Following an all-out battle with the walking Dead, the Spirit Hunters have fled Philadelphia, leaving Eleanor alone to cope with the devastating aftermath. But there’s more trouble ahead—the evil necromancer Marcus has returned, and his diabolical advances have Eleanor escaping to Paris to seek the help of Joseph, Jie, and the infuriatingly handsome Daniel once again. When she arrives, however, she finds a whole new darkness lurking in this City of Light. As harrowing events unfold, Eleanor is forced to make a deadly decision that will mean life or death for everyone. Quoted from Goodreads
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Despite the numerous books I've read to the contrary, zombies aren't really my thing. Yes, I adored Warm Bodies, and I appreciated World War Z, but it isn't a selling point. So, last year when Something Strange and Deadly came out, I passed it by. But then all the reviews were so positive and this ADSL kept popping up on everyone's most anticipated for 2013 list, I decided I had to check it out. So here's me, jumping on the Susan Dennard's bandwagon.
Really, I've thoroughly enjoyed this series. It's addictive, and while I'm super glad I waited until the second one came out so I could read the first two in a row, I can't wait for the third one.
First, there's the lovely Eleanor. I adore her as a main character. Sure, she has her very stupid moments, she's way too impulsive, curios, insecure, headstrong, and makes loads of mistakes, but she's always trying. Plus, nothing she does is inconsistent with her character. She's the same, albeit slightly improved/braver/more heartbroken, girl we meet in the beginning of the first book.
This book we also get introduced to the absolutely delightful Oliver (and a few more excellent characters, but none I loved as much as him). I adore his character. It's light, funny, but he also brings so much gravity to the book. What happens between him and Eleanor (and don't worry all you Daniel shippers) was heartbreaking and perfect and horrible at the same time. He's a great source of both conflict and comfort, and more than anyone, I really love what he brought to this second installment.
Now for everyone else, and I do, remarkably, mean everyone. All the characters that you love (and hate) from the first book make an appearance. I wasn't sure how much some of them would, considering the change of scenery and all, but everyone gets their moment. I absolutely adored Eleanor's individual relationships with each character. Nothing was cookie-cutter, and even characters that only appeared for a chapter or two this time around still exacted an emotional pull on her and me as a reader. It's probably one of the things I love most about this series. The characters and their relationships are constantly changing and keeping you guessing.
Then we have the lovely Daniel. He really only gets better as the series goes on. This was the perfect second book for their relationship. I won't tell you exactly what happens (misunderstandings, fights, teamwork, etc.) but it continues to solidly build their relationship, and I can't wait to see how the third book plays out.
Now, in case you're getting tired of all these glowing character reviews, there is action. Tons and tons of action piled on top of itself. We have hellhounds and demons, murders and kidnappings, all on top of the ever present zombie threat. And it's mostly set in Paris!
This is the sort of book you can't put down. It has great characters and loads of action. It's a innovative 4 stars for me. Really this series has been one of the discovery highlights of my July reading. Now I'll have something to look forward to for next July, and I'm already counting down the days.
In 1897 London, something not quite human is about to awaken
When mechanical genius Emily is kidnapped by rogue automatons, Finley Jayne and her fellow misfits fear the worst. What's left of their archenemy, The Machinist, hungers to be resurrected, and Emily must transplant his consciousness into one of his automatons—or forfeit her friends' lives.
With Griffin being mysteriously tormented by the Aether, the young duke's sanity is close to the breaking point. Seeking help, Finley turns to Jack Dandy, but trusting the master criminal is as dangerous as controlling her dark side. When Jack kisses her, Finley must finally confront her true feelings for him...and for Griffin.
Meanwhile, Sam is searching everywhere for Emily, from Whitechapel's desolate alleyways to Mayfair's elegant mansions. He would walk into hell for her, but the choice she must make will test them more than they could imagine.
To save those she cares about, Emily must confront The Machinist's ultimate creation—an automaton more human than machine. And if she's to have any chance at triumphing, she must summon a strength even she doesn't know she has . . . Quoted from Goodreads
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Well, this is another excellent installment in the Steampunk Chronicles. Note, this is not a trilogy, so though this is the third book, this isn't the last in the series like I thought. I'm okay with that. It's a fun series with interesting characters. Plus I don't have a lot of other steampunk series I'm in the middle of right now, so this adds some variety.
Basically this book was pretty much on par with the first two. All the old characters are back (including their old nemesis and the delightful Jack Dandy) and some new ones---one in particular I'm intrigued by, though she also . . . well, I can't really say for spoilers, but it's pretty obvious from the beginning why she was brought into the story. Once again something sinister is happening. This time, the main plot is Emily's kidnapping, though there are the secrets Griffin is keeping, to add another layer of intrigue. It also helps keeps Finley as the main character, since Emily and Sam take center stage this time around.
What I enjoyed most about this book is how much happened in just a few days. It kept every moment vital, from the strange, albeit exciting opener, through the real meat of the story, and on to the slightly ominous conclusion. The action kept me turning pages, and while the multiple viewpoints didn't allow for a lot of mystery, it still kept things tense.
The nice thing about the steampunk genre is that I can excuse so many things that I couldn't in straight historical fiction. For example, Finley and Emily are far more modern than most women back then, but it works because it's steampunk. I'm not cringing like I do in other books when they do something I don't think they would do in the time period because everything is different. All the main characters have special abilities. The Aether is half magic, half science, which helps explain all the differences, and it totally works. It's a fun believable world Kady Cross has created.
The romance gets pretty tied up in this one. I mean if we're going for Victorian standards, I guess we're still waiting for the marriage proposal, but Emily and Sam finally declare their love for each other, and Finley convinces Griffin that she's not half in love with Jack Dandy. Like I said before, while I still think of Finley as the main character despite the multiple viewpoints, I really thing Emily and Sam stole the show in this book. Their romance was sweeter, in my opinion. Finley and Griffin's was more dramatic, to be sure, but it seemed over emphasized compared to the last two books, almost to give both of them more page time, instead of regulating them to the secondary characters they were this time around. Still, I'm happy to finally see them officially together.
All in all, this is a fun continuation of the series. If you haven't read the first ones, you should give them a try. While this isn't the last one, it mostly wraps things up, so you can survive until the next installment. for me it's an enjoyable 3.5 stars. It was a fun, slightly different adventure from most YA (though it still contains some of the standard tropes), and I'm glad it didn't end with this book.
More than anything, Joel wants to be a Rithmatist. Chosen by the Master in a mysterious inception ceremony, Rithmatists have the power to infuse life into two-dimensional figures known as Chalklings. Rithmatists are humanity’s only defense against the Wild Chalklings — merciless creatures that leave mangled corpses in their wake. Having nearly overrun the territory of Nebrask, the Wild Chalklings now threaten all of the American Isles.
As the son of a lowly chalkmaker at Armedius Academy, Joel can only watch as Rithmatist students study the magical art that he would do anything to practice. Then students start disappearing — kidnapped from their rooms at night, leaving trails of blood. Assigned to help the professor who is investigating the crimes, Joel and his friend Melody find themselves on the trail of an unexpected discovery — one that will change Rithmatics — and their world — forever.
Bestselling author Brandon Sanderson brings his unique brand of epic storytelling to the teen audience with an engrossing tale of danger and suspense—the first of a series. With his trademark skills in world-building, Sanderson has created a magic system that is so inventive and detailed that that readers who appreciate games of strategy and tactics just may want to bring Rithmatics to life in our world. Quoted from Goodreads
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I love this book. I mean, I knew it would be good. Brandon Sanderson is that kind of author, the kind you trust no matter how different or crazy his world seems to be---he's kind of like Pixar in that way---and this book is no exception.
First there's the magic system. Who thought chalk drawings and cave paintings could be scary? If someone said chalk figures would be horrible and a magic system that basically only fought those little chalk monsters would be fascinating I probably would have laughed, but Bandon Sanderson totally pulled it off. Seriously, this is such a unique idea. So while there may be some elements that remind the reader of Harry Potter (school of magic; plucky girl side-kick; nefarious-seeming professor who everyone says is good, albeit annoying; etc.) the magic system is so different, it comes across as totally and completely different and unique.
Then there's the world itself. It's half re-imagined American history, half steampunk. Everything is wound from their trains to their clocks and lanterns. Plus the US is a conglomeration of 60 islands, similar but different from the states.
As for the characters, I really liked them. Joel is basically this world's equivalent of a Muggle who wants to be a rithmatist, and his enthusiasm for the subject is infectious. The magic system is half geometry, half art (which could have been boring but totally isn't), and he, as much as anything, makes the magic system fascinating and cool.
Then there's Melody and Prof. Fitch. Both are excellent side characters. They absolutely have their problems and personality quirks, but they both get their well-deserved moments of heroism. They also help compliment Joel in different ways, shaping the person you know he could be.
The book actually starts off a little bit slow, but by the end you can't put it down. Everything comes together, the mystery builds and builds to a perfect climax, and then an amazing ending. Almost everything sort of wraps up yet leaves you dying for the next book. The villains in this book are excellent. They're fascinating, and absolutely everything you did and didn't see coming (don't read too much into that statement. I just really loved the bad guy in this book and how everything played out).
All in all, if you're looking for a great book, this is it. It's a great introduction to Brandon Sanderson's other works, and while it's solidly in the YA/middle grade world, it's the sort of book anyone could enjoy. It's an excellent 4.5 stars for me, with a good chance of being bumped higher in the future. So to sum this all up, you need to read this book.
THE INFERNAL DEVICES WILL NEVER STOP COMING
A net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. Mortmain plans to use his Infernal Devices, an army of pitiless automatons, to destroy the Shadowhunters. He needs only one last item to complete his plan: he needs Tessa Gray.
Charlotte Branwell, head of the London Institute, is desperate to find Mortmain before he strikes. But when Mortmain abducts Tessa, the boys who lay equal claim to her heart, Jem and Will, will do anything to save her. For though Tessa and Jem are now engaged, Will is as much in love with her as ever.
As those who love Tessa rally to rescue her from Mortmain’s clutches, Tessa realizes that the only person who can save her is herself. But can a single girl, even one who can command the power of angels, face down an entire army?Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment, and the tangled threads of love and loss intertwine as the Shadowhunters are pushed to the very brink of destruction in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy. Quoted from Goodreads
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It is a truth universally acknowledged that no one emotionally tortures her characters (or her readers) as much as Cassandra Clare. Really, this book is emotionally exhausting. It's not that these are the most tortured characters in the world. I can think of plenty that have far worse situations--Edmond Dantes (the Count of Monte Cristo) languishing in prison while his father dies and his fiance marries another man, Fantine, abandoned, forced to give up her daughter and finally dying as a prostitute after sacrificing everything for her child, etc.--but you can't read these books and not ache for the characters and what she puts them through.
I'd love to talk about Tessa, Will, and Jem, but I'm not quite sure how without spoiling things. As far as their characters go, I really like all of them. Each of them is tortured in their own unique way (immortal, cursed, and dying), and I admire how each one handled their situation. Cassandra Clare put them in possibly the most horrible love triangle I've really ever read, which I think was kind of her point (and I suppose you could argue it's one of the most triangle triangles I've ever read, which is sort of what makes it so heartbreaking) and think she handled the ending really well.
That being said, and I won't give anything away so dont' worry, the ending was almost too perfect for me and heartbreaking all at once. I had my ship, I knew exactly who I wanted to end up with Tessa, and, again, without giving anything away, I was really pleased with what happened. At the same time . . . well I'm not sure how I feel about the epilogue. I'll freely admit, part of it made me cry (though I really shouldn't be held responsible for any tears shed after 10:00), but part of it . . . well, can an ending be too perfect? Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I read the epilogue, but maybe next time I read the series, I might just stop at the end. Despite all it's perfection and happiness, it sort of left me feeling sad.
Despite all that, I really did love this book (see the 5 star rating below!). I liked the action, the peril, the relationships between the characters. I especially loved getting to know Will's little sister Cecily. Everyone else in these stories has two books worth of anguish weighing them down, where she gives us a wonderfully fresh viewpoint. Sure, she has her own issues with her brother and she didn't like Shadowhunters at first, but that's mostly over with at the opening of this book. I really appreciated her new perspective, seeing how she views everyone half from the outside, half from the inside. I loved Gabriel Lightwood for the same reason. He has his own demons to carry, but it's nice to see things from a slightly different perspective.
And finally we solve the mystery that is Tessa. Sure, it's been explored in the first two books, but I loved discovering Mortmain's plan and why he needed her so desperately. I also love how she uses her abilities to save her friends. She grows up a lot from the girl in the first book, fresh off the boat from New York, and it's fun to see the person she's become.
I'm know there are tons of other things I'll think about as soon as I post this review that I want to add. I'm still emotionally all tangled up in that world. I'm sure things will be clearer in a day or two, but I wanted to review this book today, give a whole first impression blog instead of a one-week-and-with-clearer-thoughts review later. This book is a wonderful 5 stars for me. It tied the series up nicely, really leaving me with just one pressing question I'm sure I'll find the answer to later. All in all, this is a great series. I love the time period, the characters, the relationships, the conflicts, and I'm sad to see it come to an end.
