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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
I enjoyed the story as with the first book. In fact, this had a more logical end point than the first book which I appreciated.
However, the portion toward the end about Ari and el buitre felt forced and not fully justified.
However, the portion toward the end about Ari and el buitre felt forced and not fully justified.
3.5|| This was a really strong sequel!
THE GOOD:
Tehlor Kay Mejia never EVER fails to have such good characterization. All of the moments in the book with any sort of character development were rich and were done exceptionally. Carmen was so strong and a powerful woman. I loved reading about her in the first novel and this really made my love grow for her.
THE BAD:
Okay, we all know I love this world and the characters, however, this didn't do it for me. I really enjoyed Dani's perspective, and I wanted to see more from her. Maybe if the series as a whole was a dual perspective between the two girls, I would have been more entranced.
I was just so enamored by Dani that I wanted to see more of her development. I wanted her now strong but cautious, longing after Carmen. I wanted to see the political battles--but then again, this is all personal preference.
OVERALL, this was very good, and I can't wait to read what Tehlor Kay Mejia has in store!
THE GOOD:
Tehlor Kay Mejia never EVER fails to have such good characterization. All of the moments in the book with any sort of character development were rich and were done exceptionally. Carmen was so strong and a powerful woman. I loved reading about her in the first novel and this really made my love grow for her.
THE BAD:
Okay, we all know I love this world and the characters, however, this didn't do it for me. I really enjoyed Dani's perspective, and I wanted to see more from her. Maybe if the series as a whole was a dual perspective between the two girls, I would have been more entranced.
I was just so enamored by Dani that I wanted to see more of her development. I wanted her now strong but cautious, longing after Carmen. I wanted to see the political battles--but then again, this is all personal preference.
OVERALL, this was very good, and I can't wait to read what Tehlor Kay Mejia has in store!
really good but i didn’t love it as much as the first one
“That was what would carry her through this moment. Not prayer. Not stories about special chosen people. Not gods that came and went as they pleased. But her own divinity. Her own ability to create the world she wanted to see.” (pg. 91)
We Unleash the Merciless Storm provides a thrilling conclusion to the high stakes set up in We Set the Dark on Fire. This time our point-of-view character is Carmen Santos, making for a different tone from the first book. Carmen, as a Segunda, is driven more by passionate impulse than our previous point-of-view character Dani’s Primera analysis and logic. This switch in perspective provides a different lens to explore the duology’s themes.
Fantasy settings analogous to relevant contemporary real-world events stimulate thoughtful examination of the relationship between resistance and violence, symbols of prejudice, attempts to justify oppression, and radical empathy versus a mercenary approach. There is a slight shift in focus emphasizing the romantic aspect more heavily, leading to an overall more flawed execution than its predecessor. However, the story is still replete with quotable phrases and a high-quality tale well worth a read.
Rating reviewed 1/19/2023.
We Unleash the Merciless Storm provides a thrilling conclusion to the high stakes set up in We Set the Dark on Fire. This time our point-of-view character is Carmen Santos, making for a different tone from the first book. Carmen, as a Segunda, is driven more by passionate impulse than our previous point-of-view character Dani’s Primera analysis and logic. This switch in perspective provides a different lens to explore the duology’s themes.
Fantasy settings analogous to relevant contemporary real-world events stimulate thoughtful examination of the relationship between resistance and violence, symbols of prejudice, attempts to justify oppression, and radical empathy versus a mercenary approach. There is a slight shift in focus emphasizing the romantic aspect more heavily, leading to an overall more flawed execution than its predecessor. However, the story is still replete with quotable phrases and a high-quality tale well worth a read.
Rating reviewed 1/19/2023.
Dnf at about 80%
Nobody is more disappointed than I am. I LOVED the first book but this one was such a far shot from that one. I was literally rolling my eyes and crawling through the book and then a friend finished it and told me it's not worth finishing either.
First off, the rebel storyline is boring. It's overused and expected. A lot of this whole book is expected and predictable, even a great part of the end plot twist. It's like, are you dumb Carmen? Can't you see this? I also like Dani wayyy more than Carmen so maybe that added to me not liking this book since it is narrated by Carmen. In the beginning, Carmen's story is being shoved upon us like we're expected to care but I honestly couldn't get myself to.
At some point Carmen and Dani sort of reconcile and it's very clear that they both love each other still but through the rest of the book we're made to go through the angst of does she love me or not from both sides and I couldn't stand it. Certain characters seemed different and more stupid in the second book *cough* Yasmin *cough* and I'm seriously so sad.
Yeah I was basically very frustrated and if you loved the first book I would recommend just reading a summary of this one and leave it at that.
Nobody is more disappointed than I am. I LOVED the first book but this one was such a far shot from that one. I was literally rolling my eyes and crawling through the book and then a friend finished it and told me it's not worth finishing either.
First off, the rebel storyline is boring. It's overused and expected. A lot of this whole book is expected and predictable, even a great part of the end plot twist. It's like, are you dumb Carmen? Can't you see this? I also like Dani wayyy more than Carmen so maybe that added to me not liking this book since it is narrated by Carmen. In the beginning, Carmen's story is being shoved upon us like we're expected to care but I honestly couldn't get myself to.
At some point Carmen and Dani sort of reconcile and it's very clear that they both love each other still but through the rest of the book we're made to go through the angst of does she love me or not from both sides and I couldn't stand it. Certain characters seemed different and more stupid in the second book *cough* Yasmin *cough* and I'm seriously so sad.
Yeah I was basically very frustrated and if you loved the first book I would recommend just reading a summary of this one and leave it at that.
Okay, I liked this one *better* than the first one. While the first book is from Dani's perspective, this one is from Carmen's perspective, and Carmen is a chaotic hotheaded gay disaster and I am HERE FOR IT. The double-crossing spy shenanigans and political drama in this installment are way more intense and complex than the first book, the characters are spicier, and the sexual tension between Carmen & Dani is virtually constantly at level 11. Seriously, if you want poisoned throwing knives and underwater caves full of skulls and feisty exes and forests made of ghost trees and despicable villains and NEXT LEVEL lesbian pining, this book has got you covered.
I wanted to like this sequel more than I did! I enjoyed getting to spend time with Carmen, but spent a lot of the book frustrated with her decision making skills. So much of it was repetitive, and I had hoped it would be more intricate and detailed than the first book was, but a lot of it felt pretty surface level
Still, it was an adventurous tale of overthrowing a government and I’m here for that
Still, it was an adventurous tale of overthrowing a government and I’m here for that
sadly, this was a disappointing for me compared to the first book which i really enjoyed. i wasn't invested in the storyline, or even really the characters - which was hard for me to grasp because in the previous book i was cheering along for their romance pretty hard. book 1 did lose me at the end with the card games on motorcycles etc near the end but i still enjoyed it yanno? especially at the beginning, i had to really force myself to keep reading through.
there were so many nonsensical moments, i know that fantasy, and ya fantasy (don't come for me) always has those eye roll moments but 'what if we were in the middle of a riot and are surrounded by enemies who could kill us at anytime and we kissed
there were so many nonsensical moments, i know that fantasy, and ya fantasy (don't come for me) always has those eye roll moments but 'what if we were in the middle of a riot and are surrounded by enemies who could kill us at anytime and we kissed
Originally posted on The Nerd Daily.
We Unleash the Merciless Storm is the much anticipated sequel to the critically acclaimed, We Set the Dark on Fire.
We Set the Dark on Fire introduced readers to the troubled, dystopian world of Medio where poverty is rife and political uprisings are frequent. If you are one of the lucky few living out of the grips of poverty, societies hierarchy creates a clear misogynistic distinction between men and women. The overwhelming female oppression at the hands of power hungry men begins from the first page as we are introduced to Dani and Carmen, graduates of the Medio School for Girls.
In Medio, girls compete at school and are trained to be the perfect wives. There are two streams, the Primera’s who run the house and their husband’s business affairs and the Segunda’s who share their beds and give them children. Dani is the star Primera of her year and as such is married to the most powerful young man in Medio. It is at her graduation where she is recruited by the resistance group La Voz to attempt to free her world of the immense inequality.
We Unleash the Merciless Storm picks up from the cliff hanger Tehlor Kay Mejia left readers with at the end of We Set the Dark on Fire and throws the reader into the world of the resistance as we follow La Voz spy, Carmen. With her cover blown, she is forced to return to the only family she has ever known leaving the woman she loves behind.
La Voz fights for the freedom and independence of the oppressed class on the other side of Medio’s border wall and its members sacrifice all to defend their cause. They adopted Carmen when she was a child after the death of her parents and she became one of their best soldiers with a respected position within the organisation, despite her age.
The cost of membership to La Voz is total and complete devotion. The cause is your life and no other person or organisation can be held in higher esteem. When Carmen returns after years in Medio she finds things are not as they once were and her beloved leader is being influenced by a new recruit who is set on putting her people, including Dani, in danger. Carmen must make a decision: stay and regain her position within her La Voz family or return to Medio to save the woman she loves.
“I’m sorry, Carmen thought again. To the last piece of her old life. To the girl she had lived it with. A girl who deserved better than violence and deception and betrayal.”
We Unleash the Merciless Storm takes the reader beyond Medio’s walls into the unknown world of the resistance. The familiarity gained throughout the first novel is lost from the very first page not just because the physical location of the story has changed but also the narrator. Carmen replaces Dani as the storyteller this time round and Mejia uses stories of her past to impart knowledge and history about La Voz and of Carmen herself to the reader. In We Set the Dark on Fire, she is seen as vapid and vain with a secret that burns under her surface but in We Unleash the Merciless Storm the reader learns just how strong, brave and powerful she really is. As one of the most promising resistance fighters, at the age of twelve, she was sent to infiltrate a society that has been groomed to hate her. She did so alone, leaving her pseudo father, brother and sister behind. Carmen not only fooled the people of the capital but she excelled in her mission and became the most highly sought after Segunda of her year, all while serving as a spy. Her passion and unfaltering belief in the cause gave her the strength she needed to survive in a place surrounded by people who would rather she didn’t exist and she always expected her homecoming to be one of victory and triumph. She never expected to return broken and on the run.
“We built? Were you there, Alex? Surrounded by people who would kill you or worse if they knew who you were? Being groomed like a farm animal to be sold to the highest bidder?”
Inequality is rampant in Medio. It is witnessed between men and women, rich and poor and by the location of your birth. A theme that we have seen in our own society in recent times. Mejia has given readers two deeply passionate heroines that have faced this inequality head on and won. These powerful latinx women inspire and encourage a change in their world and our own.
Throughout the book Carmen’s character is constantly changing and evolving. No matter where she is she lives a double life. While in Medio she is a politico’s wife and a resistance spy and when her world shifts and she returns home she realises that she is still being forced to pretend. Carmen’s realisation that both she and the organisations loyalties have changed is the turning point in the novel. It sets Carmen on a course back to the capital in an attempt to not only save Dani but also the cause she’s fought for her entire life.
“An outlaw in the capital, a fugitive from the most powerful force on the outer island, Carmen couldn’t risk crossing the wall at any of their normal checkpoints. Not alone. Not unprotected. Not with both sides of the island likely screaming for her head.”
Not to be outdone in this narrative, Dani presents a unified force alongside Carmen and we see her grow into the woman she was always destined to be. No longer striving to be the perfect Primera just to make her parents sacrifice worthwhile, she is on a mission to improve the world to carve a space for all in Medio. Dani is, at times, resistance personified.
“Because it’s where I belong, Because it’s where I choose to be. Because I believe.”
Each chapter begins with an excerpt of the La Voz Membership Pledge. This contributes a few important things to the story. On the surface, it provides insight into the life of a resistance member. While the majority of the members seem to be soldiers for the cause there is a percentage of members who support in other ways. It is interesting that each membership pledge has a meaning for both types of members, showing there is a place for everyone willing to fight for the cause.
“My skills, interests and resources I pledge to the cause of resistance.”
On the other hand, it also demonstrates the rigidity of the regime and how it discourages independent thought.
“Whatever my specialisation, I will be a weapon-wielding soldier of La Voz, prepared to risk life and limb in service of the resistance.”
With hindsight you see that these excerpts from the membership pledge also hint at the events within each chapter. This is a fun realisation that really added to the reading experience.
“I pledge my honesty to my brothers and sisters in the cause; no lie or mistruth will I utter in their presence.”
We Unleash the Merciless Storm is an incredible sequel to a fantastic debut. It is a direct continuation of We Set the Dark on Fire so if you are yet to pick this series up yet I highly recommend it. Set in a dystopian world that both horrifies and fascinates readers it shares issues with our own society today including inequality, immigration and misogyny with a sprinkle of toxic masculinity. The strong female characters are complex, each with their own secrets, and the bond between these two women grows throughout until the conclusion of We Unleash the Merciless Storm where they become an unstoppable force. The romance that blooms between them is a beautiful representation of f/f romance and offers a shining ray of hope in the bleak setting that is Medio. While there is currently no released news regarding any further books in this series I have a strong hope for at least one more book because although the book ends with a sense of finality there are a few loose ends that I would love to see wrapped up completely.
We Unleash the Merciless Storm is the much anticipated sequel to the critically acclaimed, We Set the Dark on Fire.
We Set the Dark on Fire introduced readers to the troubled, dystopian world of Medio where poverty is rife and political uprisings are frequent. If you are one of the lucky few living out of the grips of poverty, societies hierarchy creates a clear misogynistic distinction between men and women. The overwhelming female oppression at the hands of power hungry men begins from the first page as we are introduced to Dani and Carmen, graduates of the Medio School for Girls.
In Medio, girls compete at school and are trained to be the perfect wives. There are two streams, the Primera’s who run the house and their husband’s business affairs and the Segunda’s who share their beds and give them children. Dani is the star Primera of her year and as such is married to the most powerful young man in Medio. It is at her graduation where she is recruited by the resistance group La Voz to attempt to free her world of the immense inequality.
We Unleash the Merciless Storm picks up from the cliff hanger Tehlor Kay Mejia left readers with at the end of We Set the Dark on Fire and throws the reader into the world of the resistance as we follow La Voz spy, Carmen. With her cover blown, she is forced to return to the only family she has ever known leaving the woman she loves behind.
La Voz fights for the freedom and independence of the oppressed class on the other side of Medio’s border wall and its members sacrifice all to defend their cause. They adopted Carmen when she was a child after the death of her parents and she became one of their best soldiers with a respected position within the organisation, despite her age.
The cost of membership to La Voz is total and complete devotion. The cause is your life and no other person or organisation can be held in higher esteem. When Carmen returns after years in Medio she finds things are not as they once were and her beloved leader is being influenced by a new recruit who is set on putting her people, including Dani, in danger. Carmen must make a decision: stay and regain her position within her La Voz family or return to Medio to save the woman she loves.
“I’m sorry, Carmen thought again. To the last piece of her old life. To the girl she had lived it with. A girl who deserved better than violence and deception and betrayal.”
We Unleash the Merciless Storm takes the reader beyond Medio’s walls into the unknown world of the resistance. The familiarity gained throughout the first novel is lost from the very first page not just because the physical location of the story has changed but also the narrator. Carmen replaces Dani as the storyteller this time round and Mejia uses stories of her past to impart knowledge and history about La Voz and of Carmen herself to the reader. In We Set the Dark on Fire, she is seen as vapid and vain with a secret that burns under her surface but in We Unleash the Merciless Storm the reader learns just how strong, brave and powerful she really is. As one of the most promising resistance fighters, at the age of twelve, she was sent to infiltrate a society that has been groomed to hate her. She did so alone, leaving her pseudo father, brother and sister behind. Carmen not only fooled the people of the capital but she excelled in her mission and became the most highly sought after Segunda of her year, all while serving as a spy. Her passion and unfaltering belief in the cause gave her the strength she needed to survive in a place surrounded by people who would rather she didn’t exist and she always expected her homecoming to be one of victory and triumph. She never expected to return broken and on the run.
“We built? Were you there, Alex? Surrounded by people who would kill you or worse if they knew who you were? Being groomed like a farm animal to be sold to the highest bidder?”
Inequality is rampant in Medio. It is witnessed between men and women, rich and poor and by the location of your birth. A theme that we have seen in our own society in recent times. Mejia has given readers two deeply passionate heroines that have faced this inequality head on and won. These powerful latinx women inspire and encourage a change in their world and our own.
Throughout the book Carmen’s character is constantly changing and evolving. No matter where she is she lives a double life. While in Medio she is a politico’s wife and a resistance spy and when her world shifts and she returns home she realises that she is still being forced to pretend. Carmen’s realisation that both she and the organisations loyalties have changed is the turning point in the novel. It sets Carmen on a course back to the capital in an attempt to not only save Dani but also the cause she’s fought for her entire life.
“An outlaw in the capital, a fugitive from the most powerful force on the outer island, Carmen couldn’t risk crossing the wall at any of their normal checkpoints. Not alone. Not unprotected. Not with both sides of the island likely screaming for her head.”
Not to be outdone in this narrative, Dani presents a unified force alongside Carmen and we see her grow into the woman she was always destined to be. No longer striving to be the perfect Primera just to make her parents sacrifice worthwhile, she is on a mission to improve the world to carve a space for all in Medio. Dani is, at times, resistance personified.
“Because it’s where I belong, Because it’s where I choose to be. Because I believe.”
Each chapter begins with an excerpt of the La Voz Membership Pledge. This contributes a few important things to the story. On the surface, it provides insight into the life of a resistance member. While the majority of the members seem to be soldiers for the cause there is a percentage of members who support in other ways. It is interesting that each membership pledge has a meaning for both types of members, showing there is a place for everyone willing to fight for the cause.
“My skills, interests and resources I pledge to the cause of resistance.”
On the other hand, it also demonstrates the rigidity of the regime and how it discourages independent thought.
“Whatever my specialisation, I will be a weapon-wielding soldier of La Voz, prepared to risk life and limb in service of the resistance.”
With hindsight you see that these excerpts from the membership pledge also hint at the events within each chapter. This is a fun realisation that really added to the reading experience.
“I pledge my honesty to my brothers and sisters in the cause; no lie or mistruth will I utter in their presence.”
We Unleash the Merciless Storm is an incredible sequel to a fantastic debut. It is a direct continuation of We Set the Dark on Fire so if you are yet to pick this series up yet I highly recommend it. Set in a dystopian world that both horrifies and fascinates readers it shares issues with our own society today including inequality, immigration and misogyny with a sprinkle of toxic masculinity. The strong female characters are complex, each with their own secrets, and the bond between these two women grows throughout until the conclusion of We Unleash the Merciless Storm where they become an unstoppable force. The romance that blooms between them is a beautiful representation of f/f romance and offers a shining ray of hope in the bleak setting that is Medio. While there is currently no released news regarding any further books in this series I have a strong hope for at least one more book because although the book ends with a sense of finality there are a few loose ends that I would love to see wrapped up completely.