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Tuesday, September 23, 2014
by Sarah Rees Brennan
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers
Release Date: September 23, 2014
Copy received from: Purchased
My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Kami has lost the boy she loves, is
tied to a boy she does not, and faces an enemy more powerful than ever before.
With Jared missing for months and presumed dead, Kami must rely on her new
magical link with Ash for the strength to face the evil spreading through her
town.
Rob Lynburn is now the master of
Sorry-in-the-Vale, and he demands a death. Kami will use every tool at her
disposal to stop him. Together with Rusty, Angela, and Holly, she uncovers a
secret that might be the key to saving the town. But with knowledge comes
responsibility—and a painful choice. A choice that will risk not only Kami’s
life, but also the lives of those she loves most.
This final book in the Lynburn
Legacy is a wild, entertaining ride from beginning to shocking end.
Review: After absolutely loving my time in
Sorry-in-the-Vale in Unspoken and Untold, I had high expectations for this
conclusion. Kami and co. are back and are charming and complex as ever, the
story resolves its interpersonal drama in a satisfying way, and Kami gets many
opportunities to prove she is a hero of a journalist. On the strength of its
characters alone I quite like Unmade,
but I do have some reservations regarding its plot.
As mentioned, Kami, always an active character, really steps
up in this novel. Her refusal to go along with Rob Lynburn’s murderous plans
for the town (unlike the vast majority of its citizens) makes her and her loved
ones a target, but she never backs down from doing what she believes is right
and always has a plan. She takes the initiative when it comes to her
relationship with Jared too, making a decision and acting on it. That doesn’t
mean things are resolved simply though. For two people who shared a mind link
for most of their lives, they sure cause a lot of drama based on
miscommunication. Ash is still a factor as well: moping around like a
professional third wheel, sorcerer-style. Angela, Holly, and Rusty all have
roles to play (besides simply being awesome) and my personal favorite character,
Kami’s dad Jon Glass, nearly saves the town in one quick move (that he doesn’t,
and that it could be as simple as that, is one of my issues with the plot).
This story tends to the darker side of fantasy, with
torture, murder, and the endangerment of small children all a factor, but the
jokes never stop flowing with Rees Brennan’s signature charming humor and world
play. The atmosphere of the novel wants to suggest no one is safe, and there is tragedy that is, dare I say it, Whedonesque.
The novel succeeded in getting me invested in these characters and giving me a
need to know their fate.
Now for my issue: a large part of this novel hinges on the
Big Bad, Rob Lynburn, simply not bothering much about the heroes. He’s
overpowered., except when he’s not, and it’s all very arbitrary. He and his
evil sorcerer gang knows exactly where everyone lives in the small town that no
one tries to leave, and no one makes any real attempts to hide either. Kami,
Jared, and the rest of the crew are in and out of the supposedly impenetrable
evil fortress of the Lynburn house so often a revolving door should’ve been
installed. On the side of evil there’s a
lot of waiting around for the equinox to perform a sacrifice. One the side of good there’s waiting around,
discussing what they can do, having a party, and continuing to stay in obvious
places waiting to be attacked until they finally are and it comes as a shock.
These waiting periods allow lots of time for relationship drama. The action of
the finale is extremely mystical and vaguely described, and I found one of the hero’s
sacrifices frustrating, as it seemed less heroic than unnecessary and
extraneous.
Despite those critiques I did like this novel and definitely
recommend the series as a whole. It’s rare that I find a story with such a
large group of well-rounded characters and complex relationships, let alone
one that can induce such a spectrum of emotions; from laughter to tears, from
swooning to biting your nails from the tension.
This gothic novel qualifies for RIP IX
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Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Review: Unmade (Lynburn Legacy #3) by Sarah Rees Brennan
by Sarah Rees Brennan
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers
Release Date: September 23, 2014
Copy received from: Purchased
My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Kami has lost the boy she loves, is
tied to a boy she does not, and faces an enemy more powerful than ever before.
With Jared missing for months and presumed dead, Kami must rely on her new
magical link with Ash for the strength to face the evil spreading through her
town.
Rob Lynburn is now the master of
Sorry-in-the-Vale, and he demands a death. Kami will use every tool at her
disposal to stop him. Together with Rusty, Angela, and Holly, she uncovers a
secret that might be the key to saving the town. But with knowledge comes
responsibility—and a painful choice. A choice that will risk not only Kami’s
life, but also the lives of those she loves most.
This final book in the Lynburn
Legacy is a wild, entertaining ride from beginning to shocking end.
Review: After absolutely loving my time in
Sorry-in-the-Vale in Unspoken and Untold, I had high expectations for this
conclusion. Kami and co. are back and are charming and complex as ever, the
story resolves its interpersonal drama in a satisfying way, and Kami gets many
opportunities to prove she is a hero of a journalist. On the strength of its
characters alone I quite like Unmade,
but I do have some reservations regarding its plot.
As mentioned, Kami, always an active character, really steps
up in this novel. Her refusal to go along with Rob Lynburn’s murderous plans
for the town (unlike the vast majority of its citizens) makes her and her loved
ones a target, but she never backs down from doing what she believes is right
and always has a plan. She takes the initiative when it comes to her
relationship with Jared too, making a decision and acting on it. That doesn’t
mean things are resolved simply though. For two people who shared a mind link
for most of their lives, they sure cause a lot of drama based on
miscommunication. Ash is still a factor as well: moping around like a
professional third wheel, sorcerer-style. Angela, Holly, and Rusty all have
roles to play (besides simply being awesome) and my personal favorite character,
Kami’s dad Jon Glass, nearly saves the town in one quick move (that he doesn’t,
and that it could be as simple as that, is one of my issues with the plot).
This story tends to the darker side of fantasy, with
torture, murder, and the endangerment of small children all a factor, but the
jokes never stop flowing with Rees Brennan’s signature charming humor and world
play. The atmosphere of the novel wants to suggest no one is safe, and there is tragedy that is, dare I say it, Whedonesque.
The novel succeeded in getting me invested in these characters and giving me a
need to know their fate.
Now for my issue: a large part of this novel hinges on the
Big Bad, Rob Lynburn, simply not bothering much about the heroes. He’s
overpowered., except when he’s not, and it’s all very arbitrary. He and his
evil sorcerer gang knows exactly where everyone lives in the small town that no
one tries to leave, and no one makes any real attempts to hide either. Kami,
Jared, and the rest of the crew are in and out of the supposedly impenetrable
evil fortress of the Lynburn house so often a revolving door should’ve been
installed. On the side of evil there’s a
lot of waiting around for the equinox to perform a sacrifice. One the side of good there’s waiting around,
discussing what they can do, having a party, and continuing to stay in obvious
places waiting to be attacked until they finally are and it comes as a shock.
These waiting periods allow lots of time for relationship drama. The action of
the finale is extremely mystical and vaguely described, and I found one of the hero’s
sacrifices frustrating, as it seemed less heroic than unnecessary and
extraneous.
Despite those critiques I did like this novel and definitely
recommend the series as a whole. It’s rare that I find a story with such a
large group of well-rounded characters and complex relationships, let alone
one that can induce such a spectrum of emotions; from laughter to tears, from
swooning to biting your nails from the tension.
This gothic novel qualifies for RIP IX
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