Scan barcode
asourceoffiction's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I feel like Viola and Todd just can't catch a break in this series; this second installment starts with them thrown into a whole new state of constant peril. But I love that this story is totally different from The Knife of Never Letting Go, where the characters are fleeing from the Mayor of Prentisstown. Here they have reached Haven but it does not provide the safety they desperately sought. Instead the pair are thrown onto opposite sides of a war.
It's so clever that Viola and Todd's chapters are written in different fonts, which makes all of the writing feel like their Noise. So the story is told from inside their heads rather than from an objective external source. It makes the different behaviours they encounter from their 'leaders' all the more intriguing; it's clear that Todd doesn't agree with the Mayor (who really ramps up the insidious in this book), but is stuck in his position and has to shut down to cope. But at the same time you can see that Mistress Coyle is not a wholly innocent party acting purely in defence. It really pulls you into the politics and shows how easy it is to become complicit to keep yourself or those you love safe.
As with the first book, this ends on a HUGE cliffhanger where things are clearly all about to go (even more) horribly wrong. Suffice to say I can't wait to read Monsters of Men.
It's so clever that Viola and Todd's chapters are written in different fonts, which makes all of the writing feel like their Noise. So the story is told from inside their heads rather than from an objective external source. It makes the different behaviours they encounter from their 'leaders' all the more intriguing; it's clear that Todd doesn't agree with the Mayor (who really ramps up the insidious in this book), but is stuck in his position and has to shut down to cope. But at the same time you can see that Mistress Coyle is not a wholly innocent party acting purely in defence. It really pulls you into the politics and shows how easy it is to become complicit to keep yourself or those you love safe.
As with the first book, this ends on a HUGE cliffhanger where things are clearly all about to go (even more) horribly wrong. Suffice to say I can't wait to read Monsters of Men.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Misogyny, and Torture
Moderate: Gore
Minor: Rape
teri_b's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
It took me more than two years to read the second book of this trilogy. Sometimes things cannot be forced. And I am glad that I waited as this book is even more harrowing then the first one.
It is one masterful example of how no one really wins when there is a war and that no one can escape the ethical questions and who we want or believe to be and who we come out to be in situations of extreme pressure and need.
The book comes with all possible trigger warnings and if anyone feels like they have had enough, then let it be, stop reading and read something enjoyable.
The one question that I found raising whilst reading this book is, if it is really necessary to depict evil as it is on these pages in all its gruesomeness and all its destructive power, or if this is just another means for the evil itself to perpetuate itself and be kept alive.
The rendition of the narrator of the audiobook was fantastic and if anyone has issues with the grammar of the written book I would highly recommend to check out the audiobook as there any spelling issues drop away, even though, I think this is one of the few series that has as its main character someone who is illiterate.
It is one masterful example of how no one really wins when there is a war and that no one can escape the ethical questions and who we want or believe to be and who we come out to be in situations of extreme pressure and need.
The book comes with all possible trigger warnings and if anyone feels like they have had enough, then let it be, stop reading and read something enjoyable.
The one question that I found raising whilst reading this book is, if it is really necessary to depict evil as it is on these pages in all its gruesomeness and all its destructive power, or if this is just another means for the evil itself to perpetuate itself and be kept alive.
The rendition of the narrator of the audiobook was fantastic and if anyone has issues with the grammar of the written book I would highly recommend to check out the audiobook as there any spelling issues drop away, even though, I think this is one of the few series that has as its main character someone who is illiterate.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Medical trauma, Medical content, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, and War
asthxte's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Torture, Genocide, and Death
Moderate: Violence, Physical abuse, and Sexism
gromithorror's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content and Torture
Moderate: Abandonment, Gore, and Vomit
durrareadsstuff's review
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-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
3.5
"As to how you'll help me," he says. "Well, we have met the Answer, have we not?" He turns back to look at us, his eyes glinting. "It is time for them to meet the Ask."
A good enough sequel I think. This book is really fast-paced and action-packed it's like bam bam one after the other. I loved it that they included Viola's pov in this sequel. And you can see the difference between her and Todd's pov and Viola's a bit cleaner I must say, in terms of grammar and spelling and so on, but I like them both. It's consistent.
I guess I'm rating this lower than the first book because there are some parts which drive me crazy but actually I liked the ending better. I mean at first, it's just super annoying what Todd was doing, he keeps doing wrong things over and over again and what do you know another love interest is introduced hey heyyy. I can't even decide if I like Lee or not cause he was just come and go, but I kind hated him a little. He was getting in the way of things. And I loved Viola!! 😍 She knew she didn't feel that way toward Lee and she didn't prolong his suffering lol.
I also liked that we got to see how both main characters got their spotlight in this book, and we see their "true potential". Davy got his redemption arc and it turns out he's got some MAJOR daddy issues, poor thing. It's also cool that Todd got another "pet", a horse 🐎 and you can see that he treats Angharrad much better than he treated Manchee (at first) cause he's missed Manchee so much aaaa my heart 💓.
Moving on to the VILLAIN 😈 or should I say villainS? Mayor Prentiss is the classic evil, greedy, manipulative and powerful villain. I think he was a good villain (lol) and he's smart, and I like to see that.
Overall, solid. I liked it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Gaslighting, and Genocide
Moderate: Slavery, Sexism, Murder, and Death
Minor: Gore
oliverlang's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I found this book really quite difficult to read so it's taken me a lot longer to read than the first book.
Big trigger warning for physical and emotional abuse, slavery, torture and genocide.
Big trigger warning for physical and emotional abuse, slavery, torture and genocide.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Grief, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Violence
regal_leaves's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Confinement, Gore, Genocide, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Physical abuse, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Death of parent
More...