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uninen 's review for:
When Death Frees the Devil
by L.J. Hayward
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I'm glad this book departed from the earlier style where pov/timeline changed every chapter, it definitely made for a more cohesive story. Though at times I was really confused where different parts fit in the timeline and it made it hard knowing what happened in what order.
The maybe 34-40% first percents of the book were also pretty boring, especially the chapter with Jack's hearing just simply being characters explaining what has happened up until then. Jack and Ethan working together were the best parts, and sadly that was maybe 30% of the book. This book was more Ethan's story with a side of Jack than anything else.
In general, I feel like Jack got the shorter end of the stick here. Everything that happens to Jack is because of Ethan; even in the second book, when it seems like Jack's actions caused the chain of events, it ended up actually being about Ethan and his past. Jack very rarely has any agency, and I don't think it was addressed properly, especially considering it was a big part of Jack's issues with his military past and his service with The Office. Ethan repeatedly denies Jack agency, and Jack forgives him almost instantly even when Ethan keeps doing it.
Yes, Jack ends up leaving The Office, but there wasn't really proper build-up and that, too, was ultimately for Ethan. If we had gotten a book more focused on Jack, I would've loved to see Jack working through his emotions on this and how he's tired of running away from being used only to end up in that situation over and over again. Jack's reunion with his family felt underwhelming too; Meera had been heavily anti-military for years and angry at Jack for joining the army, but apparently it wasn't that big of a deal in the end?
Also what is it with every named female character being the same cookie-cutter Boss Babe without any personality beyond that, and they all end up dying in a really anticlimactic ways?
Would've loved if the book was more about Jack and Ethan being a power couple but it is what it is. Maybe I'm just in the minority who likes Jack more than Ethan so I don't get the hype/ratings. I was already a bit sore about the novella between books 2 and 3 just being the second book from Ethan's pov, so that too I guess. Jack deserved to get treated better, and I just don't get why Jack thinks he's the one who's fucked up in their relationship and has to make up for it constantly.
Didn't hate the book/series but just a lot I was frustrated with and wish had gone differently.
The maybe 34-40% first percents of the book were also pretty boring, especially the chapter with Jack's hearing just simply being characters explaining what has happened up until then. Jack and Ethan working together were the best parts, and sadly that was maybe 30% of the book. This book was more Ethan's story with a side of Jack than anything else.
In general, I feel like Jack got the shorter end of the stick here. Everything that happens to Jack is because of Ethan; even in the second book, when it seems like Jack's actions caused the chain of events, it ended up actually being about Ethan and his past. Jack very rarely has any agency, and I don't think it was addressed properly, especially considering it was a big part of Jack's issues with his military past and his service with The Office. Ethan repeatedly denies Jack agency, and Jack forgives him almost instantly even when Ethan keeps doing it.
Also what is it with every named female character being the same cookie-cutter Boss Babe without any personality beyond that, and they all end up dying in a really anticlimactic ways?
Would've loved if the book was more about Jack and Ethan being a power couple but it is what it is. Maybe I'm just in the minority who likes Jack more than Ethan so I don't get the hype/ratings. I was already a bit sore about the novella between books 2 and 3 just being the second book from Ethan's pov, so that too I guess. Jack deserved to get treated better, and I just don't get why Jack thinks he's the one who's fucked up in their relationship and has to make up for it constantly.
Didn't hate the book/series but just a lot I was frustrated with and wish had gone differently.