Scan barcode
A review by kblincoln
The Dark Days Pact by Alison Goodman
5.0
No second book slump here-- Goodman ups the ante for all characters involved. Indeed, I've never seen such outright author glee in twisting the angst screws onto all her main characters.
Lady Helen is now a full member of the Dark Days Club and training with the stern, handsome, and weary-with-pain Lord Carlston. She and her servant, Darby, are close to becoming ready to become a full-fledged Reclaimer (killer of the Deceivers who inhabit human bodies) and Terrene (human who keeps the Reclaimer from going crazy with Deceiver energy when they kill them) duo.
But things get complicated quickly. Remember those angst screws I was talking about? Well, besides the fact that Lord Carlston is married, and that he seems to be succumbing to Deceiver-energy madness, and Helen is still being courted by a Duke, it seems that there is a pesky rule in place about Reclaimers being forbidden to love. And then there's a mysterious journal Helen has to get without Carlston knowing, and then there's the budding love between Darby and Carlston's servant that has to be quashed, and society is getting scandalized by Helen's public displays of strength and speed.....
But what makes this series stand out for me, besides the deliciously devilish ways in which Helen and Carlston are prevented from being together, is the obvious research that went into this book.
Many times historical romance or steampunky romance is more made-up than historical. This one is not. There's a little girl from a bawdy house who uses authentic-sounding street-cant. A characters with a profession (dipping people into the sea at Brighton) that I'd never heard of. And a scene where Darby dresses Helen for the first time as a man wherein I learned more about period dress (who knew those long shirt fronts were tucked between the legs in order to keep the family jewels stable?) than I ever have.
I'm eager for the third installment. There are so many issues (and a delicious situation wherein Helen and Carlston are drawn irresistably together but can't actually BE together) to be resolved that I'm worried for them all. I've got my fingers crossed for a happy ending, but I know it will be a fun ride no matter what happens.
Lady Helen is now a full member of the Dark Days Club and training with the stern, handsome, and weary-with-pain Lord Carlston. She and her servant, Darby, are close to becoming ready to become a full-fledged Reclaimer (killer of the Deceivers who inhabit human bodies) and Terrene (human who keeps the Reclaimer from going crazy with Deceiver energy when they kill them) duo.
But things get complicated quickly. Remember those angst screws I was talking about? Well, besides the fact that Lord Carlston is married, and that he seems to be succumbing to Deceiver-energy madness, and Helen is still being courted by a Duke, it seems that there is a pesky rule in place about Reclaimers being forbidden to love. And then there's a mysterious journal Helen has to get without Carlston knowing, and then there's the budding love between Darby and Carlston's servant that has to be quashed, and society is getting scandalized by Helen's public displays of strength and speed.....
But what makes this series stand out for me, besides the deliciously devilish ways in which Helen and Carlston are prevented from being together, is the obvious research that went into this book.
Many times historical romance or steampunky romance is more made-up than historical. This one is not. There's a little girl from a bawdy house who uses authentic-sounding street-cant. A characters with a profession (dipping people into the sea at Brighton) that I'd never heard of. And a scene where Darby dresses Helen for the first time as a man wherein I learned more about period dress (who knew those long shirt fronts were tucked between the legs in order to keep the family jewels stable?) than I ever have.
I'm eager for the third installment. There are so many issues (and a delicious situation wherein Helen and Carlston are drawn irresistably together but can't actually BE together) to be resolved that I'm worried for them all. I've got my fingers crossed for a happy ending, but I know it will be a fun ride no matter what happens.