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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
I think for me the ending of the first book's horrible pacing and plotting just set this book up for failure. I can't buy the setup because it doesn't feel earned, and thus all of the subsequent development stemming from that setup also rings false. We skip so quickly past Tristan's death at the end of book one that it's just impossible for me to buy into the sudden switch in Séverin's character and care about him wrecking all his friendships.
I also just DO NOT CARE about any of these relationships, I think I might just be too old. I never cared about Laila and Séverin's relationship so it was hard for me to care about it being wrecked, and Chokshi sets up this fake-dating scenario of "you'll be my fake mistress" but then barely does anything with it? Literally nothing about the plot would change if Laila wasn't his mistress. Hypnos and Enrique pissed me off because I hate that Enrique's gay romance is treated as frivolous, purely sexual, manipulative, and unsatisfying, while his presumably endgame straight romance is based in real feelings and wholesome and romantic. If it develops into a throuple in book three I'll take it back but right now I'm mad. It also doesn't help that it feels like so much of his and Zofia's "romance" is just them separately telling the audience they like each other, but when they interact they just feel like friends. With both Enrique/Zofia and Laila/Séverin it just felt like Chokshi was checking all these trope boxes. Grumpy x sunshine, check. Fell first vs fell harder, check. "Cute" petname, check. Yet I just still don't care because I don't buy the onpage chemistry between them.
With the first book I enjoyed the first 80% and just thought it went off the rails at the end. However, with the second book I was slightly disgruntled the whole time. Well, I've just got one book left so I'm going to finish out the series, and maybe it can redeem itself.
With the first book I enjoyed the first 80% and just thought it went off the rails at the end. However, with the second book I was slightly disgruntled the whole time. Well, I've just got one book left so I'm going to finish out the series, and maybe it can redeem itself.
I think reading this book cemented my love for the characters because truly, they're all very interesting and feel very alive, and their care for one another makes me feel very warm and fuzzy inside.
But reading this book also cemented my realization that no, I do not love Chokshi's worldbuilding and plotting. I spent much of the book confused- about the plot, about the magic and the magical items, and was at a point where I was too tired to care.
The characters remain the brightest part of this series, and so I absolutely plan on reading the third book just to see all of them again.
But reading this book also cemented my realization that no, I do not love Chokshi's worldbuilding and plotting. I spent much of the book confused- about the plot, about the magic and the magical items, and was at a point where I was too tired to care.
The characters remain the brightest part of this series, and so I absolutely plan on reading the third book just to see all of them again.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a DELICIOUS story of how a character who was once a hero can devolve into something more twisted and jaded. I loved the dynamics in this one and it took a more somber and serious tone than the last book. I think a quote that sums it up nicely is: “Love does not always wear the face we wish.” That rings true for most of the relationships in this book in different ways. And that ENDING! I’ll confess I didn’t know this was an unfinished trilogy so I’ll just be impatiently waiting for the last book to come out and end my misery of not knowing what’s gonna happen. Don’t talk to me until then, thanks.
edit (second time reading): Again, this book was amazing and I love all of the characters so much. A big theme in this book was hope, and the different forms it can take. Laila describes her hope as "a silvered serpent" that didn't turn out to be what she thought it was. I forgot about the big cliff hanger at the end, and I'm infinitely grateful that I now have the third book and can finally find out what happens!!
edit (second time reading): Again, this book was amazing and I love all of the characters so much. A big theme in this book was hope, and the different forms it can take. Laila describes her hope as "a silvered serpent" that didn't turn out to be what she thought it was. I forgot about the big cliff hanger at the end, and I'm infinitely grateful that I now have the third book and can finally find out what happens!!
it's still staggering how the characters of this series manage to break my heart and put back its pieces simultaneously. i certainly enjoyed the first book more although this sequel is less confusing than its predecessor. this book hurt A LOT and i just want to get my hands on the third book so i can hurt myself in one go.
4.5
Ce tome est sans aucun doute bien meilleur que le premier ! L’histoire va moins vite, on en apprend beaucoup plus sur les personnages et l’univers. En revanche je dois dire que je n’ai aucune empathie pour Séverin mais j’aime Zofia et Hypnos de tout mon cœur. D’ailleurs ce qui manque vraiment à ce livre et plus globalement à cette trilogie, c’est le pov d’Hypnos qui je pense aurait vraiment été intéressant !
Ce tome est sans aucun doute bien meilleur que le premier ! L’histoire va moins vite, on en apprend beaucoup plus sur les personnages et l’univers. En revanche je dois dire que je n’ai aucune empathie pour Séverin mais j’aime Zofia et Hypnos de tout mon cœur. D’ailleurs ce qui manque vraiment à ce livre et plus globalement à cette trilogie, c’est le pov d’Hypnos qui je pense aurait vraiment été intéressant !