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laurah_123's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
donna6146's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
asteries's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
doritobabe's review
5.0
4.5/5 because there were some moments of this book that I said to myself: "Huh? Okay... well then."
Otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed this sequel to [b:Broken Sky|25925784|Broken Sky (The Broken Trilogy, #1)|L.A. Weatherly|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1447326528l/25925784._SY75_.jpg|45817613].
I read Broken Sky literally years ago and it never left me. After all these years, I finally felt a book call to me to read it and so I picked up Darkness Follows and dove head-first. The plight of Amity and her colleagues immediately pulled me back in; it felt like years had not gone past since I read the first in this series.
Darkness Follows jumps back and forth over the years 1941-1942 from Amity and Mac Jones's point of view to give the reader a very well rounded perspective of the events that take place in this novel. I can't say much more for spoilers -- this book centres largely around one event that lasts 9ish months. I was pleased at the reintroduction of certain characters and I am very (delightfully) curious to see what Weatherly decides in terms of a love story for Amity. It's clear she has made up her mind, but at this point, I am unsure as to what was decided.
I do find it a bit weird that Weatherly decided to write an alternate-universe WWII fiction as I have never seen/heard/read of that being done before. My partner and I debated whether there is some weird moral or ethical implications in doing so, specifically reframing the actions of the Nazis in a fictional light in a way that may affect how a reader could view the history associated with WWII and Nazi Germany. The specific example discussed was something along the lines of: there is evidence for a rise in a lack of WWII/Holocaust education and/or awareness in some younger generations. Would a novel like this help bring the attention of youths back to the real history, or swathe it further down in the deep? I don't think there is any true negative impact of fictionalizing/fantasizing history in the way that Weatherly has chosen to do so, but it does feel odd sometimes to read AU WWII fiction without seeing Hitler's name splattered across the pages.
All in all - great read that had me thinking and speeding through this novel. I am excited for the final installment to come in the mail. I do find it a shame that this series is hard(er) to find and isn't as popular as some other YA series as it is an inventive read with very strong female characters and respectful male characters.
Otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed this sequel to [b:Broken Sky|25925784|Broken Sky (The Broken Trilogy, #1)|L.A. Weatherly|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1447326528l/25925784._SY75_.jpg|45817613].
I read Broken Sky literally years ago and it never left me. After all these years, I finally felt a book call to me to read it and so I picked up Darkness Follows and dove head-first. The plight of Amity and her colleagues immediately pulled me back in; it felt like years had not gone past since I read the first in this series.
Darkness Follows jumps back and forth over the years 1941-1942 from Amity and Mac Jones's point of view to give the reader a very well rounded perspective of the events that take place in this novel. I can't say much more for spoilers -- this book centres largely around one event that lasts 9ish months. I was pleased at the reintroduction of certain characters and I am very (delightfully) curious to see what Weatherly decides in terms of a love story for Amity. It's clear she has made up her mind, but at this point, I am unsure as to what was decided.
I do find it a bit weird that Weatherly decided to write an alternate-universe WWII fiction as I have never seen/heard/read of that being done before. My partner and I debated whether there is some weird moral or ethical implications in doing so, specifically reframing the actions of the Nazis in a fictional light in a way that may affect how a reader could view the history associated with WWII and Nazi Germany. The specific example discussed was something along the lines of: there is evidence for a rise in a lack of WWII/Holocaust education and/or awareness in some younger generations. Would a novel like this help bring the attention of youths back to the real history, or swathe it further down in the deep? I don't think there is any true negative impact of fictionalizing/fantasizing history in the way that Weatherly has chosen to do so, but it does feel odd sometimes to read AU WWII fiction without seeing Hitler's name splattered across the pages.
All in all - great read that had me thinking and speeding through this novel. I am excited for the final installment to come in the mail. I do find it a shame that this series is hard(er) to find and isn't as popular as some other YA series as it is an inventive read with very strong female characters and respectful male characters.
bloodmaarked's review against another edition
2.0
The main feeling I have after having read Darkness Follows? Annoyance! I'm so annoyed because I think this had the potential to be really amazing, even better than [b:Broken Sky|25925784|Broken Sky (The Broken Trilogy, #1)|L.A. Weatherly|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1447326528l/25925784._SY75_.jpg|45817613]. It had so many issues at the start that I almost decided to just quit; it's not until you get over the 50% mark that the story begins to shine.
The great:
✧ To start with, once you reach about the halfway point, the storyline is amazing. It's fast-paced, action-packed, the stakes are high and the plot becomes much more intriguing. Seriously, the first and second half felt like night and day. It went from thinking I was going to stop reading, to pulling an all-nighter and speeding through the chapters.
✧ I liked Ingo in the first book, but I liked him even more in Darkness Follows. Especially his relationship with Amity. I really love his chemistry with Amity (I don't expect that they will or should get together, but I definitely preferred reading about Amity with Ingo compared to Collis). We get to hear a lot more about who he is, where he comes from, what makes him tick, and it's great. The chapter where stood out to me as one of my favourites in the whole book - it's such a gratifying feeling when they finally make it.
✧ Some other characters also get some good screentime (page-time?). Specifically, Hal, who I'm very glad is back in the picture. Also, Mac, who's taken over the POV chapters that Kay previously had in Book 1. There wasn't all that much to make of Mac in the first book, but here he's fleshed out really well and feels like a well-rounded, human character. He's written a lot better than Kay was (even if I'm still unsure as to why his chapters are written in the third person).
The disappointing:
✦ I'm still getting a lot of confusion as to what time period it's meant to be. In Book 1, I don't believe a specific date was alluded to, although it seemed reminiscent of 1940s America. In Book 2, the events specifically take place between 1941-2. Because of this, it's kind of confusing. It's actually stated to take place in 1941 AC, which... I don't know what that's meant to refer to. The whole time they talked about it being a new post-war era, I assumed they'd been alluding to the world wars and the present wars, but that can't be the case if it's actually 1941. In which case, is it meant to be an alternate timeline? And if so, I wonder why Weatherly didn't just create a whole new world, instead of using weird versions of present-day countries and alluding to the existence of real-world brands like Coca-Cola. I don't know, my brain hurts.
✦ The allusions to Nazi Germany are higher than ever, which works against the book's favour as it just feels like a cheap retelling of a WWII story (especially with the time that the story is set). Most of the content of the first half of the book made me draw comparisons to [b:Between Shades of Gray|7824322|Between Shades of Gray|Ruta Sepetys|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327873479l/7824322._SX50_.jpg|10870318] except it was written much worse. (By the way, you should definitely read BSoG if you haven't already.) Weatherly states in the acknowledgements that Harmony 5 wasn't meant to represent any specific real-life camps - but it's not just the camps that feel like a copy-paste, it's the entirety of Gunnison's regime. It fell so flat and felt utterly unintriguing.
✦ There is so much recounted backstory in this book, and I don't know why. It rehashes a lot of info that we already get from reading Book 1. It feels very unnecessary.
✦ Amity's chapters in Harmony 5 felt very repetitive - it's pretty much worrying about her boots, don't think of Collis, don't think of Dad's thrown fight and what it's caused, don't think of Ma and Hal, rinse and repeat. There's very little in the way of new information gained or additions to the plot up until some time after Ingo shows up.
✦ Along with the addition of dates, this book features a whole lot of time-jumping. It's not an issue in itself, but it was very awkwardly done, and chapters which I felt could have been ordered more chronologically were not. It made it hard to keep track of the plot and what took place when. It's more of an issue in the earlier half of the book than the latter half.
✦ The whole reveal of what happened with Collis' betrayal was built up through so much of the book, only for it to be an anticlimax and not really any more dramatic than you'd think it would be.
✦ There are so many typos in both books for some reason? Also, apparently Weatherly doesn't know that forever is one word, not for ever. As I type this, Grammarly is asking me to correct its spelling.
Again, this had so much potential, and I'm annoyed. I'm surprised that this book has so few reads, but I'm also not surprised that people decided to drop the series after Book 1. The ending was explosive and so if I manage to get a hold of the final book, I'll probably go ahead and read it, but if I don't manage to then it's not a huge loss - I gave it a good run.
The great:
✧ To start with, once you reach about the halfway point, the storyline is amazing. It's fast-paced, action-packed, the stakes are high and the plot becomes much more intriguing. Seriously, the first and second half felt like night and day. It went from thinking I was going to stop reading, to pulling an all-nighter and speeding through the chapters.
✧ I liked Ingo in the first book, but I liked him even more in Darkness Follows. Especially his relationship with Amity. I really love his chemistry with Amity (I don't expect that they will or should get together, but I definitely preferred reading about Amity with Ingo compared to Collis). We get to hear a lot more about who he is, where he comes from, what makes him tick, and it's great. The chapter where
Spoiler
he and Amity escape from Harmony 5✧ Some other characters also get some good screentime (page-time?). Specifically, Hal, who I'm very glad is back in the picture. Also, Mac, who's taken over the POV chapters that Kay previously had in Book 1. There wasn't all that much to make of Mac in the first book, but here he's fleshed out really well and feels like a well-rounded, human character. He's written a lot better than Kay was (even if I'm still unsure as to why his chapters are written in the third person).
The disappointing:
✦ I'm still getting a lot of confusion as to what time period it's meant to be. In Book 1, I don't believe a specific date was alluded to, although it seemed reminiscent of 1940s America. In Book 2, the events specifically take place between 1941-2. Because of this, it's kind of confusing. It's actually stated to take place in 1941 AC, which... I don't know what that's meant to refer to. The whole time they talked about it being a new post-war era, I assumed they'd been alluding to the world wars and the present wars, but that can't be the case if it's actually 1941. In which case, is it meant to be an alternate timeline? And if so, I wonder why Weatherly didn't just create a whole new world, instead of using weird versions of present-day countries and alluding to the existence of real-world brands like Coca-Cola. I don't know, my brain hurts.
✦ The allusions to Nazi Germany are higher than ever, which works against the book's favour as it just feels like a cheap retelling of a WWII story (especially with the time that the story is set). Most of the content of the first half of the book made me draw comparisons to [b:Between Shades of Gray|7824322|Between Shades of Gray|Ruta Sepetys|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327873479l/7824322._SX50_.jpg|10870318] except it was written much worse. (By the way, you should definitely read BSoG if you haven't already.) Weatherly states in the acknowledgements that Harmony 5 wasn't meant to represent any specific real-life camps - but it's not just the camps that feel like a copy-paste, it's the entirety of Gunnison's regime. It fell so flat and felt utterly unintriguing.
✦ There is so much recounted backstory in this book, and I don't know why. It rehashes a lot of info that we already get from reading Book 1. It feels very unnecessary.
✦ Amity's chapters in Harmony 5 felt very repetitive - it's pretty much worrying about her boots, don't think of Collis, don't think of Dad's thrown fight and what it's caused, don't think of Ma and Hal, rinse and repeat. There's very little in the way of new information gained or additions to the plot up until some time after Ingo shows up.
✦ Along with the addition of dates, this book features a whole lot of time-jumping. It's not an issue in itself, but it was very awkwardly done, and chapters which I felt could have been ordered more chronologically were not. It made it hard to keep track of the plot and what took place when. It's more of an issue in the earlier half of the book than the latter half.
✦ The whole reveal of what happened with Collis' betrayal was built up through so much of the book, only for it to be an anticlimax and not really any more dramatic than you'd think it would be.
✦ There are so many typos in both books for some reason? Also, apparently Weatherly doesn't know that forever is one word, not for ever. As I type this, Grammarly is asking me to correct its spelling.
Again, this had so much potential, and I'm annoyed. I'm surprised that this book has so few reads, but I'm also not surprised that people decided to drop the series after Book 1. The ending was explosive and so if I manage to get a hold of the final book, I'll probably go ahead and read it, but if I don't manage to then it's not a huge loss - I gave it a good run.
dani_bugz's review
4.0
Actual rating 4.5
Oh my gosh!!!! While Darkness Follows isn't the best written book in the world, and there's nothing particularly special about it, it is sooooooo freaking addictive!
So the things I liked!
- There were plot twists I never saw coming.
- It was fast paced and action packed.
- Our MC (Amity) was developed from the almost preachy girl to a realist.
- Mac, Kay, and Sephy were all well developed as well.
- And INGO!!! Thank goodness we got more of him this book!
The thing I didn't like? The romance ... Warning - contains spoilers!
I still hated Collie. He was a dick. He betrayed Amity, not just once but on numerous occasions! And yet I bet, like I would actually bet money, that stupid Amity will take him back. Yet we have beautiful Ingo who would make an AMAZING partner, and nothing romantic happens whatsoever! I mean there was one tiny moment where I was hoping it would happen, but it DIDN'T! And then she bloody well kissed bloody Collie again and hinted that she could eventually forgive him!!!! UGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Here's my perfect scenario - and if Ms Weatherly reads this, I REALLY hope she goes with it! Or hey, take parts? Just give me Ingo and Amity!!!
1. Ugh have some bloody angst where Amity can;t make up her mind.
2. Ingo falls in love with her, but is the perfect gentleman. Though he is rude and conniving and such still. I mean, he's not perfect, but he's so freaking wonderful!
3. The rebellion gets into strife and Ingo is taken/nearly killed, which makes Amity realise how much she loves him too.
4. Collie saves the rebellion, but sadly dies as a sacrifice. (And when I say sadly I mean it, because he redeems himself and realises that she's meant to be with Ingo, so if his life is the price of her happiness and the freedom of the world, he would do it!)
5. Amity lives with a little bit of regret, remembering her harshness towards Collie, but also the good times they had (though honestly there weren't that many after childhood...)
6. Ingo understands and thinks she's still in love with Collie so gives her up and goes back to his farm.
7. Amity follows him home and they are happy together, just living on the winery and flying passenger planes.
**Oh, and Mac and Sephy get married, but maybe Sephy dies and Mac lives sadly but resolutely, taking over the rebellion. He and Collie are best mates and he loves him like a brother. Maybe there's a fight against the clock to stop Kay nuking some country. Cain becomes a good leader! Halcyon becomes a peace fighter (if they're re established) or like a politician or something to help make the world a better place. Kay is sent to the camps to work in drudgery. **
Just as a side note, I also wasn't keen on the shifting timeframe, going back and forth in time. Maybe it's just me, but unless it's done SUPER well, I like things to be chronological. But eh, I got used to it, and it didn't affect my rating.
Anywho, would I recommend this series? Bloody oath I would! Get your butt down to a bookstore and read this baby!
Age: 13+
Warnings: Sex is intimated but it's fade to black. There is hardship and torture is mentioned. There is also some death, though it's not super graphic and people feel guilty.
Oh my gosh!!!! While Darkness Follows isn't the best written book in the world, and there's nothing particularly special about it, it is sooooooo freaking addictive!
So the things I liked!
- There were plot twists I never saw coming.
- It was fast paced and action packed.
- Our MC (Amity) was developed from the almost preachy girl to a realist.
- Mac, Kay, and Sephy were all well developed as well.
- And INGO!!! Thank goodness we got more of him this book!
The thing I didn't like? The romance ... Warning - contains spoilers!
I still hated Collie. He was a dick. He betrayed Amity, not just once but on numerous occasions! And yet I bet, like I would actually bet money, that stupid Amity will take him back. Yet we have beautiful Ingo who would make an AMAZING partner, and nothing romantic happens whatsoever! I mean there was one tiny moment where I was hoping it would happen, but it DIDN'T! And then she bloody well kissed bloody Collie again and hinted that she could eventually forgive him!!!! UGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Here's my perfect scenario - and if Ms Weatherly reads this, I REALLY hope she goes with it! Or hey, take parts? Just give me Ingo and Amity!!!
1. Ugh have some bloody angst where Amity can;t make up her mind.
2. Ingo falls in love with her, but is the perfect gentleman. Though he is rude and conniving and such still. I mean, he's not perfect, but he's so freaking wonderful!
3. The rebellion gets into strife and Ingo is taken/nearly killed, which makes Amity realise how much she loves him too.
4. Collie saves the rebellion, but sadly dies as a sacrifice. (And when I say sadly I mean it, because he redeems himself and realises that she's meant to be with Ingo, so if his life is the price of her happiness and the freedom of the world, he would do it!)
5. Amity lives with a little bit of regret, remembering her harshness towards Collie, but also the good times they had (though honestly there weren't that many after childhood...)
6. Ingo understands and thinks she's still in love with Collie so gives her up and goes back to his farm.
7. Amity follows him home and they are happy together, just living on the winery and flying passenger planes.
**Oh, and Mac and Sephy get married, but maybe Sephy dies and Mac lives sadly but resolutely, taking over the rebellion. He and Collie are best mates and he loves him like a brother. Maybe there's a fight against the clock to stop Kay nuking some country. Cain becomes a good leader! Halcyon becomes a peace fighter (if they're re established) or like a politician or something to help make the world a better place. Kay is sent to the camps to work in drudgery. **
Just as a side note, I also wasn't keen on the shifting timeframe, going back and forth in time. Maybe it's just me, but unless it's done SUPER well, I like things to be chronological. But eh, I got used to it, and it didn't affect my rating.
Anywho, would I recommend this series? Bloody oath I would! Get your butt down to a bookstore and read this baby!
Age: 13+
Warnings: Sex is intimated but it's fade to black. There is hardship and torture is mentioned. There is also some death, though it's not super graphic and people feel guilty.
emmgdr's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-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
4.0
chazbats's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
mintysky91's review
4.0
This one was so much better than the 1st one! I bit disappointed by the last chapter but overall it was rlly good!