A review by smarmo21
The Mask Falling by Samantha Shannon

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

4.75

Absolutely incredible read. The Song Rising had a fairly clean ending, so I was interested to see where The Mask Falling would pick up - I was not disappointed. This book introduced tons of new, interesting, diverse characters and the plot sprinted forward. The only reason I didn't rate 5/5, is that I felt (especially toward the end) that Shannon was rather frantic in her writing; I felt the last 100 or so pages didn't need to be as rushed as they were. I am, of course, also devastated by
the ending, which leaves me with so many questions I was truly in shock. It seems that Cade is the Devil, AND A FELLOW DREAMWALKER, and Arcturus remains the Lover. But now, we have no idea if Arcturus survived the bombing in Paris. This will be on my mind for quite some time.
I also felt that some of Paige's
escapes this book were a bit shocking. How many times will she slip through Nashira's fingers? The break-in at Sheol II seemed to happen so fast, and rather easily. I wonder if our characters could've endured more challenges during that sequence of events to make it more believable.
Watching Paige and Arcturus learn more about one another was a highlight of this book. Their relationship is so interesting and adds to an already rich plot. I am so excited for the next book, and completely heartbroken that it's over 1 year away. 
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