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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
I enjoyed this book more that then first in the series. I think the choice of narrator in this book allowed the author to show her language skills much better. However, there are still issues with the plot development, the characters' development and the magical system development. 400+ pages later and I am no closer to knowing how the magicians do magic, other than killing people and summoning demons. Hmm. I like the authors voice, but I don't think she really has the x-factor that could make this series really shine. Nevertheless, I will surely read the third book and see where the plot line goes from here.
I forgot how much I shipped everyone with everyone in this series.
I liked this book even more than the first one. Maybe that is because Mae and Jamie become such full fledged characters (before we only had the viewpoint of not-very-complimentary Nick) or because I can understand a female character more. What I loved from the first book is still there--the power of relationships and trying to tame your enemy.
I put off reading the first book in this trilogy because I thought I would like it and didn't want to be disappointed, but then I ended up adoring it. Then I rushed out to get the second one but avoided actually reading it for ages because I feared it wouldn't be as good as the first. But as soon as I finally picked it up, the trepidation of being disappointed faded away.
The plot doesn't hold together quite as well as the first [actually, this is unfair; it holds together perfectly well as long as you make certain assumptions about a certain character's motivations based on character traits firmly established in the first book:], but the focus on quick dialogue and relationships is just as honed as the first, making this a compelling read.
The characters are dealing with the consequences of decisions made and risks taken at the end of the last book, the Alan and Nick dynamic remains just as heartbreaking as we learn more about what Alan has sacrified for Nick...and what Nick is willing to sacrifice for Alan, and problems are solved in this book that only cause the four central characters bigger problems that will need to be dealt with in the third, which I'm greatly looking forward to.
The plot doesn't hold together quite as well as the first [actually, this is unfair; it holds together perfectly well as long as you make certain assumptions about a certain character's motivations based on character traits firmly established in the first book:], but the focus on quick dialogue and relationships is just as honed as the first, making this a compelling read.
The characters are dealing with the consequences of decisions made and risks taken at the end of the last book, the Alan and Nick dynamic remains just as heartbreaking as we learn more about what Alan has sacrified for Nick...and what Nick is willing to sacrifice for Alan, and problems are solved in this book that only cause the four central characters bigger problems that will need to be dealt with in the third, which I'm greatly looking forward to.
medium-paced
I think it was okay. Not a huge fan of Mae's and Nick's romantic relationship as it felt a bit stilted. I couldn't figure out why they're attracted to each other.
Mae and Alan had a more complex bond where they've clearly hurt each other-- Mae by making out with all the other boys, including Alan's brother (lol) and her brother's bully (lol?), and Alan by lying to Mae in order to put his brother first -- , but imagine the story that could've been told had they worked through those issues. The set up was interesting and so could've been their romantic arc.
Mae and Nick... I don't know. They shared a few good moments, such asMae reading to Nick his father Daniel's diary, whose entries I genuinely enjoyed, but you could've swapped Mae out for some other character and those scenes would've still worked . Their arc was unclear. What did they bring to each other's table? Felt like they got together because the book's genre dictated they had to.
Otherwise, I enjoyed the drama between Nick and Alan, as always, and I liked Jamie's budding sense of identity and independence as a smol soft boy yearning to become a hardcore magician. Him becoming real friends with Nick after that distrust and animosity from his end was actually really cute. I ship it.I really did think Nick was the guy Jamie crushed on until the crush was revealed to be fucking Gerald, like bro, you can do better.
This is one of those books where I'm attached to the characters and their potential more than I am attached to the canonical story. E.g. it could've pushed Alan's and Mae's relationship into something stronger, more intense. The same goes for Mae's and Sin's relationship; it's such a great set up for good old rivals-to-lovers. If Mae and Nick had to get together, the book could've broken out of those "not like other girls" and "emo mysterious boy" fall in love tropes and created real emotional conflict between them, turning their relationship into something real.
I did like the drama between Nick and the two demons, Liannan and Anzu, though. The demons are all out to get each other and they have clear, consistent agendas. Good stuff.
Mae and Alan had a more complex bond where they've clearly hurt each other
Mae and Nick... I don't know. They shared a few good moments, such as
Otherwise, I enjoyed the drama between Nick and Alan, as always, and I liked Jamie's budding sense of identity and independence as a smol soft boy yearning to become a hardcore magician. Him becoming real friends with Nick after that distrust and animosity from his end was actually really cute. I ship it.
This is one of those books where I'm attached to the characters and their potential more than I am attached to the canonical story. E.g. it could've pushed Alan's and Mae's relationship into something stronger, more intense. The same goes for Mae's and Sin's relationship; it's such a great set up for good old rivals-to-lovers. If Mae and Nick had to get together, the book could've broken out of those "not like other girls" and "emo mysterious boy" fall in love tropes and created real emotional conflict between them, turning their relationship into something real.
I did like the drama between Nick and the two demons, Liannan and Anzu, though. The demons are all out to get each other and they have clear, consistent agendas. Good stuff.
A re-listen with my darling daughter. I love Sarah Rees Brennan and I always enjoy spending the time with her witty, original, lyrical personality as I read her books. But I didn't like this one nearly as well as the first one which was told from Nick's point of view. Nick is an angry, not-very-verbal boy who enjoys playing with knives and seems to love only his brother. This one is from Mae's point of view, and while I like Mae, it was less of a writerly challenge to get inside her head. She is a less original character. So I didn't like the book as much. But I still liked it better than most of the books I read. And it was great fun to listen to.
Still, very sad it's over.
Still, very sad it's over.
"I don't like it," he said through his teeth. "It doesn't feel natural. I touch people to hurt them. [...] I-" said Nick, his voice halting. "I don't mind it as much when - when people touch me. Some people."
"Because you trust them not to hurt you?" asked Mae tentatively.
"No," Nick said, his voice harsh. "Because I'd let them hurt me."
I am often unsure how I feel about this series, but that is going to be one of those lines that sticks with me. Part of me definitely struggles with how much YA nonsense is in this series, but about halfway through I just kind of decided fuck it I'm just going to have fun with it and I think letting go like that made me able to enjoy this one more than I did the first one. Really a large part of the problem is that I despise love triangles and this series has a fucking love dodecahedron that includes basically every character ever introduced at some point, which is almost just so ridiculous that it turns the corner from being annoying and gets into 'so bad it's good' territory.
Buuuut I am a SUCKER for emo looking sarcastic assholes with morality issues who love their brothers [shoutout the Cal Leandros series!] as well as brotherly angst so I'm pretty much in this for the long haul solely because of Nick if nothing else. Not that the other characters are bad. I do like Mae and I think she definitely broke out of her 'manic pixie dreamgirl' stereotype in this book, and I like Alan and Jamie as well but Nick is definitely My Type™. I wasn't wild about the ending of this one, but I guess that's what book three is there for so hopefully there will be some good stuff there.
"Because you trust them not to hurt you?" asked Mae tentatively.
"No," Nick said, his voice harsh. "Because I'd let them hurt me."
I am often unsure how I feel about this series, but that is going to be one of those lines that sticks with me. Part of me definitely struggles with how much YA nonsense is in this series, but about halfway through I just kind of decided fuck it I'm just going to have fun with it and I think letting go like that made me able to enjoy this one more than I did the first one. Really a large part of the problem is that I despise love triangles and this series has a fucking love dodecahedron that includes basically every character ever introduced at some point, which is almost just so ridiculous that it turns the corner from being annoying and gets into 'so bad it's good' territory.
Buuuut I am a SUCKER for emo looking sarcastic assholes with morality issues who love their brothers [shoutout the Cal Leandros series!] as well as brotherly angst so I'm pretty much in this for the long haul solely because of Nick if nothing else. Not that the other characters are bad. I do like Mae and I think she definitely broke out of her 'manic pixie dreamgirl' stereotype in this book, and I like Alan and Jamie as well but Nick is definitely My Type™. I wasn't wild about the ending of this one, but I guess that's what book three is there for so hopefully there will be some good stuff there.
Mae is ready for some normal teenage fun when she sees her brother with Gerald, the magician who replaced Black Arthur and she can't believe it. She calls in Alan and Nick to help save him. But they have troubles of their own. Nick can't control himself and Alan is at his wit's end. Mae tries to help Nick learn how to be more human, as Alan considers binding Nick's powers. Everything comes to a head at a nasty standoff and the only thing for certain is that this isn't the last in the series.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Minor: Homophobia