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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
This book starkly contrasts its predecessor. In some ways good, in some ways bad.
This book had a darker tone and seemed more fierce. The stakes were raised. Readers got to see La Voz and their culture a lot more, we got to know Carmen better, and saw things through her perspective. I was more captivated by this one. It had many turns that I did not expect. I thought the ending was good and satisfying for the most part.
This book had a darker tone and seemed more fierce. The stakes were raised. Readers got to see La Voz and their culture a lot more, we got to know Carmen better, and saw things through her perspective. I was more captivated by this one. It had many turns that I did not expect. I thought the ending was good and satisfying for the most part.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse
After trying the first book on a whim, based purely off the cover, and being delighted, I was rather disappointed by the sequel. The thing that made the first one interesting was the fact that you were as tossed around and confused as the protagonist. In this case you know right off the bat what's happening, and it kind of lets the flaws really shine through.
The romance feels so much more melodramatic. The actual drama, that's drawn out and stretched almost entirely through inner monologue based on one or two events, is resolved like nothing ever happened. The action scenes, which I believed were intentionally confusing in the first book to reflect the chaos of what was happening, are hard to follow. I had to keep revising my mental image of what was happening with every line.
"Okay, so we're on a hill and... okay, wait, no, it's a cliff. But they're rolling down? Oh, it was a hill, but past the hill there is a sandy cliff. Tree-covered cliff. No, tree-covered hill. Wait, there's a river? Ah, okay, wait, the river is at the bottom of the cliff. Hill. Yes, cliff. Wait, we're in the trees? Okay, they're in the trees, and Mateo is there. No he's not. Wait. Yes, he is, he's talking. Oh my god, they jumped off the cliff. No, wait, they jumped into the river. At the bottom of the cliff? Oh, no, it's running right next to them. Wait, there's no hill? Oh, okay, there is a hill, at the bottom of the cliff, past the trees with are on the cliff next to the hill, wait it's the ocean now? When did they get knives..."
I don't know why it sticks out so much to me, but there was one particular line (that I'll paraphrase) that really captured the odd pace for me:
"...with this, Carmen finally felt hope that the tides would turn.
Her hope was immediate dashed..."
Aaaargh, come on. Just give me, the reader, a minute to also connect here. Give me a paragraph of things going well, let me feel this feeling. I don't feel a sense of disappointment, just a sense of having wasted my time.
The romance feels so much more melodramatic. The actual drama, that's drawn out and stretched almost entirely through inner monologue based on one or two events, is resolved like nothing ever happened. The action scenes, which I believed were intentionally confusing in the first book to reflect the chaos of what was happening, are hard to follow. I had to keep revising my mental image of what was happening with every line.
"Okay, so we're on a hill and... okay, wait, no, it's a cliff. But they're rolling down? Oh, it was a hill, but past the hill there is a sandy cliff. Tree-covered cliff. No, tree-covered hill. Wait, there's a river? Ah, okay, wait, the river is at the bottom of the cliff. Hill. Yes, cliff. Wait, we're in the trees? Okay, they're in the trees, and Mateo is there. No he's not. Wait. Yes, he is, he's talking. Oh my god, they jumped off the cliff. No, wait, they jumped into the river. At the bottom of the cliff? Oh, no, it's running right next to them. Wait, there's no hill? Oh, okay, there is a hill, at the bottom of the cliff, past the trees with are on the cliff next to the hill, wait it's the ocean now? When did they get knives..."
I don't know why it sticks out so much to me, but there was one particular line (that I'll paraphrase) that really captured the odd pace for me:
"...with this, Carmen finally felt hope that the tides would turn.
Her hope was immediate dashed..."
Aaaargh, come on. Just give me, the reader, a minute to also connect here. Give me a paragraph of things going well, let me feel this feeling. I don't feel a sense of disappointment, just a sense of having wasted my time.
adventurous
dark
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A good sequel. The end of the book is very mind-bending but satisfying.
This was worse than the first one. The first had some silly aspects and mostly boring main characters, but it was a compelling story in an interesting setting with thoughtful parallels to the world today. This was missing everything that made the first worthy and doubled down on what made it bad.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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:
Complicated
adventurous
hopeful
tense
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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:
Yes