4.5/5 stars
Farrar Straus Giroux, 2012
350 pages
YA Dystopia Sequel
Source: Picked up at library.
Last year I loved All These Things I've Done, feeling almost like I was reading a contemporary to my delight! Additionally I admired main character Anya's strong feelings about family as well as her love interest Win. Therefore I picked up this sequel with much excitement but also trepidation as second books have let me down quite a bit this year. Although Jen Ryland helped to reassure me with her review, I was still nervous.
Thankfully that was unnecessary. This book also blew me away! I think that is in large part due to Anya's strong personality. While I don't think every character is fully drawn out, Anya is an amazing character. If you don't click with her, these books won't work but I love her. I think she is up there on my list of favorite characters of all time. I can picture her so clearly and I would love to have her protecting me.
The book picks up several months after the conclusion of All These Things I've Done with Anya being released from Liberty and having to make plans for her future. Through a series of events, she ends up having to leave Manhattan, taking a trip that solidifies the reasons why chocolate (remember it's a banned substance) is in her blood and gives her a bold new idea for her future with some unanticipated twists and turns.
So much happens over the course of this novel with a timeline that is a little wacky during the time Anya is out of New York. I don't want to go too in-depth but there are some great scenes of Anya having to kick some butt and a lot of information is thrown at us but there is still more to come. I don't really have the words to articulate my strong positive feelings about this book.
However it did not get five stars. Why is that? I was disappointed with the lack of Win although I completely understand what is happening there and I really hope he comes back in full force in the third book. I also very much disliked Anya's friend Scarlett's decisions (enough possessives, huh?)
Overall: A strong second installment that sets up many new avenues for the third book to explore.
Cover: Not thrilled with the cover redesign, just because I like my covers to match. I think I will wait to buy all three until the covers are definitely confirmed.
I disliked a lot of Scarlett's decisions, but she also made some good ones.
ReplyDeleteI hate it when the covers don't match! Anyway, I *still* haven't got around to reading the first book in this series, although I keep meaning to. Knowing that the second book is good too gives me a little more motivation to read the first :)
ReplyDeleteI have the first one on hold at my library. *finger crossed it's soon*. Great review. Can't wait to read this one too...
ReplyDeleteI own the first book (bought when it was on sale for Kindle) and I hope to read it someday. I am glad to hear that you enjoy this series so much! I was worried that your review might spoil the first book for me but it just made me more interested in finding out about Anya and her world. A world where chocolate is banned would be a sad place!
ReplyDeleteYay -- so happy that you loved this one too -- and thanks for mentioning me :)
ReplyDeleteI agree that more Win is better, but I still really liked this book!
Ok, I hadn't heard of this series before, but now I want to read it! Good thing my library has the first book, All These Things I've Done. I'm going to go definitely check it out soon! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteregards,
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