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A review by skylarkblue1
Midnight by Brenden Carlson
5.0
Content Warnings: Graphic Gore, Death, Paranoia, PTSD, Medical & Hospital Scenes, Hallucinations, Graphic Amputation, Blood, Similar themes to book 1 with classism and racism (against sentient robots).
So after book 1 (go read that before continuing this review!!) and into this one a bit I was hanging around a 3.5/5, suddenly in the last like 30% of the book it absolutely skyrocketed to 5/5 what in the absolute fuck holy shit.
Book 1 felt like a rocky start honestly, trying to find it’s feet. And oh boy did it find it’s feet in book 2. The characters felt more weighted and realistic, they felt more well rounded. The writing style also noticeably changed - though only a small bit - which really helped. And honestly, just overall it was fantastic. The twist reveal was SO much more punchy than book 1 and the leadup and everything around it was just, ah, chefs kiss.
The world was even more steampunk-y this time as well! I felt that was lacking a fair bit in book 1, kinda like someone just dusted it with a bit of steampunk glitter. This time someone lovingly painted every little corner in steampunk, and not even in the “just put cogs and steam everywhere” way which far too many people default to!!
One thing that really struck me with this book as well was the diversity and - not even the acceptance but - the normalcy of everything. There are issues of tension between ethnicities (close to post-world war so that fits in well and is done pretty well imo), classism and the on-going battle for automatron rights and acceptance in society. But, from our main characters - even the super fucked up, apathetic, asshole to everyone Roche - it’s just all part of humanity. It’s even pointed out (maybe a tad too heavy handed with that part) that it’s just normal, human, nothing odd or weird about it other than really awesome technology to help those that need it. And what issues with equality there is, they’re all fighting constantly throughout the stories, but never feeling siffling or heavy handed too much.
Some of Roche’s actions in this book really just made me love his character so much. Yes, it is still Connor and Hank from Detroit, but written a lot better than that haha. Roche very much becomes a lot more rounded of a character in this book, less “I’m just a complete asshole” and more “I’m traumatised, exhausted, done with everyone’s shit being my damn problem” and his PTSD and trauma I would say - though I’m not a war vet ofc though I do have some relevant experience on these topics - is handled quite well.
I’m gonna add a note onto my review for book 1 because I feel like it’s too harsh for what it grows into with this. I came across this series because I had accidentally requested an eARC of book 3 without realising it was part of a series and so I brought book 1 and 2 to read in preparation. I am so glad I made that initial mistake, I don’t believe I would have ever found this series otherwise. This will certainly be one series to add to the list of “I will become annoying by constantly talking about it to everyone and anyone” books haha!
So after book 1 (go read that before continuing this review!!) and into this one a bit I was hanging around a 3.5/5, suddenly in the last like 30% of the book it absolutely skyrocketed to 5/5 what in the absolute fuck holy shit.
Book 1 felt like a rocky start honestly, trying to find it’s feet. And oh boy did it find it’s feet in book 2. The characters felt more weighted and realistic, they felt more well rounded. The writing style also noticeably changed - though only a small bit - which really helped. And honestly, just overall it was fantastic. The twist reveal was SO much more punchy than book 1 and the leadup and everything around it was just, ah, chefs kiss.
The world was even more steampunk-y this time as well! I felt that was lacking a fair bit in book 1, kinda like someone just dusted it with a bit of steampunk glitter. This time someone lovingly painted every little corner in steampunk, and not even in the “just put cogs and steam everywhere” way which far too many people default to!!
One thing that really struck me with this book as well was the diversity and - not even the acceptance but - the normalcy of everything. There are issues of tension between ethnicities (close to post-world war so that fits in well and is done pretty well imo), classism and the on-going battle for automatron rights and acceptance in society. But, from our main characters - even the super fucked up, apathetic, asshole to everyone Roche - it’s just all part of humanity. It’s even pointed out (maybe a tad too heavy handed with that part) that it’s just normal, human, nothing odd or weird about it other than really awesome technology to help those that need it. And what issues with equality there is, they’re all fighting constantly throughout the stories, but never feeling siffling or heavy handed too much.
Some of Roche’s actions in this book really just made me love his character so much. Yes, it is still Connor and Hank from Detroit, but written a lot better than that haha. Roche very much becomes a lot more rounded of a character in this book, less “I’m just a complete asshole” and more “I’m traumatised, exhausted, done with everyone’s shit being my damn problem” and his PTSD and trauma I would say - though I’m not a war vet ofc though I do have some relevant experience on these topics - is handled quite well.
I’m gonna add a note onto my review for book 1 because I feel like it’s too harsh for what it grows into with this. I came across this series because I had accidentally requested an eARC of book 3 without realising it was part of a series and so I brought book 1 and 2 to read in preparation. I am so glad I made that initial mistake, I don’t believe I would have ever found this series otherwise. This will certainly be one series to add to the list of “I will become annoying by constantly talking about it to everyone and anyone” books haha!