Reviews

Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff

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marieby's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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sabrinz's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Mes amis, what can I say - this is another bloody ride full of tears, terror and torn limbs, with a side helping of wholesomeness before it's wripped away again.
We continue almost seamlessly where we left off in Book 1 and Gabriel de Leon continues telling the story of "how he lost/broke the Grail" after saving Dior at San Michon from his former fellow Silversaints.
Unlike the first book, we get some more insight into Francoise, the historian, and a glimps of the machinations at the castle the Chastaines keep Gabriel. Moreover, we also get another point of view for Dior's story as (who would have guess) almost nothing goes according to plan and paths split up before they cross again.

I know, this is very vague, but I do not want to spoiler anything.
We get more details and information on the vampires, this time the Dyvoks are in the spotlight - and what can I say? They are as terrible as book 1 and Gabe's haunted memory of his time in Ossian fighting them let's us assume - and they are just as unhinged.

I can't wait to see where all this is leading and how all those things will come together in the end. Because one thing I realized when I was re-reading the first book again was that history and what actually happened can be two different things - and it all depends on who's telling the story.

So, what of Gabe's story can we really believe and what might be ... misleading for the vampire ears wanting to hear his/Dior's story?

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smolena's review against another edition

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Disaster. Catastrophic. Horrific. Cringe cluster fuck of a character assassination job. Bad writing too. Absolutely heartbreaking.
I abandoned it like 25% in because I just can't bear my view of the characters and events and world building and aesthetic to be ruined like this.

And it pains me to say this, truly, considering how much I *loved* the first book.