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adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Again I am kicking myself for being late to this series!!
After reading the first one in the series, I knew this was going to be good. Schwab did an great job setting up the world and characters in that one that I was invested to see this play out.
I really loved that this one was a few months out from the last, showcasing all of our characters where they are in the aftermath and then Schwab expands on from there. She introduces new characters and expands on the world, especially Red London.
It was quite a buildup all throughout, alternating between Lila and Rhys primarily and then once they meet again, it was such a rush and that last 25ish percent was everything and I was just enthralled and waiting with Bates breath. Also that was such an illegal cliffhanger. Ugh 😩 😫
I'm on hold at the library for the last one.
After reading the first one in the series, I knew this was going to be good. Schwab did an great job setting up the world and characters in that one that I was invested to see this play out.
I really loved that this one was a few months out from the last, showcasing all of our characters where they are in the aftermath and then Schwab expands on from there. She introduces new characters and expands on the world, especially Red London.
It was quite a buildup all throughout, alternating between Lila and Rhys primarily and then once they meet again, it was such a rush and that last 25ish percent was everything and I was just enthralled and waiting with Bates breath. Also that was such an illegal cliffhanger. Ugh 😩 😫
I'm on hold at the library for the last one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Violence, Blood
Moderate: Murder, Alcohol
Minor: Death, Kidnapping
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
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:
Yes
Easiest five stars I've given since, well, the most recent V. E. Schwab book I read 😅 SHE IS SO GOOD WTF. The first book in the series was great, super fun intro to this world and characters, but this one developed them in a way I wasn't expecting but I am totally loving. Lila as a pirate and magician?? I knew she was a badass and was going to prove she was a badass but DAYUM. I think I'm in love with her as much as Kell is . But, like, I'm also afraid of her—her setting her bindings on fine and exploding out of that crate and then slitting the throats of the men who did it?? Bad. Ass. Bitch. Respectfully.
Speaking of, loving how their relationship is developing and how Schwab kept teasing that their reunion was obviously going to happen, they just kept dancing around each other and finally confronted in such a 🤌 fantastic way.
THE TOURNAMENT?? So much fun, loved every bit, WHY is no one turning this series into a show? That part alone would go so hard.
Alucard's character is fascinating to me, I'm excited to get more of him in the next book. The darkness lurking in Kell......ahhh yeah the next book is gonna be a banger and keep me on the edge of my seat like the last 1/3 or so of this book did. I devoured the last half because it was just so good.
Okay, okay, last thing I'll say, THAT ENDING?? V. E. SCHWAB, HOW DARE YOU. I love you to the ends of all the worlds you've created and back, but DAMN YOU. I'm so grateful I came to this series late so I don't have to wait to read it 😅
Speaking of, loving how their relationship is developing and how Schwab kept teasing that their reunion was obviously going to happen, they just kept dancing around each other and finally confronted in such a 🤌 fantastic way.
THE TOURNAMENT?? So much fun, loved every bit, WHY is no one turning this series into a show? That part alone would go so hard.
Alucard's character is fascinating to me, I'm excited to get more of him in the next book. The darkness lurking in Kell......ahhh yeah the next book is gonna be a banger and keep me on the edge of my seat like the last 1/3 or so of this book did. I devoured the last half because it was just so good.
Okay, okay, last thing I'll say, THAT ENDING?? V. E. SCHWAB, HOW DARE YOU. I love you to the ends of all the worlds you've created and back, but DAMN YOU. I'm so grateful I came to this series late so I don't have to wait to read it 😅
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Self harm
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
a character focused slow burn.
i really enjoyed this one. it’s so interesting to see lila in this world and her growth. i enjoyed the edition of alucard, but i hope we get more in depth in book 3. he sometimes felt fleshed out but he really did come across as a performance.
the white london droplets throughout the book were well placed and just enough to keep attention but not distract.
that cliffhanger tho 😭😭
book three is a 26 week wait. no thanks!!
i really enjoyed this one. it’s so interesting to see lila in this world and her growth. i enjoyed the edition of alucard, but i hope we get more in depth in book 3. he sometimes felt fleshed out but he really did come across as a performance.
the white london droplets throughout the book were well placed and just enough to keep attention but not distract.
that cliffhanger tho 😭😭
book three is a 26 week wait. no thanks!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder
Moderate: Death, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Violence, Gaslighting
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Minor: Self harm
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Self harm, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Confinement, Blood, Kidnapping, Alcohol
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Fire/Fire injury
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
On round two, we think we know this world, but there is much to continue to explore and unearth. Again, Schwab is truly great at World building in a satisfying way that does reward readers for paying attention to detail. That being said, this book really does feel like that middle chapter in a story, whether that be due to the sudden cliffhanger at the end or the fact of how long it takes for the main event of the book "The Essen Tasch" to begin roughly 340 pages into the story. Don't get me wrong, I like all the subtle drama and back and forth viewpoints of events (which works out really well in some chapters where the event picks up from different POV seamlessly), but for how much the event is talked up, it's a relatively short-lived part of this story. I'm genuinely more intrigued by Lila as we keep going forward, albeit sometimes ya just wanna yell when she makes some choices. Rhy seems like a more well rounded character in this outing and the brotherly conflict and care seems much more genuine. Now to seek out book 3 to find out what Osaron, White/Red London, and Kell/Lila/Rhy have in store!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Self harm, Murder
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Stalking, Alcohol, Classism