Scan barcode
tiareleine's review
5.0
Burning Kingdoms, the second book in The Internment Chronicles, picks up right where Perfect Ruin left off. That means this review is going to be filled with spoilers for book one. So many spoilers. If you haven't read Perfect Ruin, please do that and then come back.
Now for the spoilers.
At the end of Perfect Ruin, Morgan and co. left Internment (the floating city where they lived all their lives) and went to Earth (at least, I think it's Earth. Alt Earth, but Earth nonetheless).
That's pretty much all I can say as far as plot goes. Not because I'm holding back spoilers, but because this book isn't really about the plot; it's about the characters.
Lauren DeStefano's writing is not for everyone for that exact reason. Some people need things to be happening all the time to stay interested in a book. I just need to root for the characters. Which makes this series perfect for me. Lauren DeStefano is great at writing characters who can hold a book on their own. Characters with distinct personalities. Characters that stand apart from each other despite the fairly large cast (Morgan, Pen, Basil, Thomas, Judas, Amy, Lex, Alice, Nim, Birdie, Princess Celeste, etc.). Characters with real problems and struggles, with pain, with love, with friendship. Characters who keep me from ever being bored.
The prose in this book is also great, which helps keep me interested. The way Lauren DeStefano describes things (both physical and emotional) is beautiful. Style can make or break a book, but in this case it makes it. You don't have to worry about "purple prose," though. It's nowhere near that, it's just really nicely written.
The best way I think I can describe Lauren DeStefano's writing is genuine. What she writes is real and natural, never forced. It's never to please anyone else, only because there's a story that wants to be told. My favorite books are the ones that don't really fit any genre because the story unfolded in it's own way. If that sounds like something you like, I'd recommend both The Internment Chronicles and The Chemical Garden trilogy.
Now for the spoilers.
At the end of Perfect Ruin, Morgan and co. left Internment (the floating city where they lived all their lives) and went to Earth (at least, I think it's Earth. Alt Earth, but Earth nonetheless).
That's pretty much all I can say as far as plot goes. Not because I'm holding back spoilers, but because this book isn't really about the plot; it's about the characters.
Lauren DeStefano's writing is not for everyone for that exact reason. Some people need things to be happening all the time to stay interested in a book. I just need to root for the characters. Which makes this series perfect for me. Lauren DeStefano is great at writing characters who can hold a book on their own. Characters with distinct personalities. Characters that stand apart from each other despite the fairly large cast (Morgan, Pen, Basil, Thomas, Judas, Amy, Lex, Alice, Nim, Birdie, Princess Celeste, etc.). Characters with real problems and struggles, with pain, with love, with friendship. Characters who keep me from ever being bored.
The prose in this book is also great, which helps keep me interested. The way Lauren DeStefano describes things (both physical and emotional) is beautiful. Style can make or break a book, but in this case it makes it. You don't have to worry about "purple prose," though. It's nowhere near that, it's just really nicely written.
The best way I think I can describe Lauren DeStefano's writing is genuine. What she writes is real and natural, never forced. It's never to please anyone else, only because there's a story that wants to be told. My favorite books are the ones that don't really fit any genre because the story unfolded in it's own way. If that sounds like something you like, I'd recommend both The Internment Chronicles and The Chemical Garden trilogy.
abetterjulie's review against another edition
2.0
Not as good as the first one, but potentially just suffering from middle child syndrome. It seems to have lost it's soul somewhere. It was repetitive in many ways, Lex and April seemed oddly placed, and Judas made no sense in the grand scheme of it all. I didn't understand Morgan making the choices she did, and there seemed a lot of explaining being done rather than the unfolding that occurred in the first book. Pen's father felt as contrived as Judas. Her mother's alcoholism always struck me as significant enough to explain her behavior. I agreed with Morgan that it seemed impossible that she wouldn't have known. What happened to the Professor? Gosh, the more I discuss it, the more irritated I am. I hope the third book goes back to the lyrical beauty of the first.
sanderle's review against another edition
4.0
So well done. They're all teenagers who are in over their heads, who are trying to figure life out, even in the midst of war and revolution. It's difficult to find this in most dystopian novels. There are no chosen ones or teenage leaders of rebellion. They're just caught up in webs woven by adults. It's so refreshing and so real. And poor, poor Pen has broken my heart.
dustilane's review against another edition
3.0
This book started off on a good note and I immediately liked it better than the first book. The first book was just a little boring and didn’t give enough detail. Not enough world-building. This book is better than the first... however, halfway through it went downhill a bit.
Pen started irking me, with her bratty behavior and manipulative ways. Celeste became the reasonable one in my eyes, even though she was being irrational (no pun intended) and making stupid choices. And Morgan? Morgan who? She is a pushover that bores me to tears. Also I have four words for you... not another love triangle.
It’s hard for me to rate this book because I enjoyed it so much up until halfway through. Then it started to get to me. But it was still overall a decent book. I will read the third book (I mean c’mon, cliffhanger..) but I am expecting more of the same. Beautifully written but lacking when it comes to world-building.
3.25/5 stars. Subject to change! Lol!
Pen started irking me, with her bratty behavior and manipulative ways. Celeste became the reasonable one in my eyes, even though she was being irrational (no pun intended) and making stupid choices. And Morgan? Morgan who? She is a pushover that bores me to tears. Also I have four words for you... not another love triangle.
It’s hard for me to rate this book because I enjoyed it so much up until halfway through. Then it started to get to me. But it was still overall a decent book. I will read the third book (I mean c’mon, cliffhanger..) but I am expecting more of the same. Beautifully written but lacking when it comes to world-building.
3.25/5 stars. Subject to change! Lol!
soulfulsin's review against another edition
3.0
There were moments in this book that exceeded three stars, but overall, this book about the ground beneath Internment never really approaches liftoff.
Problematic world-building on the ground, coupled with a rather obvious plot twist that I had been praying since book one would not happen, and the writing not being as descriptive as it had been in the previous book are among this book's flaws. Yes, the novel had strong moments and powerful emotional ones. The new characters, aside from their names (Jack Nimble, really?), had presence and power.
Overall, though, this book is a disappointment compared to Perfect Ruin.
Problematic world-building on the ground, coupled with a rather obvious plot twist that I had been praying since book one would not happen, and the writing not being as descriptive as it had been in the previous book are among this book's flaws. Yes, the novel had strong moments and powerful emotional ones. The new characters, aside from their names (Jack Nimble, really?), had presence and power.
Overall, though, this book is a disappointment compared to Perfect Ruin.
foreveryoungadult's review against another edition
Graded By: Mandy C.
Cover Story: Modern Art
BFF Charm: Maybe
Swoonworthy Scale: 3
Talky Talk: Alternate History
Bonus Factor: Magical Creatures
Anti-Bonus Factors: Bridge Book Blues
Relationship Status: Everyone Has an Off Day
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: Modern Art
BFF Charm: Maybe
Swoonworthy Scale: 3
Talky Talk: Alternate History
Bonus Factor: Magical Creatures
Anti-Bonus Factors: Bridge Book Blues
Relationship Status: Everyone Has an Off Day
Read the full book report here.
krisis86's review against another edition
4.0
Wow! Lauren DeStefano wrote a 2nd book that doesn't suffer from Middle Volume Syndrome. I am VERY impressed. I almost never read a trilogy with a good middle volume anymore. Awesome.
I still don't necessarily love the world, because it's confusing and odd. It seems like it's on Earth for one minute, and then it's suddenly clear it's ... not on Earth? I'm not sure. But the characters are fantastic. Every one is different and well thought out and well written. You get some amazing insights into Pen and Thomas and Morgan here and they are fascinating.
For that reason alone, I will definitely read book 3 when it comes out. I'm actually kind of bummed I read this series now because I don't want to wait for book 3!
I still don't necessarily love the world, because it's confusing and odd. It seems like it's on Earth for one minute, and then it's suddenly clear it's ... not on Earth? I'm not sure. But the characters are fantastic. Every one is different and well thought out and well written. You get some amazing insights into Pen and Thomas and Morgan here and they are fascinating.
For that reason alone, I will definitely read book 3 when it comes out. I'm actually kind of bummed I read this series now because I don't want to wait for book 3!
xalrynne's review
adventurous
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
In the second book of The Internment Chronicles, Morgan and Pen, along with their betrotheds and the princess, venture to the Ground, where they are met with plenty of culture shock from being in a world so different from their own.
The first thing I noticed was that I found it interesting the people on the Ground and the people from Internment are so similar. They both speak the same language. Yes, they each have accents, and the people of the Ground have words for things that don’t exist on Internment, but for the most part, the people have no problem communicating with each other. Secondly, they are about equally technologically advanced, which surprised me as I thought one would have a clear advantage over the other.
This book is weird in that it’s a fantasy but also doesn’t feel like a fantasy. On the Ground, there’s a war with airplanes and air raids, there are moving pictures at the cinema, and there are people sneaking away to speakeasies, so it feels like it’s taking place in the US in the forties. But then there’s also the big floating island in the sky, mermaids in the ocean, “mystical” beasts that are actually real that the characters get to ride on, and the land on the Ground is composed of various kingdoms ruled by kings. The war going on around them is being fought between two kings over some land and resources, so it’s totally a fantasy. But it’s weird how it parallels real-world history. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book like that before.
I enjoyed seeing the friendship progress between Morgan and Pen and Celeste. Initially, I didn’t like Celeste, but I’m pleasantly surprised by how much I cared about her by the end of the novel. I was really happy to see how much she and Morgan bonded throughout this book.
I really enjoy Lauren DeStefano’s writing style and storytelling in this series, which has a unique concept and is super fun. It’s an older series but I think it holds up and I’d recommend it. I’m having a great time reading The Internment Chronicles and I can’t wait to move on to the final book soon
The first thing I noticed was that I found it interesting the people on the Ground and the people from Internment are so similar. They both speak the same language. Yes, they each have accents, and the people of the Ground have words for things that don’t exist on Internment, but for the most part, the people have no problem communicating with each other. Secondly, they are about equally technologically advanced, which surprised me as I thought one would have a clear advantage over the other.
This book is weird in that it’s a fantasy but also doesn’t feel like a fantasy. On the Ground, there’s a war with airplanes and air raids, there are moving pictures at the cinema, and there are people sneaking away to speakeasies, so it feels like it’s taking place in the US in the forties. But then there’s also the big floating island in the sky, mermaids in the ocean, “mystical” beasts that are actually real that the characters get to ride on, and the land on the Ground is composed of various kingdoms ruled by kings. The war going on around them is being fought between two kings over some land and resources, so it’s totally a fantasy. But it’s weird how it parallels real-world history. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book like that before.
I enjoyed seeing the friendship progress between Morgan and Pen and Celeste. Initially, I didn’t like Celeste, but I’m pleasantly surprised by how much I cared about her by the end of the novel. I was really happy to see how much she and Morgan bonded throughout this book.
I really enjoy Lauren DeStefano’s writing style and storytelling in this series, which has a unique concept and is super fun. It’s an older series but I think it holds up and I’d recommend it. I’m having a great time reading The Internment Chronicles and I can’t wait to move on to the final book soon
4evaluvaofbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Apparently I read this book 2 years ago??? LOL I didn't remember until I was maybe, halfway through. Still enjoyed it; didn't remember the ending but I still liked it. I had the same bookmarked quote as my last reading. LOL