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taylorrr's review against another edition
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jehart's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
bookswithnicole's review against another edition
4.0
3.5/5
I received an ARC from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The second installment in Lindsay Ellis Noumena series truly elevates the original story. It dives deeper into the interpersonal relationships between alien and human as well as the politics of extraterrestrials. Ellis does not shy away from the real life consequences of Coras and Ampersands relationship such as the PTSD caused by the events in the first book, how having multiple simphiles affects their relationship and how it distances her from her human friends and family.
The writing and storytelling has improved between her first novel and this one. The content explored I found much more intriguing as a reader, a sentiment I rarely feel about book series. I most likely feel this way because tonally Truth of the Divine reads more like Adult fiction where Axioms End felt more on the YA spectrum. Thematically the slight genre shift makes sense to me in terms of Coras mental state and journey, it's not a bad thing.
I found the beginning and end were really strong and interesting but it does have some pacing issues in the middle.
I received an ARC from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The second installment in Lindsay Ellis Noumena series truly elevates the original story. It dives deeper into the interpersonal relationships between alien and human as well as the politics of extraterrestrials. Ellis does not shy away from the real life consequences of Coras and Ampersands relationship such as the PTSD caused by the events in the first book, how having multiple simphiles affects their relationship and how it distances her from her human friends and family.
The writing and storytelling has improved between her first novel and this one. The content explored I found much more intriguing as a reader, a sentiment I rarely feel about book series. I most likely feel this way because tonally Truth of the Divine reads more like Adult fiction where Axioms End felt more on the YA spectrum. Thematically the slight genre shift makes sense to me in terms of Coras mental state and journey, it's not a bad thing.
I found the beginning and end were really strong and interesting but it does have some pacing issues in the middle.
sweetsorrows's review against another edition
4.0
introducing a character, making him half of the book, and then removing the character at the end of the novel is an interesting choice. every plot point and interaction cora had i was constantly wondering how it affected &. i think this was on purpose, but my impatience to deal with aliens in the sci-fi novel had me not caring for a few of the more human-focused situations in this installment of the series.
this novel was very much a 'second in a trilogy' book. so many novel sequels deal with PTSD, which is good, as the conversation needs to be had, but it was a lull compared to what i imagine the third book will conclude.
this novel was very much a 'second in a trilogy' book. so many novel sequels deal with PTSD, which is good, as the conversation needs to be had, but it was a lull compared to what i imagine the third book will conclude.
strategineer's review against another edition
2.0
Aliens on Earth in the early/mid 2000s and everything that follows from that. Sequel to Axiom's End, continues Cora's story and adds some new fresh characters (alien and otherwise) into the mix.
This is a sequel to Axiom's End. Not much to say about it.
I probably should have written more notes about this novel while I was reading it. It's been about a month and a half now and I've forgotten a lot...
I don't think I want to read the next book in this trilogy... I probably shouldn't but I might anyway, sunk cost fallacy and all that.
This is a sequel to Axiom's End. Not much to say about it.
I probably should have written more notes about this novel while I was reading it. It's been about a month and a half now and I've forgotten a lot...
I don't think I want to read the next book in this trilogy... I probably shouldn't but I might anyway, sunk cost fallacy and all that.
bugsarefriends's review
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
raineberry's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
kcrawfish's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars. I enjoyed this look at aliens, the world and story is intriguing, but it could have been much much denser ie shorter. The book retreads old ground and seems to have a reset in terms of the titular relationship. In fact, Ampersand and Cora hardly even converse or take up the same space. There’s so much distance and hurt that it can be a slog.
The addition of our famous reporter POV, Kaveh, was lovely and brought some outside and mature perspective to both Cora and the situation. He also was important to the theming of the narrative, the look at human hubris and the potential we have for great compassion and advancement as well as great evil. I didn’t expect his experience with trauma (I won’t say specifically what to avoid spoilers) to marry into the narrative and themes of existential dread at the end as well as it did.
Lindsay has given a lot of thought to her theming, something I laude her for.
A story can only be as engaging as the characters we care for, and while the world-building was both restated and expanded, Cora seemed dropped from a character perspective. Any advancement we’d made was reset and her progress as a character stagnated. I don’t think her trauma or healing was explored well enough to make up for the lack.
I have hope for the next book, but I can’t ignore the fact that I read half of this book, then put it down for a year before finishing.
The addition of our famous reporter POV, Kaveh, was lovely and brought some outside and mature perspective to both Cora and the situation. He also was important to the theming of the narrative, the look at human hubris and the potential we have for great compassion and advancement as well as great evil. I didn’t expect his experience with trauma (I won’t say specifically what to avoid spoilers) to marry into the narrative and themes of existential dread at the end as well as it did.
Lindsay has given a lot of thought to her theming, something I laude her for.
A story can only be as engaging as the characters we care for, and while the world-building was both restated and expanded, Cora seemed dropped from a character perspective. Any advancement we’d made was reset and her progress as a character stagnated. I don’t think her trauma or healing was explored well enough to make up for the lack.
I have hope for the next book, but I can’t ignore the fact that I read half of this book, then put it down for a year before finishing.
nonesensed's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
Cora has been made the first ever interpreter for an ETI, an extraterrestrial intelligence. The job isn't exactly glamorous and it pays next to nothing. Not that great when you're trying to deal with PTSD you now can't afford to treat. Ampersand, said ETI, isn't making things easier, having to be kept separate from his own fellow ETIs and reluctant to cooperate with the US government; a government that hasn't exactly been cooperating with its citizens who'd very much like to know more about the local aliens than "they exist". While trying to deal with all this, a terrifying light phenomena appears in the sky, which takes Cora's life down a yet more complicate path - and that's an impressive because she's already dealing with maybe falling in love with an alien cyborg.
I ate my way through this book in two days. The second the status quo of the book's beginning got ripped to pieces, it secured my attention. If you're a fan of the first book and you're looking forward to the characters dealing with the fallout from All That, I think you will enjoy the sequel! Be prepared that this installment in the series goes darker, due to all the trauma the characters went through in book one. The author included a helpful overview of possible triggers before the story itself beings, so if you have topics or themes you need to avoid, check the first pages of the book before you buy/borrow it.
My favorite parts:Nikola/Enola deciding to reveal himself at the rally. Ampersand admitting to wanting to submit to Cora's protection and the truth about why he fusion bonded with Cora. Everything where the characters deal with the trauma's they've survived, because you can't have your guts ripped out or have to flee your home planet and just walk that off. The "ASYLUM, ASYLUM, ASYLUM" scene <3 All bonding (fusion and not) between humans/amygdalines.
Really looking forward to the next part of this series! I'm enjoying how character-focused the story stays, while clearly setting up global stakes. I especially love how complex Ampersand's species is; their inter-personal relations and language differences most of all. Will be interesting to see what the decision made at the very end of the story will affect the Big Thing that likely is coming.
I ate my way through this book in two days. The second the status quo of the book's beginning got ripped to pieces, it secured my attention. If you're a fan of the first book and you're looking forward to the characters dealing with the fallout from All That, I think you will enjoy the sequel! Be prepared that this installment in the series goes darker, due to all the trauma the characters went through in book one. The author included a helpful overview of possible triggers before the story itself beings, so if you have topics or themes you need to avoid, check the first pages of the book before you buy/borrow it.
My favorite parts:
Really looking forward to the next part of this series! I'm enjoying how character-focused the story stays, while clearly setting up global stakes. I especially love how complex Ampersand's species is; their inter-personal relations and language differences most of all. Will be interesting to see what the decision made at the very end of the story will affect the Big Thing that likely is coming.