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lkozilski 's review for:
The Dark Days Pact
by Alison Goodman
I needed a few days to digest everything that happened in the last few chapters of this book. In fact, I went back and re-read some of it to make sure I was remembering it all correctly.
*Mild spoilers ahead.*
There are so many wonderful twists and turns, and Helen manifests abilities that are practically biblical. She and Lord Carlston grow closer, to his peril, which I found hard to swallow initially. I loved Helen's arc in this book, and her struggle to imitate a man had me shaking my head and laughing. Although, at least she got to wear pants for the first time. And she got to kiss Mr. Carlston properly, *AHEM*. It's obvious that they love each other deeply, but he is technically still married, and as Reclaimers, they are forbidden to be together. The book takes place at a time when marriages based on love were rare in the upper echelons of society, but it's not difficult to imagine that they did occur. Fingers crossed that they get their happy ending in the next book.
We also see that it's not just Lady Margaret and Helen who are in love with Lord Carlston, but that Mr. Hammond, her brother, is as well. I love Mr. Hammond. He's a complicated man with secrets, but he's also funny and loyal to a fault. The truth of his sexuality puts him at the mercy of the new boss of the Dark Days Club, Mr. Pike. I must admit that I found him dull, even though he was clever enough to manipulate Helen and Mr. Hammond to do his bidding. The truth about his wife only deepened my dislike of him.
Helen made lots of mistakes in the first book, and she continued making them in this one, but her heart was in the right place. For the most part, if the men in charge had entrusted her with more information instead of withholding it, her 'mistakes' could have been avoided.
I have a theory, one I've been confident in since the first book, about who the Grand Deceiver is. I believe it's the Duke of Selburn. What better way to get a first-hand look at the enemy, to know their every move, than to make yourself one of them? Even better, to be engaged to the Grand Reclaimer, to have her under his control, would be the ultimate coup. I never trusted him, not from the beginning. His reasons for wanting to marry Helen, even after the scandals, even after being Lady Catherine's daughter, even after she treated him like CRAP, were shallow at best. At least if he'd proclaimed to love her, that would be something. It would be a lie, but it would be something.
I know, I know, the Duke doesn't show up as a Deciever under the lens. But I think there's a reason why Lord Carlston went after him specifically when he was under the influence of the joining magic (or whatever it was called, I can't remember now). It could be because of their past history with Elise, but I doubt it's only that. When he was under the thrall of that magic, Carlston was pure animal, at the mercy of his instinct to protect, to eliminate all threats. What if it was about more than just protecting Helen from another suitor, but protecting her from an unseen evil?
I also don't believe Lord Carlston killed Stokes. I think Selburn did. It would be such a Grand Deceiver trick, to weigh down your enemy's soul with a crime they didn't commit, to sow doubt in their heart about who they really are. An unconfident Reclaimer is a far easier target, prone to mistakes and wishy-washy-ness.
Maybe I'm wrong. But now that it's come out that Elise was a spy (and is still alive), the waters are getting muddy. No one can be trusted. Well, except Darby, Carlston, Hammond, and Delia. I love that she was brought into the fold. She may not be a warrior, but she is observant, and she asks great questions.
I loved this book. I'm waiting expectantly for the next one.
*Mild spoilers ahead.*
There are so many wonderful twists and turns, and Helen manifests abilities that are practically biblical. She and Lord Carlston grow closer, to his peril, which I found hard to swallow initially. I loved Helen's arc in this book, and her struggle to imitate a man had me shaking my head and laughing. Although, at least she got to wear pants for the first time. And she got to kiss Mr. Carlston properly, *AHEM*. It's obvious that they love each other deeply, but he is technically still married, and as Reclaimers, they are forbidden to be together. The book takes place at a time when marriages based on love were rare in the upper echelons of society, but it's not difficult to imagine that they did occur. Fingers crossed that they get their happy ending in the next book.
We also see that it's not just Lady Margaret and Helen who are in love with Lord Carlston, but that Mr. Hammond, her brother, is as well. I love Mr. Hammond. He's a complicated man with secrets, but he's also funny and loyal to a fault. The truth of his sexuality puts him at the mercy of the new boss of the Dark Days Club, Mr. Pike. I must admit that I found him dull, even though he was clever enough to manipulate Helen and Mr. Hammond to do his bidding. The truth about his wife only deepened my dislike of him.
Helen made lots of mistakes in the first book, and she continued making them in this one, but her heart was in the right place. For the most part, if the men in charge had entrusted her with more information instead of withholding it, her 'mistakes' could have been avoided.
I have a theory, one I've been confident in since the first book, about who the Grand Deceiver is. I believe it's the Duke of Selburn. What better way to get a first-hand look at the enemy, to know their every move, than to make yourself one of them? Even better, to be engaged to the Grand Reclaimer, to have her under his control, would be the ultimate coup. I never trusted him, not from the beginning. His reasons for wanting to marry Helen, even after the scandals, even after being Lady Catherine's daughter, even after she treated him like CRAP, were shallow at best. At least if he'd proclaimed to love her, that would be something. It would be a lie, but it would be something.
I know, I know, the Duke doesn't show up as a Deciever under the lens. But I think there's a reason why Lord Carlston went after him specifically when he was under the influence of the joining magic (or whatever it was called, I can't remember now). It could be because of their past history with Elise, but I doubt it's only that. When he was under the thrall of that magic, Carlston was pure animal, at the mercy of his instinct to protect, to eliminate all threats. What if it was about more than just protecting Helen from another suitor, but protecting her from an unseen evil?
I also don't believe Lord Carlston killed Stokes. I think Selburn did. It would be such a Grand Deceiver trick, to weigh down your enemy's soul with a crime they didn't commit, to sow doubt in their heart about who they really are. An unconfident Reclaimer is a far easier target, prone to mistakes and wishy-washy-ness.
Maybe I'm wrong. But now that it's come out that Elise was a spy (and is still alive), the waters are getting muddy. No one can be trusted. Well, except Darby, Carlston, Hammond, and Delia. I love that she was brought into the fold. She may not be a warrior, but she is observant, and she asks great questions.
I loved this book. I'm waiting expectantly for the next one.