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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A bit of a repeat of the "everything you know is a lie and the good guys are actually the bad guys" line from the first book. It felt, at times, like new things were being introduced mostly to deal with issues with the plot and there is an issue with power scaling that comes from trying to throw obstacles in front of a main character who is also supposed to be unstoppable. Since every death of an important character is immediately reversed there are very few stakes to any battle and the emotional connections between the characters are weak because the characters themselves are so shallow. Sometimes it feels like a Marvel movie, with transitions to big action scenes interspersed with overdone emotional moments that aren't grounded and have no real impact. It could be an interesting story, but it follows well worn YA pathways and has yet to find its own lane.
I always hate giving reviews for subsequent books in a series since it’s so hard to talk about anything in a meaningful sense without spoiling a whole bunch, but here we are once again.
Deka continues on with her cast of friends. She’s on a bigger, even more serious mission that pushes everyone to new limits. Some of the fantasy elements felt like too much for me, and I have read, enjoyed, and obsessed over a decent amount of fantasy before, even though it’s not my go to genre. The rules of the fantasy world change often here, which I didn’t love. The relationships that sparkle in the first don’t translate as well to the second. It’s not that everything is terrible, but compared to the first The Merciless Ones felt just a little lackluster. I still want to see the series to the end, so now I’m waiting to see what the final installment brings.
Deka continues on with her cast of friends. She’s on a bigger, even more serious mission that pushes everyone to new limits. Some of the fantasy elements felt like too much for me, and I have read, enjoyed, and obsessed over a decent amount of fantasy before, even though it’s not my go to genre. The rules of the fantasy world change often here, which I didn’t love. The relationships that sparkle in the first don’t translate as well to the second. It’s not that everything is terrible, but compared to the first The Merciless Ones felt just a little lackluster. I still want to see the series to the end, so now I’m waiting to see what the final installment brings.
In this sequal to The Gilded Ones, Deka and her friends and allies fight for the Mothers. A new threat has arisen that will shake Deka's faith. (Side note: it explores the toxicity of binary thinking.)
I went into this book thinking it was a duology. There had better be another book in the series. Can't wait to read it!
I went into this book thinking it was a duology. There had better be another book in the series. Can't wait to read it!
Oh my goodness! This sequel is all I could’ve hoped for after reading the first book. I’m very excited for the third book. If you even kind of liked the first one, I think you should give this one a shot—the twists and turns that Namina Forna writes are so intriguing but easy to follow. Some plot twists are confusing but hers are superb!
The plot was soooo good, but i will say the dialog does lack at some points.
The direction is confusing and slow. I’m just not interested enough to continue. Might pick up again later.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
I liked the first book but loooved this one. So much plot depth and nuances and the representation?!?! Loved how they handled LGBTQIA+ characters and relationships and the underlying themes of grief and blind loyalty. Plus the ethnicities and creatures are unique to this book and world which u loved! Great story, can’t wait to read book 3!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
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