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magraymusic's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Violence, Slavery, Murder, Grief, Classism, Trafficking, War, Toxic friendship, Physical abuse, Gore, and Death
theoddduckling's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
A brutal, fast paced follow up to The Bone Season. Samantha Shannon expands the world of Scion, taking readers deeper into the dark underbelly of the London Citadel and its clairvoyant population.
Now that Paige Mahoney is back in London, she must decide whether to return to her old life as mollisher for the charismatic Jaxon Hall. But how can she when she knows the truth about Scion?
But the influent of the Rephiam goes deeper than anyone could have imagined, and Paige begins to wonder if she didn’t escape one form of slavery only to find herself in another.
Now that Paige Mahoney is back in London, she must decide whether to return to her old life as mollisher for the charismatic Jaxon Hall. But how can she when she knows the truth about Scion?
But the influent of the Rephiam goes deeper than anyone could have imagined, and Paige begins to wonder if she didn’t escape one form of slavery only to find herself in another.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Blood, Physical abuse, Trafficking, Colonisation, Death, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Slavery
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
tinyjude's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
3.75
The story has still some very interesting elements that make me want to continue the series. Especially I am interested in the worldbuilding and finding out more about Paige's powers and the truth about the origins of these hellish characters (i dont know how to write their name in english but yeah you get it). The book is a bit slow at the beginning but the 3rd part makes it worth it. Really loved the fight between Jax and Paige and his character also holds so much potential for future instalments.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Violence, Death, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Police brutality, Gore, Slavery, Trafficking, Injury/Injury detail, and Animal cruelty
Minor: Abandonment and Alcoholism
booksthatburn's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-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
5.0
THE MIME ORDER is a slow-burn fantasy of allegiances and betrayal as Paige figures out what she wants from her newly reclaimed freedom, and starts to chafe under the formerly familiar restrictions of her Mime Lord.
The first book told a little of what Paige remembered about her Mime Lord and the rest of the Seven Seals. Now, in THE MIME ORDER, she's returned to find things on edge. The world building continues to be excellent, this time around Paige is noticing what's different from before she was away, and it helps give a real reason for the narration to explain so much in book two. Even when it possibly shouldn't be new to her, it is because things have changed a lot. The politics of interrelationships between the factions and people are complex and absorbing, but the way Paige keeps her ambitions clear and (usually) simple keeps it from being overwhelming. There's a dizzying array of options available to her but because of her goals it feels like only one or two are truly available. As she changes what she wants, the narrow world of her choices swivels to a new set of goals. In a setting with endlessly nested factions and motivations (e.g. the Syndicate vs Scion, the Sargas vs the Ranthem, the various Mime Lords and Ladies vs each other), it would be easy to get lost in the details. I appreciated both that this level of detail was present, and that I could choose how much I wanted to try and track it while still understanding the main story.
THE MIME ORDER wraps up a few things left hanging from the previous book. Its whole main storyline starts here and wasn't present previously, and includes a bunch of major things that are both introduced and resolved in it. It leaves some very big things to be picked up by the sequels. The main character is unchanged from THE BONE SEASON, and her voice is consistent across both books. This might make sense if someone started here and didn't know about the rest of the series. Part of that is because it's book two of a planned seven books, and so it doesn't quite yet have the depth of backstory as later entries will inevitably contain. The other part is that (probably because it's a seven book series) the main storyline is largely self contained. It matters that any reader knows Paige was imprisoned, and by whom, and that she has certain allies (both those she obtained during THE BONE SEASON and ones from before her imprisonment), but all of that can be picked up from the way events are handled here. I like this style, it works a little better than in THE BONE SEASON, where I constantly felt like Paige was talking about some earlier book I hadn't gotten to read, since The Seven Seals matter so much to the series as a whole but were mostly only described by Paige rather than shown in that first book. They matter here, and having learned about them previously helps that transition from her imprisonment to being back home.
I love this book and I'm definitely going to keep reading the series. The ending is great, it's a perfect blend between resolving the main tensions from this book and setting up clear stakes for a conflict in the next one. I feel like I have closure as well as knowing what questions I want answered next time, which is ideal for such long books in a long series.
The first book told a little of what Paige remembered about her Mime Lord and the rest of the Seven Seals. Now, in THE MIME ORDER, she's returned to find things on edge. The world building continues to be excellent, this time around Paige is noticing what's different from before she was away, and it helps give a real reason for the narration to explain so much in book two. Even when it possibly shouldn't be new to her, it is because things have changed a lot. The politics of interrelationships between the factions and people are complex and absorbing, but the way Paige keeps her ambitions clear and (usually) simple keeps it from being overwhelming. There's a dizzying array of options available to her but because of her goals it feels like only one or two are truly available. As she changes what she wants, the narrow world of her choices swivels to a new set of goals. In a setting with endlessly nested factions and motivations (e.g. the Syndicate vs Scion, the Sargas vs the Ranthem, the various Mime Lords and Ladies vs each other), it would be easy to get lost in the details. I appreciated both that this level of detail was present, and that I could choose how much I wanted to try and track it while still understanding the main story.
THE MIME ORDER wraps up a few things left hanging from the previous book. Its whole main storyline starts here and wasn't present previously, and includes a bunch of major things that are both introduced and resolved in it. It leaves some very big things to be picked up by the sequels. The main character is unchanged from THE BONE SEASON, and her voice is consistent across both books. This might make sense if someone started here and didn't know about the rest of the series. Part of that is because it's book two of a planned seven books, and so it doesn't quite yet have the depth of backstory as later entries will inevitably contain. The other part is that (probably because it's a seven book series) the main storyline is largely self contained. It matters that any reader knows Paige was imprisoned, and by whom, and that she has certain allies (both those she obtained during THE BONE SEASON and ones from before her imprisonment), but all of that can be picked up from the way events are handled here. I like this style, it works a little better than in THE BONE SEASON, where I constantly felt like Paige was talking about some earlier book I hadn't gotten to read, since The Seven Seals matter so much to the series as a whole but were mostly only described by Paige rather than shown in that first book. They matter here, and having learned about them previously helps that transition from her imprisonment to being back home.
I love this book and I'm definitely going to keep reading the series. The ending is great, it's a perfect blend between resolving the main tensions from this book and setting up clear stakes for a conflict in the next one. I feel like I have closure as well as knowing what questions I want answered next time, which is ideal for such long books in a long series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Blood, Violence, Police brutality, and Death
Moderate: Kidnapping, Confinement, Gore, Colonisation, Gun violence, Medical content, Slavery, Trafficking, Genocide, Murder, and Animal death
Minor: Self harm, Suicide, and Death of parent
CW for major character death (graphic).linkdoesread's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-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
5.0
I'm going to need a while to process the mind-bending madness that Samantha Shannon just laid on me! If you haven't read The Bone Season books you really have to!
This is the second book in the series and picks up moments after the first book ended.... (Pause here for spoilers!)
Paige, some survivors and the Seven Seals have made their way out of Sheol 1 on a stolen train. The relationship between Jaxon and Paige is broken possibly beyond repair. Warden is missing and everything seems impossible. Enter a whole bunch more tension and plot!
The central focus of this book is Paige bringing the tyranny of Scion and the actions of the Rephaim to light for the public to rise and take a stand - but to save the lives of millions of voyants she's going to need the help of the Unnatural Assembly - they, however, are too focused on squabbling and making money. Fighting from every angle Paige is hunting down the truth and entering a battle she has to win. Long live the Mime Order!
This is the second book in the series and picks up moments after the first book ended.... (Pause here for spoilers!)
Paige, some survivors and the Seven Seals have made their way out of Sheol 1 on a stolen train. The relationship between Jaxon and Paige is broken possibly beyond repair. Warden is missing and everything seems impossible. Enter a whole bunch more tension and plot!
The central focus of this book is Paige bringing the tyranny of Scion and the actions of the Rephaim to light for the public to rise and take a stand - but to save the lives of millions of voyants she's going to need the help of the Unnatural Assembly - they, however, are too focused on squabbling and making money. Fighting from every angle Paige is hunting down the truth and entering a battle she has to win. Long live the Mime Order!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Gun violence, and Slavery
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