Reviews with content warning for Murder - Our Dark Duet

I gotta admit that this was a bit disappointing for me. After such a strong start in This Savage Song, I had high hopes for Our Dark Duet, but it wound up falling a bit flat.

Sure, the writing was just as superb as every other Schwab book, and for that, the book gets 3 stars. However, the story itself felt a bit repetitive and confusing. It seemed like I was reliving a lot of what happened in the first book but this time around, I liked the characters way less.

August was someone who I absolutely adored in the first book. I truly loved him and his almost chocolatey sweetness. However, in this book, he became almost villainous. I understand that was for his character to grow and change and grow again. But to see the roles reversed and have him be more on the morally gray side while Kate was almost a "damsel in distress," threw me for a loop. She was such a badass in the first book and was definitely the morally gray one. So yeah, the side-switching had me scratching my head a bit.

After the totally open end of the first book, I was excited to find out what would happen next in Verity and beyond. For the most part, things felt wrapped up, but I still had questions at the end. I guess that was so that I, as a reader, could kind of choose my own conclusion. I just hoped for a bit more finalization for everything.

Overall, the duology gets 3 stars from me. It was good, but it didn't completely blow me away or anything. I probably wouldn't read them again unless Schwab decides to add to them at some point.

Content Warnings

rosenau's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark

Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

Content Warnings

ajboyd_'s review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I AM SO SAD!

I LITERALLY HAD MY HEART TORN OUT OF MY CHEST AND CRAMMED BACK IN. OVER. AND OVER. AND OVER. AGAIN.

WHY COULDN’T AUGUST JUST HAVE A NICE ENDING, HUH? WHY COULDN’T THE BOY HAVE SOME REST?? GIVE HIM A BREAK! AND THE ENDING WITH ISLA AND KATE??! I HATE THIS! I LOVE THE BOOK BUT I HATE THE ENDING BECAUSE HE’S NOW EMOTIONALLY ALONE. THE TWO PEOPLE WHO TRULY KNEW AND UNDERSTOOD HIM ARE NO LONGER BY HIS SIDE AND I AM RIOTING! JUSTICE FOR AUGUST!!!

Content Warnings

vael's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark reflective tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Content Warnings

lisa_m's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes

4.0

I'm glad I read this book. I wasn't convinced after the first one in the series but I did enjoy reading it. I'm still not the biggest fan but I can appreciate it.
My main issue was that I pretty much hated everyone. I did like the friendship between August and Kate and my favourite character was definitely Ilsa. But I realised that I wasn't really attached to anyone or anything in this story because I wasn't sad even though many sad and horrible things happened.

I did really enjoy the philosophical aspect and the thoughts about humanity and what it means to be good or bad and if there even is a clear distinction. I also thought the concept of a war where one side cannot kill any humans on the other side very intriguing.

All in all I would say great plot, great world building and I totally get why people like this book but it just wasn't my cup of tea. It was incredibly violent and I was kind of mentally checked out.

Content Warnings

wiktoria88's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Content Warnings

creepypiespice's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

Content Warnings

aromarrie's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.5

this fantasy duology was so incredibly captivating—the idea of giving the monsters of the story voices of their own and reveling in an existence lit by humanity is so brilliant that i had to give this second and final book more than just a simple four-star.

the darkness that permeates this world isn’t just physical, and it doesn’t just live with the monsters of verity but also in the humans responsible for their existence, some humans suffering as a result. every single character breathed a life of their own and while the ending of the first book felt a bit anti-climactic, this one was a rush of adrenaline all in its own, shifting between different perspectives in a war that didn’t rev up its final engine until the last couple of chapters. they were all so well-developed, and i was immediately fascinated with them as soon as i revisited this world, feeling so unlike the dread i had before i finally decided it was time to finish this duology.

while i admit the ending felt a bit,,,off, almost as if there was something missing, that’s a whole grief of its own that has no choice but to create another monster while we’re at it. i highly recommend this duology to the readers who like to see a fantasy so grounded not by magic, but by the horrors and darkness that humanity still stir up to this day.

it’s up to us to shine our own light.

Content Warnings

More...