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billyjepma's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
There’s some compelling stuff here, backed up by solid characterizations that feel authentic despite the YA cliches they also embody. The writing is also good, and the primary protagonists all have unique voices and perspectives I mostly enjoyed, even if the cultist angle the story takes is one I’m not usually fond of. But the final stretch left me feeling like I just spent 300+ pages reading something meant to support another story instead of operating on its own terms. A lot of shocking things happen in the final chapters, and I honestly admire how grim a few of its twists were. The sudden twists gave the plot the momentum it had lacked previously, but the way key characters reacted was jarring for me. It’s like the whole book was going in one direction just to pivot the other way in the final pages. We’ll see if the follow-up books fill in some of the gaps for me, but right now, my feelings are mixed.
Part of my mixed reaction is probably due to my continued apprehension about the prequel approach that this phase of The High Republic has adopted. It seems driven by plot, not character, which is rarely something that works for me in the ways I want. And, so far, my early forays into this phase have left me intellectually interested but emotionally cold. My investment isn’t there yet, and it really should be. I’m obviously going to keep going because I’m in too deep to do anything else, but whatever comes next will need to do some heavy lifting if they want to get anywhere close to where the first phase of THR was.
Part of my mixed reaction is probably due to my continued apprehension about the prequel approach that this phase of The High Republic has adopted. It seems driven by plot, not character, which is rarely something that works for me in the ways I want. And, so far, my early forays into this phase have left me intellectually interested but emotionally cold. My investment isn’t there yet, and it really should be. I’m obviously going to keep going because I’m in too deep to do anything else, but whatever comes next will need to do some heavy lifting if they want to get anywhere close to where the first phase of THR was.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Grief, and Body horror
Minor: Blood
akswhy's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
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? It's complicated
4.5
If I could squeeze this book and juice the dialogue from it, I would distill it into a delicious little spirit and make a fizzy cocktail and I would end up drinking about 3 too many. It’s practically injectable. And the mystery unfolds at the perfect pace and the surprises are shocking without being unbelievable. It’s easily the second best YA book in The High Republic (right after Into the Dark, my beloved).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Blood
Moderate: Religious bigotry
Minor: Abandonment
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