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A review by chronicallybookish
Steelstriker by Marie Lu
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Quick Stats
Age Rating: 14+
Over All: 5 stars
Plot: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
I absolutely adore Marie Lu, but in the past I’ve found her second novels in series to be lacking. They tend to drag and not hold my attention, especially compared to how much I always love the first books. Due to this I’ve DNFed both The Rose Society and Wildcard (I promise I’m going to read them eventually).
Steelstriker suffered from this a little bit. I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as Skyhunter, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it, and gave it 5 stars, so I’d say it breaks that pattern.
I really appreciate the fact that though there were ample places for a “miracle cure” to be enacted in the story, Talin retains her disability. So many able-bodied authors would cure Talin of her muteness as a way to further the story or show her “triumph”, because they don’t understand how harmful that is to the disabled community. But no matter how many physiological improvements Talin undergoes in her Skyhunter transformation, her vocal cords are not fixed, and I really appreciate that.
Marie Lu is a master at crafting worlds, plots, and characters that sweep you up. And she does so in a way where every aspect of the story is strong. Many books are “plot-driven” and their characters and or world building suffer because the focus is on the plot, or vice versa, but Marie Lu’s books have characters, worlds, and plots that are fully fleshed out and captivating.
This series may be my favorite of hers so far, and I can’t wait to see what she comes out with next.
Age Rating: 14+
Over All: 5 stars
Plot: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
I absolutely adore Marie Lu, but in the past I’ve found her second novels in series to be lacking. They tend to drag and not hold my attention, especially compared to how much I always love the first books. Due to this I’ve DNFed both The Rose Society and Wildcard (I promise I’m going to read them eventually).
Steelstriker suffered from this a little bit. I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as Skyhunter, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it, and gave it 5 stars, so I’d say it breaks that pattern.
I really appreciate the fact that though there were ample places for a “miracle cure” to be enacted in the story, Talin retains her disability. So many able-bodied authors would cure Talin of her muteness as a way to further the story or show her “triumph”, because they don’t understand how harmful that is to the disabled community. But no matter how many physiological improvements Talin undergoes in her Skyhunter transformation, her vocal cords are not fixed, and I really appreciate that.
Marie Lu is a master at crafting worlds, plots, and characters that sweep you up. And she does so in a way where every aspect of the story is strong. Many books are “plot-driven” and their characters and or world building suffer because the focus is on the plot, or vice versa, but Marie Lu’s books have characters, worlds, and plots that are fully fleshed out and captivating.
This series may be my favorite of hers so far, and I can’t wait to see what she comes out with next.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Gore, and Torture