4/5 starsThe Electric Heir is the second part of the duology which began with The Fever King, a fantastic book you should definitely read before this one. Please bare in mind that both books deal with some heavy themes, including but not limited to eating disorders, alcohol abuse, rape, domestic violence and child abuse. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. And honestly? My head hurts! You know why?? Because I just read this book in one sitting, eyes glued to my tablet, on the edge of my seat. It was a tense, tense adventure from start to finish, with moments of soft reprieve which were STILL tense in their own ways because as you read them you know that danger is around the very next corner. Whew. I mean, I was expecting great things and boy were they delivered on! This book is hard hitting and emotional in such a way that it leaves you feeling breathless. It deals with situations and topics which are very sensitive and I believe it does a good job of handling them with the honesty and care that they deserve. This duology is about survival, it's about being a survivor, and it never shies away from that, which I think is not just important, but vitally necessary. The synopsis of Electric Heir, sequel to The Fever King, by Victoria Lee, states on GoodReads "Noam Álvaro seeks to end tyranny before he becomes a tyrant himself." And you really do see that journey. Noam is a very powerful character, both literally and emotionally, and seeing the way he's changed from the beginning of the first book is incredible. His character arc has been flawlessly executed. A lot of the changes, a lot of the experiences he's had, have been negative, and he's done things that make him feel sick, but at the heart of him, all he's doing is his best. He's a teenager who has been through so much trauma it was bound to have rubbed off on him in some negative ways. His relationship with Dara is also incredibly well crafted and definitely one of the few positive things that Noam has going for him. Dara in his own right is a powerhouse of a character, not because of his magic, as he doesn't have access to that anymore, but because of the sheer presence he has on page. The way that he reacts, the way that he thinks, the way that he deals with his own trauma and his determination to stop Lehrer, everything about him is powerful. And yet I still want to wrap him in a blanket with Noam and keep them safe for the rest of forever. The one thing I will say (very slight spoilers ahead), which is probably the reason why I'm giving this a 4 star rating (although really it's more 4.5) is that I wasn't quite satisfied with the ending. After all the buildup to the final moment I glanced at the percent check at the bottom of my screen, realised I was on something like 94% and panicked because I thought I must have misread the situation and that I was heading for another cliffhanger and a wait for book 3. It wrapped itself up plot wise, we aren't left hanging, but I don't feel like the ending did the book justice. It's kind of hard to put into words exactly what I mean without spoiling it for everyone. Despite this, however, I 100% recommend The Electric Heir. The ending might not fully live up to my expectations, but the rest of the book surpassed them. It's very dark, twisted sometimes, hard to stomach even, but if you like your dystopias gritty and diverse, with a blast of magic, then you'll love this.
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4/5 stars** spoiler alert ** This book is a perfect example as to why I don’t tend to read book series when only the first one is out lmao. I made the same mistake with the Cruel Prince and now I’m stood in book limbo and I HATE IT. I much prefer binge reading and consuming whole series at once but I couldn’t resist this summary and front cover. I listened to the audible version which was done very well. The world building was super interesting and the main characters were all complex beings. I hated Lehrer from the start I NEVER trusted that douche canoe and I need him to die a painful death in book two. The ending was very frustrating for someone who dislikes cliffhangers and wanted a happy ending lmao and Noam’s naivety and unreliable narration did grate on my nerves but I love my disaster bi son. I would, however, take a bullet for my brave gay son so.. if Noam and Dara don’t get a happy ending I’m gonna riot harder than every refugee in this book put together TBH. Talking of book two, I need it like I need air! :( |
Reviewer26. Capricorn. INFP. Hufflepuff. Archives
October 2020
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