeitman family (in this case teenage daughter Teddy). The genre is 'magical realism' which isn't exactly fantasy and not exactly science fiction either. The main characters are real, believable people who just happen to have a special power.Once again the author tackles a very serious and harsh subject, in this case the sex trade. Other reviews have given outlines of the plot so I won't repeat those. Despite certain similarities among the four books in the series, none of them are repetitive. Like the others, "c3" is a unique story. I like books with multiple plot-lines and those here are easy to follow. Some of the scenes are severe -- as I said, this is about the sex trade -- but I think anyone from the late teens to adults would benefit from reading this. Anyone who has read "x0" will understand what I mean.As are the other volumes, this is a stand-alone story but if you are new to the series, I do suggest reading "x0" first. That way, the 'sudden' appearance of Teddy's mother's special talent won't be a surprise. (It really wasn't sudden.)I remain very impressed with Ms. Cronin's talents and have thoroughly enjoyed each book. I did receive a free copy of 'C3" but was under no obligation to write a review for it.

This book is very well-written, but it is not my type of story.