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planetbeth91's review against another edition
5.0
An absolutely outstanding follow up to the equally incredible debut Monstrous Design will have you gripped as you follow the twists turns heartaches and betrayals of Le battalion des Morts.
Honestly, I didn't think I could love this series more but I do.
Honestly, I didn't think I could love this series more but I do.
3mmaloulou's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
althea's review against another edition
4.0
After reading and loving the first book in this trilogy at the end of last year, I have been dying to read the sequel after the explosive ending we were left with, and I was not disappointed!
Monstrous Design starts pretty much where Dangerous Remedy left off, with Camille and Al heading to England to chase down James and Olympe, while Guil and Ada stay behind in Paris to keep an eye on the Duc. The first half of the book was, admittedly, extremely slow and I found myself trudging through it at times, and I think that it definitely suffered from second book syndrome at times, but the second half of the book was just so good and really brought me back to the exciting action that we saw in the first book! I also, once again, really enjoyed the vibes from this one - it really gave me Frankenstein meets Les Mis vibes and it was so, so atmospheric!
I can't really say much about this without giving any spoilers, but Monstrous Design does feature some of my all-time favourite tropes in it (as well as a great My Chemical Romance reference...no I'm not joking!), and I loved how morally grey and complex the characters were. But saying that, I do really wish that this series was told through Guil and Al's perspectives too, as the found family aspect fell a little flat since the two of them aren't really developed all that much. Though we do get to understand a bit more of Guil's past in this book, I really could not tell you all that much about him other than he deserted from the army, so I wish we'd got to read some chapters from his perspective too (and honestly, reading from Al's perspective would just be amazing!).
Overall, though, I'm really excited to see where the trilogy ends, though I know it'll be in pain, and I can't wait for the third book's release hopefully relatively soon!
Want more sapphic books? You can find me here: Book Blog | Twitter | Instagram
Monstrous Design starts pretty much where Dangerous Remedy left off, with Camille and Al heading to England to chase down James and Olympe, while Guil and Ada stay behind in Paris to keep an eye on the Duc. The first half of the book was, admittedly, extremely slow and I found myself trudging through it at times, and I think that it definitely suffered from second book syndrome at times, but the second half of the book was just so good and really brought me back to the exciting action that we saw in the first book! I also, once again, really enjoyed the vibes from this one - it really gave me Frankenstein meets Les Mis vibes and it was so, so atmospheric!
I can't really say much about this without giving any spoilers, but Monstrous Design does feature some of my all-time favourite tropes in it (as well as a great My Chemical Romance reference...no I'm not joking!), and I loved how morally grey and complex the characters were. But saying that, I do really wish that this series was told through Guil and Al's perspectives too, as the found family aspect fell a little flat since the two of them aren't really developed all that much. Though we do get to understand a bit more of Guil's past in this book, I really could not tell you all that much about him other than he deserted from the army, so I wish we'd got to read some chapters from his perspective too (and honestly, reading from Al's perspective would just be amazing!).
Overall, though, I'm really excited to see where the trilogy ends, though I know it'll be in pain, and I can't wait for the third book's release hopefully relatively soon!
Want more sapphic books? You can find me here: Book Blog | Twitter | Instagram
readwithanna's review
3.5
While the story feels pretty mediocre, and the characters aren't as fully realised as I think they could have been, the writing glow-up is remarkable.
sianhopper's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
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
4.5
daniwantsalibrary's review against another edition
adventurous
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
4.5
monika_stefekova's review against another edition
3.0
I wish more authors would take their cue from Leigh Bardugo. Whatever you think of her writing, she does not create artificial trilogies but rather recognises when the story can and should be wrapped within the second book. I bring up this point because Battlation of the Dead has a distinctive Six of Crows vibe, yet fails to reach its potential precisely because of this. In the effort to create a plot just as clever and twisty, the author tied her own shoelaces a bit.
I´ll admit I originally thought Battalion of the Dead was a duology (my mistake) and was, therefore, quite thrown by the meandering nature of this book and its arguably troubled pacing. However, as I neared the end, it became clear to me that there has to be a third book and many open plot points and loose ends suddenly made more sense.
Even though this is still an enjoyable read, it definitely suffers (much like many of its kin) from a middle book syndrome. A lot happens, yet only a handful of events has any sort of impact on the overall story. The ending feels rushed and the inevitable twisty cliffhanger fails to be surprising.
The character work remains the strong point of the story, even though some of the actions do not exactly fit the characters we came to know in Dangerous Remedy, which is a bit frustrating. It feels like the author herself was hesitant with their development. However, I have to appreciate that she does not shy away from exploring moral dilemmas and difficult situations and portrays both in a very realistic way.
I will definitely read the third instalment, I just have to do it with my fingers crossed. A lot will be riding on the way the finale is handled, but I am trusting the author to bring us a meaningful conclusion for this wonderfully inventive tale.
I´ll admit I originally thought Battalion of the Dead was a duology (my mistake) and was, therefore, quite thrown by the meandering nature of this book and its arguably troubled pacing. However, as I neared the end, it became clear to me that there has to be a third book and many open plot points and loose ends suddenly made more sense.
Even though this is still an enjoyable read, it definitely suffers (much like many of its kin) from a middle book syndrome. A lot happens, yet only a handful of events has any sort of impact on the overall story. The ending feels rushed and the inevitable twisty cliffhanger fails to be surprising.
The character work remains the strong point of the story, even though some of the actions do not exactly fit the characters we came to know in Dangerous Remedy, which is a bit frustrating. It feels like the author herself was hesitant with their development. However, I have to appreciate that she does not shy away from exploring moral dilemmas and difficult situations and portrays both in a very realistic way.
I will definitely read the third instalment, I just have to do it with my fingers crossed. A lot will be riding on the way the finale is handled, but I am trusting the author to bring us a meaningful conclusion for this wonderfully inventive tale.
jensbookcorner's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
wachewl's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0