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I received a free copy from Del Ray in exchange for an honest review.
In Misrule, Alyce returns to complete the final book in the Malice duology.
Readers last left Alyce engulfed in her rage at her inability to awake Aurora from a curse caused by an accident involving her blood. Alyce, since renaming herself Nimara after the first Vila, transformed into a dragon, allowing her to sack Etheria and change the course of the kingdom. Misrule picks up about a year after these events. Alyce now lives in Etheria alone and Aurora is still under a curse. However, as word begins to spread about Alyce’s deeds, other creatures who had been exiled and abused from Malterre show up. The Dark Court thrives after one hundred years have elapsed, which is where the story picks up after the prologue. That is until a shipwreck deposits a human on Etherian shores, setting in motion events that could destroy Alyce and the new home she has built.
Heather Walter has written an interesting conclusion to the Malice duology. As a reader, I greatly appreciated the end of Misrule. Without delving into spoilers, it’s easiest to say that Alyce and Aurora spend a great deal of the novel trying to heal from the hurts they have inadvertently inflicted on each other. If the Malice duology was a rom-com Misrule would definitely be the misunderstanding or outright lie stage that the characters have to overcome. And that’s why the ending stands out for me. The lies and suffering that the two romantic interests give to each other are not small and forgiveness does not come easy for either of them. While there is the suggestion of potential happiness for Alyce and Aurora, it is not the immediate conclusion to their story.
As for the rest of the novel, I did not like Misrule as much as Malice. Though the world was expanded and the various creatures from Malterre were explored, there were often sections that felt long and drawn out. And while some of these aspects played into the plot and the climax of the novel, it also felt like there were others that didn’t lead anywhere. Overall, I thought there were sections that could have been expedited or cut from the middle because while reading it felt like the same pattern repeated on multiple occasions and became redundant. To Walter’s credit, she mentions that the writing of this second novel was tough and that she lost her way at points during the writing process. As a writer myself, I know how hard it is to bring all story elements together. However, as a reader, I felt like these elements were interlaced and interwoven a bit better in Malice.
Overall, I still enjoyed Misrule and would recommend it to readers who enjoyed Malice. It’s worth it to learn how our favorite half Vila, half shifter, Alyce, works toward her own happy ending.
In Misrule, Alyce returns to complete the final book in the Malice duology.
Readers last left Alyce engulfed in her rage at her inability to awake Aurora from a curse caused by an accident involving her blood. Alyce, since renaming herself Nimara after the first Vila, transformed into a dragon, allowing her to sack Etheria and change the course of the kingdom. Misrule picks up about a year after these events. Alyce now lives in Etheria alone and Aurora is still under a curse. However, as word begins to spread about Alyce’s deeds, other creatures who had been exiled and abused from Malterre show up. The Dark Court thrives after one hundred years have elapsed, which is where the story picks up after the prologue. That is until a shipwreck deposits a human on Etherian shores, setting in motion events that could destroy Alyce and the new home she has built.
Heather Walter has written an interesting conclusion to the Malice duology. As a reader, I greatly appreciated the end of Misrule. Without delving into spoilers, it’s easiest to say that Alyce and Aurora spend a great deal of the novel trying to heal from the hurts they have inadvertently inflicted on each other. If the Malice duology was a rom-com Misrule would definitely be the misunderstanding or outright lie stage that the characters have to overcome. And that’s why the ending stands out for me. The lies and suffering that the two romantic interests give to each other are not small and forgiveness does not come easy for either of them. While there is the suggestion of potential happiness for Alyce and Aurora, it is not the immediate conclusion to their story.
As for the rest of the novel, I did not like Misrule as much as Malice. Though the world was expanded and the various creatures from Malterre were explored, there were often sections that felt long and drawn out. And while some of these aspects played into the plot and the climax of the novel, it also felt like there were others that didn’t lead anywhere. Overall, I thought there were sections that could have been expedited or cut from the middle because while reading it felt like the same pattern repeated on multiple occasions and became redundant. To Walter’s credit, she mentions that the writing of this second novel was tough and that she lost her way at points during the writing process. As a writer myself, I know how hard it is to bring all story elements together. However, as a reader, I felt like these elements were interlaced and interwoven a bit better in Malice.
Overall, I still enjoyed Misrule and would recommend it to readers who enjoyed Malice. It’s worth it to learn how our favorite half Vila, half shifter, Alyce, works toward her own happy ending.