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A review by ishouldreadthat
The Deck of Omens by C.L. Herman
4.0
Originally posted to I Should Read That
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
I absolutely devoured (heh heh) Herman’s debut novel The Devouring Gray last year and have been desperately waiting for the sequel. The Deck of Omens is an addicting and thrilling read that introduces strange new aspects to the world of Four Paths, all while giving a satisfying conclusion to the story and characters.
The issue with having a sequel to a book like The Devouring Gray is ‘where do you go from here?’. Herman does a great job of expanding the world of Four Paths, the mysterious Gray, and the magic that the founding families have been drawing on for decades, while also giving this sequel it's own strong story. My favourite aspect of The Devouring Gray was the deliciously creepy atmosphere she creates in Four Paths, and she doubles down on that in The Deck of Omens. I really loved the imagery of the corruption seeping into the town, the way it impacts the townsfolk, and the mysteries that are uncovered as a result. My only wish for this book was that she investigated this further -- the focus is so strongly on the characters, which is great, but I wish we had seen a little more of the creepy and cool corruption!
The characters are the main drivers of the book, and they’re all recovering from the trials they suffered at the end of The Devouring Gray. Betrayals and revelations have left our five teens reeling, and they’re trying to pick up the pieces. In the first book, I felt that the girls outshone the boys and although I still adored May and Harper, I was surprised that Isaac emerged as my favourite character in The Deck of Omens. Is he still an absolute disaster? Yes. But he gets so many new layers to his story and becomes more than just a kid with anger issues. I loved the teasing out of his family’s story, his relationship with his brother Gabriel, and the way his friendships with the other Founders evolve. He becomes the most complex and wonderful character in the book -- something I didn’t expect at all!
If you liked The Devouring Gray, I really think you’ll love The Deck of Omens. It deals with the emotional aftermath of the first book very well, but also becomes it’s own unique story and is a satisfying conclusion to this great duology. I am sad to say goodbye to the town of Four Paths, but I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
I absolutely devoured (heh heh) Herman’s debut novel The Devouring Gray last year and have been desperately waiting for the sequel. The Deck of Omens is an addicting and thrilling read that introduces strange new aspects to the world of Four Paths, all while giving a satisfying conclusion to the story and characters.
The issue with having a sequel to a book like The Devouring Gray is ‘where do you go from here?’. Herman does a great job of expanding the world of Four Paths, the mysterious Gray, and the magic that the founding families have been drawing on for decades, while also giving this sequel it's own strong story. My favourite aspect of The Devouring Gray was the deliciously creepy atmosphere she creates in Four Paths, and she doubles down on that in The Deck of Omens. I really loved the imagery of the corruption seeping into the town, the way it impacts the townsfolk, and the mysteries that are uncovered as a result. My only wish for this book was that she investigated this further -- the focus is so strongly on the characters, which is great, but I wish we had seen a little more of the creepy and cool corruption!
The characters are the main drivers of the book, and they’re all recovering from the trials they suffered at the end of The Devouring Gray. Betrayals and revelations have left our five teens reeling, and they’re trying to pick up the pieces. In the first book, I felt that the girls outshone the boys and although I still adored May and Harper, I was surprised that Isaac emerged as my favourite character in The Deck of Omens. Is he still an absolute disaster? Yes. But he gets so many new layers to his story and becomes more than just a kid with anger issues. I loved the teasing out of his family’s story, his relationship with his brother Gabriel, and the way his friendships with the other Founders evolve. He becomes the most complex and wonderful character in the book -- something I didn’t expect at all!
If you liked The Devouring Gray, I really think you’ll love The Deck of Omens. It deals with the emotional aftermath of the first book very well, but also becomes it’s own unique story and is a satisfying conclusion to this great duology. I am sad to say goodbye to the town of Four Paths, but I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next.