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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
Again this book is not perfect, I still feel there were parts that could go better. BUT I really liked it, I enjoyed it and it entertained me immensely. The idea, the plot and the characters were addictive to read and to be cared about.
Also the ending is great, because it wrapped everything up nicely to give you a good sleep at night, but then if you wish there would be another book to this story, the ending was also kinda give you a room to hope. Well it can, if the Author wants.
Also the ending is great, because it wrapped everything up nicely to give you a good sleep at night, but then if you wish there would be another book to this story, the ending was also kinda give you a room to hope. Well it can, if the Author wants.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-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
I wasn't sure if I wanted to read this because I thought the first book had a good conclusion. I didn't really want to start another series, but I learned that this would be the last of a duology so I went for it. I thought it was pretty good. It didn't capture my attention like the first one did, but it wasn't bad. I don't regret reading it, but I don't find it essential to read both books. I know logically that the stakes were higher but they didn't feel higher.
The one area that I'm surprised that I really liked was the romances. With two books, they had room to breathe. I'm actually really happy with how both of them ended up. I think they were true to the characters and well thought out by the author. I absolutely liked the first book better, but this one is a good return to Four Paths for those that want that.
The one area that I'm surprised that I really liked was the romances. With two books, they had room to breathe. I'm actually really happy with how both of them ended up. I think they were true to the characters and well thought out by the author. I absolutely liked the first book better, but this one is a good return to Four Paths for those that want that.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
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
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
I was so ready to return to Four Paths, The Devouring Gray was a stand out read for me last year, and I could’t wait to get back to it’s forests full of secrets and twists. If you can read book one again before picking this up, then I would really recommend that you do, it took me a beat to get back in the mindset and remember which character came from which founder and what their powers were, it’s not essential but I think I would have been absorbed by the world more fully had things been fresher in my mind. The one thing The Devouring Gray left me with was questions, honestly, I got answer’s in abundance in what is probably the most satisfying conclusion to a story I’ve ever read.
With the presence of the corruption comes a ticking time bomb that drives the story forward in a way full of urgency. The group must find answers whilst also traversing the messy and fragile emotional connections they have made, trying to find their way together following the conclusion of book one. There are power struggles and a strong sense of morality which ultimately leads them down the same path, even if they take different roads to get there. I also enjoyed that the Beast takes their own little dig at how they can’t keep up with the ever changing friendships between them. Breadcrumbs of a story to follow are left in respect of the lives of the founders themselves and I really enjoyed each discovery and revelation as the pieces of the true history start to lock into place. It really is one hell of a ride so you’ll need to hold on tight for it. The only thing about their investigations that frustrated me was that every time the main four discovered something huge, their parents were all like “yeah we knew that – oops guess we should have told you.” As a parent, I can totally understand wanting to shield your child, for me it would have worked better if some of what they discovered came as a surprise, especially given just how great the interference from Augusta is in adjusting peoples memories.
Isaac remains my favourite character of them all, beautiful, sorrowful boy that he is. The return of Gabriel brings with it the truth behind what happened that fateful day at the Sullivan manor and it will break your heart just a little bit more for him. All the characters really come into their own in this book, they’re sensitively written and the weight of responsibility against trying to make sense of their own feelings is incredibly well balanced. Their time in the Gray feels more naturally part of the story this time which becomes clear why as we move forward, but the relationship feels more symbiotic as May explores her power with the cards through the roots of the Hawthorne tree. I really felt drawn to May in these moments, her readings of the cards and how they relate to players in the story was interestingly done, especially when her father returns to the scene. Harper I felt for greatly, displaced from her home and then pulled between the Saunders and the Hawthorn’s, she knows she needs help with controlling hew new found powers but knowing who to turn to to not be used for personal gains is just so much for her shoulders. I do feel that the emotional strength she obtained through her ritual really helped her through this. Violet, so much the focal point of book one did feel a little like a sidekick this time round sadly.
The Deck of Omens, is an incredibly hard book to review though because on almost every page there are spoilers, so I hope I’ve been able to convey how much I enjoyed the story and characters without giving anything away. I felt that everything was wrapped up beautifully, with spectacular answers to earlier questions and as I said at the start a wonderfully satisfying conclusion.
With the presence of the corruption comes a ticking time bomb that drives the story forward in a way full of urgency. The group must find answers whilst also traversing the messy and fragile emotional connections they have made, trying to find their way together following the conclusion of book one. There are power struggles and a strong sense of morality which ultimately leads them down the same path, even if they take different roads to get there. I also enjoyed that the Beast takes their own little dig at how they can’t keep up with the ever changing friendships between them. Breadcrumbs of a story to follow are left in respect of the lives of the founders themselves and I really enjoyed each discovery and revelation as the pieces of the true history start to lock into place. It really is one hell of a ride so you’ll need to hold on tight for it. The only thing about their investigations that frustrated me was that every time the main four discovered something huge, their parents were all like “yeah we knew that – oops guess we should have told you.” As a parent, I can totally understand wanting to shield your child, for me it would have worked better if some of what they discovered came as a surprise, especially given just how great the interference from Augusta is in adjusting peoples memories.
Isaac remains my favourite character of them all, beautiful, sorrowful boy that he is. The return of Gabriel brings with it the truth behind what happened that fateful day at the Sullivan manor and it will break your heart just a little bit more for him. All the characters really come into their own in this book, they’re sensitively written and the weight of responsibility against trying to make sense of their own feelings is incredibly well balanced. Their time in the Gray feels more naturally part of the story this time which becomes clear why as we move forward, but the relationship feels more symbiotic as May explores her power with the cards through the roots of the Hawthorne tree. I really felt drawn to May in these moments, her readings of the cards and how they relate to players in the story was interestingly done, especially when her father returns to the scene. Harper I felt for greatly, displaced from her home and then pulled between the Saunders and the Hawthorn’s, she knows she needs help with controlling hew new found powers but knowing who to turn to to not be used for personal gains is just so much for her shoulders. I do feel that the emotional strength she obtained through her ritual really helped her through this. Violet, so much the focal point of book one did feel a little like a sidekick this time round sadly.
The Deck of Omens, is an incredibly hard book to review though because on almost every page there are spoilers, so I hope I’ve been able to convey how much I enjoyed the story and characters without giving anything away. I felt that everything was wrapped up beautifully, with spectacular answers to earlier questions and as I said at the start a wonderfully satisfying conclusion.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
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
I thought this was a satisfying conclusion. It took me a bit to become fully engaged at first, but then I was starting to come back into the world and be fully invested. This one seemed a bit more action packed and less atmospheric build up than the first one. Violet and Isaac are my two favorites so I was especially happy with their ending.
''What would we do if there were no monsters for us to fight?''
I have received this book for free from Titan Books in exchange for an honest review.
Once again I have ventured to Four Paths to hang out with these disaster bisexuals and I am completely satisfied with the ending of this duology. Everyone got what they deserved and it was just right. It's absolutely impressive how Christine Lynn Herman wrote this duology, consisting of her debut and sophomore novel!
In The Deck of Omens, they have just defeated the Church of Four Deities and they seem to have subdued the Beast. But they cannot rest easy, not yet, as a corruption slowly spreads throughout town, infecting nature and people alike. The Founders learn more about the Beast and the origins of their power in order to defeat this new threat.
I really love how this book seamlessly ties in to the first book in this series, The Devouring Gray. It's a natural succession and progression of the big enemy/threat, instead of just another one (as happens often in other series). New information is revealed, new characters make their debut on page, it's just enough new in combination with what we already knew to make this sequel extremely solid. Long story short, this series does NOT suffer from sequel syndrome, quite the opposite really.
The character arcs in this book are amazing. It might not seem that impressive on first glance, but the characters are very self-aware and often look back to the person they were at the start of book one and what type of person they have become in the meantime, and they also reflect on how they feel about it. This is something that should happen in more books as it really gives characters a little more depth and humanity, making the book stronger for it.
I also really loved how all of these characters are absolutely owning their sexuality. They are coming out, they discussing how they feel, they are accepting of themselves and others. And the best thing is that this book is full of bisexuals and none of them felt the need to prove their queerness whatsoever, neither did anyone else expect them to. This is the kind of bisexual representation this world needs!
As this book is book two in the duology, the story of Four Paths and its citizens ends here. I can tell you that this is a really good conclusion to a story, and like I said before, everyone got what they deserved. Interpret that how you want to, but that's all I can say without throwing out massive spoilers.
The way this book works from the aftermath of the events of The Devouring Gray, through its own events and then towards the ending felt so natural and logical. Often, when I read the end of a series, it feels like the ending is forced into a certain hoop or just fan service, and that can leave me so unsatisfied. That's the worst feeling ever, especially if every other part of the story is rock solid. The fact this book has such a natural ending is a huge pro on my list.
The reason I gave this four stars instead of five, regardless of how much I love this series, is that rating a book five stars requires a certain vibe for me, something that goes beyond just plainly loving it. While objectively this book is everything I look for in my reading material, it just didn't have the same spark for me. BUT that does not mean this book is any lesser for it! That's just my personal feeling.
In conclusion, The Deck of Omens is a rock solid book and an amazing conclusion of a duology. 10/10 would recommend!
Read more reviews on my blog:
https://servillasspeaks.wordpress.com
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
This book is so damn good. Not only is the story addicting and the prose gorgeous, but it deals with some heavy issues in a more than accessible way for readers. Herman is able to blend magic and atmosphere with captivating characters who deal with grief, anger, family, control, sexuality, and finding out how to fix the mistakes of their past.
You absolutely should read The Devouring Gray if you haven't already, and if you have, prepare for a ride with book two.
You absolutely should read The Devouring Gray if you haven't already, and if you have, prepare for a ride with book two.