3.5/5 stars
Bantam, 2013
320 pages
YA Fantasy Historical
Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Continuing with my love of dragons, earlier this year I read The Sweetest Dark and enjoyed its distinct writing style that seemed to really ground it in a different historical setting. It also had the bonus of featuring a boarding school, one of my favorite places to read about. So I was excited to start this sequel.
In this go-around, I tended to find the writing less enchanting, more distracting with several passages meriting rereads to erase my confusion (though it is also really hot so that helps to explain my muddled head). This sequel does feature some cool plot points such as Eleanore and Armand journeying from England to Germany to rescue another drakon being held as a prisoner of war. That takes up about the latter half of the book and was positively thrilling.
The first half of the book had its moments though too with Lora flailing a bit following the loss of an important character at the end of book one and ending up serving as a nurse at the new convalescent home in Armand's mansion (this made me think of "Downton Abbey") before embarking on the above quest. I thought this was an interesting perspective on WWI though it is still early days yet. I was constantly amazed by how much food was mentioned as I was fully expecting rationing.
Yet it's not so much the plot as the writing which matters and I just wasn't as enthralled by it in this go around. Sometimes I felt like things could be much more plainly stated and that if they were, it would make the story go down easier. I'm still not sure how much of the drakon mythology I understand, which probably stems from my unfamiliarity with the adult series this spins off from.
Overall: I think if you liked the first book, you'll have some idea of what to expect from the writing in this second but you should definitely check it out to start or you may end hopelessly lost.
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I thought the story dragged a little until they went on their trip. I like this series though I agree that the writing style can slow down the pacing.
ReplyDeleteI read the first book from her series for adults (The Smoke Thief) and I did not like it at all despite a promising beginning. It is about Kit and Rue who were mentioned so much in The Sweetest Dark and I had hoped to learn something more about the drakon but aside from the prologue, there isn't much new stuff about the drakon and the "romance" is terrible. This series is a marked improvement.
It was so slow until the trip-I just was bored. Disappointed to hear the adult series doesn't give more insight into the magical underpinnings.
DeleteI've had my eye on these, trying to decide if I should give them a try. I'm still on the fence!
ReplyDeleteI would advise against just because there are so many other books out there to consider.
DeleteI'm sorry you didn't love it. But yeah. Not for me, but I do love the cover and it does sound interesting :D Thank you for sharing your honest review. <3
ReplyDeleteThe covers are gorgeous, aren't they? But the words inside just don't live up.
DeleteI thought the magic was missing in this book, too. I really enjoyed The Sweetest Dark, but this was just...pretty boring. SO many scenes of flying was just not enough for me. I don't think I'll continue with the series.
ReplyDeleteYep, liked the first a lot but I'm on the fence in regards to continuing. I like finishing series but I'm not passionately in love with this one so it may be a better use of my time to not.
DeleteI actually really enjoyed the first book, though I read an EARLY, EARLY arc on loan to me and now I feel like I have forgotten a lot of important details (though I well remember the loss of a certain important character.) I like the WWII setting and the whole dragon thing. I think this was one of the first dragon books I read and loved, I've read many more since. I think I'll definitely give this a try soon because I'm curious to see what happens next. Great review:)
ReplyDeleteI liked the first book quite a lot but was a bit let down with this one. Remembering the loss of that character is key-he was much missed in this outing!
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