Scan barcode
brittneygrace's review against another edition
4.75
The series is just so good. Absolutely tragic beyond all reason, and the poor characters are just brutalized. But it’s so powerful and so good. I’m glad I have two more novels in this series.
andotherworlds's review against another edition
4.0
this was by far so so much better than the first one!!
strawberrycandy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
cateconut's review against another edition
4.0
not 5 stars because i’m not sure how i feel about elias’ new situation….i’m excited to continue with the series tho!! LAIA is a force of nature
bookishlytaryn's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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? N/A
4.75
vickybuka's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Genocide
glkrose's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
4.0
A solid continuation of the series even though I always struggle when the characters are separated! Still, I loved getting Helene's POV and I totally understand why everyone loves her. But Laia and Elias are definitely still my favorites! There was so much happening at the end and I loved where it ended. Excited for book 3!
pansy_ass's review against another edition
4.0
Definitely an improvement from the first book. I think that is owed in great part to Helene. But I did find myself caring for most of the characters more in generally, though not as much as I’d like. I still feel as though they aren’t as dynamic as characters I’ve read in other stories. Many of the interactions leave much to be desired. But, despite some of the flaws in the characters or plot, I enjoyed this book. I’ll definitely be reading the third.
feminerdity's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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? It's complicated
4.75
eesh25's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 Stars!
When it comes to sequels, I've learnt to be wary. So often, especially with trilogies, the first book is really good but then the Second Book Syndrome (aka SBS) hits and you're disappointed. After that, the third book is hit with Unsatisfying Conclusion Syndrome (UCS, which does not mean Unconditioned Stimulus) and you end up wishing that the series had been a standalone.
Thankfully, the above paragraph has nothing to do with this book. You read it for no reason. This sequel is actually really good and I'm very happy with it.
In the beginning we're right where we left at the end of book 1. Laia and Elias have run from the Empire and as Elias is a wanted criminal, they're being chased. Helene has sworn fealty to Marcus (the prick) after he became the Emperor. And the commandant is her usual evil genius, psycho-bitch self.
The book started off with a bang and continued that way for most of the duration. It had me on the edge of my seat. I could barely breathe through how worried I was.
The pacing was perfect, I loved all three of the perspectives. The characters were very well-developed and the changes I saw in them made me very happy. The story was great and solid, and I was completely hooked. No sign of SBS anywhere.
I had one problem. And that was with Laia. For the first half, I was happy with her. But them her Darin-obsessed behaviour started to bother me (meaning it was fucking annoying). So many times it seemed as if the whole world could burn down and she wouldn't care as long as Darin was okay. And then there was her relationship with Keenan (who I did not like) that made her look like a whimpering little girl. I know she's still changing, but I wanted more for her. It was a little disappointing.
But other than that, the book was so good. There were many times when my reaction was "Oh fuck" because of something I didn't see coming. I absolutely adored both Elias and Helene and I'm itching to know how their stories will play out.
One thing I found very refreshing was that the author didn't try to put unnecessary tension into the book. There were many moments where one or the other character could have been secretive or excessively angsty, and weren't (except Laia). It was so great to see characters being rational.
Overall, this book a great sequel to great book and I'm super excited for the next installment of the series.