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yayforbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Marie Brennan's Onyx Court books make me love London and I'm not even a Londoner. I also lose a great deal of sleep staying up finishing her books. In Ashes Lie, the sequel to Midnight Never Come, was a rich weaving of history and fairy tale and also something of a story about a monarch's loyalty to her kingdom turning out to be more like love.
I really enjoyed the way that politics and history and fantasy intertwine. The narrative was woven in an interesting fashion that made the story more compelling. Watching the passing of time made me feel like I was experiencing things the way an immortal fae would (kind of).
Characterization was strong - even minor characters were given personalities and I shed tears for more than one character who got involved in court intrigue and politics.
I shed a surprising number of tears actually... Maybe I'm just more susceptible to Marie Brennan's pulling on my heartstrings than other writers because I cried for a city that isn't even mine.
Now I need to go find more books.
I really enjoyed the way that politics and history and fantasy intertwine. The narrative was woven in an interesting fashion that made the story more compelling. Watching the passing of time made me feel like I was experiencing things the way an immortal fae would (kind of).
Characterization was strong - even minor characters were given personalities and I shed tears for more than one character who got involved in court intrigue and politics.
I shed a surprising number of tears actually... Maybe I'm just more susceptible to Marie Brennan's pulling on my heartstrings than other writers because I cried for a city that isn't even mine.
Now I need to go find more books.
linekgh's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
hollyannmccann's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
clacksee's review
I might go back to this at some point. It just felt like two different books. At about a third of the way through, it skips ahead in time by more than forty years. The human cast completely changes.
adelaidebijou's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
kaylynn's review
2.0
I thought a long time about why I didn't just love this book. It has a beautiful historical setting, political intrigue, and a fairy court, all things that I usually like. But I just wasn't ever able to care about the characters. I knew that Anthony's efforts were doomed, so I didn't feel any tension for him. Also, the fay were just too human. There didn't seem to be anything to set them apart from the humans, and I found that irritating. This is the second time I have started and not finished this book. It may have gotten better, but I just didn't care enough to find out.
tomasthanes's review
5.0
This is the second book in the Onyx Court series by [a:Marie Brennan|105839|Marie Brennan|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1277921611p2/105839.jpg] except that now I find that there's a book ([b:Deeds of Men|9186976|Deeds of Men (Onyx Court, #1.5)|Marie Brennan|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1375469450s/9186976.jpg|14066353]) that falls between the first and second books which I haven't read. Never fear: I shall remedy this.
The first book dealt with the realm of Queen Elizabeth I who lived from 1533 through 1603.
This books deals with King Charles I (1600 - 1649), the Great Fire of London (1666), and the Great Plague of London (1665-1666). Note that the Fire and the Plague overlap. Coincidence? I have no clue but given the construction practices (wood and plaster) and the living conditions of the time, it's just unfortunate.
Evangelical Christians are used to thinking that there is a spiritual realm that overlays the physical world that we see and that angelic and demonic powers are contending with the people who govern to affect the affairs of the world. This book (and all of the books in the Onyx Court series) take a similar view of the world, substituting the Fae for angels and demons.
The Onyx Court is intrinsically tied to the monarchy in London and tries to protect England and its people, but Fae courts in Ireland and Scotland (and their human leadership) contend for control. It's a political mess (sound familiar?).
Queen Lune is brought forward into the story from the first book. Her human Prince (of Stone) from book one, Michael Deven, is long dead, replaced by Sir Antony Ware who himself is followed by Dr. Jack Ellin. Poor King Charles lost his head; the Puritans of the time, seeking to remake society in their strict but graceless interpretation of the Bible, reminded me a lot of the "Christians" who support President Trump (they don't show a lot of compassion or grace). The story and the characters and the interactions between the distant Fae courts is wonderfully woven together.
The only thing that I found a bit confusing was the timeline. The events in the book (the Fire and the Plague) weren't strictly chronological.
Now back to Book 1.5.
The first book dealt with the realm of Queen Elizabeth I who lived from 1533 through 1603.
This books deals with King Charles I (1600 - 1649), the Great Fire of London (1666), and the Great Plague of London (1665-1666). Note that the Fire and the Plague overlap. Coincidence? I have no clue but given the construction practices (wood and plaster) and the living conditions of the time, it's just unfortunate.
Evangelical Christians are used to thinking that there is a spiritual realm that overlays the physical world that we see and that angelic and demonic powers are contending with the people who govern to affect the affairs of the world. This book (and all of the books in the Onyx Court series) take a similar view of the world, substituting the Fae for angels and demons.
The Onyx Court is intrinsically tied to the monarchy in London and tries to protect England and its people, but Fae courts in Ireland and Scotland (and their human leadership) contend for control. It's a political mess (sound familiar?).
Queen Lune is brought forward into the story from the first book. Her human Prince (of Stone) from book one, Michael Deven, is long dead, replaced by Sir Antony Ware who himself is followed by Dr. Jack Ellin. Poor King Charles lost his head; the Puritans of the time, seeking to remake society in their strict but graceless interpretation of the Bible, reminded me a lot of the "Christians" who support President Trump (they don't show a lot of compassion or grace). The story and the characters and the interactions between the distant Fae courts is wonderfully woven together.
The only thing that I found a bit confusing was the timeline. The events in the book (the Fire and the Plague) weren't strictly chronological.
Now back to Book 1.5.
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