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acedimski 's review for:
The Damned
by Renée Ahdieh
WHERE IS BOOK THREE?
I'm saying what I'm saying - this series needs all the attention, and truly has the potential to become my all time favorite vampire story ever.
The Damned picks off shortly after the events of The Beautiful, and to say my expectations have been met would be an understatement. We did not only get the vampires we craved for in this sequel, but were presented with a much deeper understanding of the immortal and magical world that is part of this story. A world I was not expecting would exist in such a fashion, and has truly changed the game for the plot and characters - and for me. While The Beautiful was the story to make us fall in love with the beauty of the Crescent City itself, its characters, their relationships, and mystery, The Damned takes the approach to show us the rotten layer beneath the beauty, the dark secrets, the twisted history, the brutality. All while it still is a story of loyalty, love, friendship, and finding out who one is.
If someone else would have attempted to write this story, they might have failed. It is in the first place Renée Ahdieh's brilliant writing and talent to build up tension and relationships that make this tale so special and thrilling. Again, she did not disappoint with her poetic and beautifully written tale, showcasing the damned part of this tale in such a beautiful light that leaves me craving for more. Honestly, I think I'll never stop craving for more.
Fitting the titles of each book, the narratives take a turn themselves. As The Beautiful Celine was the narrator carrying the story in the first book, while Bastien - now a Damned - narrates the plot of the sequel. His journey to adjust as a vampire, accept his fate, and the emtional havoc he brings upon himself is the focus of most of the novel - and just intensifies the tension between the two that I've come to adore SO MUCH in the first book.
However, this is not where their love story ends but merely begins.
And this is where the so beautiful tension built up in the first book becomes even better in this sequel. Whenever these two met, I wanted to scream and throw things at them, forcing them to finally give in, and give them just as much myself the release of the tension that has built up inside of myself for MONTHS. If there was ever a time where a slow burn romance killed me so perfectly, it was with this series. I can't stop shipping these two. I just can't. And while I got satisfying moments with these two, all I can say is that the tension yet needs proper release - and I fear the next book will kill me even more.
Trying not to give away much, all I dare say is that this book did not only follow the plot that was builded up in the first book, but introduces new paths and new storylines that all need proper exploring.
Which also leads to me discussing the minor problems I had with this book. While I adored the direction this book took me, and the reveals connected to the new plotlines, I must say a tiny part of me wishes we would have gotten more time to dwell into the mysterious New Orleans, as much as I wished for more pages as I felt the last part of the book was rather rushed. And - I really really really wished for that specific scene of Bastien and Celine to be longer. And more detailed. Much more detailed. Much more.
At this point, I will just wait impatiently for the next book and hopefully it will kill me in just the right way as the previous ones did.
To say, I'm excited is an understatement.
4.5 stars!
I'm saying what I'm saying - this series needs all the attention, and truly has the potential to become my all time favorite vampire story ever.
The Damned picks off shortly after the events of The Beautiful, and to say my expectations have been met would be an understatement. We did not only get the vampires we craved for in this sequel, but were presented with a much deeper understanding of the immortal and magical world that is part of this story. A world I was not expecting would exist in such a fashion, and has truly changed the game for the plot and characters - and for me. While The Beautiful was the story to make us fall in love with the beauty of the Crescent City itself, its characters, their relationships, and mystery, The Damned takes the approach to show us the rotten layer beneath the beauty, the dark secrets, the twisted history, the brutality. All while it still is a story of loyalty, love, friendship, and finding out who one is.
If someone else would have attempted to write this story, they might have failed. It is in the first place Renée Ahdieh's brilliant writing and talent to build up tension and relationships that make this tale so special and thrilling. Again, she did not disappoint with her poetic and beautifully written tale, showcasing the damned part of this tale in such a beautiful light that leaves me craving for more. Honestly, I think I'll never stop craving for more.
Fitting the titles of each book, the narratives take a turn themselves. As The Beautiful Celine was the narrator carrying the story in the first book, while Bastien - now a Damned - narrates the plot of the sequel. His journey to adjust as a vampire, accept his fate, and the emtional havoc he brings upon himself is the focus of most of the novel - and just intensifies the tension between the two that I've come to adore SO MUCH in the first book.
However, this is not where their love story ends but merely begins.
And this is where the so beautiful tension built up in the first book becomes even better in this sequel. Whenever these two met, I wanted to scream and throw things at them, forcing them to finally give in, and give them just as much myself the release of the tension that has built up inside of myself for MONTHS. If there was ever a time where a slow burn romance killed me so perfectly, it was with this series. I can't stop shipping these two. I just can't. And while I got satisfying moments with these two, all I can say is that the tension yet needs proper release - and I fear the next book will kill me even more.
Trying not to give away much, all I dare say is that this book did not only follow the plot that was builded up in the first book, but introduces new paths and new storylines that all need proper exploring.
Which also leads to me discussing the minor problems I had with this book. While I adored the direction this book took me, and the reveals connected to the new plotlines, I must say a tiny part of me wishes we would have gotten more time to dwell into the mysterious New Orleans, as much as I wished for more pages as I felt the last part of the book was rather rushed. And - I really really really wished for that specific scene of Bastien and Celine to be longer. And more detailed. Much more detailed. Much more.
At this point, I will just wait impatiently for the next book and hopefully it will kill me in just the right way as the previous ones did.
To say, I'm excited is an understatement.
4.5 stars!