A review by ginalucia
Children of Anguish and Anarchy by Tomi Adeyemi

adventurous challenging dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

Children of Anguish and Anarchy wastes no time diving headfirst into the action, which keeps you on your toes from the start.

However, I couldn't shake the feeling of being thrown into a new storyline abruptly. It felt like picking up a sequel without the necessary setup, and it disoriented me. 

It was like I’d missed something or misremembered the first two books because this felt like something entirely new rather than a conclusion to a series.

I wondered if condensing this into a duology might have helped. The rapid introduction of new elements made it hard to stay grounded in the established world and characters.

While the writing is undeniably strong and intense, I struggled to connect with the new direction of the plot. It felt like the relationships and developments from the earlier books were brushed aside for the sake of speed.

Children of Anguish and Anarchy is short and highly energetic, almost as if it were sprinting towards a conclusion. While this style has its thrills, it left me longing for what the first two books ultimately were, a lot better.

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