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linkdoesread's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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
5.0
I'm going to need a while to process the mind-bending madness that Samantha Shannon just laid on me! If you haven't read The Bone Season books you really have to!
This is the second book in the series and picks up moments after the first book ended.... (Pause here for spoilers!)
Paige, some survivors and the Seven Seals have made their way out of Sheol 1 on a stolen train. The relationship between Jaxon and Paige is broken possibly beyond repair. Warden is missing and everything seems impossible. Enter a whole bunch more tension and plot!
The central focus of this book is Paige bringing the tyranny of Scion and the actions of the Rephaim to light for the public to rise and take a stand - but to save the lives of millions of voyants she's going to need the help of the Unnatural Assembly - they, however, are too focused on squabbling and making money. Fighting from every angle Paige is hunting down the truth and entering a battle she has to win. Long live the Mime Order!
This is the second book in the series and picks up moments after the first book ended.... (Pause here for spoilers!)
Paige, some survivors and the Seven Seals have made their way out of Sheol 1 on a stolen train. The relationship between Jaxon and Paige is broken possibly beyond repair. Warden is missing and everything seems impossible. Enter a whole bunch more tension and plot!
The central focus of this book is Paige bringing the tyranny of Scion and the actions of the Rephaim to light for the public to rise and take a stand - but to save the lives of millions of voyants she's going to need the help of the Unnatural Assembly - they, however, are too focused on squabbling and making money. Fighting from every angle Paige is hunting down the truth and entering a battle she has to win. Long live the Mime Order!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Gun violence, and Slavery
the_literarylinguist's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Violence
Moderate: Death, Murder, and Self harm
Minor: Cursing
sarahholliday's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.5
One of the reasons this series is so enjoyable is the ability to see Shannon's writing develop from book to book.
The Bone Season will always be my "favorite" in the series because it's where I fell in love with a new author, but I do love the way in which Shannon continues to expand the universe without making it too big or overwhelming.
The Mime Order is infuriating and frustrating in the best possible way, and it's wonderful to see Paige further develop into a competent, passionate leader.
The Bone Season will always be my "favorite" in the series because it's where I fell in love with a new author, but I do love the way in which Shannon continues to expand the universe without making it too big or overwhelming.
The Mime Order is infuriating and frustrating in the best possible way, and it's wonderful to see Paige further develop into a competent, passionate leader.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Death, Murder, and Police brutality
Moderate: Alcoholism and Gore
unfiltered_fiction's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
In this sequel to The Bone Season, Samantha Shannon shows a tangible improvement in the quality of her writing. Page's story opens up to the world of Scion London, giving the reader a vivid and compelling backdrop for the narrative. Shannon's worldbuilding is stronger in this novel than her first, and her characters remain excellent, although they don't develop a huge amount between the end of The Bone Season and the end of this book, with some even regressing a little.
Elements of the writing remain knotted - a couple of dialogue passages I had to read several times to be sure that I understood what the characters were implying to one another, which detracted from the pace of the writing. The plot is also a little lopsided, building up to a cliffhanger which is very easily predictable and therefore not very effective at all. It feels a little haphazard, as though Paige simply lurches from event to event rather than there being a strong arc with very little strategy for a long time. The story doesn't truly get going until the final section of the book, which is a little long to wait, especially when this is already a sequel.
However, there is an evident maturation of Shannon's world and her way of representing it. The politics of the syndicate are fascinating; fight scenes are written very, very well; it was fabulous to get to know the Dials better. Subplots were very compelling, and laid the foundations for some really exciting things later in the series. Despite its flaws, I really love this series. I think it's a fascinating world, an excellent concept, and a story that is truly epic - albeit with some faltering in the telling.
Elements of the writing remain knotted - a couple of dialogue passages I had to read several times to be sure that I understood what the characters were implying to one another, which detracted from the pace of the writing. The plot is also a little lopsided, building up to a cliffhanger which is very easily predictable and therefore not very effective at all. It feels a little haphazard, as though Paige simply lurches from event to event rather than there being a strong arc with very little strategy for a long time. The story doesn't truly get going until the final section of the book, which is a little long to wait, especially when this is already a sequel.
However, there is an evident maturation of Shannon's world and her way of representing it. The politics of the syndicate are fascinating; fight scenes are written very, very well; it was fabulous to get to know the Dials better. Subplots were very compelling, and laid the foundations for some really exciting things later in the series. Despite its flaws, I really love this series. I think it's a fascinating world, an excellent concept, and a story that is truly epic - albeit with some faltering in the telling.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, and Gore
Moderate: Trafficking, Suicide, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, and Grief
Minor: Animal cruelty and Confinement
deerestdoe's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Alcoholism and Torture
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