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A review by pam_h
When Death Frees the Devil by L.J. Hayward
4.0
This is such a satisfying conclusion to this series, and I almost gave it five stars just because that epilogue left me with a goofy smile on my face. I love Jack and Ethan so much it's RIDICULOUS!!
The major problem with the back-and-forth/then-and-now storytelling style from the first two books was addressed here very successfully. We still go back and forth -- PLUS we're bouncing between Jack and Ethan's POVs this time, which was awesome -- but the author let the narrative drive the pace of the jumps this time instead of the chapter structure. It flows much more naturally and never bothered me at all. (And it drove me absolutely crazy with the first two.)
I also loved the action storyline. I love that the super villains win the fights they should and the heroes lose the fights they should. When you're outmatched, you're outmatched.
The only problem here -- and I think it was a giant mistake -- is that we get absolutely zero interaction between Jack and Ethan until the 48% mark. Their dynamic is what makes me love this series so much, and I think this was in desperate need of one scene between them toward the beginning to remind us why we love them so much.
I just read the whole series beginning to end two months ago, so it was pretty fresh for me, but I think if I was coming into this one after a longer gap between books it might have made my attention wander. As it was, it was just frustrating. I still liked the first half, and even agree with the separate storylines as whole for once, but the second half was soooooo much fun having them back in the same space. They play off each other so well, it just makes me happy.
The major problem with the back-and-forth/then-and-now storytelling style from the first two books was addressed here very successfully. We still go back and forth -- PLUS we're bouncing between Jack and Ethan's POVs this time, which was awesome -- but the author let the narrative drive the pace of the jumps this time instead of the chapter structure. It flows much more naturally and never bothered me at all. (And it drove me absolutely crazy with the first two.)
I also loved the action storyline. I love that the super villains win the fights they should and the heroes lose the fights they should. When you're outmatched, you're outmatched.
The only problem here -- and I think it was a giant mistake -- is that we get absolutely zero interaction between Jack and Ethan until the 48% mark. Their dynamic is what makes me love this series so much, and I think this was in desperate need of one scene between them toward the beginning to remind us why we love them so much.
I just read the whole series beginning to end two months ago, so it was pretty fresh for me, but I think if I was coming into this one after a longer gap between books it might have made my attention wander. As it was, it was just frustrating. I still liked the first half, and even agree with the separate storylines as whole for once, but the second half was soooooo much fun having them back in the same space. They play off each other so well, it just makes me happy.