Just One More Chapter

How do I convey the beautifully succinct writing by the venerable Mrs. Sabaa Tahir without gushing incoherently?!? I'll try my best... here goes...

If you haven't already started this series I HIGHLY recommend you do so immediately. It is an affirmation of Hope and ceaseless Possibility in the face of dire, desperate circumstances... a theme that is extremely poignant due to the chaotic/ uncertain times we currently live in. From the very start we are dropped off right into the chaos where A Torch Against the Night left off. The pacing was perfect. There were twists and betrayals and bloodshed... Oh My!!

The characters were rich and nuanced. They felt like old friends/nemesis you have grown to love and love to hate. They were crafted magnificently. True to the dichotomy of real life personas, each one was depicted as varying shades of grey. I loathe characters that are drawn either purely White or starkly Black... BRING ON THE GRADIENTS BABY!!! Mrs. Tahir manages to make you feel empathy and compassion for the antagonists (after seeing what lead them down the path toward hatred and wickedness). I felt conflicted (as I'm sure you will see) as to who was the "victim" and who the evildoers...for all had claim to both... and really, isn't that the mark of a well written, truly visceral hero/villain?? The multiple POVs worked. They played off of the next person's arc so skillfully that I was saddened each time a chapter came to an end. Elias's role, on the other hand, felt like fodder... or the sticky icky pie filler that could have easily been left out (if not for his usefulness in the last quarter of the book). It felt like he was used as a means to move things along in places that needed a quick plot progression That was a little sad since he was, and should continue to be, an integral player...imho.

This installment was multifaceted. It boasted nefarious jinn, mischiviously violent ghosts, seers/Augurs, a smattering of warlocks, a tiny dallop of romance, twisty reveals and LOADS of bloody vengeance. What else can you possibly want in a book?? It's a gritty book in a heart wrenching series and I love every single word of it!! I will continue to shout its praise from the mountaintops.... mountaintops I say and I truly, deeply, infatically believe you will too. Go ahead, prove me wrong, I'd love to read all about it.

~Enjoy