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cat1586's review
2.0
It's the curse of the sequel. Or maybe it's my curse of the sequel. I never seem to like the second book in a series. Any series. And even if I do like it a little, it's always the least liked book out of the series.
I really appreciated the world that was built and given to us in The Call. I was impressed by the concept enough that I flew through the first one and, by luck, managed to pick up this one the day I finished the first one. I didn't even know that this one was only just being released.
The problem I have with this installment however is something that I find to be a glaring issue. Ireland has gone to great lengths to preserve what they can of their dwindling youth. It's made pretty clear in the first book that Ireland is desperately trying to give their youth every possible sliver of anything that might save their lives and get them through the Call.
Through the first book, the reader doesn't question this. Nobody does. So why on earth does the logic of deliberately sending societies unwanted and worst to the grey land (where they will then become monsters fit for the slaughter of the very youth Ireland is trying to give a fighting chance) go unquestioned or unchallenged? I mean, in all the years that the survival colleges have been in use, and all the resources that have gone into funding them, those efforts were directly negated by the number of live bodies this same country was WILLINGLY sending to the enemy! How? I kept closing the book and walking away irately waving my hands in the air asking that question. How does this make any sense what so ever? If it is somehow explained in a satisfactory way in the book, I sure as hell missed it.
It would be one thing, if this was written in as an obviously bad idea that once the lead characters find out about they object to and point out that every living body they send to the grey land is now a weapon used by the enemy to further decrease the chances of Call survivors, but no, this plot hole is just there. Written in as an integral part of the story, like it's not obviously in direct conflict with the logic of the first book.
If there ever is a third book, I hope the opportunity is taken to somehow address this and spin it into a way that makes sense.
Seriously though, please write a third book and fix this. Please. This world is a great concept. Please don't let it end like this.
I really appreciated the world that was built and given to us in The Call. I was impressed by the concept enough that I flew through the first one and, by luck, managed to pick up this one the day I finished the first one. I didn't even know that this one was only just being released.
The problem I have with this installment however is something that I find to be a glaring issue. Ireland has gone to great lengths to preserve what they can of their dwindling youth. It's made pretty clear in the first book that Ireland is desperately trying to give their youth every possible sliver of anything that might save their lives and get them through the Call.
Through the first book, the reader doesn't question this. Nobody does. So why on earth does the logic of deliberately sending societies unwanted and worst to the grey land (where they will then become monsters fit for the slaughter of the very youth Ireland is trying to give a fighting chance) go unquestioned or unchallenged? I mean, in all the years that the survival colleges have been in use, and all the resources that have gone into funding them, those efforts were directly negated by the number of live bodies this same country was WILLINGLY sending to the enemy! How? I kept closing the book and walking away irately waving my hands in the air asking that question. How does this make any sense what so ever? If it is somehow explained in a satisfactory way in the book, I sure as hell missed it.
It would be one thing, if this was written in as an obviously bad idea that once the lead characters find out about they object to and point out that every living body they send to the grey land is now a weapon used by the enemy to further decrease the chances of Call survivors, but no, this plot hole is just there. Written in as an integral part of the story, like it's not obviously in direct conflict with the logic of the first book.
If there ever is a third book, I hope the opportunity is taken to somehow address this and spin it into a way that makes sense.
Seriously though, please write a third book and fix this. Please. This world is a great concept. Please don't let it end like this.
kittyofdarkness's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
4.0
rereader33's review
5.0
Alright, I am giving this five stars because the last third of the story is so freaking good! I will admit that the first third is a little slow and the characters are pretty awful people, but boy the rest of the story more than makes up for it. If there is anything this and The Call demonstrate, is that incredibly good people either don't exist or are hard to come by. O'Guilin makes it a point to show the humanity and the evil in just about everyone and while it can be disheartening at times it also makes them more realistic. Not all people are entirely good or entirely evil, and someone who has been good can be tainted by doubt or hopelessness. Considering the circumstances, it makes sense to have so many flawed, almost unlikable characters present, though some of the characters just grated on my nerves. The professor and Cassidy were the two big ones. I understand that the professor is meant to show how an obsession can cloud one's humanity/judgment but she was so annoying and obnoxious, I was thrilled when Nessa punched her. Cassidy was honestly not that interesting to me and seemed to exist because the story needed a "guy will go to any length to perform his duty, even torture someone but claim it's for the greater good" kind of character and I couldn't stand him. Honestly, they were the worst and everyone else was either awesome or tolerable. Th story was just as suspenseful as the first book, and I am not lying when I say that the suspense pays of spectacularly with regards to promises made and broken. Seriously, the last few chapters alone gave this book five stars in my eyes. I will definitely be keeping my eye out for more from this author, he is amazing!
poseidonstrdt's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
defaultnamespace's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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? It's complicated
3.0
pezzo's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
alongreader's review
5.0
Usually when I pick up a sequel some time after reading the first book, it takes a while to get back into the flow of the story, to remember the world and the characters and all the little things that make the story unique. Not with this book. Two pages in I was already sucked back into this strange, hopeless Ireland and the struggles its people were facing.
There's a little more world building in this one, which was great; it was sad but interesting to see how the rest of the Nation was faring, both those too old to be Called and the so called 'survivors' of the Call. One of the things that really struck me was the repeated assurance that 'the Nation has no resources to waste on criminals'. It's a tiny detail but it paints a huge, unpleasant picture of the society forced on these people.
The ending was very clever; I only realised it about half a page ahead of Nessa, I'm ashamed to say, but once I'd read it I was able to look back and see the clues and hints sprinkled in throughout the book. I'd love to know what happened to some of the side characters who seemed to vanish, though. How about some short stories, Peader? (You probably don't remember me, I was the girl selling your book when you visited Clongowes late one winter evening...)
I could read novels set in this world forever, but if this is the end, it was a really great one. Thanks.
Thanks to David Fickling for providing a proof copy in exchange for an honest review.
There's a little more world building in this one, which was great; it was sad but interesting to see how the rest of the Nation was faring, both those too old to be Called and the so called 'survivors' of the Call. One of the things that really struck me was the repeated assurance that 'the Nation has no resources to waste on criminals'. It's a tiny detail but it paints a huge, unpleasant picture of the society forced on these people.
The ending was very clever; I only realised it about half a page ahead of Nessa, I'm ashamed to say, but once I'd read it I was able to look back and see the clues and hints sprinkled in throughout the book. I'd love to know what happened to some of the side characters who seemed to vanish, though. How about some short stories, Peader? (You probably don't remember me, I was the girl selling your book when you visited Clongowes late one winter evening...)
I could read novels set in this world forever, but if this is the end, it was a really great one. Thanks.
Thanks to David Fickling for providing a proof copy in exchange for an honest review.
alongreader's review against another edition
5.0
Usually when I pick up a sequel some time after reading the first book, it takes a while to get back into the flow of the story, to remember the world and the characters and all the little things that make the story unique. Not with this book. Two pages in I was already sucked back into this strange, hopeless Ireland and the struggles its people were facing.
There's a little more world building in this one, which was great; it was sad but interesting to see how the rest of the Nation was faring, both those too old to be Called and the so called 'survivors' of the Call. One of the things that really struck me was the repeated assurance that 'the Nation has no resources to waste on criminals'. It's a tiny detail but it paints a huge, unpleasant picture of the society forced on these people.
The ending was very clever; I only realised it about half a page ahead of Nessa, I'm ashamed to say, but once I'd read it I was able to look back and see the clues and hints sprinkled in throughout the book. I'd love to know what happened to some of the side characters who seemed to vanish, though. How about some short stories, Peader? (You probably don't remember me, I was the girl selling your book when you visited Clongowes late one winter evening...)
I could read novels set in this world forever, but if this is the end, it was a really great one. Thanks.
Thanks to David Fickling for providing a proof copy in exchange for an honest review.
There's a little more world building in this one, which was great; it was sad but interesting to see how the rest of the Nation was faring, both those too old to be Called and the so called 'survivors' of the Call. One of the things that really struck me was the repeated assurance that 'the Nation has no resources to waste on criminals'. It's a tiny detail but it paints a huge, unpleasant picture of the society forced on these people.
The ending was very clever; I only realised it about half a page ahead of Nessa, I'm ashamed to say, but once I'd read it I was able to look back and see the clues and hints sprinkled in throughout the book. I'd love to know what happened to some of the side characters who seemed to vanish, though. How about some short stories, Peader? (You probably don't remember me, I was the girl selling your book when you visited Clongowes late one winter evening...)
I could read novels set in this world forever, but if this is the end, it was a really great one. Thanks.
Thanks to David Fickling for providing a proof copy in exchange for an honest review.