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A review by davinareads
His Mortal Demise by Vanessa Le
dark
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I went into His Mortal Demise with high expectations, but unfortunately, it didn’t fully meet them. While there were some strong moments, overall, the story felt repetitive and lacked the depth I was hoping for.
Let’s start with what worked. I appreciated how the book summarized key events from the first installment, making it easy to jump back in. I didn’t have to work too hard to remember what happened, and I think that’s very important for a series.
The last 30% of the book is where the story finally picked up. There was action, and I found myself leaning into the story. I just wanted more of it, and that’s where His Mortal Demise fell flat.
The pacing throughout the rest of the book felt sluggish, and the plot didn’t have enough momentum to carry the story forward. Conversations between characters lacked depth, and some scenes felt unnecessary because they didn’t add much. The writing often felt rushed, moving from one action to the next in quick succession. Rather than being immersed in the story through vivid descriptions—sound, feeling, taste—I felt like I was being told what was happening rather than experiencing it.
The writing style also didn’t quite match the promise of the first book. While I understand this was an ARC, the overuse of certain words stood out—“breath” (this word stood out aggressively), “Mother” (as a god figure, not a parent), and repetitive references to loss (“she died, I love her”) made the prose feel unpolished, as if words were being used just to fill space.
I also found myself losing the emotional connection between Nhika and Kochin, which made the stakes feel lower. As the main characters, I wanted to love them easily, but something was missing to make them feel fully three-dimensional.
Overall, the plot leaned on the weaker side, and while the ending was decent, it didn’t deliver the level of thrill I had hoped for.
Let’s start with what worked. I appreciated how the book summarized key events from the first installment, making it easy to jump back in. I didn’t have to work too hard to remember what happened, and I think that’s very important for a series.
The last 30% of the book is where the story finally picked up. There was action, and I found myself leaning into the story. I just wanted more of it, and that’s where His Mortal Demise fell flat.
The pacing throughout the rest of the book felt sluggish, and the plot didn’t have enough momentum to carry the story forward. Conversations between characters lacked depth, and some scenes felt unnecessary because they didn’t add much. The writing often felt rushed, moving from one action to the next in quick succession. Rather than being immersed in the story through vivid descriptions—sound, feeling, taste—I felt like I was being told what was happening rather than experiencing it.
The writing style also didn’t quite match the promise of the first book. While I understand this was an ARC, the overuse of certain words stood out—“breath” (this word stood out aggressively), “Mother” (as a god figure, not a parent), and repetitive references to loss (“she died, I love her”) made the prose feel unpolished, as if words were being used just to fill space.
I also found myself losing the emotional connection between Nhika and Kochin, which made the stakes feel lower. As the main characters, I wanted to love them easily, but something was missing to make them feel fully three-dimensional.
Overall, the plot leaned on the weaker side, and while the ending was decent, it didn’t deliver the level of thrill I had hoped for.