Become: A Novel of Desolation

Become: A Novel of Desolation by Ali Cross



Sixteen-year old Desolation Black wants nothing more than to stay in Hell where it’s cold and lonely and totally predictable. Instead, she’s sent back to Earth where she must face the evil she despises and the good she always feared.

When Desi is forced to embrace her inner demon, she assumes her choice has been made—that she has no hope of being anything other than what her father, Lucifer, has created her to be. What she doesn’t count on, is finding a reason to change—something she’s never had before—a friend.


Become: A Novel of Desolation is an amazing novel and cover. The only reason I don’t give it 5 out 5 is that it took so long for me to connect with Desi’s story. The elements were sprinkled throughout the beginning. I was more than half way finished when I started to absolutely loved this novel.

The instant I finished this novel I wanted to start, Desolate (Desolation 2), the next one in the series. But I’m fully invested now. I have rarely read books that make use of Norse instead of Greek mythology to create the world.

Most of my exposure to Norse mythology stems from Marvel’s Thor comic. Even that was limited until I researched the characters in the Thor movie. This is the extent of my Norse mythology. Yet Ali Cross has created a far richer mythology in her one book. This fact sets her novel apart, in my opinion.

Because of my limited knowledge of Norse mythology, the way I envisioned the characters did come directly from the Marvel movies. So it created immense amounts of laughter, in me, when I realized Thor’s part in Ali Cross’s world. Chris Hemsworth. Just thinking his name makes me laugh now; he’s never what I picture for THAT icon. Thank You, Ali Cross.

The composite mythologies for the characters are what won me over; it’s something that can’t be explained without spoiling the novel. Because I classify this as Modern Mythology it’s just as good as any story told by DC or Marvel. Become: A Novel of Desolation is an origin story of a heroine.

I think this novel speaks to more markets than its genre classification. Anyone that loves mythology won’t want to miss this novel. Anyone new to Young Adult will definitely like this novel.


I give Become: A Novel of Desolation 4 out 5.