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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-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:
Complicated
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
the first book was the better of the two; in this one, Inez (the main character) is a bit more annoying
adventurous
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Definitely not as good as the first book, but still worth a read
I don't want to generalise, but to me, the twists and turns of this plot were reminiscent of a telenovela. They came out of the blue, but I found them quite entertaining, even if they did seem a bit silly at times! I became invested in the story as the events unfolded, especially in the final chapters.
Despite the less positive aspects of this book, I was rooting hard for Inez and Whit and enjoyed seeing how they fared in the epilogue. However, I think the secondary characters were the real stars of this book. Farida was such a brilliant young lady; I wish I had seen more of her. Abdullah and Ricardo exemplified comradeship, but I loved the interactions between Ricardo and Lorena. They were hilarious yet still reflected family dynamics in such a warm way. Even though I didn't like Amaranta, I couldn't blame her for her attitude after what happened, and I thought she remained true to her character throughout the book. Sadly, I can't say the same for the protagonists.
Inez seemed somewhat naïve, but I can see how that was necessary for the events to unfold as they did. It was a bit tiring, though. Isadora was right: she trusts too easily, and this slightly irritated me. I even think that her genuine, clever and eager character was dulled a little compared to the previous book. Also, Whit was reduced to a brute, I think. He was a competent brute, though the only moment he showed the depth I saw in the first volume was whenhe was torn between Inez and his sister . His POVs were supposed to be more enlightening, but sometimes I was left confused by his reasoning. There was still some chemistry between them, but I wanted the consistency of the first book.
Speaking of which, I felt the same way as I did with the previous volume, namely that there was a good chunk where I felt the author was just stalling and building tension. This time it was Inez's distrust of Whit. There was so much miscommunication between them, which was disappointing because I still liked them as a couple. But in these sections? It was a little infuriating.
And now buckle up, because I have some thoughts on the revelations and the logic behind it all. I don't know; they didn't quite hit the mark for me, despite being entertaining, as I said. For example, I had previously considered Mr Sterling’strue identity , but dismissed it as far-fetched. Well, think again!
And are you saying that Lourdes led a whole secret life in Cairo without anyone mentioning it to her husband, even by accident?A PREGNANCY in secret? Even if she was away from her husband for nine months, the timeline doesn't quite fit, because Isadora was almost Inez's age. So the affair must have started much earlier, when they said that Lourdes wasn't very engaged with Egyptian life and took her time trying to adapt. She must have done it quickly then. And she stayed away in England, sharing her life between three different countries? She shared the existence of her other daughter with her new one, so she could simply reveal it when she was a child and expose her secret life?! And everything in between?
I’m afraid the logic doesn’t make much sense to me. These years look like they have 24 months, not 12 like the others. Oh, and I think there were so many deaths. Maybe it's realistic, but I don't know. I think they were meant to create tension and raise the stakes, but I found the execution a little lacking. Even the revelation ofIsadora’s true intentions was so sudden that the author felt the need to explain it to us later on.
Overall, it was fun and engaging, and a gem for lovers of Egyptian history, but it lacked a little in certain aspects. At least in my opinion.
Despite the less positive aspects of this book, I was rooting hard for Inez and Whit and enjoyed seeing how they fared in the epilogue. However, I think the secondary characters were the real stars of this book. Farida was such a brilliant young lady; I wish I had seen more of her. Abdullah and Ricardo exemplified comradeship, but I loved the interactions between Ricardo and Lorena. They were hilarious yet still reflected family dynamics in such a warm way. Even though I didn't like Amaranta, I couldn't blame her for her attitude after what happened, and I thought she remained true to her character throughout the book. Sadly, I can't say the same for the protagonists.
Inez seemed somewhat naïve, but I can see how that was necessary for the events to unfold as they did. It was a bit tiring, though. Isadora was right: she trusts too easily, and this slightly irritated me. I even think that her genuine, clever and eager character was dulled a little compared to the previous book. Also, Whit was reduced to a brute, I think. He was a competent brute, though the only moment he showed the depth I saw in the first volume was when
Speaking of which, I felt the same way as I did with the previous volume, namely that there was a good chunk where I felt the author was just stalling and building tension. This time it was Inez's distrust of Whit. There was so much miscommunication between them, which was disappointing because I still liked them as a couple. But in these sections? It was a little infuriating.
And now buckle up, because I have some thoughts on the revelations and the logic behind it all. I don't know; they didn't quite hit the mark for me, despite being entertaining, as I said. For example, I had previously considered Mr Sterling’s
And are you saying that Lourdes led a whole secret life in Cairo without anyone mentioning it to her husband, even by accident?
I’m afraid the logic doesn’t make much sense to me. These years look like they have 24 months, not 12 like the others. Oh, and I think there were so many deaths. Maybe it's realistic, but I don't know. I think they were meant to create tension and raise the stakes, but I found the execution a little lacking. Even the revelation of
Overall, it was fun and engaging, and a gem for lovers of Egyptian history, but it lacked a little in certain aspects. At least in my opinion.
adventurous
mysterious
fast-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
adventurous
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I loved this whole series. While I loved the first book more, I really enjoyed this one as well. The yearning was delicious. The heartache in so many different ways was consuming. There were some scenes I feel like were glossed over a little too quickly. Amazing read.
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-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
In a sequel to What the River Knows, Inez Olivera is reeling from her cousin's murder and mother's betrayal. Then Tío Ricardo issues an ultimatum about her inheritance and Inez's only option might be to marry Whitford Hayes. Will marrying her one time nemesis be her saving grace or will his secret plans ruin everything she has worked for?
As is common with sequels, Where the Library Hides isn't quite as good as the first book but still delivers a satisfactory quick fun read. Inez spends most of the novel debating how much she can trust Whitford Hayes will blindly trusting everyone else around her. I do feel like she should have wised up a little more. The overarching plot was more convoluted and Ibanez insists on wrapping up storylines with every character even though I think a few side characters could have been left out. Yet, all in all, I was happy with the novel and enjoyed it immensely.