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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
I fell in love with Wicked Saints and was eager to find out what happens next in Ruthless Gods. I knew not to get my hopes up because typically sequels doesn't possess the magic like the first books do. Ruthless Gods fell into this category.
The first 25% consisted of Nadya and Serefin filling each other in on what they endured during Wicked Saints. They spill their secrets but each withhold one key factor that would save them from so much turmoil later on if they had only shared the truth: Serefin is hearing the voice of a God and Nadya can no longer hear and speak to the Gods.
Tranavia is no longer safe for Nadya and Serefin. Zaneta's father is planning to overthrow Serefin's rule unless he can produce his missing daughter. So they escape and march to the Salt Mines in hopes of retrieving Zaneta while knowing they will run into the ultimate betrayer himself: Malachiasz. In fact, this point forward reminded me of The Lord of the Rings because there was a lot of walking. Walking to the Salt Mines and then walking through Kalyazi with a band of enemies turned friends each trying to do the right thing to save their country.
The action was nonexistent compared to Wicked Saints and the twists were easy to see from way back in book one: the royalty heir and the short reunion with a long lost friend, just to name two early ones. The extra points of views as interludes dragged the story down because did we really need to see what these characters were thinking when they took up so little of the book? Kacper, Ostyia, Rashid, and Parijahan's viewpoints were forcefully inserted into an already long book to try and shed some light on their backstories, but it didn't work since their characters remained behind the scenes from start to finish. They were invisible and the only things we saw were Serefin's spiral into darkness, Nadya battling her power, the truth about the Gods, and her feelings for Malachiasz, and Malachiasz being Malachiasz and having an ulterior motive because he's always three steps ahead of everyone.
The summary warns of a cliffhanger, but that isn't necessarily true. The readers know what happened so it's only a cliffhanger to the characters. Even though this book was a letdown and so long for absolutely no reason since nothing happened except talking and walking, I still loved the characters, the setting, and the Russian and Polish parallels.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
The first 25% consisted of Nadya and Serefin filling each other in on what they endured during Wicked Saints. They spill their secrets but each withhold one key factor that would save them from so much turmoil later on if they had only shared the truth: Serefin is hearing the voice of a God and Nadya can no longer hear and speak to the Gods.
Tranavia is no longer safe for Nadya and Serefin. Zaneta's father is planning to overthrow Serefin's rule unless he can produce his missing daughter. So they escape and march to the Salt Mines in hopes of retrieving Zaneta while knowing they will run into the ultimate betrayer himself: Malachiasz. In fact, this point forward reminded me of The Lord of the Rings because there was a lot of walking. Walking to the Salt Mines and then walking through Kalyazi with a band of enemies turned friends each trying to do the right thing to save their country.
The action was nonexistent compared to Wicked Saints and the twists were easy to see from way back in book one: the royalty heir and the short reunion with a long lost friend, just to name two early ones. The extra points of views as interludes dragged the story down because did we really need to see what these characters were thinking when they took up so little of the book? Kacper, Ostyia, Rashid, and Parijahan's viewpoints were forcefully inserted into an already long book to try and shed some light on their backstories, but it didn't work since their characters remained behind the scenes from start to finish. They were invisible and the only things we saw were Serefin's spiral into darkness, Nadya battling her power, the truth about the Gods, and her feelings for Malachiasz, and Malachiasz being Malachiasz and having an ulterior motive because he's always three steps ahead of everyone.
The summary warns of a cliffhanger, but that isn't necessarily true. The readers know what happened so it's only a cliffhanger to the characters. Even though this book was a letdown and so long for absolutely no reason since nothing happened except talking and walking, I still loved the characters, the setting, and the Russian and Polish parallels.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
I am...still thinking about this. Because Emily Duncan has quite the style, very atmospheric, she goes there with body horror and blood (SO MUCH BLOOD), but...did I enjoy it? I want to read the third book, so there is that! But is it too much to hope that she gives her side characters any sort of development at all?
There was just something about this that I couldn't get into, and I wasn't enjoying reading it at all. I didn't really love the first book, so I'm okay with not finishing the second. I may try to come back to it again someday, but likely not because there are just so many books out there that I want to read.
If this book weren't trying so hard to be winningly beautiful and poetic with its prose, it would have a lot more substance (and another star). As it is, most of the book is a literal cross-country trek that takes months with not much else between after all the interested parties are gathered together.
Again there's the potential for an interesting and complex plot, this time built upon a complex theological magic system rather than a war based in politics & ideology, but instead the characters seem to… get more and more entrenched in their ideals? Which feels like a metaphor for something, but means the characters don't develop much beyond Nadya and Malachiasz discovering they like a bit of blood and edgeplay in their makeout sessions. Which in another world would probably be the most controversial thing about this author's writing, as its not safe blood/edgeplay, as they very much aren't communicating and its more… they enjoy stabbing each other. Which is the most convincing part of their 'enemies to lovers' romance, as when they aren't trying to kill each other, they're very cutesy and cuddly, much as Nadya 'protests' by calling Malachiasz a monster.
Which again feels indicative of how this book is trying for depth but instead ends up with shallowness, as this term ends up being neither a true observation of either their natures, nor a term of endearment – instead feeling reflexive & performative in its hatred.
Which brings things around again to the shallowness of the theology and magic. There's an attempt at bringing depth by introducing the idea that, in their true forms, gods are monsters; and that gods can outcast fellow members, but it doesn't follow through to link back to how that reflects humanity. There is a further attempt at complexity by introducing the idea of eldritch powers: deeper, older, more monstrous beings that are even more powerful than the forgotten gods. Unfortunately this just makes me think that on top of being a shitty Avatar: The Last Airbender take, Equivalent Exchange and HP Lovecraft's whole oeuvre have been 'gently' borrowed from.
Though, as an atheist, I will say that at least Nadya's blind devotion to her gods is convincing, as much as I think it's a boring path for her to take.
So, this could have been, again, four stars if the theology had worked out. Minus one for not following up on that, minus one for the lack of any plot at all, plus another minus for the author continuing to be shitty. Totaling up to one star.
Thank the sun and stars I listened to this at ×1.3 speed.
Again there's the potential for an interesting and complex plot, this time built upon a complex theological magic system rather than a war based in politics & ideology, but instead the characters seem to… get more and more entrenched in their ideals? Which feels like a metaphor for something, but means the characters don't develop much beyond Nadya and Malachiasz discovering they like a bit of blood and edgeplay in their makeout sessions. Which in another world would probably be the most controversial thing about this author's writing, as its not safe blood/edgeplay, as they very much aren't communicating and its more… they enjoy stabbing each other. Which is the most convincing part of their 'enemies to lovers' romance, as when they aren't trying to kill each other, they're very cutesy and cuddly, much as Nadya 'protests' by calling Malachiasz a monster.
Which again feels indicative of how this book is trying for depth but instead ends up with shallowness, as this term ends up being neither a true observation of either their natures, nor a term of endearment – instead feeling reflexive & performative in its hatred.
Which brings things around again to the shallowness of the theology and magic. There's an attempt at bringing depth by introducing the idea that, in their true forms, gods are monsters; and that gods can outcast fellow members, but it doesn't follow through to link back to how that reflects humanity. There is a further attempt at complexity by introducing the idea of eldritch powers: deeper, older, more monstrous beings that are even more powerful than the forgotten gods. Unfortunately this just makes me think that on top of being a shitty Avatar: The Last Airbender take, Equivalent Exchange and HP Lovecraft's whole oeuvre have been 'gently' borrowed from.
Though, as an atheist, I will say that at least Nadya's blind devotion to her gods is convincing, as much as I think it's a boring path for her to take.
So, this could have been, again, four stars if the theology had worked out. Minus one for not following up on that, minus one for the lack of any plot at all, plus another minus for the author continuing to be shitty. Totaling up to one star.
Thank the sun and stars I listened to this at ×1.3 speed.
DAMN. THIS WAS A JOURNEY. at some points i felt like nothing happened but then i felt like everything was happening. i dont even know if ive managed to fully comprehend what even went on in this book. and nadya and the black vulture(i do not know how to spell his name), wow. their relationship, the journey, the ups and downs, the betrayals and the way they still love each other despite everything, their entire relationship is so complicated and theres so much happening with the two of them.
and dont even get me started on serefin and kacper!!!! MY BELOVEDS. i yelled so loudly when that happened. oh i need more of them so badly.
and dont even get me started on serefin and kacper!!!! MY BELOVEDS. i yelled so loudly when that happened. oh i need more of them so badly.
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
This sequel was painfully boring, especially compared to the first one. Over 500 pages and practically NOTHING HAPPENS. It took me a week to read this, which is practically unheard of for me. I almost don't want to read the last one, but I'll give it a try.
I’ve been waffling between a 3 and 4 stars for most of the last 12 hours and I cant decide so I’m sitting at a comfortable 3.5 and calling it a day. Malachiasz fucks. The end