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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
I really am enjoying this series. Usually, the second book in the series is the weaker link, but this was anything but and leaves on a cliffhanger. The narrator was really good injecting enough emotion to capture the characters, but not over doing it. Looking forward to the last book in the series.
I had a pretty horrible reading year trilogy wise. I kept loving the first book and then I would find out that the second and third book would suck. This is not the case with this book, I absolutely loved it. Everything was as great as the first book. The only downside is that there is longing, and then there is LONGING. It was a bit to much in this book, especially the last fight between Kestrel and Arin (won't spoil to much) felt like, nope you went to far Marie. Let's see if the longing will finally stop in the third book!
CW: slavery, violence, torture, gore
Rep: Black side characters (major roles)
THANK YOU MARIE RUTKOSKI FOR KILLING ME.... AGAIN
Rep: Black side characters (major roles)
THANK YOU MARIE RUTKOSKI FOR KILLING ME.... AGAIN
My god. The first book was pretty good. Intriguing. The second one took off in an unexpected, but fantastic way. 2016 cannot come soon enough. I am dying to read more.
Rutkoski has taken the time to let us see the full scope of Kestrel's intelligence and cunning. Now that the stakes have been upped for Kestrel, now her relationship with Arin and high society life are no longer her primary concerns, we are able to see her plot and scheme and spy. Even though we see Kestrel as "good" and we are supposed to want her to succeed, she is a three-dimensional character who is filled with shades of moral greyness and who is forced to make hard decisions, and sometimes that means she makes decisions that the reader doesn't necessarily agree with. Read the full review over at What Kim Read Next.
So I am actually giving this book a 3.5 stars instead of just a three. There are going to be slight spoilers throughout the review, so read at your own peril.
This was a typical second book in a trilogy. It is there to get to the last plot point and explain some background stuff that will most likely be needed in the last book, but it was kinda milk-toast to me.
The relationship between Kestrel and Arin didn't really grow too much until the very last second, but even then it wasn't a huge change. They argue way too much in my opinion. Maybe I am just spoiled with other books, but I didn't feel much romantic tension between the two whenever they were together. I feel like the first book did a much better job at building up the romance, and then this one just crushed it completely. They are however, finally seeing each other's side of the story which is nice. I just wished it had happened sooner.
I hate the emperor, he is a major dick. So is Kestrel's father. I want both of them to suffer in the next book.
I understand that introducing the easterners was important for the conflict to come, but I didn't feel any attachment to the new characters. The queen and her brother were kinda boring and didn't leave much of an impression on me after I read their parts. Maybe they will get more interesting in the next book?
I hated what happened with Jess and Ronan. I understand it was significant in showing that Kestrel has to leave her old life behind and that her friends are not as welcome to change as she is, but it was still not cool what happened to them. I actually really liked Ronan in the first book, but he turned into such an ass.
I enjoyed the last twenty pages of the book more than the rest because I feel like it started to pick up more. There was the inklings of what the next book will focus on and I think it will be a really cool concept.
I know I am mostly harping on the book in this review, but I really did enjoy it. I just liked the first one more than I did this one. I think Kestrel getting a backbone and standing up to the emperor was cool. I loved her friendship with Verex, too. Though I don't think they're endgame, I like them as friends.
I need to read the next book to see what happens!!
This was a typical second book in a trilogy. It is there to get to the last plot point and explain some background stuff that will most likely be needed in the last book, but it was kinda milk-toast to me.
The relationship between Kestrel and Arin didn't really grow too much until the very last second, but even then it wasn't a huge change. They argue way too much in my opinion. Maybe I am just spoiled with other books, but I didn't feel much romantic tension between the two whenever they were together. I feel like the first book did a much better job at building up the romance, and then this one just crushed it completely. They are however, finally seeing each other's side of the story which is nice. I just wished it had happened sooner.
I hate the emperor, he is a major dick. So is Kestrel's father. I want both of them to suffer in the next book.
I understand that introducing the easterners was important for the conflict to come, but I didn't feel any attachment to the new characters. The queen and her brother were kinda boring and didn't leave much of an impression on me after I read their parts. Maybe they will get more interesting in the next book?
I hated what happened with Jess and Ronan. I understand it was significant in showing that Kestrel has to leave her old life behind and that her friends are not as welcome to change as she is, but it was still not cool what happened to them. I actually really liked Ronan in the first book, but he turned into such an ass.
I enjoyed the last twenty pages of the book more than the rest because I feel like it started to pick up more. There was the inklings of what the next book will focus on and I think it will be a really cool concept.
I know I am mostly harping on the book in this review, but I really did enjoy it. I just liked the first one more than I did this one. I think Kestrel getting a backbone and standing up to the emperor was cool. I loved her friendship with Verex, too. Though I don't think they're endgame, I like them as friends.
I need to read the next book to see what happens!!
Can't wait to see what happens in the third book :) such a good trilogy. Love Arin
This series is just trying to kill me I think. I just need all my babies to be together and happy. The back and forth, just for the love of god stop. For the sake of my heart. This second book heavily focused on the politics of all countries involved. While characters are also trying to determine what everyone’s motivations are. They was romance in the book but yet not really, do with that what you will. Then the ending, THE ENDING. Ahhhhhhhhhh.
HOLY SHIT. This was awesome. The writing could be a little better (I prefer direct speech and not this "(s)he told him everything") but it is still really good. Need to get the third one asap!