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fantasynovel's review
5.0
4.5 stars. I loved this book, but it loses half a star for a few reasons:
1) When Paige dreamwalks, her mortal body stops breathing and it's heart stops beating. To combat this, she hooks up to an oxygen mask while she's AWOL. But if her heart is beating, that oxygen being pumped into her lungs isn't going anywhere. This discrepancy really, really bugs me. She also says that "all signs of life" stop while she's gone. Does that mean she's literally dead time and time again? Because that should be taking a bigger tole than it is on her. (And again, if she's really dead, an oxygen mask won't do anything.)
2) Sometimes characters will say things and they'll seem super random, but no one else in the book will think they're random. The author seems to be writing according to her internal logic, but that doesn't translate well to other people.
Reasons it still gets 4.5 stars:
1) Paige Mahoney is a chick with agency. I've heard her compared to Katniss, but she's totally different. Katniss has very little agency beyond saving her sister. She's a puppet of the resistance, a puppet to be dressed up in a costume. Paige is just a BAMF. She believes in her cause and she fights for her cause.
2) The amazing power system. Besides the annoying how-is-Paige-surviving thing, the powers are put together really well. And they're just plain fascinating.
3)This book is just FUN with a capital F. I loved it, loved it, loved it.
1) When Paige dreamwalks, her mortal body stops breathing and it's heart stops beating. To combat this, she hooks up to an oxygen mask while she's AWOL. But if her heart is beating, that oxygen being pumped into her lungs isn't going anywhere. This discrepancy really, really bugs me. She also says that "all signs of life" stop while she's gone. Does that mean she's literally dead time and time again? Because that should be taking a bigger tole than it is on her. (And again, if she's really dead, an oxygen mask won't do anything.)
2) Sometimes characters will say things and they'll seem super random, but no one else in the book will think they're random. The author seems to be writing according to her internal logic, but that doesn't translate well to other people.
Reasons it still gets 4.5 stars:
1) Paige Mahoney is a chick with agency. I've heard her compared to Katniss, but she's totally different. Katniss has very little agency beyond saving her sister. She's a puppet of the resistance, a puppet to be dressed up in a costume. Paige is just a BAMF. She believes in her cause and she fights for her cause.
2) The amazing power system. Besides the annoying how-is-Paige-surviving thing, the powers are put together really well. And they're just plain fascinating.
3)This book is just FUN with a capital F. I loved it, loved it, loved it.
seymone's review
4.0
Cliffhanger! ! I cnnot wait to read the next installation. I want to see Paige come into her powers. She is going to be a force to be reckoned wih.
ahart_4's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
lexn_bryant's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
mmidi's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
sweetsorrows's review
5.0
this book knew what it was talking about!! strong improvement and characterization from the first one :)
arrk33's review against another edition
4.0
2023 read:
I love this series! It’s fun, tense, and studded with action and just a hint of romance. I think it side-steps common trope flaws well and is just a really good read.
Paige is still a badass, learning more about her gifts and what she can do with them. She has to make tough decisions that feel real and weighty. Nick is just too pure for the world he’s in and loves Paige so much and is put into a terrible situation. I love that we get to see more of Eliza and Danica (one of my favorite names!) in this and how they all work together.
Lastly, Warden is still my only complaint in that he still seems very…one dimensional maybe? The naïve romantic in me loves him but he definitely doesn’t stand up to some other fictional men that I love (Jaime from Outlander, Rhys from ACOTAR, Matthias from SoC, etc) in terms of being a good partner. The make-out scenes in both this and the first book felt very out of place. The first one was very Tamlin-and-Feyre-under-the-mountain and this one, while less egregious, was still a little out of place?
These are minor complaints though and I still totally adore this series!!
I love this series! It’s fun, tense, and studded with action and just a hint of romance. I think it side-steps common trope flaws well and is just a really good read.
Paige is still a badass, learning more about her gifts and what she can do with them. She has to make tough decisions that feel real and weighty. Nick is just too pure for the world he’s in and loves Paige so much and is put into a terrible situation. I love that we get to see more of Eliza and Danica (one of my favorite names!) in this and how they all work together.
Lastly, Warden is still my only complaint in that he still seems very…one dimensional maybe? The naïve romantic in me loves him but he definitely doesn’t stand up to some other fictional men that I love (Jaime from Outlander, Rhys from ACOTAR, Matthias from SoC, etc) in terms of being a good partner. The make-out scenes in both this and the first book felt very out of place. The first one was very Tamlin-and-Feyre-under-the-mountain and this one, while less egregious, was still a little out of place?
These are minor complaints though and I still totally adore this series!!
jlemercier's review
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
landofkait's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
4.5
What. An. Ending. I had to go stare at the wall for a few minutes to process. Paige really went on a wild ride in this installment, trying to take down her enemies. I was NOT expecting the twist at the end (obviously) but looking back I can see some of the clues. I am running to the third book to find out what happens next.
nikawero's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0