crystal_reading's review against another edition
4.0
I had a hard time caring about the main character this time at least in the beginning. I didn't find Matt all that interesting for quite a while. He was just like a dear in the headlights and that is not the most exciting thing to watch. About half-way through it got better. I loved the reader for the audio and the interview at the end between the reader and the author. The reader didn't exaggerate the accents, but did include some. He also helped to keep the tension present throughout the book. There were quite a few stand out characters that helped make the book way more interesting. Listen is fabulous and Cienfuegos is also pretty amazing. The Mushroom Master was another very unique character. The book grew on me as it went, but I am not sure that I would have finished it if I was reading the hard copy myself. The one thing that is a negative about having listened to it was that the appendix isn't on the CDs so I missed the extra things at the end.
kandicez's review against another edition
2.0
I read House of the Scorpion almost 10 years ago. It was a great story so when I stumbled upon this sequel, I really looked forward to reading it. Sadly, it didn't live up to the first in the series.
Set in a future where Drug Lords rule everything, the main character, Matt, is a clone of the newly deceased Lord of Opium (an opium producing country), El Patron. Much of the old drug lord's kingdom can only be unlocked or accessed with his DNA. Matt has that DNA so decides to change the world he lives in. Great premise, poor execution.
Farmer gives too much detail regarding everyday events in Matt's life, but almost no detail as to how Matt's actions are changing the world around him. She introduces new clones, and they are very interesting characters, but nothing really happens with them. Things happen TO them, but I wanted something to happen because of them.
I expected, and wanted, more of the political side of Matt's world and actions described. Farmer never lets us see what impact Matt's wishes to make things better are having on the world around him. We never see what lies outside the borders of Opium. She introduces the idea of ecology and makes it obvious the world is in a bad place, but she doesn't go anywhere with the idea.
Because this is a sequel, my hope is that there will be another installment giving me what I was hoping for in this one. If she publishes another, I will certainly give it a try, but if it's more of this, I won't finish.
Set in a future where Drug Lords rule everything, the main character, Matt, is a clone of the newly deceased Lord of Opium (an opium producing country), El Patron. Much of the old drug lord's kingdom can only be unlocked or accessed with his DNA. Matt has that DNA so decides to change the world he lives in. Great premise, poor execution.
Farmer gives too much detail regarding everyday events in Matt's life, but almost no detail as to how Matt's actions are changing the world around him. She introduces new clones, and they are very interesting characters, but nothing really happens with them. Things happen TO them, but I wanted something to happen because of them.
I expected, and wanted, more of the political side of Matt's world and actions described. Farmer never lets us see what impact Matt's wishes to make things better are having on the world around him. We never see what lies outside the borders of Opium. She introduces the idea of ecology and makes it obvious the world is in a bad place, but she doesn't go anywhere with the idea.
Because this is a sequel, my hope is that there will be another installment giving me what I was hoping for in this one. If she publishes another, I will certainly give it a try, but if it's more of this, I won't finish.
aliciamarvinetz's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
alyram4's review against another edition
1.0
A case of "sequels that seemed like a good idea but probably shouldn't have been made".
luci7's review
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
sandraagee's review against another edition
4.0
This book picks up right where [b:The House of the Scorpion|13376|The House of the Scorpion (Matteo Alacran, #1)|Nancy Farmer|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1347695758s/13376.jpg|868252] left off. As a sequel, it's not bad. Now that Matt is the ruler of Opium he has quite a bit to deal with as pressure from other drug lords and politicians, the need for supplies, and a closed border must contend with Matt's personal desires to grow real food instead of opium and free the thousands of eejits under his control. For most of the book Matt has to wrestle with the complicated ethics that surround his situation. I found it fascinating, though some more reluctant readers might find the book a bit slow. Admittedly this book did not grab me quite as strongly as The House of the Scorpion did, but I still really enjoyed it and would recommend it to fans of the first.
jdalton's review against another edition
5.0
I was so excited to find out there was a sequel to the house of the scorpion, but I needed to reread that as it had been almost a decade since I’d read it last.
I’m glad I did that as it’s helpful for this second book to remember the events of the first. And while I thought the first book was a good standalone novel, I feel this book really expands and finishes the series in a more satisfying way for Matt.
I’m glad I did that as it’s helpful for this second book to remember the events of the first. And while I thought the first book was a good standalone novel, I feel this book really expands and finishes the series in a more satisfying way for Matt.
sc104906's review against another edition
3.0
This is the finale of the House of Scorpion duet. It picks up where the first book left off. Matt is now the leader of Opium. There are enemies waiting to overthrow him. However, Matt wants to change things. He wants to better them.
This second novel wasn't as strong as the first. Matt was less likeable in this novel, I felt. However, all of the most important plot ends are tied up.
This second novel wasn't as strong as the first. Matt was less likeable in this novel, I felt. However, all of the most important plot ends are tied up.
natrobinson's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
ronniewest's review against another edition
3.0
The thing you have to remember about books like this is that they are fiction. They aren’t real, so they won’t all make sense. There are definite problems with the believability of things in this story, but it’s a decent story and follow up to the previous one if you don’t worry about all the details.