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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
The story started of from Carmen’s POV which sadly did not deliver. I felt the storyline really slowed down and faltered. It was easy to see who the enemy was and it felt like the story just dragged itself to the ending. Sadly I expected more and didn’t get it.
This is fantastic speculative fiction I loved the world and the politics and the characters so much.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-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:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Carmen's life has never been simple, and now things seem to be getting more complicated everywhere she turns. With Dani still trapped in Mateo's household and a rebellion full of people who seem to think she's turned, Carmen needs to measure her next steps very carefully or risk losing everything and everyone she loves.
Before I start the actual review, a note; it's a year and a half since I read the first book in this duology. The ARC version I received has absolutely nothing in the way of a recap, apart from Carmen experiencing flashbacks to particular moments over and over (and over and over) again. Maybe the real book will have a recap; if not, prepare to be quite confused.
This book is much less about the privileged half of the society and much more about the underdogs. Carmen, our POV character this time around, is a bit out of place having spent years in the Medio School training as a Segunda. Dani's been abandoned to Mateo...a thing I'm confused about that might be explained if I remembered the last book better; Carmen and her team left Dani with Mateo deliberately, but then act as though getting her out is a vital assignment. Why didn't they just take her with them the first time around?
The descriptions are fabulous, with plenty of scenery and characters to go around. I'm not sure why anyone had trouble picking out the La Voz traitor, considering they all but carried a sign proclaiming themselves; but then again I'm outside the book, so maybe it's easier for me.
This is a brilliant series and I did enjoy it. I just recommend buying both and reading them together. Hopefully they'll make more sense that way.
Before I start the actual review, a note; it's a year and a half since I read the first book in this duology. The ARC version I received has absolutely nothing in the way of a recap, apart from Carmen experiencing flashbacks to particular moments over and over (and over and over) again. Maybe the real book will have a recap; if not, prepare to be quite confused.
This book is much less about the privileged half of the society and much more about the underdogs. Carmen, our POV character this time around, is a bit out of place having spent years in the Medio School training as a Segunda. Dani's been abandoned to Mateo...a thing I'm confused about that might be explained if I remembered the last book better; Carmen and her team left Dani with Mateo deliberately, but then act as though getting her out is a vital assignment. Why didn't they just take her with them the first time around?
The descriptions are fabulous, with plenty of scenery and characters to go around. I'm not sure why anyone had trouble picking out the La Voz traitor, considering they all but carried a sign proclaiming themselves; but then again I'm outside the book, so maybe it's easier for me.
This is a brilliant series and I did enjoy it. I just recommend buying both and reading them together. Hopefully they'll make more sense that way.
Now this was pretty good. I enjoyed getting this book from Carmen's perspective. I think about my younger self reading this, and how powerful it would have been to read about a revolutionary young lesbian. I love the idea of her pushing back against the idea that love makes you weak in the revolution, because we know that a revolution without love is no revolution at all.
I missed Dani as a narrator, okay? I wasn't expecting Carmen and that change was a bit jarring. I also kind of wanted more of the scenes from Dani being a spy that we didn't get because everything was set with Carmen.
and while I enjoyed some of the rebellion aspect, the plot just felt messy. the mole felt obvious and i don't think the ending wrapped up with a decisive real victory. I was happy for Carmen and Dani and their arc and ending. but sometimes, the plot for them felt very melodramatic.
and while I enjoyed some of the rebellion aspect, the plot just felt messy. the mole felt obvious and i don't think the ending wrapped up with a decisive real victory. I was happy for Carmen and Dani and their arc and ending. but sometimes, the plot for them felt very melodramatic.
While I ended up liking this book, the beginning was just not the best. This book was narrated by a different character than the first book, and it took a while to get used to it. It was also difficult to care about the characters that eventually died, we were supposed to be upset at these deaths but we never really got a chance to know them.
The last two acts of the book were definitely much better, the action helped a lot. But I feel like the plot was rushed and the twist at the end was a little confusing.
All in all though I do believe this was a good follow up to the first book. I really love this duology. I will definitely be buying them both for my library.
The last two acts of the book were definitely much better, the action helped a lot. But I feel like the plot was rushed and the twist at the end was a little confusing.
All in all though I do believe this was a good follow up to the first book. I really love this duology. I will definitely be buying them both for my library.
I was disappointed that this book did not hold up to the first. While I enjoyed Carmen’s POV it felt like it was lacking coherence and momentum in the story telling.
DNF - 63%
I couldn't finish this book. It was really hard for me to stay interested in the story with Carmen as the narrator. The twists were really predictable, and I just expected to be entertained just as much as I was with the first one, though the first one also had a tendency to be a bit predictable. Not the book for me, but I'm glad others enjoyed it.
I couldn't finish this book. It was really hard for me to stay interested in the story with Carmen as the narrator. The twists were really predictable, and I just expected to be entertained just as much as I was with the first one, though the first one also had a tendency to be a bit predictable. Not the book for me, but I'm glad others enjoyed it.