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michellefleming33's review against another edition
1.0
This was no where near as good as the very first book. To be honest, I was so confused as to what was going on, pretty much the entire time.
I did not forget, persay, the entire first book, I remembered the gist of it, and the main twists and what not, how Edwardian and almost eerie the writing was. This one totally through me off. It reminded me more of Graceling with the constant travelling on horseback. I was so bored with it.
*Spoiler*
And then when they finally get to Altus, the pages aren't even there! Really? Come on!
Nothing really happens in this book except for tons of disappointments with character growth (none whatsoever except Lia hooks up with another dude, big deal, saw that one coming), Sonia was no surprise just another character Zink decides to write off, and Luisa just her annoying selfish self, no change from prior book. No quest was completed, nothing was done.
UGH! I am so mad I wasted my time on this book!
I did not forget, persay, the entire first book, I remembered the gist of it, and the main twists and what not, how Edwardian and almost eerie the writing was. This one totally through me off. It reminded me more of Graceling with the constant travelling on horseback. I was so bored with it.
*Spoiler*
And then when they finally get to Altus, the pages aren't even there! Really? Come on!
Nothing really happens in this book except for tons of disappointments with character growth (none whatsoever except Lia hooks up with another dude, big deal, saw that one coming), Sonia was no surprise just another character Zink decides to write off, and Luisa just her annoying selfish self, no change from prior book. No quest was completed, nothing was done.
UGH! I am so mad I wasted my time on this book!
kristynicole3712's review against another edition
4.0
**May contain spoilers for those who haven't read the first book in this series**
I absolutely LOVED Prophecy of the Sisters. The story pulled me right in. Guardian of the Gate is the second book and I gave it 4 stars. I love the writing. It seems to flow really well. This book, like the first, was a page-turner and kept me interested up until the very end.
I really enjoyed the new characters that came into the story. Lia is on a journey to an island where the other Sisters live. She is on a quest to find the missing pages of the prophecy so she can finally put an end to it. Most of the events take place in the “real world” as opposed to the Otherworlds where Lia sometimes travels. I enjoyed the author’s description of the island and its people. I also liked the many little twists that were in this book. Lia’s journey is no easy task ~ She is being followed by the Souls who will stop at nothing to get her. They are out to stop Lia from ending the prophecy, no matter what it takes…
Overall, I highly recommend this book. If you liked the first one, I’m sure you will not be disappointed. The characters are brilliant ~ I really like Lia and I think Alice is really fascinating. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book!
I absolutely LOVED Prophecy of the Sisters. The story pulled me right in. Guardian of the Gate is the second book and I gave it 4 stars. I love the writing. It seems to flow really well. This book, like the first, was a page-turner and kept me interested up until the very end.
I really enjoyed the new characters that came into the story. Lia is on a journey to an island where the other Sisters live. She is on a quest to find the missing pages of the prophecy so she can finally put an end to it. Most of the events take place in the “real world” as opposed to the Otherworlds where Lia sometimes travels. I enjoyed the author’s description of the island and its people. I also liked the many little twists that were in this book. Lia’s journey is no easy task ~ She is being followed by the Souls who will stop at nothing to get her. They are out to stop Lia from ending the prophecy, no matter what it takes…
Overall, I highly recommend this book. If you liked the first one, I’m sure you will not be disappointed. The characters are brilliant ~ I really like Lia and I think Alice is really fascinating. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book!
asma_aj's review against another edition
2.0
As the final battle in the prophecy nears, twin sisters Lia and Alice prepare themselves to what to come. As Alice rallies the Souls and becomes stronger, Lia travels to London in hopes of finding a way to stop the prophecy. But the Souls prove more persistent than Lia has ever imagined. Even as she struggles with her frail friendship, entangling herself in Sisterhood politics, they Souls are bent on thwarting her already difficult mission.
I loved the first book. It set the grounds for what the story is and what to expect in the next book- and I was expecting some additional info about the prophecy. But I was really disappointed. I felt detached from the characters and what was happening through out the book. I just couldn't connect with Lia, and really, I question her sudden romance.
And really, there was too much of the romance in the story that the prophecy part took a back seat and out of the picture for some time. I felt that the book focused too much on irrelevant things, and left many things out, that should be important. What's Lia's powers? Couldn't Dmitri, or really any of the sisters on the island, teach her instead of throwing a party?
It's just... the scenes really didn't fit with the situations. Also, in some parts the writing style was a bit awkward and repetitive. It's only towards the last few pages that I got into it, but by then I was really frustrated.
I still want to know how it'll end, but I just hope the next book is more focused.
I loved the first book. It set the grounds for what the story is and what to expect in the next book- and I was expecting some additional info about the prophecy. But I was really disappointed. I felt detached from the characters and what was happening through out the book. I just couldn't connect with Lia, and really, I question her sudden romance.
And really, there was too much of the romance in the story that the prophecy part took a back seat and out of the picture for some time. I felt that the book focused too much on irrelevant things, and left many things out, that should be important. What's Lia's powers? Couldn't Dmitri, or really any of the sisters on the island, teach her instead of throwing a party?
It's just... the scenes really didn't fit with the situations. Also, in some parts the writing style was a bit awkward and repetitive. It's only towards the last few pages that I got into it, but by then I was really frustrated.
I still want to know how it'll end, but I just hope the next book is more focused.
catiebug's review against another edition
5.0
This series is so good! I love where it is going. I think I loved this book more than the first one.
Can't wait to see how it ends!
Can't wait to see how it ends!
marshmallowbooks's review against another edition
2.0
I enjoyed Prophecy of the Sisters and looked forward to this book, but I don't feel like it lived up to my expectations.
There were things that I felt like hadn't been explained, almost like I had missed an in-between book. Maybe it's just me, but I don't recall "Altus" being mentioned in the first book, and all of a suden it's on every page of this book. Did I miss something??? And I wish more time had been spent on the 8 months Lia and Sonia were in London. Besides the first couple of chapters with random introctions of random characters that aren't really part of the story, all we know is that they were in London, wearing breeches instead of dresses, working on bows and arrows and magic. Maybe that's all the explanation that was needed, but I felt like it was skipped over, although it seemed important and was referred to later on.
Also, what is it with the sudden deep, undeniable, unexplainable connection romances that overshadow the plot? This is the second book I have read recently that I expected to be about adventure and accomplishing a mission, but turned out to be about hooking up with strangers (basically) because there is an undeniable attraction. Most of the pages not spent describing their time together are not covering the mission like you might expect, but about them moping about not being together. I like Dimitri and all, but the romance-without-foundation between him and Lia was just plain frivolity that received too much focus, to the point that the plot became about them instead of about the prophecy and Lia's mission all that. Bleh. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind a romance story or even a romantic subplot, but if you want to write a romance, write a romance: Don't pretend it's something else. And it's a subplot, make sure it remains a subplot.
There were things that I felt like hadn't been explained, almost like I had missed an in-between book. Maybe it's just me, but I don't recall "Altus" being mentioned in the first book, and all of a suden it's on every page of this book. Did I miss something??? And I wish more time had been spent on the 8 months Lia and Sonia were in London. Besides the first couple of chapters with random introctions of random characters that aren't really part of the story, all we know is that they were in London, wearing breeches instead of dresses, working on bows and arrows and magic. Maybe that's all the explanation that was needed, but I felt like it was skipped over, although it seemed important and was referred to later on.
Also, what is it with the sudden deep, undeniable, unexplainable connection romances that overshadow the plot? This is the second book I have read recently that I expected to be about adventure and accomplishing a mission, but turned out to be about hooking up with strangers (basically) because there is an undeniable attraction. Most of the pages not spent describing their time together are not covering the mission like you might expect, but about them moping about not being together. I like Dimitri and all, but the romance-without-foundation between him and Lia was just plain frivolity that received too much focus, to the point that the plot became about them instead of about the prophecy and Lia's mission all that. Bleh. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind a romance story or even a romantic subplot, but if you want to write a romance, write a romance: Don't pretend it's something else. And it's a subplot, make sure it remains a subplot.
brianbbaker's review against another edition
5.0
Amazing book. The first was set up for this book. I am looking forward to the final book and the conclusion of the prophecy. I blew through this book in a 4 days. I don't remember reading a book that held my attention or enthralled me as much as this.
bak8382's review against another edition
4.0
A year has past since Lia and Sonia left for London, and during that time Alice's powers have continued to grow unabated while Lia attempts to increase her own. She is soon joined in London by Lusia, Aunt Virgina, and Edmund. From Edmund she discovers that Alice has been spending time with James while Lia has been gone.
Like many middle novels in fantasy trilogies not too much happens to advance the over-arcing plot. The bulk of the novel sees Lia journeying to find the missing pages of the prophecy which will hopefully help her to end it. The story gets bogged down during this journey (or perhaps it only seems that way to me because I dislike long journeys in books) luckily just as I feared I may have to set the book down forever a most convenient new love interest for Lia swoops in, and the story begins to move more quickly. Considering her feelings for James in the last book it is a bit surprising how quickly she becomes involved with someone else, although the end of the book finds her struggling with her feelings for both which should create quite the love triangle in the final book. She is also unexpectedly betrayed, and she discovers what her future may hold provided she makes it through her quest alive . . .
Like many middle novels in fantasy trilogies not too much happens to advance the over-arcing plot. The bulk of the novel sees Lia journeying to find the missing pages of the prophecy which will hopefully help her to end it. The story gets bogged down during this journey (or perhaps it only seems that way to me because I dislike long journeys in books) luckily just as I feared I may have to set the book down forever a most convenient new love interest for Lia swoops in, and the story begins to move more quickly. Considering her feelings for James in the last book it is a bit surprising how quickly she becomes involved with someone else, although the end of the book finds her struggling with her feelings for both which should create quite the love triangle in the final book. She is also unexpectedly betrayed, and she discovers what her future may hold provided she makes it through her quest alive . . .
the_bookshelf_of_merilin's review against another edition
2.0
I wasn't what I expected, it was boring and dragging. I liked the first book, but this one was kind of a dissapointment.
michellesantiago's review against another edition
4.0
Guardian of the Gate is the second book in Michelle Zink's gothic young adult series. I reviewed Prophecy of the Sisters (the first book; see my review here) yesterday, which ended with Lia leaving New York for England. This book began eight months after Prophecy ended and Lia is hard at work honing her newfound powers, continuing to learn more about prophecy and searching for the other two keys--all of which will help her win against her twin sister, Alice, in their inevitable battle that will pit good sister against the evil sister. However, Guardian is mostly about Lia's journey to a mythical island to look for the missing pages that contain the other half of the prophecy.
The dark, gothic feel I loved from the first book is very much present in this book. It's also still slow and not much really happen to move the plot along but unlike the first book, there is more action in this book which I really liked. We are also introduced to a new love interest for Lia in Dimitri. I didn't really like James from the first book so Dimitri, who Lia forms an instant connection with, is a welcome addition. My other complaint from the first book was that the secondary characters there were a little flat, but in Guardian they are more fleshed out. Alice, the "evil" twin, is hardly in this book and I definitely want to see more of her but suffice to say Guardian surpassed Prophecy and I enjoyed reading this book a lot more. I am definitely looking forward to reading the conclusion of this trilogy!
4 out of 5 stars
The dark, gothic feel I loved from the first book is very much present in this book. It's also still slow and not much really happen to move the plot along but unlike the first book, there is more action in this book which I really liked. We are also introduced to a new love interest for Lia in Dimitri. I didn't really like James from the first book so Dimitri, who Lia forms an instant connection with, is a welcome addition. My other complaint from the first book was that the secondary characters there were a little flat, but in Guardian they are more fleshed out. Alice, the "evil" twin, is hardly in this book and I definitely want to see more of her but suffice to say Guardian surpassed Prophecy and I enjoyed reading this book a lot more. I am definitely looking forward to reading the conclusion of this trilogy!
4 out of 5 stars