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love_inthelibrary 's review for:
Gods & Monsters
by Shelby Mahurin
I really liked Book 1 in this series, then felt Book 2 took much too long to get to it's ultimately satisfying end. Book Three, Gods & Monsters, has the opposite but equal problem. It’s too long, and too much happens. Way too much. A number of cool set pieces are jammed in back-to-back, like Mahurin had a burst of great ideas after finishing the second book, and wanted to get them all in. The result is scattered and choppy. There are way too many characters. I pictured a lunatic’s basement diorama with red-thread strings connecting it all. At several points during Book Three, and especially during the grand finale, I couldn’t keep track of who was where or why. I just knew it was ending, so I kept going at the speed forced on me by the crescendo, rather than taking a little time to appreciate the final acts of each of the characters I had really come to know and enjoy. Most of their ultimate contributions were lost in the barrage of action. The end of the story is satisfying, yes. But the experience of it could have been better.
Ultimately, I enjoyed this series. It’s common, though disappointing, when the end doesn’t quite meet the level of the beginning. A little more long-term planning, or an editor to say, “Save this for the next series!” would have made it a 4 star series for sure.
Ultimately, I enjoyed this series. It’s common, though disappointing, when the end doesn’t quite meet the level of the beginning. A little more long-term planning, or an editor to say, “Save this for the next series!” would have made it a 4 star series for sure.