Reviews

The Descent of Monsters by Neon Yang

gigireadswithkiki's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I'll always give props for when authors decide to branch out and try something new; so while this installment of the Tensorate series isn't my favorite, the switch-up was creative and interesting, opening up of the world through Rider's backstory and the ransacked Tensorate research facility. Though I feel like the "research facility doing shady business gets attacked from the inside out" trope is a bit overdone, "The Descent of Monsters" had a creepy "Jurassic Park" feel at times that lent itself to an eerie aura that was utterly compelling. 

However!!! It felt a little bit lazy to have built up the detective character plagued by mysterious dreams, investigating the deaths of the facility,

all to die at the end, to poison no less.

At the end of the day, I felt that Rider's perspective and narrative were sorely missing from their own story, which is disappointing considering how much their character was hinted at in "The Red Threads of Fortune".

rashellnicole's review against another edition

adventurous informative mysterious fast-paced

5.0

Yang keeps getting better with every addition to this series! While I have thoroughly enjoyed the journey we’ve been on through the Protectorate, this was by far the most intriguing method of storytelling of theirs that I’ve encountered. Told through journal entries of Investigator Chuwan as she looks into the records of what occurred at the Rewar Teng Institute of Experimental Methods, Yang paints a grisly picture of the secrets that the Tensorate would like to keep hidden. We get glimpses of the original investigators’ conversations with Rider, information about Akeha and Mokoya (some of our most beloved characters), and even entries from Rider as they witnessed the absolute bloodbath at the institute on a journey to track down their long-lost twin.

I’ve said it about each novella in this series so far, but this one has been my favorite to date, as the method of storytelling felt fresh, exciting, and unique - it really mixed things up for me and made it easy to tear through each chapter. I absolutely cannot wait to dig into the conclusion of this series SO SOON.

auora1484's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.75

sofie_kell's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

mkhare's review against another edition

2.0

I read this in a very disjointed manner, and not as directly after the second book as I would have liked. I didn’t really gel with the narration style of the new character introduced here, and couldn’t settle into the weight and atmosphere that was trying to be conveyed. I also didn’t understand why everyone automatically assumed that Rider’s twin was still a child - did I miss something that clued them into this fact before the investigation started? 2.5 stars

anixhz's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

midnarose's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-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

4.5

4.5 stars 

Out of the 3 novellas i have read so far as part of the tensorate series this was my favorite. However, you need to read the first two to truly appreciate this one. 

This novella takes place a few years after The red threads of fortune (novella #2) and many years after the black tides of Heaven. The format is an investigation. each chapter is a letter, diary entry, letter, report or transcripts from an interrogation. 

The story follows the investigator trying to figure out what happened at a research facility, how did the employees die, who is to blame and why are things being covered up. Throughout the investigation we get to see characters from the first two novellas and learn more about the tensorate world. 

If you enjoyed the first two novellas i would 100% recommend this one. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Confinement and Child abuse

rinbee's review against another edition

4.0

When I began reading this book, I was a bit dismayed at the fact it didn't pick up where our beloved characters from the Red Threads of Fate left off. I was worried we left them in the dust and were continuing on with a new set of individuals, albeit in the same world. But I should've known better! The third book in the Tensorate series is an Akira-esque mystery that slowly gets unraveled through a new character, the headstrong investigator Tensor Chuwan Sariman's, perspective and in between we see glimpses of what has occurred between the main cast in the interim. Rather than building more on the characters we know, however, the Descent of Monsters focuses more on the setting and its corrupt politics and the shady morals of those in charge. Despite the grim subject matter, this book is a fun read through its epistolary format and charming narrator.

closteroven's review against another edition

5.0

(9/10)- This was incredible. I loved the style of having journal entries and letters. It worked very well with the type of book. I also found it to be extremely well written, especially the scenes of horror and just the atmosphere in general. There was even a bit of character development in these few pages. Overall this book was very well done and I really liked it.

jujuvansunshine's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0