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sunlit_music's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-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
Plot summary: Daron Demarco's reputation is now in tatters after his talented mentee Kallia disappears through a mirror with her former boss and mentor Jack. Now Kallia must make her way in the mirror world, a world that is a reflection of the real world in some ways, but different, beautiful and deadly. Will she survive to see her friends again and reunite with Daron?
My thoughts on the plot: Plot was interesting and well written, and made sense. It's always good, but becomes phenomenally better in chapter 29. This is when Daron enters the mirror world and beloved characters are reunited with each other.
Daron and Kallia spend at least half of the novel apart from each other, but they still pine after each other and are busy - Daron is busy searching for her, and Kallia is busy surviving the brutal and gorgeous mirror world, making friends and figuring out who to trust and how to deal with the new antagonist, the Dealer.
Characters: Oh my god, there is so much character development in this book!! Jack, the antagonist of book one, is much more fleshed out in this book, and more nuanced. His terrible and toxic actions from book one are never excused, and he actually attempts to do the right thing and help others in book 2.
I felt sympathy and affection for characters I never thought I would like, like Harold. Lottie even ends up more sympathetic in this novel.
Beloved characters like Aaros and Canary reappear, but they appear much less often than in book one. The new characters, such as Vain and Ruthless are fascinating, and I like how Kallia befriends them.
Daron even finds a long lost relative, and I felt all emotional when they meet up again and he tries to make amends. My heart!! I really love how we keep seeing his thoughts of her in book one, how she was his motivation for coming to the city of Glorian, and now we finally get to meet her. It's worth it. It is totally worth it. <3
Kallia finds out she is related to a powerful and ancient, deadly magician, and the book discusses issues of blood family versus found family really well. I liked seeing the contrast between Daron's loving family and Kallia's remaining relative.
World building: The world building is incredible. Oh my god. It's even better than in book one. The differences between the mirror world and the real world, the illusions people see being tailored to them so everyone sees someone different they care about, the identity of the devils - it's all so well crafted and packs an emotional gut punch.
The prose: is so haunting, evocative and lovely!! It makes the world of mirrors feel dangerous, exciting, and alluring, while emphasising the inhabitants' tension and anxiety. There's a rhythm to the words like music, and the words fall into place like they're meant to be there.
The ending: the ending is so bittersweet despite being hopeful and optimistic, because characters we love choose to be separated from their friends. They care deeply about each other, but they will never see each other again. The final battle is action packed and moving, and characters that were previously antagonists actually team up with the protagonist to fight the main antagonist in this novel. We see the mortal and real world is slowly becoming a better place because of Kallia's and her friends' actions.
Conclusion: Both books in the duology are fantastic, and When Night Breaks is thoughtful, emotionally devastating, action packed (in the second half), lyrical, gorgeous, and tender hearted. This book is a fitting and satisfying conclusion to the Kingdom of Cards duology.
My thoughts on the plot: Plot was interesting and well written, and made sense. It's always good, but becomes phenomenally better in chapter 29. This is when Daron enters the mirror world and beloved characters are reunited with each other.
Daron and Kallia spend at least half of the novel apart from each other, but they still pine after each other and are busy - Daron is busy searching for her, and Kallia is busy surviving the brutal and gorgeous mirror world, making friends and figuring out who to trust and how to deal with the new antagonist, the Dealer.
Characters: Oh my god, there is so much character development in this book!! Jack, the antagonist of book one, is much more fleshed out in this book, and more nuanced. His terrible and toxic actions from book one are never excused, and he actually attempts to do the right thing and help others in book 2.
I felt sympathy and affection for characters I never thought I would like, like Harold. Lottie even ends up more sympathetic in this novel.
Beloved characters like Aaros and Canary reappear, but they appear much less often than in book one. The new characters, such as Vain and Ruthless are fascinating, and I like how Kallia befriends them.
Daron even finds a long lost relative, and I felt all emotional when they meet up again and he tries to make amends. My heart!! I really love how we keep seeing his thoughts of her in book one, how she was his motivation for coming to the city of Glorian, and now we finally get to meet her. It's worth it. It is totally worth it. <3
Kallia finds out she is related to a powerful and ancient, deadly magician, and the book discusses issues of blood family versus found family really well. I liked seeing the contrast between Daron's loving family and Kallia's remaining relative.
World building: The world building is incredible. Oh my god. It's even better than in book one. The differences between the mirror world and the real world, the illusions people see being tailored to them so everyone sees someone different they care about, the identity of the devils - it's all so well crafted and packs an emotional gut punch.
The prose: is so haunting, evocative and lovely!! It makes the world of mirrors feel dangerous, exciting, and alluring, while emphasising the inhabitants' tension and anxiety. There's a rhythm to the words like music, and the words fall into place like they're meant to be there.
The ending: the ending is so bittersweet despite being hopeful and optimistic, because characters we love choose to be separated from their friends. They care deeply about each other, but they will never see each other again. The final battle is action packed and moving, and characters that were previously antagonists actually team up with the protagonist to fight the main antagonist in this novel. We see the mortal and real world is slowly becoming a better place because of Kallia's and her friends' actions.
Conclusion: Both books in the duology are fantastic, and When Night Breaks is thoughtful, emotionally devastating, action packed (in the second half), lyrical, gorgeous, and tender hearted. This book is a fitting and satisfying conclusion to the Kingdom of Cards duology.
Content Warnings
Minor: Violence, Confinement, Bullying, Torture, and Kidnapping
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