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rebeccazh's review against another edition
5.0
loved this! i guessed the plot twist but it was still thrilling and chilling to read.
chickenafraido's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
This seemed stronger in many ways than the first book, particularly because it wasn't so bogged down in explaining the overall world. We already had a basic understanding of echoes, so Chessie was allowed to shine and enhance that understanding without detracting from the story itself. At the same time, I didn't like it nearly as much as Onyx.
Though most of the 'twists' and plot points were easy to predict from the onset, the story managed to remain interesting. I kept reading because I wanted to know if all these obvious answers I had were the correct ones. It was predictable, in part because of what we already knew from the first book, but Chessie was still a compelling enough heroine to stick around for.
Dezmen, though, I found to be quite boring. I held out hope that I would discover some interesting aspect of his personality, but alas, I just didn't care by the end.
Overall, I think the story was much more clearly defined here, but I didn't care nearly as much for the characters as I did in the first book. Chessie was cool, but I didn't give a shit about what happened to anyone but her. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
This seemed stronger in many ways than the first book, particularly because it wasn't so bogged down in explaining the overall world. We already had a basic understanding of echoes, so Chessie was allowed to shine and enhance that understanding without detracting from the story itself. At the same time, I didn't like it nearly as much as Onyx.
Though most of the 'twists' and plot points were easy to predict from the onset, the story managed to remain interesting. I kept reading because I wanted to know if all these obvious answers I had were the correct ones. It was predictable, in part because of what we already knew from the first book, but Chessie was still a compelling enough heroine to stick around for.
Dezmen, though, I found to be quite boring. I held out hope that I would discover some interesting aspect of his personality, but alas, I just didn't care by the end.
Overall, I think the story was much more clearly defined here, but I didn't care nearly as much for the characters as I did in the first book. Chessie was cool, but I didn't give a shit about what happened to anyone but her. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
chelseas_reads's review against another edition
1.0
dnf this one (over 60%). I'm hoping the next one isn't linked either, as I'll continue to read the series
rebeccazh's review against another edition
5.0
loved this! i guessed the plot twist but it was still thrilling and chilling to read.
aphelia88's review against another edition
4.0
Chessie is a street urchin who is never without her best friends, a couple named Scar and Red. But she has a secret - those friends are actually her Echoes, cleverly disguised.
Chessie has given each of her doubles a distinctive appearance and personality: Red, with her brightened scarlet waist-length hair, is a flirt and barmaid; Scar, with his short, darkened hair and enhanced eyebrow scar is a taciturn male who does odd jobs and speaks as little as possible. But Chessie is the animating force that flits between the three bodies, and she keeps her own appearance somewhere in the middle of masculine and feminine with her shoulder-length hair its natural auburn hue.
Her path crosses with Lord Dezman, who is investigating the attempted assassination of Prince Cormac, which ended the last book. As Chessie falls for Dezman, despite herself, the truth of her parentage and her tragic past are revealed.
I really like Chessie, but I think she came to trust Dezman too easily, after her many years of refusing to trust anyone or let anyone get close to her, lest they discover her secret. Chessie has become good friends with Brianna from the first book though, so it's nice to catch a glimpse of her new life with Nico.
My main issue is this:
Also, the information from the last book - that children with Echoes are born only to noble parents - coupled with the knowledge that Malachi is Chessie's father and her auburn hair, both mentioned very early on, was enough for me to accurately guess her mother's identity nearly from the first chapter. So the ultimate discovery that the Queen is her mother was not at all surprising to me.
The ending is a little rushed.And I was also a bit disappointed that Chessie started to lose her ability to jump between bodies once she fully settled into her own, since her other identities were so carefully crafted and maintained. I thought that they might retain a bit of awareness of their own, but this was not the case. Overall, an intriguing read that makes me even more interested in the purpose of the Echoes!
Chessie has given each of her doubles a distinctive appearance and personality: Red, with her brightened scarlet waist-length hair, is a flirt and barmaid; Scar, with his short, darkened hair and enhanced eyebrow scar is a taciturn male who does odd jobs and speaks as little as possible. But Chessie is the animating force that flits between the three bodies, and she keeps her own appearance somewhere in the middle of masculine and feminine with her shoulder-length hair its natural auburn hue.
Her path crosses with Lord Dezman, who is investigating the attempted assassination of Prince Cormac, which ended the last book. As Chessie falls for Dezman, despite herself, the truth of her parentage and her tragic past are revealed.
I really like Chessie, but I think she came to trust Dezman too easily, after her many years of refusing to trust anyone or let anyone get close to her, lest they discover her secret. Chessie has become good friends with Brianna from the first book though, so it's nice to catch a glimpse of her new life with Nico.
My main issue is this:
Spoiler
When Dezman and Chessie set out to uncover her identity, it is the major mystery the story, one that every clue (including Chessie's emerald necklace) has been leading up to. But when they finally uncover that proof - her parentage listed in an abbey's register - THEY DON'T TAKE THE BOOK!!!! Not even a copy. Or a signed note from the abbess! Even knowing her father's habit of burning and destroying any connection at all. What were they thinking?! And then when Dezman presents her to the King, she binds her two Echoes closely and makes them act in synchronicity. And this is accepted as "proof" in spite of the plot of the first book, where Brianna was able to mimic an Echo seamlessly! It was a very disappointing contradiction and really marred my enjoyment of an otherwise interesting story.Also, the information from the last book - that children with Echoes are born only to noble parents - coupled with the knowledge that Malachi is Chessie's father and her auburn hair, both mentioned very early on, was enough for me to accurately guess her mother's identity nearly from the first chapter. So the ultimate discovery that the Queen is her mother was not at all surprising to me.
The ending is a little rushed.
melindamoor's review against another edition
4.0
This book was better, more tense & exciting than Book 1, [b:Echo in Onyx|42206191|Echo in Onyx (Uncommon Echoes, #1)|Sharon Shinn|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1552939137l/42206191._SX50_.jpg|65821417] with a fantastic heroine.
While part of a series, all 3 books can be read as standalones.
Emerald
"In the Kingdom of the Seven Jewels, many of the highest nobles are attended by one or two or three echoes—creatures who look exactly like them, who move with them in perfect synchronicity, but who have no thoughts or volition of their own. They are considered gifts from the triple goddess, who created them generations ago when war and murder put every noble’s life in danger; when assassins could not be sure which identical body was the true lord or lady, many fewer deaths occurred. Now, echoes are primarily a symbol of wealth and status."
Whenever you take a Sharon Shinn book, you can be sure of the following literary trademarks:
- great writing & characters
- detailed & unique world-building with well-defined politics, religion and geography
- intriguing plot (no armageddon or epic quest, though)
- believable, solid romance(s) that are not all-consuming (thankfully)
In Book 1, Echo in Onyx, we were offered a story through the eyes of Brianna, maid to a noblewoman with echoes and much of the time I was as confused and ignorant as her concerning the meaning, function and effect of echoes to an individual's life.
It helped a lot that the current story is told from the POV of Chessie, a street urchin in Camarria, who happens to have 2 echoes herself, though she is most keen to hide this fact from everyone around her and with good reason. We learn very early on in the story (so I won't put this under the spoiler tag) that she is actually the daughter of the most feared man in the Kingdom: Malachai Burkin, the King's main inquisitor. BUT we do not know all there is to know about Chessie's turbulent childhood. Further secrets will arise eventually that puts her in deadly danger and maybe the succession of the kingdom in jeopardy. It is all related to an attempt to murder the Crown Prince.
The investigation is conducted by Lord Dezmen from Pandrea, a high noble with impeccable reputation and a staunch supporter of the crown. (On a secondary note, apart from these 2 politically well-grounded reasons, why Lord Dezmen was chosen is anyone's guess, for most of the story he was clueless, skill-less & helpless and to me it is quite a lot of "less".)
Chessie's boss, Jackal, a kind of mafia-leader, who trades in favours, information and when necessary, lives, sends her to warn the Lord that some sinister forces want to make sure he fails. By chance, Chessie also manages to save Lord Dezmen's life and becomes embroiled in the tangled web of intrigue and investigation.
I absolutely loved Chessie's character: she is a survivor and had to go through a lot of ordeals to stay alive, but while she got damaged in the process, she never gave up and she didn't get embittered or become a cynic. I also liked the character of Jackal. He was very intriguing and much more interesting than the generic and bland Lord Dezmen who was the only thorn in this lovely rose of a novel for me and quite a big one.
However, the story is exciting and tense throughout the book with revelations just at the right places (though some of them you can guess for yourself) raising the stakes of the political game always higher.
While part of a series, all 3 books can be read as standalones.
Emerald
"In the Kingdom of the Seven Jewels, many of the highest nobles are attended by one or two or three echoes—creatures who look exactly like them, who move with them in perfect synchronicity, but who have no thoughts or volition of their own. They are considered gifts from the triple goddess, who created them generations ago when war and murder put every noble’s life in danger; when assassins could not be sure which identical body was the true lord or lady, many fewer deaths occurred. Now, echoes are primarily a symbol of wealth and status."
Whenever you take a Sharon Shinn book, you can be sure of the following literary trademarks:
- great writing & characters
- detailed & unique world-building with well-defined politics, religion and geography
- intriguing plot (no armageddon or epic quest, though)
- believable, solid romance(s) that are not all-consuming (thankfully)
In Book 1, Echo in Onyx, we were offered a story through the eyes of Brianna, maid to a noblewoman with echoes and much of the time I was as confused and ignorant as her concerning the meaning, function and effect of echoes to an individual's life.
It helped a lot that the current story is told from the POV of Chessie, a street urchin in Camarria, who happens to have 2 echoes herself, though she is most keen to hide this fact from everyone around her and with good reason. We learn very early on in the story (so I won't put this under the spoiler tag) that she is actually the daughter of the most feared man in the Kingdom: Malachai Burkin, the King's main inquisitor. BUT we do not know all there is to know about Chessie's turbulent childhood. Further secrets will arise eventually that puts her in deadly danger and maybe the succession of the kingdom in jeopardy. It is all related to an attempt to murder the Crown Prince.
The investigation is conducted by Lord Dezmen from Pandrea, a high noble with impeccable reputation and a staunch supporter of the crown. (On a secondary note, apart from these 2 politically well-grounded reasons, why Lord Dezmen was chosen is anyone's guess, for most of the story he was clueless, skill-less & helpless and to me it is quite a lot of "less".)
Chessie's boss, Jackal, a kind of mafia-leader, who trades in favours, information and when necessary, lives, sends her to warn the Lord that some sinister forces want to make sure he fails. By chance, Chessie also manages to save Lord Dezmen's life and becomes embroiled in the tangled web of intrigue and investigation.
I absolutely loved Chessie's character: she is a survivor and had to go through a lot of ordeals to stay alive, but while she got damaged in the process, she never gave up and she didn't get embittered or become a cynic. I also liked the character of Jackal. He was very intriguing and much more interesting than the generic and bland Lord Dezmen
Spoiler
who, of course becomes Chessie's love interest. Sharon Shinn likes to balance her lovers: if one is noble than the other must be of humble origins, though in Chessie's case, this is not as straightforward.However, the story is exciting and tense throughout the book with revelations just at the right places (though some of them you can guess for yourself) raising the stakes of the political game always higher.
tyrshand's review against another edition
4.0
This whole audible original thing is interesting. In this case, I feel like I might have enjoyed this one better in print -- which is nothing against the narrator. She did an excellent job. There's just something about the language in this one that I think I'd have liked better read. Anyway... Overall I think I liked Chessie a smudge better than Brianna. So, why one less star? Well, mostly I have some unresolved ill feeling towards a certain noble and his view on acceptable treatment of women in the prior novel. Now I'm worried that he won't get his comeuppance by the time the series ends. If anything, I think I was supposed to feel sympathetic to him this go round. No. Otherwise, I got a little tired of the descriptions of Chessie's switching. I felt it went on rather far fast when I got the point.
The plot, itself, is a fun investigation and interesting exploration of parts of the kingdom we didn't get to see before.
The plot, itself, is a fun investigation and interesting exploration of parts of the kingdom we didn't get to see before.
bfg01's review against another edition
4.0
Maybe my favorite of the first 3! Sharon Shinn is the best.